Pay-to-Play with Jim Petro

Via the blog Hypothetically Speaking, the Plain Dealer reports:

Columbus - Four of every five dollars requested by Attorney General Jim Petro for special counsel contracts for this fiscal year will go to law firms that have given money to his political campaigns. [...]

[S]tate Democratic leaders said 41 of the 57 law firms receiving contracts on Monday have given Republican Petro more than $800,000 since 1998. Those same firms yesterday were awarded $15.4 million in contracts. [...]

"These special counsel contracts certainly seem to indicate a pay-to-play pattern," said Sen. Ray Miller, a Columbus Democrat and a member of the controlling board.

The Toledo Blade provides the details:

On the political contribution list, prepared by state Senate staff for Mr. Miller, the highest contributor to Mr. Petro was Hahn, Loesser & Parks LLP, which gave $95,016 since 1998 to the attorney general's campaigns. The firm was approved for $500,000 in special counsel contracts at the meeting yesterday.

Second on the contribution list was Porter, Wright, Morris & Arthur, which gave about $68,611 to Petro campaigns. The firm was approved yesterday for $1.47 million in special counsel work.

Calfee, Halter & Griswold received the most special counsel work yesterday, $2.15 million worth, and gave $34,250 in political contributions to Mr. Petro since 1998, eighth on the list of 41 firms. [...]

And what does Petro's office have to say in response?

Mark Anthony, spokesman for Mr. Petro, said after the meeting that the political contributions are lawful [...]

"How about if the attorney general just follows the law of the land?" Mr. Anthony said. "Lawyers like to give campaign contributions. That's how they participate in democracy."

Taft Convicted!

The News-Herald has the story:

Taft, the Republican great-grandson of President and later Chief Justice William Howard Taft, was convicted and fined Thursday for not reporting numerous golf outings and other gifts as governor.

In less than 24 hours, Taft became the first Ohio governor charged with or
convicted of a crime...

He pleaded no contest to failing to report 52 gifts worth nearly $6,000 that he received over four years in a case that spiraled off a scandal over state losses from investments in rare coins and other funds.

Franklin County Municipal Judge Mark Froehlich found Taft guilty of all four misdemeanor charges and fined him $4,000 plus $76 in court costs.

LaTourette's CAFTA Flip-Flop

"For months, [Congressman Steve LaTourette] had said he was against CAFTA because he saw little in recent trade deals that helped American workers," writes Stephen Koff of the Plain Dealer.

Thus, when LaTourette voted for CAFTA in the wee hours of the night on July 27th, it came as a complete shock to many of his constituents.

Why did LaTourette flip flop at the last minute?

The Plain Dealer explains:

LaTourette said [that when] he suddenly learned that [Middlefield
cabinet-maker KraftMaid] had been socked with tariffs on Central American
plywood -- and that they jeopardized the company's jobs in Ohio -- he decided to
vote for a controversial trade pact to eliminate those tariffs.

"Absolutely," he said after the vote two weeks ago, confirming that his
motivation was solely to protect KraftMaid jobs.

One problem: No U.S. company has to pay tariffs on plywood from Central
America, according to trade records reviewed by The Plain Dealer and interviews
with industry and trade officials...

With a crack Congressional staff at his fingertips, LaTourette should have been able to know that the tariffs did not exist.

LaTourette is either inept for failing to look into the tariff issue or outright lying about his reason for voting for CAFTA. Either way the citizens of Lake County can no longer take their Congressman at his word

Lake County Democratic Club

Tonight was the monthly meeting for the Lake County Democratic Club. The Democratic Club brings candidates, elected officials, and volunteers together to share ideas and organize for elections. At tonight's meeting, several candidates and elected officials discussed door-to-door canvassing. Above is a picture of Madison Township Trustee Frank Ashton sharing some of his experiences.

Democratic Club meetings are held the 2nd Wednesday of every month at 7:30pm at the Eagles Lodge in Willoughby. Newcomers are always welcome. We'd love to have you join us!

The Eagles Lodge is located next to Panini's Bar & Grill at 37299 Euclid Ave. Please park in the rear of the club and enter through the side door.

Good Start

Even though our blog has only been up a short time, it has already been noticed by two prominent Ohio blogs.

Sherrod Brown's GrowOhio.Org writes:

Congrats to the Lake County Democratic Party who recently went live with one of
the better looking county websites I have seen thus far in the state.

Cleveland's Brewed Fresh Daily adds:

I leave Lake County, and the Democratic Party there starts to mobilize,
launching a new website, complete with the Lake County Democratic Party
Blog... I don't see a blog on the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party site
or on the GOP's site for that matter... So props to Lake Dems for
showing leadership.

And we're just getting started. Keep checking the site for new updates.

Pay-To-Play: The Statehouse to The White House

Today's Plain Dealer featured a story about two prominent Bush campaign fundraisers: Tom Noe and W.R. "Tim" Timken Jr. The Plain Dealer explains:

"Bush's fund-raising strategy was simple: recruit well-connected supporters who could not only give the $2,000 maximum individual contribution but who could also tap Rolodexes of other wealthy donors.

And the campaign made supporting the president a competition. Those who raised at least $100,000 were named "Pioneers"; those who raised at least $200,000 were crowned "Rangers."

Tom Noe reached the status of Pioneer, helping Bush raise $100,000. Noe is the Toledo-area coin dealer at the center of the Republican Coingate scandal. His donations to prominent Ohio Republicans such as Governor Bob Taft helped him land a $50 million investment of state money from the Bureau of Worker's Compensation. Of this $50 million, he lost $13 million. This includes at least $4 million that he stole.

The Coingate scandal is emblematic of the pay-to-play system that has developed under Ohio's Republican Leadership. Under the pay-to-play system, those who donate to prominent Ohio Republicans gain access to state contracts and appointments. Noe, through his donations, not only gained access to the coin investment, but he also gained appointment to the Board of Regents. The Board of Regents is the prestigious board that oversees Ohio's public colleges and universities. Noe's appointment came in spite of the fact that he had never attended college.

This culture of corruption does not stop with Governor Taft and his Republican cronies at the state level. The culture of corruption extends all the way to President Bush. According to the Plain Dealer, the fundraising co-chair of President Bush's 2004 Ohio campaign was Tim Timken Jr, chairman of the Canton-based Timken Co. During the 2004 campaign, he achieved the rank of Ranger, helping Bush raise over $200,000. Some may remember that Bush visited Timken Co. in April 2003 to urge support for his economic plan. Bush claimed his economic plan would help workers like those at the Timken Co. Ironically, a year after President Bush's visit, Timken laid off 1,300 workers.

While President Bush might have forgotten about the laid off workers, President Bush hasn't forgotten about his mega-millionaire friend Tim Timken Jr. The Plain Dealer reports that Tim Jr. "was named ambassador to Germany last month. He has no diplomatic experience and does not speak German." Timken isn't alone. The Plain Dealer explains:

"At least 23 percent of known 2000 and 2004 Pioneers and Rangers - or their spouses - were appointed to at least one federal post or to Bush's 2000 transition team, according to a report released last year by Texans for Public Justice.

At least 24 of these fund-raisers have been named ambassadors."

The message to citizens is clear: To be heard by Republicans at the top levels of government, you need to pay. The only problem is that most of us are not well-connected millionaires.

Meet Ted Strickland

In May, Congressman Ted Strickland announced his candidacy for Governor. Strickland has represented Southern Ohio for 11 years in Congress. During his tenure, he has been a strong advocate for what he calls "kitchen table issues", issues such as health care, education, worker's rights, and economic development. Through his work on these issues, he has developed a strong reputation as a moderate.

As a highly-popular Congressman, Strickland has one of safest Congressional seats in Ohio. Strickland could likely continue to serve in Congress as long as he so desired. Congressman Strickland loves fighting for his constituents in Congress and once thought he'd serve in Congress for the rest of his career, but something happened along the way.

While Strickland was busy serving in Congress, corruption and mismanagement infiltrated Ohio's state government. The current Republican leadership became so corrupt that they instituted a pay-to-play system for campaign donors. While the Republicans were hustling state contracts for campaign money, Ohio was falling apart. Ohio has suffered from massive job losses, a crumbling school system, unaffordable higher education, and a lack of healthcare. Things have just continued to get worse under the leadership of Republican Governor Bob Taft.

Congressman Strickland, quoting Dante, explained that "the hottest places in Hell are reserved for those who - in times of great moral crisis - maintain their neutrality.' I believe that Ohio is facing a crisis. And, for me, neutrality is not an option." And with this attitude, Strickland decided to give up his safe seat in Congress and run for governor to confront Ohio's woes.

Strickland brings with him a unique background. The son of a steelworker, he is a Methodist minister, a prison psychologist, and an advocate of gun rights. These qualities will certainly help him reach out to rural Ohioans.

Strickland comes off as a very sincere guy who is passionate about his beliefs. He sees politics as an avenue to create a more just society. His focus on kitchen table issues is propelled by his strong sense of justice and his religious faith. Strickland has a plaque in his Congressional office that reads:

"And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" - Micah 6:8

Strickland explains, "I hung that plaque to constantly remind myself that my duty in this life is to others. That there are no part-time values. And that we all need to act everyday with integrity, with kindness, and with humility.

Those are the values that I will bring to the governor' office."

To learn more about Ted Strickland or to get involved with his campaign, visit his website at www.TedStrickland.com.

A profile of Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman, the other Democratic candidate for governor, will be coming shortly.