Niehaus Announces Application Process for 26th District Seat

Release:

(Columbus) - Ohio Senate President Tom Niehaus (R-New Richmond) announced today the process to fill a pending vacancy in Ohio's 26th District Senate seat.

The Senate Republican Caucus will accept applications through close of business on Friday, July 1. Applications should be sent or hand-delivered to the following address:

Senate President Thomas E. Niehaus
The Ohio Statehouse
1 Capitol Square, Room 201
Columbus, OH 43215

Please send an identical copy of the application to the Senate chief of staff:

Matt Schuler, Chief of Staff
The Ohio Statehouse
1 Capitol Square, Room 205
Columbus, OH 43215

Senator Niehaus also announced that the following Senators will serve on a screening committee which will interview the applicants and make a recommendation to the entire 23-member Senate Republican caucus:

* Senator Tom Niehaus, President (R-New Richmond)
* Senator Keith Faber, President Pro Tempore (R-Celina)
* Senator Shannon Jones, Majority Whip (R-Springboro)
* Senator Chris Widener (R-Springfield)
* Senator Kevin Bacon (R-Minerva Park)
* Senator Cliff Hite (R-Findlay)
* Senator Peggy Lehner (R-Kettering)

Incumbent Senator Karen Gillmor (R-Tiffin) has indicated she plans to resign from the 26th District seat, pending Senate approval of her appointment by Gov. John Kasich to the Ohio Industrial Commission.

Gov. Kasich Appoints Gillmor Commissioner of the Industrial Commission of Ohio

Release:

COLUMBUS – Today Gov. John R. Kasich announced the appointment of Sen. Karen L. Gillmor (R-Tiffin) to be commissioner of the Industrial Commission of Ohio, replacing current Commissioner Kevin R. Abrams whose term expires June 30, 2011. Gillmor will not begin serving until after she resigns from the Ohio Senate and is confirmed by the Ohio Senate

WMD Blast

SCHEDULED POSTS:

Today, we have stuff on Sarah Palin's upcoming visit, a Florida update on McCain-Palin, an OH-01 forum issue, ACORN, and Ohio's Issue 6.

LINKS:

Tiffin Advertiser-Tribune: Candidates for 26th Ohio Senate share views

Canada Free Press: "Obama hints at Communist presidency" -- Canadians recognize this sort of thing when they see it...

PolitickerOH: "Romney in Hamilton County for phone bank on Thursday" -- Here's your chance for that BIG interview, BizzyBlog! Heh.

COMING SOON:

Normally I wouldn't even bother with something like this, but I remembered hearing a story -- and I don't remember from whom I heard it, so I'm asking the vast WMD audience to chime in -- that is a bit tabloidy, but since it involves the Angry Armenian, I figure: "Why not!"

Anyway, the story goes a little something like this: Krikorian lost a campaign manager because his grand political strategery was to buy a pig from Jean Schmidt's farm and ride it around downtown.

Does that sound familiar to anybody? I'd love to have confirmation of that... I mean, it is certainly believable, but is it "fake but accurate" is the sort of thing I'm trying to nail down here.

OPEN THREAD IN COMMENTS...

Karen Gillmor's First Ad

I'd really like to see more YouTube videos from Republican candidates. Equally important is letting the bloggers know that these vids are out there...this one was posted four months ago and this is the first I've seen it.

Primary2008: Karen Gillmor Wins Ohio Senate Primary

This also came in after I shut down the "live" coverage:

TIFFIN, OHIO- With a majority of precincts reporting, Karen Gillmor (R-Tiffin), a former two-term State Senator, has won the primary for the 26th Ohio Senate District with more than 60% of the vote over State Rep. Steve Reinhard.

Gillmor said, “I am extremely grateful to the voters for their support. I certainly appreciate their confidence in giving me the opportunity to bring my experienced leadership back to the Ohio Senate. I want to thank Representative Steve Reinhard for a positive, well-run campaign. He has served the constituents of his House District well, and I wish him well in his future endeavors.”

“Our state is facing tough economic times. In 1997, Ohio's tax burden was 20th in the nation. Today, it is the 5th highest. Ohio's heavy tax burden places our state near the bottom nationally in attractiveness to new businesses. We must work diligently to reduce taxes and create the kind of economic development opportunities new businesses seek. By providing incentives and streamlining regulations, our current businesses can be encouraged to expand. We must concentrate our economic efforts to reduce taxes, cut wasteful government spending, and bring high wage jobs back to Ohio.”

“As your State Senator, I will work every day to provide the positive changes that hardworking families in the 26th District want and deserve. My previous record in the Ohio Senate clearly demonstrates I can and will do just that,” Gillmor said.

Ohio’s 26th State Senate District includes all of Sandusky County, Wyandot County, Crawford County, Marion County, Logan County, Union County as well as parts of Ottawa County and Seneca County.

Salute to Paul Gillmor Featuring Kasich on March 1st

This just in...

Tiffin, Ohio - [T]he Salute to Paul Gillmor featuring former Ohio Congressman and current Fox News host John Kasich will take place at Bowling Green State University on Saturday, March 1st. The dinner, in BGSU’s Bowen-Thompson Student Union, begins at 6:00 p.m. The salute will honor the late Congressman Paul Gillmor, a longtime champion of Northwest Ohio. In addition to the keynote address from Congressman Kasich, the dinner will include addresses from Rep. Gillmor’s widow, Karen Gillmor; current Fifth District Congressman Bob Latta; and a special video message from President George W. Bush. Any additional information can be found at www.karengillmor.com.

WHO: Former Congressman and current Fox News Host John Kasich (keynote address)

Karen Gillmor (speaking)

Congressman Bob Latta (speaking)

Various local and state elected officials will be attendance for the Salute

WHEN: The dinner begins at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday March 1, 2008

WHERE: Bowen-Thompson Student Union
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green, Ohio 43402

Release: Tickets Now Available for March 1st Salute to Paul Gillmor

This just in...

Tiffin, Ohio - Tickets are now available for the March 1st Salute to the late Congressman Paul Gillmor to be held at the Bowling Green State University's Bowen-Thompson Student Union. The dinner will begin at 6:00 p.m. with a keynote address from Former Congressman John Kasich.

John Kasich began his political career in 1978 when he was recruited to run for the Ohio Senate by then-Ohio Senate Republican Leader Paul Gillmor. Four years later, Kasich was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives where he began an 18-year career which included six years as Chairman of the House Budget Committee. Congressman Kasich is currently the host of “The Heartland with John Kasich” on FOX News Channel, a guest lecturer at The Ohio State University, and the author of Courage is Contagious, a New York Times bestseller.

Throughout his Congressional career, Congressman Paul Gillmor hosted an annual Lincoln-Hayes Banquet which brought together conservatives from each of the sixteen counties in Gillmor’s Northwest Ohio district. Gillmor’s banquet had grown into one of the largest Republican events in the State of Ohio. After Congressman Gillmor’s passing in September, the Salute to Paul Gillmor was scheduled to remember this longtime champion of Northwest Ohio. In addition to former Congressman Kasich, many Republican elected officials are expected in attendance and Republican Presidential candidates have been invited.

Tickets for the salute are $25 and may be obtained through your local Republican Party organization. For more information, visit www.karengillmor.com.

Senate President Bill Harris Endorses Gillmor for State Senate

This just in...

COLUMBUS – Senate President Bill Harris (R-Ashland) today pledged full support of the Senate Republican Campaign Committee to elect Karen Gillmor as the next state Senator from the 26th Senate District, which includes all of Crawford, Logan, Marion, Sandusky, Union, Wyandot counties and portions of Ottawa and Seneca counties.

Harris noted that Gillmor, who previously served in the Ohio Senate from 1993 through 1997, has demonstrated not only that she can win an election, but that she will be an effective voice for her region as the Senate works to make Ohio an even better place to live, learn and work.

“Now, more than ever, we need experienced leadership on creating jobs, revitalizing our state economy and ensuring our families are safe, healthy, and getting the best education to prepare them for the future,” President Harris said. “Karen Gillmor is the ideal leader to represent the 26th Senate District during this time of great challenges and even greater opportunity.”

Karen Gillmor has worked in the fields of education, health care and finance in both the public and private sectors in Ohio for more than two decades. In 1992, Gillmor was elected to the State Senate, where she quickly rose through the ranks, serving as chair of the influential Insurance, Commerce & Labor Committee and the State & Local Government & Veterans’ Affairs Committee. There, she worked diligently to encourage business development and the creation of new jobs. Gillmor sponsored legislation to create a tax credit to encourage manufacturers to invest in new equipment, encouraging increased productivity and leading to more than $2 billion in new investments by 400 Ohio companies over a period of two years. As vice chair of the Senate Health Committee, Gillmor also worked to advance women’s health care in Ohio and to both expand access to and improve the quality of daycare for children.

Gillmor was re-elected to a second term in 1996. Late in 1997, then-Governor George Voinovich tapped Gillmor to serve as vice chairman of the State Employment Relations Board (SERB), where she has served for the last decade, working to adjudicate labor disputes between public employers and employees. Throughout her service, Gillmor has remained active in the region as a trustee of Heidelberg College (Tiffin), the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center (Fremont) as well as the National First Ladies Library (Canton).

Gillmor was married to the late Congressman Paul E. Gillmor, a former president of the Ohio Senate, with whom she has three sons, Paul Michael, Connor and Adam.

Rep. Turner's New Guy was Gillmor's Guy

Politics Extra reports:

Starting Monday, Rep. Mike Turner will have a new communications director – Brad Mascho, who was had worked for several years for Ohio Rep. Paul Gillmor.

Gillmor, a Republican from Tiffin in northwestern Ohio, died Sept. 5.

"I am excited to use my abilities to advance Congressman Turner’s goals for the future and look forward to my new opportunity to continue serving Ohioans," Macho said today in an e-mail to reporters.

Turner's former communications director, Andy Bloom, left on Halloween day after exactly four yeas with the Centerville Republican. Bloom, a former broadcaster, accepted a position with Sports Radio 610 WIP, a CBS Radio program in Philadelphia.

"I leave Washington neither jaded nor cynical and with all the enthusiasm that I came here with in 2003. My return to radio is for family and financial reasons," Bloom said in his farewell e-mail to reporters.

Brad did an excellent job for Rep. Gillmor and I look forward to working with him again now that he is in my mayor's congressional office... Congrats Brad!

Ohio Farm Bureau Honors Gillmor

Release received via email:

COLUMBUS, OH - A crowded room of over 800 people watched Thursday night as the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation (OFBF) honored the late Congressman Paul Gillmor (R-Tiffin) for his commitment to agriculture in the state. Gillmor was honored with four additional agricultural leaders who received the OFBF’s Distinguished Service Award at its annual meeting in Columbus. Accepting his award was the late Congressman’s wife, Dr. Karen Gillmor, a former two-term Ohio State Senator.

Congressman Gillmor was serving in his tenth term as a member of the United States House of Representatives when he passed away in September. During his long career in Congress, Gillmor held numerous leadership roles including serving as the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials and as Vice President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. Prior to his election to Congress, Gillmor served in the Ohio Senate for twenty-two years. As a State Senator, he was unanimously elected Republican leader five times, and he served as President of the Senate for three General Assemblies.

The Paul and Karen Gillmor family has been a member of Seneca County Farm Bureau since 1973. The Gillmor family farms more than 800 acres in Seneca and Sandusky counties. Among the many initiatives Congressman Gillmor championed in the House, he was recently successful as the only Ohioan named to the Energy Conference which created the first comprehensive energy policy in more than 30 years. The Energy Bill which Gillmor helped craft increased energy exploration and production, improved efficiency; and, most importantly, developed renewable fuels. Prior to the 2005 bill Congressman Gillmor passed, there were no ethanol plants operating in the State of Ohio. Today, there are eight planned in the Fifth District alone, some of which have already broken ground.

“Farming was always at the heart of Paul’s Congressional district. But it is more than just an important industry to so many of our family, friends, and neighbors; it is in fact a way of life,” said Karen Gillmor. “Elections are about connecting with people and Paul would not have been as successful for four decades if he did not share in the hopes and dreams of his friends and neighbors. Paul truly believed in the values of people of Northwest Ohio and the people of Northwest Ohio believed in Paul’s values. My husband would have been proud to accept this award today because the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation stands for our way of life and the hopes and dreams of so many across Northwest Ohio.”

“Ohio Farm Bureau is pleased to recognize these five individuals for their passion and commitment. Their contributions to Ohio agriculture are admirable,” said John C. (Jack) Fisher, executive vice president of OFBF.

Karen Gillmor for State Senate

In a release for an upcoming press event, is this statement from Karen Gillmor:

“Next Wednesday, I intend to announce my plans regarding Ohio’s 26th State Senate seat. I am proud of my record and the history of public service which is a tradition in the Gillmor family. However, out of respect for my husband Paul’s memory, I have chosen not to make a formal announcement regarding the race for Ohio State Senator until after the November 6th primary for Paul’s long-held Congressional seat.”

Ohio’s 26th State Senate District includes: Sandusky County, Wyandot County, Crawford County, Marion County, Logan County, Union County, as well as parts of Seneca County and Ottawa County.

Karen Gillmor is a former two-term Ohio State Senator.

The press conference is scheduled for Wednesday, Novemeber 7th.

UPDATE: I should add that if Karen has even a fraction of the new media saavy that her husband possessed, she should do alright...

Funeral Arrangements for The Honorable Paul E. Gillmor

OHIO- Members of the public are advised that funeral services for United States Congressman Paul Gillmor (R-Tiffin) will be held on Tuesday, September 11, 2007 and Wednesday, September 12, 2007. Both services are open to the public.

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

The Ohio Statehouse

Columbus , Ohio 43215

9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. : Congressman Gillmor lies in state in the Statehouse Rotunda

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. : Memorial Service in the Statehouse Atrium

* Guests are asked to be seated by 10:45 a.m.

Media Information

Video: Video of the funeral service will be provided by Ohio Government Television live via satellite. Satellite coordinates will be distributed Monday.

Photographs: All indoors photographs of the funeral service in the Statehouse will be provided through the Associated Press.

Print Reporters: All print reporters may receive credentials to cover the funeral service on Tuesday. Credentialing will begin at 8:00 a.m. in front of Governor Strickland’s office in the Statehouse. Please contact Amanda Wurst (614)... with any questions about media credentials.

Wednesday, September 12

Camden Falls

2460 South State Route 231

Tiffin , Ohio 44883

11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. : Calling Hours

2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. : Memorial Service followed by internment at the Old Fort Cemetery

Media Information

The funeral service at Camden Falls will be closed to the media however an area will be designated outside of the building from which media will be able to report. All funeral services at the Old Fort Cemetery will be closed to the media.

Condolences

Congressman Gillmor is survived by his wife Karen, daughters Linda and Julie, and sons Paul Michael, Adam and Connor. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in memory of Congressman Gillmor to the following organizations:

Gillmor Charitable Foundation
P.O. Box 88
Old Fort, Ohio 44861

Institutional Advancement Office*
Heidelberg College
310 East Market Street
Tiffin, Ohio 44883

Hayes Presidential Center*
Attn: Tom Culbertson
Spiegel Grove, Fremont , Ohio 43420

* Please note “Gillmor Memorial” in memo field on checks.

# # #

We ask consideration in respecting the privacy of the Gillmor family and friends during this difficult time.

Rep. Gillmor Passed Away - UPDATED

AP News Alert:

WASHINGTON (AP) Rep. Paul Gillmor, R-Ohio, was found dead in his apartment Wednesday, a Republican leadership aide says.

According to the AP story, the cause of death is unknown. He is survived by his wife and five children.

RightAngleBlog had the news first in the Ohiosphere, but several other blogs have picked up the story.

Gillmor was one of the few Congressman to truly embrace the blogsphere and actively maintained a blog of his own.

Godspeed, Mr. Gillmor...

UPDATE: Republican Leader John Boehner:

“Congressman Paul Gillmor was a good friend and a trusted colleague who served his constituents with honor for nearly two decades. Born, raised and educated in our home state of Ohio , Paul never lost sight of the reason he came to Congress – to serve this great institution and his constituents with dedication and distinction.

“Paul will be dearly missed, and my thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Karen, their family, Paul’s staff and his constituents.”

UPDATE 2: CQ Politics:

“He was a members’ member,” said Rep. Tom Feeney, R-Fla. “An even-keeled guy — you never saw Paul upset about anything.”

“Paul was a professional in every sense of the word,” said Rep. Adam H. Putnam, R-Fla., the GOP Conference chairman.

UPDATE 3: NRCC Chariman Rep. Tom Cole:

“I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of my good friend Paul Gillmor. I’ve known Paul for many years, from our days at the NRCC when Paul sat on the Executive Committee while I was Executive Director, to our recent membership on the Deputy Whip team. Paul served his country honorably as a Vietnam veteran, an Ohio State Senator for over twenty years and as a tireless advocate for his Ohio constituents at the federal level for two decades. Paul was a tremendous public servant who fought passionately for Ohio jobs, veterans and seniors. His leadership at home and in our Republican Conference was greatly admired and will be sorely missed. I extend my deepest sympathies to Paul’s wife, Karen, and to his children, and will keep them in my prayers during this difficult time.”

Ohio GOP Blog:

Republicans lose a friend; Ohio loses a leader

Ohio GOP Chairman Bob Bennett:

“Paul Gillmor was one of the decent guys. He was my friend for more than 30 years, and always a strong supporter of me. But more importantly, Paul always put the best interests of his constituents above politics. He served the people of Ohio for 30 years as a state senator, Senate President and member of Congress with honor and distinction. We need more people like Paul Gillmor representing us in Washington.

“Paul will be sorely missed. On behalf of the entire Republican family I extend our deepest sympathies to Paul’s wife Karen and the entire Gillmor family. Our thoughts and prayers are with them today.”

UPDATE 4: Speaker of the Ohio House Jon Husted (who hates political blogs):

"His sudden passing is a shock to us all and he will be greatly missed," Ohio House Speaker Jon Husted said in a statement.

UPDATE 5: Strickland outlines how Gillmor's replacement will be chosen (The Advertiser-Tribune):

A spokesman for Gov. Ted Strickland offered information about how U.S. Rep. Paul Gillmor’s seat would be filled.

Gillmor, R-Tiffin, died unexpectedly earlier today. He was representative from Ohio’s 5th Congressional District, which includes Seneca County.

Strickland would call a special election to fill the open seat. He would send a writ of election to the Wood County Board of Elections to call the election, because Wood County is the most populous county in the 5th district. The date of the special election would be at the discretion of the governor.

Gov. Ted Strickland (D):

“I am very saddened by the loss of Congressman Paul Gillmor. Frances and I offer our deepest condolences to his family, friends and constituents. Paul was a friend and a colleague. I count myself as fortunate to have served with him on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Ohio has lost a truly decent and devoted public servant.”

UPDATE 6: Cleveland Plain Dealer:

U.S. Sen. George Voinovich, a Republican, called Gillmor "a role model for all of us who serve in public office."

Zack Space, Democrat of Dover, prefaced remarks on the House floor that had to do with naming a post office after John Glenn by issuing condolences to Gillmor's family. He called him "a good man who will be missed."

UPDATE 7: WASHINGTON, DC- The Office of Congressman Paul E. Gillmor (R-Ohio), released the following statement:

“It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that we announce the passing of Congressman Paul Gillmor. Congressman Gillmor’s death comes as a great shock to us all. Representative Gillmor served the people of Ohio with every ounce of his soul and today he passed on doing the job he loved. Congressman Gillmor was our boss, our mentor, and our friend. Our thoughts and prayers are with Paul’s wife, Karen, their daughters Linda and Julie and their sons Paul Michael, Adam and Connor”.

Biography of Congressman Paul Gillmor

Congressman Paul E. Gillmor (R-Tiffin) was sworn in to United States House of Representatives to represent the people of the Fifth Congressional District in Ohio in January 1989. Ohio 's Fifth District includes all of Crawford, Defiance, Fulton , Henry, Huron, Paulding, Putnam, Sandusky, Seneca, Van Wert, Williams and Wood counties, and parts of Ashland, Lucas, Mercer and Wyandot counties.

Recently, Mr. Gillmor served on the House Committee on Financial Services, which is responsible for banking issues, insurance, international monetary policy, capital markets and investment, government sponsored enterprises, and public and private housing. On the Financial Services Committee, Mr. Gillmor was the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit which has jurisdiction over banks, thrifts, and credit unions while providing oversight over financial regulators, such as the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the Federal Reserve, all matters pertaining to consumer credit including the Consumer Credit Protection Act and access to financial services, as well as the safety and soundness of the banking system. Mr. Gillmor was also assigned to the Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Insurance and Government Sponsored Enterprises and the Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity.

Mr. Gillmor was unanimously elected in 2006 by representatives of the 26 NATO countries to serve as Vice President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.

Mr. Gillmor served as a Deputy Minority Whip for the current Congress and was in his eighth term as a member of the Republican Whip team. Previously, he was elected a regional representative for four states to the House Republican Policy Committee. He served as a member of a bipartisan reform task force on ethics and congressional mailing practices. In 1994, Mr. Gillmor authored an article for the Harvard Journal on Legislation on "Reconstruction of Federalism: A Constitutional Amendment to Prohibit Unfunded Mandates."

Prior to his election to Congress, Mr. Gillmor served in the Ohio Senate for twenty-two years. As a State Senator, he was unanimously elected Republican leader five times, and he served as President of the Senate for three General Assemblies.

Throughout his career in public service, Mr. Gillmor received numerous awards for his accomplishments from groups representing businesses, veterans, senior citizens, educators, prosecuting attorneys, civil service employees, and environmental concerns. Most recently, he was honored by the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce for his efforts to successfully prevent the Toledo Air National Guard Base from closing while saving more than 1,000 jobs. In addition, Mr. Gillmor was selected as one of the ten most outstanding legislators in the United States by the National Republican Legislators Association.

Congressman Gillmor received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Ohio Wesleyan University and his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School. He was a graduate of Old Fort High School in Seneca County . Mr. Gillmor also held honorary degrees from Heidelberg College , Defiance College , Ohio University, Tiffin University , and Rio Grande College .

As a United States Air Force veteran, Mr. Gillmor attained the rank of Captain while on active duty. As an Air Force Judge Advocate, Mr. Gillmor served during the Vietnam Conflict from 1965-1966.

Congressman Gillmor is survived by his wife Karen Gillmor, Ph.D., who currently serves as Vice Chairman of the State Employment Relations Board (SERB) in Ohio . Also a former State Senator, Dr. Gillmor was selected in 1995 as the Outstanding Freshman Legislator in the country by the National Republican Legislators Association. Congressman Gillmor is survived by his two daughters, Linda and Julie, and three sons, Paul Michael, and twins, Connor and Adam.

UPDATE 8: Rep. Jean Schmidt:

I am deeply saddened by the news that my dear friend Paul Gillmor has died. PG, as many of us called him, was such a shining example of service and leadership.

As President of the Ohio State Senate, he led Ohio through good and bad times. For the last two decades, he was fought for Ohio here in Congress. During his entire life, Paul Gillmor, was a true leader, a gentleman, and a true statesman.

Just as important, he was also a great father and a loving husband. My prayers go out to my friend Karen and the children. Ohio has suffered a great loss. America has suffered a great loss. We have lost a good friend.

UPDATE 9:



I had no idea that Rep. Gillmor had a YouTube channel...although I shouldn't be surprised, he was a blogger...

Rep. Gillmor Introduces Credit Report "Freeze" Bill to Prevent Identity Theft

WASHINGTON, DC- Today, Congressman Paul Gillmor (R-Tiffin) introduced bipartisan legislation to allow Americans to freeze their credit reports. Gillmor’s bill, would allow people to freeze access to their credit reports and prevent identity thieves from fraudulently opening new lines of credit. Gillmor, the Ranking Member of the Financial Institutions Subcommittee, introduced his bill with Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), the Democrat Chair of his Subcommittee.

“In Ohio and elsewhere, identity theft is no longer an abstract threat. When used wisely, a file freeze is the most powerful way to prevent fraudulent access to credit. This bill will provide all Americans with a significant weapon to protect themselves from con artists and thieves,” Gillmor said. “Just one month ago, a tape containing the social security numbers of close to one million Ohioans was stolen from the car of an intern in the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget. Thankfully most data breaches do not end with sensitive financial information being compromised, but the threat remains very real,” Gillmor continued.

Consumers in 39 states and the District of Columbia currently have the ability to “freeze” access to their credit reports, but there is no tool available in Ohio . Gillmor’s legislation would provide all Ohioans the right to freeze access to their credit reports and creates a central source for interacting with the three national credit bureaus. Similar to work done by Congressman Gillmor during the creation of www.annualcreditreport.com, this website will allow consumers a one-stop-shop for placing a freeze on their file.

Among other provisions, Gillmor’s “file freeze” bill would:

Allow consumers to temporarily thaw and remove their freeze within 15-minutes using the phone or the internet.

Provide a free file freeze option to victims of identity theft and those that have received a notice of a data breach. This would be paid for by the party responsible for the breach.

Give consumers the power to thaw and remove their file freeze for free.

In June, a data tape containing the Social Security numbers of 859,852 Ohioans was stolen from the car of an intern to which it had been entrusted from the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget. The data tape also included tax identification numbers, bank account information and other sensitive data for 258,529 business, vendors, school districts, and local governments.

“Identity theft remains one of the biggest worries for consumers in the digital age. Several years ago, the Congress gave every American the right to have access to a free copy of their credit report each year. Now, it is time to give every American the power to limit access to their sensitive information,” Gillmor said.

Rep. Gillmor: Democrats’ Farm Bill Puts Ohio Jobs at Risk

WASHINGTON, DC- Today, Congressman Paul Gillmor (R- Tiffin) supported the Farm Bill which had unanimously passed out of the House Agriculture Committee only to be disappointed that Democrats in Congress changed the bill and forced a different measure through the House. Gillmor ultimately voted for the first bill, which he called a “bipartisan compromise built on civility and trust,” and rejected the Democrat’s second bill, which he called “a backdoor attempt to raise taxes that will cost American jobs,” which passed the House on a near party-line vote of 231 to 191.

“Although I am not on the Agriculture Committee, I have been following the debate on the Farm Bill for sometime now and I was looking forward to voting for the bill which unanimously passed out of the Committee last week. Unfortunately, in only a week’s time, the Democrat Leadership added a massive tax increase on companies which in-source jobs into America . These foreign-owned companies, such as DaimlerChrysler in Perrysburg which employs nearly 3,000 people, are vital to our economy. They should be applauded, not penalized,” Gillmor said.

“The tax increase added by Democrats, as much as a 30 percent tax increase on some American businesses owned by foreign companies, could lead to companies closing and moving production outside of America. Because of the tax increase, the Farm Bill puts 5.1 million American jobs at risk. These tax increases, added out of public sight from the media or the rest of Congress, will hurt families all across America,” Gillmor said.

Foreign owned companies now employ 203,600 Ohioans at companies such as BASF, BP, DaimlerChrysler, Honda, Lafarge, Rexam, Shell Oil, Square D, Toyota , and Volvo among others. Ohio also ranks 8th in the United States in employees supported by U.S. subsidiaries and has 95,000 manufacturing jobs employed by U.S. subsidiaries.

Among the provisions of the Farm Bill which Gillmor did support but failed to pass the House on a near party-line vote of 198 to 223 were:

An investment of more than $1.6 billion in priorities to strengthen and support the fruit and vegetable industry in the United States;

Providing farmers participating in commodity programs with a choice between traditional price protection and new market-oriented revenue coverage payments;

Investing in rural communities nationwide, including economic development programs and access to broadband telecommunication services;

Making important new investments in renewable energy research, development and production in rural America.

“I hope the U.S. Senate will consider the original bill passed out of the House Agriculture Committee without the tax increases added after the debate was over. Our farmers deserve this relief and should not be caught in a game of party politics,” Gillmor said.

The 2007 Farm Bill awaits debate in the U.S. Senate. However, President Bush has vocally opposed the bill and it likely faces his veto in its current form.

Rep. Gillmor Introduces Bill to Crack Down on Predatory Lending

WASHINGTON, DC- Congressman Paul Gillmor (R-Tiffin) recently joined in the introduction of legislation which would curb unscrupulous lending practices and increase protections for homebuyers. Gillmor, a senior Congressman from Northwest Ohio , joined with two other senior Members of the Financial Services Committee, Ranking Member Spencer Bachus (R-AL), and Rep. Deborah Pryce (R-OH), in crafting the first significant overhaul of our lending laws in the 110th Congress.

"America currently enjoys the highest homeownership rate in our nation's history. Unfortunately, too many people, and far too many Ohioans, were offered mortgages that were wrong for them," Gillmor said. "Homeownership should remain the American dream, not a nightmare. For far too long, Ohio has been subjected to crooked lenders, loose underwriting standards, and high foreclosure rates. Ohioans have rightfully demanded their representatives take action to stem the wave of foreclosures and this bill answers their call."

As a senior member of the Financial Services Committee, Congressman Gillmor has been seriously concerned with the loosening of credit standards for several years. Already this year, Congress has held more than ten hearings about the turmoil in the housing market, many of which Gillmor attended or led as Ranking Member of the Financial Institutions Subcommittee. In addition, the Northwest Ohio Republican recently sponsored a bipartisan summit on Capitol Hill where he assembled most of Ohio 's Congressional delegation with housing advocates and representatives of the mortgage industry to discuss the foreclosure crisis in Ohio .

Today's legislation, The Fair Mortgage Practices Act, is the culmination of a 16-month effort to achieve a solution to concerns about unfair practices within the lending industry. The Act includes the following new or enhanced consumer protections:

Creates a national registration and licensing standard for mortgage originators to enhance accountability and professionalism within the industry;

Increases transparency in the mortgage process by simplifying disclosures for borrowers;

Encourages financial institutions to evaluate a borrower's ability to repay a mortgage loan before extending credit;

Increases support for housing counseling;

Restricts prepayment penalties on hybrid adjustable rate mortgages;

Requires that subprime mortgages have escrow accounts for taxes and insurance at the time the loan is consummated;

Strengthens enforcement against mortgage fraud schemes.

Rep. Gillmor has encouraged greater financial literacy for some time now. Included among the provisions contained in the Fair Mortgage Practices Act is $100 million dollars for housing counseling to low and moderate income borrowers, a more than doubling of the current federal budget for housing counseling.

"Congress has held many vital hearings already this year about the turmoil in our nation's housing market. It is always important to gather the facts first, but now the time has come for action. Today's bill provides the protection that American homeowners deserve and I hope the Democrat leadership moves quickly to bring this bill up for a vote on the House floor," Gillmor concluded.

Spencer Bachus, the Ranking Republican Member on the Financial Services Committee thanked Congressman Gillmor for his efforts to tackle the subprime issue. "Let me commend the bill's original cosponsors - Reps. Paul Gillmor and Deborah Pryce - for the leadership they bring to this important issue."

Since 1999, Ohio has been above the national average in delinquencies of both conventional and subprime mortgages. In January, the Mortgage Bankers Association announced that Ohio again led the nation with home foreclosures. Combined with Michigan and Indiana , the three states had 20 percent of the nation's foreclosures while only holding 9 percent of the loans nationwide.

Now, there are two schools of thought here. On the surface, I agree with Matt Naugle (the post disappeared from RightAngle), who essentially said the other day that fool and his money are soon to be parted anyway, sowhy should government interfere with that natural occurance. On the other hand, I suspect that BizzyBlog would make an excellent argument that predatory lending practices are a lapse in ethics for starters...

7/13 UPDATE: Thanks Matt for the link to that piece referred to above, which was actually on payday loans and not predatory lending. The idea contained in that post transfers pretty well though, so I don't feel too bad about the faulty memory...

There is a fascinating discussion going on in the comments section between Matt and JCard vs. Tom the BizzyBlogger. I think it boils down to a libertarian argument about government interference into our daily lives versus professional ethics enforced by government regulation. Like I've said before, I see this one both ways and really don't have a dog in this fight...

Rep. Gillmor: "What Happens in Washington, Stays in Washington???"

Via email:

You have probably heard the slogan; what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. This week there is a move afoot in the Capitol Building for a slogan of our own; what happens in Washington, stays in Washington.

Every year, the House starts the annual process of directing money to pay for all of the priorities of the federal government- from funding the War on Terror to providing for Medicare, Social Security and Medicaid. The money is allocated through twelve bills which must be passed by both the House and Senate. It is the process by which these twelve bills are designed which is creating such a conflict in the House this week.

The debate has been whether earmarks requested by Members of Congress should receive a full and open public debate, which I believe they should, or whether they should be dropped in at the last minute, with little time for scrutiny.

In past years, as the House Appropriations Committee considered the twelve individual bills and brought them up for a vote in the House, you would have found a public record of the funding requests of Members of Congress. Examples of appropriate earmarks include the $24 million I have brought back for two dozen worthy projects in northwest Ohio such as wastewater improvements and life saving road loops. Many of these projects had been overlooked or under funded by the state and federal government and they were all very worthy of public funding.

Unfortunately, this year, Democrats in the House, led by David Obey the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, announced that earmarks would not be a part of the public appropriations bills being considered right now. Instead, the projects would be air dropped into the twelve conference committee bills later this year with no opportunity to be amended by either the House or Senate. This backroom deal would leave virtually no time for oversight and much more opportunity for abuse. In fact, only Congressman Obey and his staff would have the final say as to what projects were funded, creating in essence an "earmark czar".

After a public outcry and a united response by House Republicans, Democrats were forced to capitulate and end this plan of secretly funding earmarks. I am not going to blame the entire Democrat Party for the decisions of its leaders but in the people's House, public scrutiny should be the cornerstone of our debates. We deserve an opportunity to know which projects being funded are proper and necessary and which projects are abuses of both authority and influence.