OH-13: Sutton Outright LIES About Ganley on Obama's Religion

In this fund raising email, Rep. Betty Sutton illustrates that not only does she not read the bills she votes on, but she doesn't read whole articles that she cites to slander her opponent.

Here is the link to the RollCall piece that Sutton selectively uses in her email. Here is the part where RollCall clears up the mystery:

In a statement later Thursday afternoon, Ganley sought to clarify his earlier comment about Obama.

“During an interview earlier today, I was asked a question about President Obama’s religion that I felt irrelevant to the story being written about my campaign for Congress,” he said. “I do not believe President Obama’s religion has any impact on the need for jobs in Ohio’s 13th district. According to the White House, our President is a Christian and I have no reason to believe otherwise.”

Once again, the Democrats are sticking to their mantra of never letting the FACTS get in the way of a good smear.

Shameful. Even for a Member of Congress.

The good people of OH-13 deserve better.

UPDATE: RightOhio has this story as well...

UPDATE 2: Alo over at Brain Shavings has some advice for Betty Sutton.

Ganley's Problem Hasn't Gone Away

I've been watching all of the usual suspects applaud Tom Ganley's move to the OH-13 Congressional race with some amusement because while Mr. Ganley would be a VAST improvement over Rep. Betty Sutton, the Big Deal Problem that I had with his US Senate candidacy hasn't gone away and still hasn't been addressed.

Mr. Ganley does not respect individual property rights.  He is a living, breathing, walking Kelo case and nobody seems willing to ask the car don from Cleveland about this most distressing attribute. 

Again, Ganley would be better than Sutton, but I really do think he ought to take this issue more seriously than he has and voters ought to beware of him until he does.

OH-13: Sutton and Her Staff Differ on Their Facts

Release:

JUST THE FACTS, MA'AM What IS Betty Sutton's relationship to a New York City 5th Avenue wealthy executive, whose company conducts business with Freddie Mac? Republican Challenger Dave Potter and the voters of the 13th Congressional District would like to know!

Why is Congresswoman Betty Sutton so sensitive about her relationship with the family of Jeffrey H. Lynford, the Wall Street real estate market information specialist with strong ties to Freddie Mac?

http://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/officerProfile?symbol=REIS.O&officerId=2936

http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-1678076/Freddie-Mac-Selects-Reis-for.html

According to the New York Real Estate Lawyers' Blog, Lynford and his family hosted a $500-per-guest fundraiser for Sutton at their Fifth Avenue residence last Monday night,

http://www.nyrealestatelawblog.com/2008/10/hillary_comes_out_for_betty_su.html

at which Sen. Hillary Clinton was scheduled to appear. But, when Potter asked Sutton about the relationship at their City Club debate Tuesday, Sutton refused to answer, treating the question as an insult to her honor. In fact, the congresswoman later told an Akron reporter that Potter "made up" the connection.

http://www.akronnewsnow.com/news/itemdetail.asp?ID=2633§ion=news&subsection=politicsnews

Well, Potter certainly did not "make up" the fundraiser invitation, posted Oct. 17, nor did he "make up" the relationship between Sutton's apparent host and the financially ravaged Freddie Mac.

All Potter wants to know is, why would a Wall Street money man have such an interest in a freshman Democratic incumbent from the middle of Ohio?

AND...

Could the Lynfords' generosity have had anything to do with Sutton having switched from opposing to supporting the $700 billion bank bailout boondoggle?

After all, Lynford's business, Reis Inc., is deeply involved with the fate of Freddie Mac.

http://www.reis.com/index.cfm

And Reis has been the target of a merger move:

http://notorious-rob.com/2008/08/14/romance-rejection-drama-the-saga-of-costar-and-reis/

So, did Sutton's vote switch help make life a little easier for the real estate analyst? A Sutton staffer told a reporter from the Lorain Morning Journal that Lynford is a big supporter of Hillary Clinton, and the fundraiser -- which Sutton says Potter "made up" -- was Clinton's idea.

http://www.morningjournal.com/articles/2008/10/28/news/mj172336.txt

Sutton told the Akron reporter that she wasn't "on Wall Street" the night of the fundraiser. But of course, she would not have had to been there-- Wall Street and Fifth Avenue are two different, if often-related, thoroughfares. And she would not have even had to attend the affair -- the hosts of such soirees usually will accept checks through the mail.

But Potter has documented the invitation, and the relationship between the host and Freddie Mac. It's time for Betty Sutton, who insists she's the paragon of ethics, to stop stonewalling and make clear just why it is that people with serious interest in the survival of Freddie Mac decided that this obscure Ohio congresswoman, running against an unfunded opponent, needed such a campaign boost so curiously soon after Sutton switched her vote.

The 13th District might like to know.

RELEASE: "Sutton Receives Big Payback for Bailout Vote"

Release:

Sutton Receives Big Payback for Bailout Vote:
New York City Investment Executive Hosts $500-Per-Person Fundraiser

While her constituents in Ohio's 13th congressional District reel from the devastating news that National City Bank will be taken over by PNC Bank, Congresswoman Betty Sutton (D-Copley Township) is in New York City tonight, the guest of honor at a posh fundraiser hosted by a wealthy New York City mortgage data industry executive.

Jeffrey H. Lynford is chairman of the board at Reis, Inc., which has strong ties to the largest lending institutions in the country, including GMAC, Bank of America, Fannie May, and Freddie Mac.

"Tonight, Betty Sutton is spending more of her tax payer-paid vacation time with the Fifth Avenue social elites, getting paid back $500 a head for changing her vote to 'yes' on the bailout," said David Potter (R-Strongsville), her opponent in next week's election.

"The Congresswoman has spent the last four weeks misleading the citizens in our district into believing that her vote would benefit the middle class. But instead, she is busy receiving financial paybacks from the greedy CEOs she pretends to despise."

Reis, Inc., is a leading provider of commercial real estate information services to the investment community. Lynford, along with his brother, Lloyd Lynford, president and CEO at Reis, both had 2007 incomes that approached $1 million and stock options that dwarf that basic annual compensation.

"This company clearly benefitted financially by Ms. Sutton changing her vote," Potter said. "She should explain to the struggling voters of her district just who was present at this fundraiser."

Potter looks forward to her doing just that tomorrow at the Cleveland City Club, where the two debate at noon.

"On October 3rd, Ms. Sutton announced that she changed her vote for a bill that was 'aimed squarely at restoring our middle class and strengthening our communities,' " Potter said, "Apparently, Ms. Sutton forgot that her constituents live in areas where $500 is hard for some citizens to earn over the course of a month. She decries the excesses on Wall Street, yet wants us to look the other way when she visits for a night".

To view the invitation for Ms. Sutton's fundraiser, a video of the Congresswoman's Capitol Hill statement from 10/3, and financial information on her wealthy friend, Jeff Lynford, visit Potter's website at www.potterforcongress.com.

Rep. Sutton Supports Amnesty for Illegals

Release:

Congresswoman Sutton Announces Her Support for Legal Amnesty for Illegal Immigrants

Congresswoman Betty Sutton (D-Copley Township) indicated that she supports a "compassionate pathway" to citizenship for illegal immigrants living in the United States. She made her remarks as part of an answer to a question on immigration policy at the Coalition for Hispanic/Latino Issues and progress (CHIP) General Election Candidates' Forum held last week in Lorain, Ohio.

13th congressional District Candidate David Potter (R-Strongsville) issued the following statement on Rep. Betty Sutton's support for amnesty for illegal immigrants at the CHIP event: "Betty Sutton's populist rhetoric suggests that she stands with the American worker but her support for amnesty for illegal immigrants is just another example of her blatant hypocrisy to say one thing but do another. Betty Sutton wants to reward people who broke our laws to come into our country with automatic citizenship. This will not only erode our national security as millions of nameless people suddenly become American citizens but it will threaten American workers. Our economy is on the brink and the last thing we need to do is take steps that will make it even harder for Americans to get jobs. Rewarding the illegal immigrants in Ohio would be disastrous for job prospects for everyday Ohioans who are already wondering where they will get their next pay check. The 13th Congressional District needs a representative in Congress who will fight for their jobs, not for giving illegal immigrants a free pass to take a job away from an American worker."

This is not an issue I expected to make a comeback ANYWHERE, let alone in Ohio...

RELEASE: "Potter Calls Sutton's Vote on Bailout Irresponsible"

Release:

Congress took a bad Wall Street bailout and made it an even more unimaginably expensive, pork-slathered Christmas tree of a bill, says David Potter (R-Strongsville), the Republican candidate for Congress from Ohio's 13th District.

Rep. Betty Sutton (D-Copley Township), pushed into lock-step by her Democratic leadership bosses, came up with a couple of fig-leaf reasons to change her originally correct "no" vote and support this monstrosity, Potter added.
"And newspaper editorial writers see this disgraceful capitulation as a profile in courage?" Potter asked. "It was more a profile in panic on the part of both the congresswoman and the editorial pages."

"From its $700 billion price tag, plucked out of thin air because, according to a Treasury Department spokeswoman, the administration "wanted to choose a really large number," to its multi-million-dollar subsidies for Puerto Rican rum and toy arrows, to its pass-it-now, write-details-later approach, the result was a grotesque mockery of responsible governance," Potter said.

And Sutton, in her seat on the Rules Committee, helped ensure that no attempt to save half its cost, slice pork or clean up the murky language would have so much as a vote in the House. She voted with all the other seven Democrats who control the House Rules Committee to block any attempts to let the house contemplate alternatives.

"No, I and thousands of her financially responsible constituents find nothing courageous in Sutton's abrogation of responsibility," Potter said. "What they did was, rather, fall back to the old, failed Congressional answer - throw money, and hope the crisis goes away. It won't."

OH-13: Rep. Sutton Ducks Another Debate

Release:

Another opportunity for a debate, another dodge by 13th Congressional District Rep. Betty Sutton. That's the reaction from Dave Potter, the Republican challenging Sutton and her gossamer-thin record in November's election.

This time, it's National Public Radio's efforts to bring balanced campaign coverage that Sutton is ducking, Potter said. The two were scheduled to appear Tuesday morning (9/23) on 90.3 WCPN, but Sutton backed out.

"Sutton and her office have made a habit of doing this, so I am not surprised," Potter explained to WCPN producers. "It's a shame since Ms. Sutton boasts about her ethics and diligence in keeping the peoples' business transparent to them. Part of this should be to have a healthy debate on the issues.

"With the exception of the City Club of Cleveland, she refuses to defend her positions on issues in a neutral setting.

It's not surprising that she's hesitant to defend two years of minimal accomplishment, Potter continued. As president of the freshman Democratic representative class, she played a role in reducing the public's estimation of Congress to single-digit positives. She boasts of almost obtaining a $200,000 earmark for a Lorain County health project, a form of off-the-books funding that draws increasing scorn and opposition from responsible members of both parties.

But beyond those dubious achievements, what does she have to show for the more than $300,000 she has collected in salary? Potter - and the voters of the 13th district - would like an accounting. Maybe that's why she's suddenly so shy.

OH-13: Being Class President Just Isn't Good Enough

Release:

Being Class President Just Isn't Good Enough

Strongsville, Ohio - Class President. That's the reason Rep. Betty Sutton (D-Copley Township) told the Cleveland Plain Dealer editorial board she should be re-elected: she's her congressional class president. That, and she sits on the Ethics and Rules committees and she voted to raise the minimum wage. Here's why Sutton should not be re-elected:

The Ethics Committee. Democrats promised that the 110th Congress would be the most open and ethical Congress ever. So why, then, is Pelosi refusing to force ethically challenged Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY) to step down as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee? Otherwise known as the tax-writing committee, Rangel is under an ethical cloud for failing to report to the IRS and the Clerk of the House at least $75,000 in income derived from luxury property in the Caribbean for which he received an interest-free loan. All of that has been confirmed by Rangel's attorney. This follows information that Rangel has been using four rent-controlled apartments in New York City, which is in violation of House rules, and state and federal laws.

The Rules Committee. Known as the Speaker's Committee, the Rules Committee determines the procedure by which bills are brought to a vote in the U.S. House. In the Democratic manifesto "A New Direction for America," Pelosi made this claim: "Bills should generally come to the floor under a procedure that allows open, full, and fair debate consisting of a full amendment process that grants the Minority the right to offer its alternative, including a substitute." But this is what has actually happened, thanks to Sutton's Rules Committee:
"Democrats are wielding a heavy hand on the House Rules Committee, committing many of the procedural sins for which they condemned Republicans during their 12 years in power. So far this year, Democrats have frequently prevented Republicans from offering amendments, limited debate in the committee and, just last week, maneuvered around chamber rules to protect a $23 million project for Rep. John P. Murtha (D-Pa.)." - "Dems Bend Rules, Break Pledge," The Politico, May 17, 2007

"But instead of allowing Republicans to fully participate in deliberations, as promised after the Democratic victory in the Nov. 7 midterm elections, Democrats now say they will use House rules to prevent the opposition from offering alternative measures, assuring speedy passage of the bills and allowing their party to trumpet early victories." - "Democrats to Start Without GOP Input," Washington Post, January 2, 2007

The Minimum Wage. A high-priority campaign pledge from Democrats but somehow, a company headquartered in Pelosi's San Francisco was exempt from having to pay it. An Investor's Business Daily editorial noted this:
"The minimum wage bill at the top of the Democrats' agenda was, in the words of Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, simply 'a matter of doing what's right, what's just and what's fair' - what's right, just and fair, that is, as long as employees affected don't work for a company in Pelosi's congressional district. The minimum wage bill passed by the House last week curiously exempts American Samoa, where thousands of people are employed in a packing plant owned by Del Monte Corp., parent of StarKist Tuna. Del Monte just happens to be headquartered in Pelosi's San Francisco." - "Blundered Hours," Investor's Business Daily Editorial, January 16, 2007

Class President. While this may give Sutton a nice talking point during editorial boards, can she point a single benefit this has given the 13th Congressional District? The U.S. House of Representatives isn't high school - you don't get extra points for being class president.

She's the class president for the Congress that has the lowest approval rating in history and she thinks that's a good reason to send her back... Ya gotta love the hubris of Ohio Democrats...

Betty Sutton: Paybacks to Big Labor = Destroying Jobs

Release:

Strongsville, OH - During a recent editorial board interview with the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Rep. Betty Sutton (D-Copley Township) said she would have voted against mandatory sick leave for Ohio's workers if the issue got on the ballot. But, Sutton also said that she received a personal assurance from Sen. Barack Obama that mandatory sick leave would become federal law in an Obama Administration.

So...mandatory sick leave is bad for Ohio but good for the country?

"In her short time in Washington, D.C., Betty Sutton has mastered the political double-talk of a typical seasoned politician," said 13th Congressional District candidate David Potter (R-Strongsville). "She's trying so hard to triangulate her position on important issues that she winds up strangling the matter with her own words. In a wink-wink, nudge-nudge to her Big Labor backers, Sutton opposes an unpopular measure in Ohio but assures Big Labor that she'll help force mandatory sick leave through on the federal level. This is a stunning and shameful level of hypocrisy.

"Ohio's workers need straight talk - not political double-talk - for their healthcare problem. Mandatory sick leave proved so unpopular in Ohio that even Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland opposed it. A federal mandate forced onto small businesses will destroy jobs. My experience as a small businessman - not a seasoned politician who gives payback to Big Labor - will give the 13th Congressional District an important voice in this debate."

RELEASE: Potter Receives Endorsement of Fire Chiefs

Release:

STRONGSVILLE—September 4th, 2008--Dave Potter understands what fire officers need from Congress to better protect the citizens they serve. That's why the Cleveland Fire Chiefs' Association, a leading force in promoting public safety issues, has given its "full endorsement" to the Strongsville Republican running for the 13th Congressional District seat.

"We strongly believe that Dave Potter will stand up for all the concerns and issues that firefighters have in the state of Ohio," said Brent Collins, president of the Cleveland Fire Chiefs' Association.

The association, affiliated with the Ohio Fire Chiefs' Association, which represents ranking supervisory fire officers, works for improved health and safety, fire code, HazMat and inspection standards.

Potter said he is "thrilled to have the fire officers' support."

Potter, 46, has spent more than 20 years working in the health-care-delivery industry, working with providers and technology developers to build a solid understanding of the many issues in American health care. Those issues include the concerns voiced by the fire chiefs.

"It's great to see that the chiefs' association, with its real concerns for providing maximum service to taxpayers at the lowest cost, understands the value of someone from the private sector being elected to Congress," Potter said. "That's real-world experience that my opponent lacks."

RELEASE: Potter Receives Buckeye Fire Arms Endorsement

RELEASE:

STRONGSVILLE—September 3rd, 2008-- Gun owners in Ohio's 13th Congressional District have a friend worth voting for in Dave Potter, the Republican candidate for that seat in the November election.

That's the word from the Buckeye Firearms Association, Ohio's largest and most influential all-volunteer gun-rights organization, which has endorsed Potter for his "firm stance on protecting the Second Amendment rights of Ohio gun owners."

"We are not 'giving' you this endorsement," Buckeye Firearms Chairman Jim Irvine told Potter. "You have 'earned' our endorsement by publicly supporting gun rights both in words and actions."

Potter thanked Ohio's firearms community for its support.

"Firearms ownership is a fundamental, individual right enumerated in both the U.S. and Ohio Constitutions," Potter pointed out. "It is not a government-granted 'privilege.'

"The Supreme Court recently found that the Constitution means precisely what organizations like Buckeye Firearms have known all along -- that the Second Amendment's 'right of the people to keep and bear arms' means exactly what it says."

Potter noted that "criminals by definition do not obey the law. So most gun control laws are useless because criminals don't obey them. Gun laws tend to affect only the law-abiding, so any proposed gun law should raise this question: 'Will criminals obey this law?' The obvious answer – 'no' -- should be self-evident."

Potter, a Strongsville businessman and married father of three, is challenging a Democratic incumbent for the House seat that encompasses portions of Lorain, Cuyahoga, Medina and Summit counties.

The Buckeye Firearms Association is a grassroots political action committee dedicated to defending and advancing the right of Ohio citizens to own and use firearms for all legal activities.

RELEASE: Potter Challenges Sutton to 4 Debates Inside the 13th Congressional District

This just in...

Strongsville, Ohio – 13th Congressional District candidate David Potter formally invited Rep. Betty Sutton (D-Copley) to a series of debates that should be held within the 13th Congressional District. Both candidates have agreed to an Oct. 15, 2008, debate that will take place at the City Club of Cleveland, which is not in the 13th District.

Potter delivered his invitation to Sutton's office Friday.

During her 2006 campaign, Sutton stated that one of her principles was to "Open the People's Business to the People." In keeping with that, Potter challenged Sutton to four debates to be held in each 13th Congressional District county: Cuyahoga, Lorain, Medina, and Summit.

Potter recently appeared on AM 640WHLO's The Matt Patrick Show where he discussed this debate challenge:

"I would be happy to debate (Sutton). She's on vacation right now. … I would be happy to debate her anywhere, any time, any place, under any rules. I think it's reasonable to say there's diversity in this district. It makes sense to have a debate in all four of the counties – one in Medina County, one in Cuyahoga, one in Summit, one in Lorain. And I know full well that [there] are facilities that would like nothing better [than] to encourage the public to participate in these types of events. I think it makes the process much more transparent, to use some of her words."

In his letter, Potter stated:

"Our fellow citizens living in Ohio's 13th Congressional District have many important decisions to make in this year's general election. The candidates they choose to vote for in federal, state, and local races, along with their choices on ballot initiatives, will significantly impact on the lives of all who live in this wonderful district. I am certain that you would agree that our fellow citizens should be provided with as much information about their candidates who are running to represent them, in order for them to make an 'informed' choice."

The full text of Potter's letter appears below:

Congresswoman Betty Sutton
1700 W. Market Street, #155
Akron, OH 44313

Dear Congresswoman Sutton,

Our fellow citizens living in Ohio's 13th Congressional District have many important decisions to make in this year's general election. The candidates they choose to vote for in federal, state, and local races, along with their choices on ballot initiatives, will significantly impact on the lives of all who live in this wonderful district. I am certain that you would agree that our fellow citizens should be provided with as much information about their candidates who are running to represent them, in order for them to make an "informed" choice.

Therefore, I respectfully and formally invite you to participate in a series of debates with me which will assist the voters in our district in learning more about us and, importantly, our positions on the many critical issues facing our great nation. I recommend that we hold one debate in each of the district's four counties. The format of the debates could be any style that you prefer. Many suitable locations exist in each county that would be appropriate for this integral component of our race.

Ms. Sutton, these debates should focus on the substantive issues that affect the lives of our fellow citizens every day. In the past two years representing our district, you have proposed legislation and cast votes on legislation. Your actions affect all of the people of this district. They all deserve the opportunity to attend a public debate between us. This will allow them to ask questions about you and your votes cast on past legislation. Likewise, they will be able to ask questions about me and the positions I would have taken on that same legislation. They will be able to question us both on possible future legislation.

In your 2006 campaign, you stated one of your principles to be, "Open the People's Business to the People." Knowing that you strongly advocate for keeping people informed and well educated about issues, I would expect that we stand in full agreement in moving forward with these important debates.

I will make myself available at anytime or place that will work with your schedule. If you have any questions, please call me at (440) 263-5330 or by e-mail. Please respond back to me by August 27, 2008 to confirm your acceptance of my invitation.

Sincerely,

David Potter
Candidate, Ohio's 13th Congressional District

8/27/08 UPDATE: Corrected the date of the agreed upon debate in the first paragraph of the release.

OH-13: Rep. Sutton Joins the House Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Caucus

Do the good people of OH-13 know about this?

The 52 members of the LGBT Caucus are: Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Barney Frank (D-MA), Rob Andrews (D-NJ), Xavier Becerra (D-CA), Lois Capps (D-CA), Yvette Clarke (D-NY), Joseph Crowley (D-NY), Diana DeGette (D-CO), Keith Ellison (D-MN), Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ), Mike Honda (D-CA), Barbara Lee (D-CA), James McGovern (D-MA), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Linda Sánchez (D-CA), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Hilda Solis (D-CA), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Henry Waxman (D-CA), Anthony Weiner (D-NY), Peter Welch (D-VT), Howard Berman (D-CA), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Robert Brady (D-PA), Michael Capuano (D-MA), Susan Davis (D-CA), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Eliot Engel (D-NY), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Luis Gutierrez (D-IL), Phil Hare (D-IL), Rush Holt (D-NJ), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), Patrick Kennedy (D-RI), Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Doris Matsui (D-CA), James Moran (D-VA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-Washington, D.C.), Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Steven Rothman (D-NJ), José Serrano (D-NY), Chris Shays (R-CT), Pete Stark (D-CA), Betty Sutton (D-OH), Ellen Tauscher (D-CA), Niki Tsongas (D-MA), Robert Wexler (D-FL), Lynn Woolsey (D-CA).

Emphasis added. Can't say I'm surprised Kucinich (D-Venus) is on the list, but Sutton comes as something of a surprise.

And just to make sure that there is plenty of bipartisan outrage out there, I'm not all that thrilled about Chris Shays (R-CT) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) either.

And let me say that I am pretty netural on what consenting adults do in private...so long as it stays private. I'm just putting it out there...

RELEASE: Potter Supports Flag Amendment

This just in...

Backs Citizens Flag Alliance on Flag Day STRONGSVILLE, OH -- David S. Potter, a Republican running for Ohio ’s 13th Congressional District seat, recently stated that upon being elected to the 111th Congress, he would fully support a flag amendment that would correct the Supreme Court’s mistake they made in 1989. In its landmark decision in Texas v. Johnson (5-4 vote) overturned 200 years of American tradition and laws by declaring that the people no longer had a right to protect the American flag.

“On this special weekend, that includes honoring our American flag and all of our fathers, present and past, many of whom served honorably to protect our rights under this precious symbol of freedom, I am proud to support the Citizens Flag Alliance, Inc. (CMA) in their efforts to petition Congress to pass a Constitutional amendment that would take power over the flag away from the court and return it to the American people."

On May 28, 2008 , Potter replied to a Congressional Candidate Questionnaire sponsored by the American Legion and The Citizens Flag Alliance, Inc. that he would have voted for the Flag Amendment that was derailed by Congress two years ago. To date, current Congresswoman, Betty Sutton (D - Copley) has not responded to their request for an answer.. “Ms.Sutton owes the voters of this district an explanation as to what her position is on this issue, and simply put, she would either vote for or against such an amendment,” Potter said. “Despite an overwhelming majority of Americans who want our flag protected, our U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives failed in 2006, by ignoring the people they represent in not allowing them the opportunity to vote on such an important American issue.”

Potter and his family will be one of many in attendance at a ceremonial retirement of worn and faded American flags, which will take place on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. at the Robert D. Campbell Training Center , 2825 Greensburg Road in Green. The event is being hosted by the Summit County Sheriff’s Office Color Guard, Mounted Unit, K-9 Unit and Motorcycle Unit, Akron Police Departments Honor Guard, a Military Honor Guard, along with Group III Civil Air Patrol Squadron, various military groups and members of the Chesty Puller Young Marines.

Significant Number of Ohio Republicans Support Amtrak Subsidies

Corporate welfare is a blight on capitalism and Amtrak is no exception. So, imagine my surprise when I discovered that the normally fiscally conservative Rep. Jean Schmidt voted against an amendment designed to kill the $425 million dollar appropriation for the National Radilroad Passenger Corporation, also known as Amtrak. She's not alone... Here is the breakdown of the entire Ohio delegation:

Aye OH-1 Chabot, Steven [R]
Nay OH-2 Schmidt, Jean [R]
Nay OH-3 Turner, Michael [R]
Aye OH-4 Jordan, Jim [R]
Nay OH-5 Gillmor, Paul [R]
Nay OH-6 Wilson, Charles [D]
Nay OH-7 Hobson, David [R]
Aye OH-8 Boehner, John [R]
Nay OH-9 Kaptur, Marcy [D]
Nay OH-10 Kucinich, Dennis [D]
Nay OH-11 Jones, Stephanie [D]
Nay OH-12 Tiberi, Patrick [R]
Nay OH-13 Sutton, Betty [D]
Nay OH-14 LaTourette, Steven [R]
Nay OH-15 Pryce, Deborah [R]
Nay OH-16 Regula, Ralph [R]
Nay OH-17 Ryan, Timothy [D]
No Vote OH-18 Space, Zackary [D]

Chabot, Boehner and Jordan got it right.

Schmidt, Turner, Gillmor, Hobson, Tiberi, "Cut and Run" LaTourette, Pryce, and Regula all got this one wrong.