Panel dismisses election complaint over Stainbrook, Gallagher flyer

The Ohio Election Commission dismissed a complaint from Ohio Citizens PAC that charged the Ohio Republican Party with making a false statement on flyers supporting Jon Stainbrook and Meghan Gallager (and others) for state central committee.

The flyers said that elected the two would "stop Obamacare." Ohio Citizen PAC said that was false. The dismissal came from the OEC's probable cause panel.

In filing the complaint, Tom Zawistowski, president of the PAC, said the statement was "clearly an intentional attempt to mislead voters by make a false claim of some legislative authority being held by Republican State Central Committee members, which simply does not exist."

OEC Executive Director Phil Richter recommended the dismissal as not rising to the level of a false statement, Gongwer reported. The panel agreed that there was no probable cause to believe the statement would be found to be false and dismissed the case.

Elections complaint filed over Stainbrook and Gallagher flyers

Ohio Citizens PAC filed a complaint against the Ohio Republican Party for the state central committee campaign flyers it sent out on behalf of Jon Stainbrook and Meghan Gallagher.

Here is the flyer I received, which is the same one in the complaint:

The complaint alleges that the claim of being able to stop Obamacare is patently false and intended to mislead voters.

Stainbrook and Gallagher weren't the only ones. The ORP sent the same flyer in other districts as well.

The complaint asks for a hearing prior to the May 6 election date which is when the central committees of the state and local parties will be elected.

Here is the press release:

Ohio Citizens PAC files Complaint with Ohio Election Commission against Ohio Republican Party Flyers

Akron, OH – Today, the Ohio Citizens PAC filed a complaint with the Ohio Elections Commission concerning the mailers produced and sent out by the Ohio Republican Party claiming that endorsed Republican State Central Committee candidates can “Vote Republican’s Stainbrook and Gallagher to Stop Obmacare.” A statement that the Ohio Citizens PAC says is patently false and is intended to mislead voters. Multiple versions of the mailer were sent out around the state with the names of the endorsed State Central Committee candidates changed to match the district.

Tom Zawistowski, President of the Ohio Citizens PAC, said “This type of unethical behavior by ORP Chairman Matt Borges and others within the Ohio Republican Party has got to stop. The statements on these mailers are clearly an intentional attempt to misleads voters by making a false claim of some legislative authority being held by Republican State Central Committee members which simply does not exist. Not only are their actions unethical, they are insulting to the educated Republican party base who will vote in Tuesday’s primary election. We are asking the Ohio Elections Commission to hold a hearing on this issue before the election and to force the Ohio Republican Party to take action to inform voters of the truth.”

Zawistowski concluded by saying, “Unfortunately, this incident is a part of a pattern of unethical behavior that resonates from the ORP Chairman right through to the local level. The people endorsed by the Ohio Citizens PAC for State Central Committe who are listed on our website at www.OhioCitizensPAC.org are running for two simple reasons. First, they have all pledged to vote, if elected, for the Ohio Republican Party to adopt the National Republican Party Platform, because the ORP currently has no platform of its own. Second, to hold Republican elected officials accountable to the values and principles within the National Republican Party Platform, which is why the ORP currently does not have a platform because they do not want Republican elected official to be held accountable to anything. Sending out this flyer shows the desperation of the ORP leadership to keep control of the state central committee and that they will do anything to keep their power – including lying to voters. We are hopeful that primary votes will see the truth and vote in our candidates to restore the Ohio Republican Party to Republican values and principles.”

##

Controlling Board membership may be altered to provide okay for Medicaid expansion

It looks like Gov. John Kasich will get his Medicaid expansion approved by the Controlling Board.

I previously shared with you his plans to bypass the Ohio General Assembly, which had removed the expansion from prior bills and is still debating the issue.

Last week, the Department of Medicaid submitted a request to the panel seeking authorization to spend federal funds totaling $500,000 million in FY14 and $2 billion in FY15 to extend the program to cover citizens up to 138% of the federal poverty level, as originally proposed by Gov. John Kasich in his biennium budget bill.

The item is scheduled for the Controlling Board's meeting on Oct. 21.

The Controlling Board is a 7-member body comprised of:

• The Director of Budget and Management, or designee (the President of the Board)
• The Chair of the Finance and Appropriations Committee of the House of Representatives
• The Chair of the Finance Committee of the Senate
• Two members of the House appointed by the Speaker of the House, one from the majority party and one from the minority party
• Two members of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate, one from the majority party and one from the minority party

In order for the expansion to be approved, at least one Republican would need to vote in favor of it. The two House Republicans have previously expressed opposition to the plan, but the two Republican Senators have been silent on the matter.

Today Gongwer Ohio (subscription may be required) reported that House Speaker Bill Batchelder (R-Medina) "plans to alter his chamber's membership on the panel prior to next Monday's meeting and will seat at least one member that will give the go-ahead to the governor's plan."

Rep. Ron Amstutz expressed his displeasure with the governor's Controlling Board move last week. Rep. Cliff Rosenberger said he would vote against expansion at the Controlling Board, and told Gongwer he hadn't heard of any plans to replace him on the panel.

From Gongwer:

Rep. Rosenberger said he'd prefer to continue to debate the policy through the full legislature but added that he has been on record as opposing a straight expansion and instead prefers the "reform" approach embodied in various proposals, including the bill (SB 208*) introduced last week by Sen. David Burke (R-Marysville). (See Gongwer Ohio Report, October 10, 2013)

"There's an opportunity for members of the General Assembly to still hear those options," he said, adding that he's concerns about the impact of pushing the expansion through the board versus the legislature.

"I would be a 'no' vote on the Controlling Board on the issue," Rep. Rosenberger said.

While Speaker Batchelder has been a staunch opponent to expansion, as it was part of the vilified "Obamacare" package, swapping out his reluctant Controlling Board members could prove to be politically expedient as it would provide cover to some of his caucus members who support expansion.

A Controlling Board vote averts putting those members on record for where they stand on separate legislation, thus protecting them from potential primary challenges from the right. Meanwhile, he's also boosting the policy aims of his fellow Republican governor, whose name is being bandied about as a presidential candidate in 2016.

Also a matter of conventional wisdom: Gov. Kasich wouldn't have scheduled a Controlling Board item if he wasn't assured of the votes.

Senate President Keith Faber (R-Celina) said in an interview Tuesday that his caucus is aware of his opposition to expansion, however he has told his members on the panel - Sen. Bill Coley (R-Liberty Twp.) and Sen. Chris Widener (R-Springfield) - to vote their conscience and their districts.

Nevertheless, he also said he doesn't view the proposal before the board to be the actual "expansion," per se. That would come through an executive order from the governor, he said. The Controlling Board agenda item would merely authorize the transfer of funds.

Kasich has been criticized by conservatives in the state for his plan to expand Medicaid. Here is guest post that details the 'myths' associated with the expansion, as promoted by the Kasich administration talking points on the plan.

Others, including State Rep. Barbara Sears, left-leaning groups and many Democrats, support the expansion of the government program.

Had this been Democrats planning to replace board members in order to provide a favorable vote for their governor, I'm sure the Republican Party would be having a conniption. As it's a Republican governor, expect the party to stand behind their man, regardless of party principles.

Surprise! No Republican wants to run against Kasich

Kasich probably won't face
a primary challenger.

According to various reports and information I've received, it looks like there won't be a primary challenge against Gov. John Kasich.

Despite intense anger from many conservatives and tea party groups, potential candidates are calling it 'political suicide' to challenge the incumbent. And they're probably right.

"If they want to have a future at the party, they're told not to run," Tom Zawistowski, former president of the Ohio Liberty Coalition who was unsuccessful in his bid for GOP state chairman, recently told Gongwer Ohio.

Mounting a primary challenge would require raising significant amounts of money from many of the same people already committed to Kasich. And it's never easy going up against the party's standard bearer, even when the 'bearer' is short on consistency with cord standards and principles.

Which is not to say that incumbents should not face challenges - just that the ideal candidate to do so has to have considerable resources, reputation and support already in place and not have too much to risk if they lose.

Charlie Earl, the gubernatorial candidate from the Libertarian Party, might prove to be an option in the general election for those who just can't pull the lever (yes, an old reference) for Kasich, but I don't think most Republicans will change party affiliation by pulling a Libertarian ballot in the primary.

Of course, it's still early and, as upset as conservatives are with Kasich, he's still a better choice than the Democrat, Ed FitzGerald.

***Side note: I'm headed to Indianapolis for the weekend to participate in the Smart Girl Summit and will try to blog about some of the sessions, especially the ones focusing on culture. ***

"Grassroots" protest sponsored by the GOP?

I received an email this morning noting a 'grassroots protest' outside the headquarters of the Ohio Democratic Party.

I couldn't help but wonder just how 'grassroots' is a protest when it's put on by a political party? Isn't this the astroturfing we've been accused of doing all along?

And doesn't the OHGOP know that the tea party groups have scheduled a protest against the IRS at their offices for the exact same time?

I really don't like it when my party does things like this, but have to point out that if the OHDems were doing the same thing the OHGOP would be having a field day with it.

Perhaps this protest at the Dem party headquarters is part of the national tea party event? Perhaps the GOP just issued the media advisory on behalf of some 'grassroots' citizens? Perhaps....

But if that is the case, then the media advisory should say so.

Come on, GOP - aren't we better than that?

As an aside, though I consider myself a tea party member, I don't support the protests scheduled by the tea party groups. I believe it will take the focus away from the actual scandals and give some Democrats and the media a new story to focus on instead of digging to get to the bottom of who told the IRS workers to target the tea party/patriot groups in the first place.

I think that when your 'opponent' is self-destructing, you don't get in the way.

But that's just me - what do I know?

At least I'm not alone in that opinion...

Here is the email:

www.OhioGOP.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                         Contact: Katie Eagan

May 21, 2013                                                                    (614) 477-9113

***MEDIA ADVISORY***

COLUMBUS - Tuesday, May 21 2012 there will be a grassroots protest outside the headquarters of the Ohio Democratic Party by citizens demanding answers from Ohio Democrats regarding the mounting failures of the Obama Administration.

WHEN: 12:00 p.m.: Protest Begins

WHAT: Citizens' Protest of Ohio Democratic Party

WHERE: 340 East Fulton Street
Columbus, OH 43215

###

Gov. Ted Strickland's Top 10 DNC talking points

It's always a good thing to be able to laugh at yourself and also to appreciate true humor, even when you're the butt of the jokes.

Somehow, I don't think Democrats or former Ohio Governor Ted Strickland will take that to heart when it comes to this Press Release from the Ohio Republican Party:

COLUMBUS - Today Ohio Republican Party Chairman Bob Bennett made the following statement on Governor Ted Strickland's keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention along with a list of ten talking points he might highlight from his four years as governor.

"The Democratic National Convention is apparently so desperate for speakers they actually have Ted Strickland on the schedule. Whoever decided to give a speaking role to a fired governor responsible for 400,000 lost jobs ought to have their head examined...but then again, I've been saying that about the Democrats for years," stated Bennett.

The following is a preview of what Ted might say in tonight's speech.

10. "After John Tester, Joe Manchin, Claire McCaskill, Bernie Sanders, and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers declined invites to the Convention, the DNC was looking to fill-in. And since everyone from the speaker of the New York General Assembly to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee warned all their members to stay away, -- I'm honored you asked me to be here tonight!"

9. "Representative Betty Sutton is back home in Ohio tonight. She said she didn't come to the Convention because she has 'things to do'. Lucky for me, after the Ohio voters fired me, my schedule is wide open!"

8. "For those of you who don't know me, you may recognize me from the 'Shame on you Barack Obama' commercial!"

7. "It's good to see a decent crowd here in Charlotte tonight. I spoke at the Obama campaign kick-off in Columbus this year and that place was half empty!"

6. "Under Barack Obama, fewer Americans are working today than when he took office. I'm happy to report that I contributed 400,000 lost jobs to that effort!"

5. "You know, if I just keep taking credit for the economy during the last two years before I took office and the first two years of the Kasich administration, I can say I had a fantastic four years as Governor of Ohio!"

4. "Republicans claim John Kasich cleaned up the mess I left behind as Governor. But I'm here tonight to make the case that it was Barack Obama who cleaned up the mess I left behind as Governor!"

3. "John Kasich is no Barack Obama. Kasich balanced a budget, cut taxes, and had a laser-focus on job creation. Barack Obama hasn't done a single one of those things! He's nothing like John Kasich!"

2. "I'm glad the Democrats are refusing to answer 'are you better off today than you were four years ago?' I've learned a lot watching them dodge and duck that question, and claim it's the wrong question to ask. Where the hell were these guys when I needed them in 2010?"

1. "Mitt Romney is running a scary campaign. Like John Kasich two years ago he's
smearing his opponent by pointing out facts about his record. That's bad news folks -- because it usually works!"

###

ORP's virtual RNC convention

Press release:

Ohio Virtual Convention Experience Open to All

COLUMBUS - The Ohio Republican Party (ORP) will launch the first-ever virtual convention for Ohioans who want to participate in the 2012 Republican National Convention electing Mitt Romney as the Republican nominee for president.

"Much has changed since I attended my first convention in 1964; this year we just might be the most mobile high-tech delegation down here," said ORP chairman Bob Bennett. "The bottom line is that this year's election is too important to have Ohioans sitting on the sidelines. The technology we will be using will give us a digital presence and is meant to encourage engagement from people everywhere."

The ORP convention team developed a variety of mobile opportunities for Ohioans back in the Buckeye State to be a part of the Convention action. The virtual headquarters is set up at www.OhioGOP.org/Convention and will feature:

Online Streaming of all Ohio Events: A first for Ohio, all Ohio events will be broadcast digitally online giving everyone an opportunity to participate in the action. Events will follow the conventions theme of "A Better Future" and present the clear contrast between the failed policies of Barack Obama and Governor Romney's vision for a better future.

Live-blogging Convention Updates: The ORP social media team will be posting from an insider's perspective about guest appearances, convention functions and floor activities so visitors feel like they are part of history.

Here is the schedule for the morning events:

Tuesday, August 28th

Event: Breakfast Hosted by Mike DeWine, Ohio’s Attorney General
Special Guest: Former Presidential Candidate Rick Santorum
Time: 9:30AM EST

Wednesday, August 29th

Event: Breakfast Hosted by Dave Yost, Ohio’s State Auditor
Special Guests: Andrea Tantaros, Co-host of Fox News Channel's "The Five", Condoleezza Rice, Tagg Romney & RNC Chairman Reince Priebus
Time: 8:30AM EST

Thursday, August 30th

Event: Breakfast Hosted by Ohio Supreme Court Justices Robert Cupp, Terrence O’Donnell and Supreme Court candidate Justice Sharon Kennedy
Special Guest: Karl Rove, Former White House Deputy. Chief of Staff & Governor Bob McDonnell
Time: 10:30AM EST

Voters First: okay to sign petition for your brother

Voters First is a group primarily made up of unions and Democrats who want to change the way Ohio draws its congressional districts. They want to create an un-elected board of citizens to draw the lines, instead of letting the Ohio legislature do the job.

In order to make this change, they circulated petitions to put a constitutional amendment before voters. The signed petitions have been submitted and are in the process of having the signatures verified. If they have enough valid signatures, we'll see the item on the November ballot.

But this July 3 video from the Ohio Republican Party calls into question the tactics, as well as the signatures:



Yep, even though you've already signed, it's okay for you to sign again using someone else's name.

But that's not all. In this video, taken on June 6, a petitioner tells a man that it's okay to sign the petition even though the man does not live in Ohio:



I'm opposed to the Voters First proposal. They don't like the districts that resulted from the last re-drawing and since Democrats in the legislature failed to timely submit their own proposal, this seems like sour grapes to me.

I also do not like the fact that an un-elected board will make the decisions. Having individuals with no accountability to anyone does not improve the current process in which districts are drawn by elected individuals who are accountable to the voters.

Furthermore, I see much more room for partisan influence in this proposed body than in the current process. Because Ohio lost population, we had to eliminate two districts. The legislature eliminated one Republican-held district and one Democrat-held district. How much more even-handed can you get?

Voters First claims that by having non-elected individuals draw the lines, we'll end up with better districts and less gerrymandering to create Republican- or Democrat-leaning ones. But the predominance of Democrats in larger cities and Republicans in rural areas, combined with the laws on discrimination and voting, make drawing districts extremely difficult to begin with and there is no guarantee that any other group will do any better than what we already have.

They say they want "politically balanced" districts - not "safe districts," but also want to keep communities together inside a district. There is no way to draw a district that includes the city of Toledo or the city of Cleveland and not end up with a 'safe' district for a Democrat. Their goal of keeping the 'community' (city) together is incompatible with a "politically balanced" district.

Besides, as we've all seen, no matter how much they claim a board will be non-partisan, they always end up being exactly that.

I'd rather have the elected representatives do this than rely upon a group of people I, as a voter, have no control over. This is the opposite of 'voters first.'

Breaking: DeWine to resign at April 13 GOP meeting

The Columbus Dispatch is reporting:

Under unrelenting pressure from Gov. John Kasich and his political aides, Kevin DeWine will announce his resignation tonight as chairman of the Ohio Republican Party.


DeWine, 44, has prepared a letter to the 66 members of the GOP state central committee, saying he will step down when the party’s governing body meets to reorganize on April 13.

DeWine had previously announced he would not seek re-election to the chairman's position, but Kasich and others had asked him to resign immediately.   Following the primary election, Kasich was thought to have the votes to oust DeWine.

According to The Dispatch, DeWine's resignation letter was to be emailed at 9 p.m..

“Now, factions within our party are aligned to fight over who is best to lead us forward. A meeting looms where that fight could erupt into a party-splitting dispute that no one will win and everyone will lament.

“I am honored by the large number of State Central Committee members who are willing, even eager, to fight to sustain my leadership. Yet I cannot in good conscience let that fight go forward. If I did, it would be putting my personal interests over the party’s best interests. And I care too much about our work to do that.”

Past party chairman Bob Bennet is rumored to be the choice to lead the party, at least on an interim basis.

Matt Hurley at Weapons of Mass Discussion has the text of the resignation letter.

Not all county chairman knew of letter demanding DeWine resignation

Conservative bloggers and Republicans across the state have been talking about the internal battle for control of the Ohio Republican Party. Following the contentious primary election for seats on the state central committee, ORP Chairman Kevin DeWine announced he would not seek re-election. After that announcement, seven chairmen of large counties in Ohio, including Lucas, signed a letter requesting that DeWine resign immediately.

Many of us wondered when the county central committees met to authorize their chairmen to take such action only to find out that they didn't. Others wanted to know if their county chairman had been asked to sign the letter as well.

Matt Hurley, at Weapons of Mass Discussion learned that the Butler County GOP chairman was NOT asked, and was "dismayed" by what had occurred.

I'm pretty confident that if we asked the other 80 party chairmen, they'd say the same thing.

So not only is the internal dispute now a public one, but seven of our Republican Party County Chairmen are adding to the problem by excluding the other 81 in their actions.

Some will say that not all chairmen needed to be invited to sign the resignation demand letter. But their letter purports to speak for "hundreds of thousands Republicans" so it's not as if the seven were speaking only for themselves. So why not ask the other county party chairs?

These seven party chairmen, including Lucas County's Jon Stainbrook, have not helped the ORP by this action and, despite the vast numbers of Republicans who agree that DeWine needs to go, their method of speaking without first checking with their own parties and of excluding other party chairmen leaves a lot to be desired.

More questions on Stainbrook filings are raised

Lucas County Republican Party chairman Jon Stainbrook has now come to the attention of my fellow Ohio blogger, Justin Higgins - and he doesn't like what he's found.

On behalf of all Republicans in Lucas County (despite no meeting of the party to actually decide the issue), Stainbrook signed a letter urging current Ohio Republican Party chairman Kevin DeWine to resign immediately.

This follows his election in the primary as a member of the state central committee in which he defeated incumbent Johnathan Binkley and an unknown, never-before-registered-Republican, Sean Binkley.

Higgins takes a look at the filings in that race and correctly labels it "dirty dealings."

The battle for control of the Ohio Republican Party turned ugly a while ago, but in no place has it been uglier than Lucas County. Jon Stainbrook, the embattled party chairman, won the election for the 11th District State Central Committee (Male) seat. He didn’t do it cleanly. Facing up against a pro-DeWine candidate in Jonathon Binkley, Stainbrook resorted to qualifying a third candidate for the ballot, a Sean Binkley. I requested the candidate filing petitions from the Lucas County Board of Elections, and the results are interesting.

...

Stainbrook allies ran Sean Binkley for the sole reason that his last name would confuse voters intending to vote for Jonathon Binkley. Meghan Gallagher (who appears with Bensman on Sean Binkley’s petition) is also a Stainbrook ally who is featured in a photo with Bensman in the “close associate” article above. Multiple signatories of Sean Binkley’s appeared on Stainbrook’s petition. The pro-Kasich side has been chanting “the voters have spoken” since the Ohio primary, but did they even know who they were voting for in Lucas County?

...

Finally, I’m not a handwriting expert and will make no claims I can’t back up, but look at the candidate handwriting in the two full petitions. Awfully similar. If the same person filled both out however, that would be election fraud. You make the call.

To this, add my previous information about the back-room deal to eliminate contested races in Lucas County for the GOP state central committee.

Oh - and this isn't the first time that signatures on filings from Stainbrook and the LCRP have been called into question.

Not surprisingly, Higgins comes to a correct conclusion about Stainbrook:

Operatives like Stainbrook should be viewed with scrutiny and disdain, not touted as influentials calling for DeWine to get out.

When did the LCRP decide to demand DeWine's resignation?

According to Bytor at Third Base Politics, the Republican chairmen of the seven largest counties have signed a letter to Ohio GOP Chairman Kevin DeWine demanding that he resign now.

The text of the letter:

Dear Chairman DeWine:

As the Chairmen of seven of the largest county Republican Party organizations in the State of Ohio, we represent hundreds of thousands of loyal Republican activists, elected officials, candidates, donors and voters in Ohio. In fact, our seven counties represent nearly half of Ohio’s voting population, and our organizations, together with the Ohio Republican Party, must be focused on reaching those voters in order to win the important elections that are at stake this year.

For the past few months it has been apparent that the contentious relationship between top ORP leadership and the party’s elected officials is untenable and irreconcilable. For reasons unknown to us, you have been either unable or unwilling to find common ground to facilitate an effective and trusting relationship with our elected officials.

Your recent announcement that you will not seek re-election as ORP Chairman is an acknowledgement that new party leadership is needed, and we recognize how difficult a decision this must have been for you. Although we respect your current decision on this matter, we believe that it does not provide the necessary resolution to the situation.

You have admitted that the situation is unsustainable, yet you ask to sustain the status quo for 10 more months in a critical year for this party, state, and nation. We believe that it is fruitless to continue the finger pointing and unnecessary public airing of differences that has occurred.

Since the Primary Election earlier this month, it has become objectively clear to us that a majority of the incoming State Central Committee is intent upon new leadership at the state party. Now is the time for the party to unite under party leadership that can work with all of our elected officials and nominees; however, a majority of your Committee does not believe that you have the capacity to provide that unified leadership.

Therefore, it is with deep regret that we ask you to resign as chairman of the Ohio Republican Party immediately. It is our hope that, as you have already done with your announcement this past weekend, you will continue to demonstrate your commitment to the Republican Party and do what is right for the institution for which you have such great respect.

And it is signed by Lucas County Republican Party Chairman Jon Stainbrook.

So when, exactly, did the Lucas County Republican Party vote or decide to demand DeWine's resignation?

Was there a central committee meeting wherein the question was put to the party representatives?

Did Stainbrook speak to every elected Republican official in the county and get their permission to speak on their behalf? Did he contact local donors to the ORP? (doubtful considering how most of them are shunning the local party.)

How, exactly, did Stainbrook decide that a majority of Republicans in the county want DeWine to go?

It's clear that Stainbrook did NOT ask the sense of the local Republicans before signing his name to this document which purports to speak for all Republicans in the county - and that's wrong.

Personally, I'm not that big a fan of DeWine, but before he steps aside, I'd want to know who Gov. John Kasich would want instead. Republicans may decide that DeWine isn't the chairman we want, but that he'd be better than Kasich's pick.

And a party chairman should know that.

If Stainbrook was speaking for himself, that would be one thing. But he's saying he's speaking for "hundreds of thousands of loyal Republican activists, elected officials, candidates, donors and voters in Ohio." It was wrong of him to purport to speak for the LCRP when the LCRP has not taken a position on the internal conflict between Kasick and DeWine.

And if the other chairman didn't first go to their parties before signing, they are in the wrong as well.

Matt Hurley at Weapons of Mass Discussion has some thoughts on the letter, including an observation that the letter signers are all from Democrat-dominated counties. He also asks a very critical question: Who do these chairman support as a replacement to "the devil we know"?

Kevin DeWine won't seek re-election as ORP chairman

The Columbus Dispatch has the story:

DeWine announced today in an email to members of the central committee, the party’s governing body, that he will not seek re-election in an effort to stop the internecine warfare that has torn apart the party. He said he hoped the move would end the bitter dispute over the party’s leadership before the Nov. 6 general election.

“Over the past year, our state central committee has become the center of a highly charged contest for the future of the Ohio Republican Party,” DeWine wrote. “Too many members, through no fault of their own, have lost sleep, lost friends, and lost hope during this process. I believe that in order to ensure victory for 2012 this family fight must end now. To accomplish that goal, I intend to lead by example.”

DeWine continued: “Those who want to see new leadership in this party will have their chance, as I will not run for another term as your chairman in January of 2013.”

...

Preisse said Kasich has support from enough committee members to force DeWine out at the April 13 meeting. But DeWine, who was reached last night and declined to comment, indicated in his email to the central committee that he had enough support to remain chairman until his term ends. DeWine emphasized in that letter that he hoped his decision would allow the party to come together and thwart President Barack Obama’s effort to carry Ohio, a must-win swing state.

“I hope you will see this decision as an attempt to do exactly what I promised to do when I became your chairman — to put party before power and service before self,” DeWine wrote to the committee. “Following this month’s primary election, I’m confident that a strong majority of members support my continued leadership of our party. But continuing to put this party through such a process would strain the bonds among us that will be critically important as we prepare for what will be the most significant election of our lifetimes.”

Third Base Politics blog has more speculation on what would happen in terms of spending by the ORP if DeWine doesn't step down now.

Just how is the Lucas County Republican Party spending its money?

For the March primary, I received a lot of mailings regarding the Ohio Republican State Central Committee races. All but one of these were paid for by the Ohio Republican Party or an organization called Restoring Ohio (believed to be a pro Gov. John Kasich group).

The one that wasn't paid for by these two groups was actually paid for by the Lucas County Republican Party.

Now, having a mailer from the LCRP for a primary isn't an unusual thing. In the past, they've sent out slate cards and urged Republicans to vote in the primary.

This one, however, was only for LCRP Chairman Jon Stainbrook, urging Republicans to vote for him in the contested race for the state central committee.


It was billed as an 'endorsement alert' but it was the only mailer the local party sent out for the election.

They didn't send a slate card. They didn't endorse for the contested Republican judicial race. They didn't send anything on other contested races. Just this one for Jon Stainbrook.

Stainbrook also had yard signs for his state central committee campaign - also paid for by the LCRP:





Note, too, that these are the large 3x5 mini-billboards - not the regular campaign yard signs ... for a state central committee race!

Which raises a lot of questions - primarily about how Stainbrook is using party money for his own personal purposes.

In looking back through the LCRP's campaign finance reports, the last time the party spent any money designated for particular candidates was in 2009 when they paid about $2,000 for signs and wires for the primary.

They did spend $2,000 in 2011 for printing and signs though there is nothing to identify what that money was for. And they did spend over $6,600 for the lawsuit they filed on behalf of George Sarantou in his loss for Lucas County Commissioner - a suit they later dropped.

But they've spent a lot more money on items that have nothing to do with promoting the election of Republicans.

The campaign finance reports show numerous expenditures for 'food for volunteers' where the amounts are under $5.00. How many volunteers are you feeding at McDonald's or Rudy's when you spend less than $5.00?

There are 'snacks for volunteers' purchased at coffee shops and gas stations. Again, how many volunteers are you feeding when you're spending under $2.00 for snacks?

My educated guess is that these expenses are not for 'volunteers' but for Jon Stainbrook personally.

There are also car rentals totalling more than $1,000. Now why in the world would the LCRP need to rent a car on multiple occasions?

They've spent another $1,600 in legal fees - not counting the amount mentioned above - and have paid out nearly $2,900 for parliamentarian services using a parliamentarian from Cleveland and one from the Columbus area. Couldn't they find a parliamentarian in Toledo? Or even a Republican one willing to donate their services?

They've spent $550 on security, $420 on a volunteer appreciation party, but only show rent being paid in 2010. They've also reimbursed Stainbrook and his close friends Meghan Gallagher and Kelly Bensman for their expenses (though there were many questions about those reimbursements due to a lack of documentation as to what they were for).

And other than incumbents or well-known former elected official being re-elected, they've not won any elections.

But they have money to send out a full color, first-class mailer on behalf of a personal race the chairman is involved in against a fellow Republican.

Sad - but perhaps this is why they can't seem to raise any money other than at the Lincoln Day Dinner.

The purpose of the local Republican Party is to elect local Republicans to local office while supporting the state-wide and national candidates. Our local GOP and its chairman, Jon Stainbrook, are failing miserably.





***SIDE NOTE:

The Lucas County Republican Party campaign finance reports are available for viewing at the Lucas County Board of Elections website's document center.

Interestingly, their 2011 Semi-Annual Report filed on July 29, 2011, doesn't add up.

It lists the following:

$25,034.50 total funds available
$19,797.03 total expenses

$ 2,940.68 on hand

However, when you subtract expenses from total available, you get $5,237.47 - not the $2,940.68 that they have on the form.

There has been no correction filed as of this posting.

Kasich-DeWine-ORP split and Lucas County

I'm not really sure where to start on this Ohio Republican Party Chairman Kevin DeWine - Governor John Kasich split over control of the ORP but it has resulted in very strange goings-on in Lucas County.

Kasich has, for a long time, wanted his own person in charge of the party. DeWine hasn't wanted to go. DeWine made the issue public and, in 2008, spent party money to protect incumbent state central committee members from tea party candidate challengers.

At the last state central committee meeting, DeWine passed a rule change (by a one vote margin) which says that you have to have been a registered Republican in at least three prior elections in order to be eligible for service on the state central committee. Many saw this as an attempt to keep newly registered Republicans - tea party members who took to heart the advice to change the party from within - from actually serving if elected. That he did this after the ballots were printed was just sheer stupidity.

If you want a good recap, Tom Blumer at BizzyBlog has been following the issue and has details, including this most recent update on mailers paid for by the state.

The strange thing is the impact this division has had on Lucas County - not that Lucas County doesn't have its own share of issues with central committee seats.

Wednesday, I shared breaking news with you about the deal worked out by DeWine to avoid three contested races for state central committee in Senate Districts 2 and 9.

When I learned that this deal was pending, I was confused as at least one individual now unopposed was listed on this 'alternate slate' list - a group of people supposedly opposed to DeWine.

It was my understanding that Lucas County Republican Party Jon Stainbrook was instrumental in working out the deal - and we all know that Stainbrook doesn't do anything that isn't, first and foremost, in his own best interest, or intended to exact revenge against those he believes have slighted him.

But now comes the interesting part. Meghan Gallagher, an incumbent state central committeewoman is running unopposed thanks to Chairman DeWine - but a Kasich organization has paid for the mailings for Stainbrook and Gallagher that just hit homes yesterday.

It's also my understanding that DeWine was not aware of the mailings and learned of them only after they were received by voters.

Now, why would DeWine work to have a Kasich supporter unopposed? And do you think DeWine would have brokered the deal if he'd known that the Kasich mailer was in the mail the day he did it?

Obviously, Stainbrook was aware that the mailing was going out, so it means he withheld the information from DeWine.

Stainbrook withholding information isn't news, but it may be to DeWine, though if DeWine had heeded the information and advice he's received from other Republicans in Lucas County, this would not have come as a surprise.

Additionally, did Kasich know that Stainbrook was working out a deal to protect potential DeWine supporters when his organization agreed to pay for and send out these mailings?

Is Stainbrook playing both sides against the middle for his own personal benefit?

Sadly, there's not much local Republicans can do when it comes to the state central committee races. A vote cast for the candidates who withdrew will not be counted. Mickey Wagoner, Dee Talmage and Gallagher are going to be elected.

Stainbrook, however, may not be. He lost this seat in 2008 to incumbent Jonathan Binkley by a 5,310 to 4,097 vote. In fact, I understand Stainbrook was so angry at losing that he decided he needed to confuse voters by recruiting a Sean Binkley to run with him against Jonathan Binkley this year, though he denied he did so.

Interestingly, Sean Binkley has never voted in a Republican primary, making him ineligible to serve, based on the new party rule change, if elected.

So Republicans can - again - defeat Stainbrook by electing Jonathan Binkley, and I would urge them to do so. Unlike his opponent, Jonathan is a man of integrity and will do as he says rather than play petty games pitting people against each other or use his position to exact revenge on those he believes have wronged him years in the past.

BREAKING: Shakeup in GOP state central committee slate from Lucas County

I've been hearing rumors that deals were being worked out to eliminate the contested Republican state central committee races in the 2nd and 9th senate districts here in Lucas County.

As of a few moments ago, Kelly Mettler, Gina Kaczala and Tom Morgan have withdrawn their candidacies for state central committee. This leaves Dee Talmage and Mickey Wagoner unopposed in SD 2 and Meghan Gallagher unopposed in SD 9.

Mettler's withdrawal was filed in Lucas County while the Kaczala and Morgan withdrawals were filed by LCRP chairman Jon Stainbrook in Wood County.

Unaffected is the central committeeman race in SD 9 where Stainbrook is running against incumbent Johnathan Binkley and Sean Binkley who, it was speculated, was recruited by Stainbrook to inject confusion into the race and draw votes away from Johnathan.

How this impacts the growing rift between Gov. John Kasich and State Party Chairman Kevin DeWine is unknown.

House Republicans outline priorities, initiatives for 2012

Press Release:

House Republicans Outline Priorities, Initiatives for 2012

Workforce development, beginning hearings on fixing school funding formula among top goals for legislative session

COLUMBUS—On the heels of a successful first half of the General Assembly that saw the passage of more than 90 bills that address issues from regulatory reform and the creation of JobsOhio to prescription drug abuse, Speaker of the Ohio House William G. Batchelder (R-Medina) and members of the House Republican Caucus today unveiled their legislative priorities for 2012 at a press conference at the Ohio Statehouse.

“It was not too long ago that this state faced an $8 billion budget hole that was created when the former administration wrote short-term checks with disappearing ink,” said Speaker Batchelder. “In 2011, this caucus faced one of the greatest challenges ever put onto the plate of a legislature—deciding whether to fill an enormous deficit by either reducing state spending or by raising taxes on every family in Ohio. We defied the skeptics; we filled this deficit without raising taxes, we kept vital services intact and protected our state’s most vulnerable. The second half of the General Assembly will be focused on building upon this strong foundation that we have worked so hard for and bringing about a brighter, more prosperous Ohio in a number of ways.”

The priorities outlined by House Republicans include a close analysis, fact finding, and making recommendations for revising Ohio’s school funding formula, which in 1997 was deemed unconstitutional by the Ohio Supreme Court. Despite the court ruling, Ohio’s school funding system has not undergone any transformative changes that have wholly fixed the root of the problem. To address this issue, House Republicans announced that they will initiate comprehensive, bipartisan hearings on both the funding formula and student achievement, which will be led by Representative Ron Amstutz (R-Wooster) throughout the duration of 2012.

“The goal of these discussions will be to figure out how we can make our schools and students more successful in a cost-efficient manner for Ohio’s taxpayers,” said Rep. Amstutz. “We want to create a new model of achievement and accountability that will benefit all of Ohio’s students and give those from disadvantaged geographic regions an equal chance to succeed. We will work diligently on legislation to incorporate the findings into practice and place Ohio’s schools back on track with an equitable and fair funding formula. The goal of any legislation implemented is to create an equitable funding formula and to develop a more accurate measure of success and achievement for our students.”

The House Republican Caucus also laid out a proposal to implement the recommendations of the JobsOhio report through the creation of the Development Services Agency. The proposal will complete the transition to a lean, streamlined public/private partnership free of the cumbersome bureaucracy that characterized Ohio’s economic efforts in the past. Additionally, the caucus discussed strategies for implementing the findings of the Ohio Workforce Development Study Committee, specifically focusing on helping career tech schools and community colleges to prepare a ready workforce, as well as training Ohioans for imminent shale and energy jobs.

“We continue to strive to get unemployment down, help Ohioans find work, and create new opportunities for Ohio well into the future,” said Speaker Batchelder. “We have maintained a focus on jobs throughout 2011—from passing several tax credits to encourage economic investment and job retention, to exploring our energy potential that could create hundreds of thousands of jobs— and Ohioans can expect that we will continue this focus into 2012 and beyond.”

The caucus has also revealed plans to reform the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, building upon existing reforms to go further in assisting injured workers while identifying other cost-saving possibilities.

Other legislative items that the House Republican Caucus intends to address include:

* The Great Lakes Compact
* Casino and gaming laws
* Healthcare exchange
* Laws pertaining to exotic animals

“We have tackled the issues that are most important to the people of this state, and we will continue to do so for as long as we have the privilege of leading this House,” said Speaker Batchelder. “There is much time and energy that we must be prepared to invest in order to revive the state of Ohio, and we are ready to do the work necessary in order to breathe new life into this state and be able to compete nationally. We’ve come a long way, but we have much, much farther to go—we are just getting started.”

-30-

Batchelder wants state GOP chairman DeWine out

Batchelder wants state GOP chairman DeWine out...

That's the headline of a story in the Columbus Dispatch and it just furthers the rift between state elected officials and the chairman of the Ohio Republican Party.

Many in Toledo are none too happy with Chairman Kevin Dewine after his abysmal lack of leadership at the Lucas County Republican Party's reorganization meeting, so this may be welcome news to some in the area.

UPDATED! Ohio GOP calls for compromise on SB 5

UPDATE: See Update note at the bottom of the post. As a result of reading the actual letter from the GOP leadership and Governor, my original take on this has changed. My original post follows:

I received the following press release from the Ohio Republican Party. I don't know about you, but I've not heard any groundswell of support for 'compromise' on labor issues in Ohio. In fact, all I've heard from unions is that Senate Bill 5 needs to be repealed and business owners and conservatives saying it needs to stand.

While I can understand an interest in coming to agreement on reforms to the public union issues and the unsustainable obligations their contracts have, I can only wonder who is calling for 'compromise.' That's what we got with the debt ceiling and all that did was push the can down the road.

Perhaps the Republicans fear taking the issue to the ballot with the amount of money unions have to fight for a repeal? Perhaps Republicans fear that Ohioans will be swayed by fear tactics of the unions saying all our houses will burn down and there will be lawlessness because of no police or fire if SB 5 stands. Perhaps, the Republicans are acting too much like they have in the past, snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. I don't know... I just hope that this offer to talk isn't a capitulation before the fight has even begun.

Finding Common Ground In Order to Move Ohio Forward

Ohio Labor Leaders Should Accept the Invitation of Governor Kasich & State Legislative Leaders

Columbus - Ohio Republican Party Chairman Kevin DeWine released the following statement in response to this afternoon's press conference, where Governor John Kasich, House Speaker Bill Batchelder, and Senate President Tom Niehaus invited labor leaders to engage in discussion and compromise on reform legislation for Ohio:

"Our path forward as a state struggling under the weight of a sluggish economy begins with offering proposals to find common ground on reforms which place jobs and economic recovery before political point scoring," said Chairman DeWine.

"While the Ohio Republican Party stands solidly behind the reasonable reforms of Senate Bill 5, we urge Ohio labor leaders to join Governor John Kasich and our legislative leadership in heeding the public's calls for setting aside political differences in our shared desire to guide our state toward prosperity."

Background Information:

State Democratic officials and union leaders should listen to Ohioans' desire for compromise. That begins by offering concrete policy proposals for bipartisan consideration.

Senate Democratic leader Capri Cafaro of Hubbard said in a statement: "The time to negotiate was during the legislative process, not 197 days after Senate Bill 5 was first introduced in the Ohio Senate." (Julie Carr Smyth, "Ohio Gov Seeks to Stop Union Law Repeal Effort," AP, 8/17/11)

It's difficult to find common ground and negotiate when one side fails to offer any alternatives. Democrats failed to offer a single amendment, and one union leader said at a We Are Ohio news conference last week that they intentionally refused to do so for inherently "political" reasons:

"The Democrats were supportive of our position in its entirety," said Steve Loomis, president of the police patrolmen's union in Cleveland, during today's press conference. "The fact that they didn't offer any amendments is political in nature and they had their reasons for doing that," Loomis said. (Courtesy: Ohio Capital Blog, We Are Ohio Press Conference, 8/12/11)


###

UPDATE:

I received a copy of the actual letter sent to Ohio's unions requesting them to sit down and see if there can't be some agreement on reforms to Ohio's collective bargaining laws.

The letter is from Gov. Kasich, Senate President Thomas Niehaus and Speaker of the House William Batchelder. It says:

"In a matter of days Ohioans will be thrust into a costly political battle that will likely result in lasting scars and bitter divisions at one of the most fragile moments in our state's history. Outside observers, including Ohio's two largest newspapers, have rightly asked whether that recourse is our only option. It is not. They have called on us to "look for common ground, not battlegrounds" and to make a "serious effort to determine if compromise is possible."

While we passionately believe in the reforms of Senate Bill 5 and stand ready to vigorously - and successfully - defend them, we ask you to consider this option and join us in working with determination toward a compromise for the benefit of the taxpayers we all serve.

So it appears that this is not a case of snatching victory from the jaws of defeat as I feared above, but an appeal directly to the public sector unions only to work with the Republican leadership to see where they might be able to find common ground on reforming Ohio's collective bargaining laws. The Democrats weren't invited.

It will be interesting to see where this goes - and whether or not any common ground might be discovered. The unions fall back plan would be to just let the voters decide.

Here is the actual letter:

Ohio budget eliminates shortfall without raising taxes

Press Releases

***from Ohio House Republicans (bolded portions in the release are mine):

Ohio House of Representatives Passes Historic Budget that Prioritizes Education, Job Creation in Ohio

$8 billion deficit closed without raising taxes

COLUMBUS—Maintaining a promise that was made during the previous General Assembly, the Ohio House of Representatives today passed a sustainable, fiscally responsible budget bill, marking a historic effort to successfully fill an $8 billion budget deficit without raising taxes on Ohioans.

Substitute House Bill 153, in addition to improving government efficiency and making Ohio more economically competitive, makes significant investments in the programs and services that matter most to Ohioans, while at the same time respecting and protecting Ohio’s taxpayers.

“After a challenging three and a half months of thoughtful debate and consideration from members on both sides of the aisle, today we took a momentous step toward a leaner, more cost-effective state government,” said Speaker of the Ohio House William G. Batchelder (R-Medina). “Throughout this process we have kept the interests of Ohio’s families and the middle class at the center of the debate, ensuring that we didn’t increase their tax burden at a time when they are least able to afford it.”

To retain Ohio’s small businesses, assist family farmers and encourage retirees to remain in Ohio, the Ohio Legislature included a provision in Sub. H.B. 153 to eliminate the estate tax in its entirety effective January 1, 2013. In total, Ohio’s taxpayers will save nearly $1 billion over the biennium through the Legislature’s efforts to reduce government waste and reconfigure the allocation of scarce financial resources.

The budget also establishes InvestOhio, which strives to spur new investment in Ohio and enhance innovation by rewarding major investments in the state. If an individual who utilizes the gains from selling a stock to reinvest in an Ohio company and retains that investment for a two-year period, they may apply for a refundable state tax credit related to that original sale of shares.

“Creating jobs, encouraging investment in Ohio’s small businesses and making it easier to do business in Ohio were some of the primary objectives of this budget,” said Chairman of the House Finance and Appropriations Committee Ron Amstutz (R-Wooster). “We took significant steps toward making Ohio a role model for the rest of the nation in an effort to revitalize what has been, in recent years, a struggling economy. We’re transforming the way the state of Ohio operates, solving the current structural imbalance without raising taxes. This is how an effective, responsible government should operate.”

Sub. H.B. 153 holds education paramount and uses existing funds to provide in-state college tuition rates for Ohio high school graduates who have left the state within the past 10 years, which would incentivize their return to the state. Moreover, the budget adds more than $100 million in additional dollars over the executive version to the school foundation formula and guarantees that no district receives a cut in state aid.

The Legislature also expanded the value of and the eligible participants in the Cleveland Voucher Program to make education more affordable and to untie the hands of low-income families. The budget also increases the number of EdChoice Scholarship Program vouchers to 14,000 to 60,000 in fiscal year 2013 and increases the charter school sponsorship cap to 100.

“When the State of Ohio brought in increased revenue, we decided to invest those dollars in Ohio’s schools and give them an additional boost in their state aid,” said Vice-chairman of the House Finance and Appropriations Committee John Carey (R-Wellston). “Through this budget, we continue to capitalize on the opportunities before us and invest in the things that matter. At this time, we believe that our schools need the additional dollars so we can ensure that Ohio’s students receive a quality education, even during this difficult economy.”

The Legislature prioritizes protecting Ohio’s most vulnerable citizens by investing $31.3 million in fiscal year 2012 and $63 million in fiscal year 2013 over the executive budget in PASSPORT for seniors and allocating an additional $7.5 million for mental health services. Funding for Second Harvest Food Banks increases by $1 million annually to provide food and resources to people in need. Additionally, the budget provides for kinship care funding at $6 million over the biennium.

Moreover, the budget provides $400,000 for the State Medical Board to fight prescription drug abuse, which has become increasingly prevalent, particularly in southern Ohio.

“The 2012-2013 budget means more than just an allocation of money for the biennium—it is an outline of our state’s priorities now and in the future,” said Amstutz. “In addition to promoting a better state economy and investing in our schools, the budget also safeguards Ohio’s citizens and promotes a better quality of life in Ohio.”

Putting education—as well as job creation and economic growth—first in this budget, the Ohio Legislature devoted an unwavering commitment to responsibly filling the multi-billion dollar budget deficit that was inherited from the previous administration.

Speaker Batchelder, Chairman Amstutz, and Vice-chairman Carey would like to thank Governor Kasich and the Ohio Senate for their continued hard work and collaboration on Sub. H.B. 153. They are also appreciative of the many citizens and interested parties who testified before the committee to help make the budget a better, more comprehensive bill.

“This budget has been a long and, at times, difficult process, but I could not be more pleased with this bill or the diligence that went into construction of this budget,” said Batchelder. “We’ve taken great strides toward making Ohio a better place to live, work, raise a family and start a business—but to paraphrase my good friend in the Governor’s Office, you ain’t seen nothing yet.”

Sub. H.B. 153 now awaits the governor’s signature.

-30-

***from Ohio Republican Party:

Ohio General Assembly Eliminates Historic Budget Shortfall Without Raising Taxes

Columbus - This afternoon Ohio Republican Party Chairman Kevin DeWine praised the Ohio General Assembly for approving a balanced state budget that reins in spending and eliminates an estimated $8 billion shortfall without raising taxes.

"Ohio taxpayers gave Republicans control of the General Assembly last year with the hope that they would restore fiscal responsibility to government. Today campaign promises became reality. Considering the tough economic times facing Ohio, Senate President Tom Niehaus and Speaker William Batchelder deserve tremendous credit for stabilizing the highest financial shortfall Ohio has ever seen, all while allowing taxpayers and businesses to keep more of their hard-earned money," Chairman DeWine said.

"From education reform and health care assistance to pro-growth initiatives which strengthen private sector job development, this budget sends a message that no Ohioan should be left behind on the road to economic recovery."