Ohio 2nd Blog

One of the jokes that I like to tell people is What’s the easiest way to rule the world? Control the Ohio election boards. Well, it looks like the battle to rule the world is in full swing at that most infamous board of elections, Clermont County’s:

The Clermont Sun is reporting that the Republicans on the election board lead by Tim Rudd, a partisan supporter of Jean Schmidt, are refusing to renew the local Democratic Party’s choice for deputy director. Kathy Jones has been a 14-year veteran on the election board but apparently something that she has said or done has caused the Republicans to vote against her returning. This has created a a stalemate leaving Republicans outnumbering Democrats on the board 2-1. Ken Blackwells office has told the Clermont County Democratic Party to pick someone else, but they have refused to do so, stating that she is the best choice for the job.

The strange thing is that no one on either side is saying why the Republicans object to Ms. Jones, indicating that it is a personal private matter between the board members. One of the issues that seems to be at the center of the conflict is over Republican board member Rudd being upset over irregularities being reported in the media involving the 2004 Presidential election vote count, specifically the use of stickers on ballots. Could be this be payback for someone shining some light on the election board’s notorious back room dealings? Since no one is talking your guess is as good as mine.

My advice to Bob McEwen is hire yourself a few good lawyers and camp them out @ Clermont County just in case votes once again magically appear for Jean Schmidt. Like I tell my Republican friends, what they do to us in the general, they do to you in the primary.

This week Local 12 Newsmakers features Jean Schmidt and Bob McEwen. Looks like they snubbed Deborah Kraus.

I think that if there’s one mistake that McEwen is making in this race is that he’s not positioning himself so as to show any substantial difference between himself and Schmidt. That gives a huge advantage to the incumbant. Bush 43 was good at picking a few issues that were off the beaten path just enough to generate some contrasts. (Note that these have no relationship to his actions as President… luckily Republicans could care less what you actually do just as long as you say the right things.)

BTW, is anyone in the local Democratic Party recruiting Dan Hurley?

Looks like Charlie Wilson is also running in the 1st. Heads up ohiosfirst.blogspot.com.

2nd Democratic Candidate Victoria Wulsin‘s FEC report has finally been filed. We get a headache trying to look through these things, but we’re sure that some diligent opponent’s campaign will explain to us the details. Given how much money they’ve spent things look pretty sparse in the reporting department. More surely to come.

One of the great political marketing ideas is just about over. Yes… the Hackett bus is being stripped of all the graphics and will soon be nothing more than another RV.

The Hackett campaign got slammed early on over purchasing the bus. Problem is that no one bothered to fact check the story. The campaign didn’t buy the bus, Hackett did. So it ended up being a good deal for everyone. The campaign got a convenient mode of transportation with lots of free advertising, and the candidate got something that he could vacation in when the race was all over. Now that he’s done begging for people’s money he can use it for what it was intended for, having fun with his family.

Interestingly enough rumors are still flying about the damn RV. It’s almost risen to the status of Elvis with people seeing candidates stepping in and out of it and driving it all over Ohio. Maybe Paul should start a bus company.

Nothing excites the blogging pallet quite like a good old fashioned Congressional Sex Scandal. TPM Muckraker has been on the job in what will hopefully never be called Watergatehookergate:

• Cunningham Scandal: Enter the Hookers
• Get Ready for More Cunningham Sex
• Duke’s Sex Hookup Won’t Go Down Without a Fight
• Duke’s Hooker Sex: How Long Has This Been Going On?
• MZM Had Employees at Secret U.S. Data Hub
• CIA’s Goss Drawn Into Hooker Probe?

I just hope that they all used condoms. I would suggest that the hookers get tested for aids. You know how dirty those Congressmen can be.

Is it true that Schmidt attorney and Bill Clinton best bud Stan Chesley held a fundraiser for the Congresswoman back in December?

Looks like Jim Parker has some competition in the 2nd district by write in candidate Charlie Wilson. Apparently based upon their image the OU Dems group on Facebook forgot what district he’s running in.

Enquirer’s politics extra has the story.

UPDATE: The McEwen campaign has released a comment on the verdict:

Schmidt Found GUILTY of False Endorsements, False Resume Claims Schmidt Suit Against McEwen also Rejected

Columbus – The Ohio Elections Commission has found Jean Schmidt guilty of intentionally falsifying documents, claiming to have degrees not bestowed, and misleading voters about her endorsements. Earlier Thursday, a Schmidt lawsuit against her opponent Bob McEwen was dismissed for the second time in as many days.

McEwen campaign manager Ed Jenkins stated, “Mrs. Schmidt has been found guilty of making false statements. She embellished her credentials and falsified endorsements. If we can’t trust what she says in Ohio, how can we trust what she’ll do in Washington? When she sues a Member of her own party using a liberal Democrat operative, Stan Chesley, to lead the legal team against Bob McEwen and his family, it shows she lacks the conservative values that the good people in the Second District want in a representative. The Republican Party is like a family and she has aired her dirty laundry in the press and got Democrats involved. The house of cards that her political career has been built upon is falling apart.”

The McEwen campaign is also aware of and is awaiting resolution on another Schmidt issue, one in which indictments have already started: the investigation by Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien regarding illegal lobbying activity to which Schmidt was party while in the Ohio House.

Bob McEwen resides in Anderson Township with his wife, Liz. He currently serves as the senior adviser at the law firm of Greenebaum, Doll, & McDonald in both their Cincinnati and Washington, D.C. offices. As Congressman, McEwen championed the lower tax rates authored by Jack Kemp, who was in Cincinnati last month to support McEwen, and signed into law by President Ronald Reagan. He was also selected by his colleagues to serve on the two most coveted committees in the House: the Select Committee on Intelligence, which oversees our nation’s secrets, and the Rules Committee, which has jurisdiction over all legislation brought before the House.

The Blower has posted McEwen’s attack ad on Schmidt. Good times!