Aide to Ney Subpoenaed

A senior aide to Republican Rep. Bob Ney (OH-18) has been subpoenaed in the ongoing investigation of lobbyist Jack Abramoff and his ties to the Republican Party. Here are some excerpts from the Columbus Dispatch:

...Matt Parker, who has served as district director for Ney’s office in Ohio as well as an adviser to the re-election campaign, was ordered to turn over documents to federal prosecutors and testify before a grand jury in Washington.

Parker’s subpoena was made public yesterday in an announcement on the House floor, as required when lawmakers or staff members receive subpoenas. Parker could not be reached for comment.

Also announced yesterday were the departures of Brian Walsh, a longtime Ney spokesman; Will Heaton, Ney’s chief of staff; and Chris Otillio, a senior legislative aide.

Heaton was with Ney on a lavish 2002 golf trip to Scotland arranged by Abramoff. That trip is part of what federal prosecutors are examining in an investigation of Ney’s ties to Abramoff...

It is clearly not a good indication when a large number of staff members bolt for the door. You just have to wonder how long it will take for the investigation to finally get to Ney. I wonder what the people of Ohio's 18th congressional district are thinking now.

****The Coingate investigation continues------
The Toledo Blade has a great article on the latest development in the Tom "Coingate" Noe investigation. Here are some excerpts:

...Investigative reports released yesterday after the convictions of Lucas County Commissioner Maggie Thurber, Toledo City Councilman Betty Shultz, former Toledo Mayor Donna Owens, and former state Rep. Sally Perz show that Noe had treated Ms. Thurber and Ms. Owens on several occasions — and neither had disclosed those contacts.

The women pleaded no contest in Toledo Municipal Court yesterday to the misdemeanor charge they faced of failing to disclose a meal — from the October, 2003, fund-raiser — paid by Noe. Visiting Judge Mark Reddin of Bowling Green Municipal Court found them guilty and fined them $1,000 apiece, plus court costs, and the cost of the investigation, which has not been determined. He could have imposed a jail sentence of up to six months....

Do you need any additional proof about the Republican culture of corruption here in Ohio? The citizens of Ohio have had enough!

Grand Oil Party = GOP

With gasoline prices at or near $3/gal. here in central Ohio, drivers are getting upset. It was not surprising to see a protest against rising gas prices. Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce has received political contributions from PACs and people associated with the oil companies. According to Open Secrets, Oil and Gas PACs gave 83% of their 2006 campaign contributions to Republicans. For the 2006 campaign, a large source of Pryce's campaign funds come from PAC's (special interests). (Note: This does not include what she has received in past years.) Pryce and the Republicans have a cozy relationship with the oil and gas corporations. This is why the Republicans refuse to do anything to regulate gas prices. Pryce and the Republicans benefit by getting those contributions and, in turn, we suffer by having to pay these extremely high gas prices.

Families and businesses are hurt when gas prices go up. People are paying higher prices at the grocery store and for other services. It seems the only people who benefit with high gas prices are the people at oil companies and Republicans, like Pryce, who get their contributions. Call Pryce's office (614 469-5614) and let her know that you are unhappy with gas prices.

Isn't it time to change from a Congress controlled by corporations to a Congress controlled by the people?

15th District: From Red to Blue?

All indications are that Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce is in deep trouble in Ohio's 15th district. She started her television ads 4 months. According to The Hill, Pryce has also beefed up her campaign staff. Will it be enough???? Here are some excerpts from The Hill article.

...Democrats have suggested that Pryce’s close alliance with the Bush administration as a member of House Republican leadership could be her Achilles’ heel in a district that gave him only 50.3 percent of the vote in 2004. Franklin County, which makes up a large portion of the 15th District, went Democrat in 2004.

The Pryce campaign says that the race is about local issues and her record as a longtime representative. DeStefano said links to Bush would not impede Pryce, who received many more votes than the president in the district in 2004.

“Our focus is her and her record of accomplishment here — why she is a perfect fit for the 15th District,” he said....

People in the 15th district are very unhappy with the culture of corruption here in Ohio and the lack of leadership. We have not seen a 'record of accomplishment' and we are not pleased with Pryce's support of this administration's policies. We need a change in direction for this country and we need to bring our troops home. The only way this will happen is if Pryce is defeated.

Protests at Gas Stations

Update: The new Google Video has a video on Pryce's ties to corporations. See it HERE.

There are planned protests at gas stations tomorrow and Republican Deborah Pryce is one of the reasons for the protests. Here is an excerpt from US Newswire:

This Wednesday at more than 300 gas stations across the country, thousands of MoveOn members will hold "Rallies for An Oil-Free Congress," exposing Republicans in Congress for accepting campaign contributions from Big Oil companies while they do nothing to ease the burden of Americans who are paying more at the pumps.

The rallies are part of a National Day of Action, echoing the "Caught Red Handed" theme of MoveOn's latest TV ads that tie the Republican-controlled Congress to the culture of corruption. MoveOn.org Political Action just completed three rounds of a $1.3 million campaign in the districts of Republican Reps. Chris Chocola, Thelma Drake, Nancy Johnson and Deborah Pryce.

"Big Oil companies have given millions in campaign contributions to the Republican controlled Congress, but that pales in comparison to the billions they've received in tax breaks and subsidies. Republicans have consistently rejected Democratic attempts to move toward energy independence and a national clean energy policy. With gas prices soaring and global warming a deepening threat, it's time to stop America's addiction to oil -- by curing Republicans' addition to oil money," said Nita Chaudhary of MoveOn.org Political Action.

Since 1990, Big Oil has given more than $190 million to members of Congress -- 75 percent of which has gone to Republicans...

Should be interesting!!!!

Americans: Bring Troops Home/ Pryce: Let Troops Stay in Iraq Forever

The Republicans just don't get it. Americans want out of Iraq! The latest USA Today/Gallup poll shows that Americans want our military home within the next 12 months. Here are some excerpts from the article:

A majority of Americans say Congress should pass a resolution that outlines a plan for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq, according to a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll taken Friday through Sunday. Half of those surveyed would like all U.S. forces out within 12 months....

Bush's approval rating is at 37%.

In the poll, 57% say Congress should pass a resolution that outlines a plan for withdrawing U.S. troops; 39% say that decision should be left to the president and his advisers....

The poll also shows that only 1/3 of Democrats and Independents and 2/3 of Republicans want to stay in Iraq as long as necessary. Clearly, if Americans want to end the war, they must elect Democrats. Otherwise, the war in Iraq will go on, and on, and on.

Republican Rep. Pryce wants to continue to stay in Iraq. She has no plan for bringing our troops home. She has no plan to end the war. Pryce just hopelessly supports an unending war with billions of dollars being wasted while we lose thousands of our troops. Pryce's motto should be ----Elect Pryce for War Without End!

Just a note---the Columbus Dispatch has yet to include any of Pryce's votes against veterans. Why are they covering up her votes????

Here is a sample:

1. *Representatives Ney and Pryce Opposed Expanding TRICARE to National Guard & Reserve Volunteers. Representatives Ney and Pryce voted against expanding access to the military's TRICARE health insurance program to all reservist and National Guard members. The proposal would have expanded military health care to provide access to TRICARE to members of the Guard and Reserve and their families for a low fee, which would have helped 2,563 in Ohio.
[HR 1815, Roll Call #221, 5/25/05; Leadership Document, “DOD Authorization Previous Question on
Rule”; S. 2400, Roll Call Vote #105, 6/2/04]

2. *Representatives Ney and Pryce Voted Against $30 Million Boost for Veterans Health Care & Benefits. In 2005, Ney and Pryce voted against an additional $30 million for veterans' health care. The amendment have would added funding for combat-related trauma care to support wounded troops once they return to their homes, medical and prosthetic research and 100 additional staff to help process claims for compensation and pension benefits.
[HR 2528, Roll Call #224, 5/26/05; Leadership Document, “Medical Quality Democratic Amendment Final]

3. *Representatives Ney and Pryce Opposed $150 Million Increase for Military Personnel. In 2005, Ney and Pryce voted against a proposal to the budget to increase funding for military health care by $100 million and transitional job training for military personnel by $50 million. [HR 1268, Roll Call #76, 3/16/05; CQ.com vote reports]

4. *Representatives Ney and Pryce Voted Against Additional Job Assistance to Veterans Returning from
Overseas. Ney and Pryce opposed efforts to provide extra job training assistance to veterans who are returning
from overseas. Four out of 10 members of the Guard and Reserve forces lose income when they leave their civilian
jobs for active duty, and many are self-employed or run small businesses. This means they face the daunting task
of reestablishing their businesses after their release from active duty.
[HR 27, Roll Call #47, 3/2/05; 109th Congressional Record, pg. H915, 3/2/05; 109 th Congressional Record, pg. H2074, 4/14/05]


Additional information about Pryce's voting record can be found at http://www.uaprogressiveaction.com/archives/ohio_politics/ohio_15th_district/index.html

'Unprecedented Public Corruption'

With the midterm election just a few months away, it is hilarious to hear the Republicans tell us what a fabulous job they've done for us in Ohio. In reality, the Republicans have done absolutely N-O-T-H-I-N-G for the good people of Ohio! Ohio has lost 200,ooo manufacturing jobs. People have lost health insurance. Our country has lost over 2500 men and women in Bush's war. Ohio's reputation as a nice place to live has been ruined by Republican corruption and scandals.

The Plain Dealer has the results of the task force that was set up to investigate corruption in Ohio. Here is an excerpt from the PD article:

Over the last year, nine people, including six who were on the state payroll, have been charged in an unprecedented public corruption investigation by a federal, state and local task force, the largest undertaking of its kind in Ohio history. The charges have ranged from misdemeanor ethics violations to federal bribery and racketeering charges. The probe continues....

Isn't that a great paragraph? Read the rest of the article for all the details. The next time someone says they are voting for an Ohio Republican, give them three little words---'unprecedented public corruption!'

Ohio Politics

Ted Strickland, Democratic candidate for Ohio Governor, is gaining momentum and campaign money. Strickland is gaining support from Republicans who have been turned off by the extreme right wing bent of Republican candidate, Kenneth Blackwell. Here are some excerpts from the Cincinnati Enquirer:

Democrat Ted Strickland, candidate for Ohio governor, said Saturday that Republicans keep coming to him and pledging their support because they have grown disenchanted with Republican-dominated government, nationally and locally.

"Ohio is headed in the wrong direction and is in need of a turnaround," Strickland told about 200 supporters at a rally in Hoffner Park, kicking off his general election campaign in this part of the state.

Among Strickland's supporters: Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory. He called incumbent Republican Gov. Bob Taft "about as popular as mad cow disease." A spectator shouted: "He has it!"

...Strickland, 64, acknowledged that he will need votes from Democrats, Independents and Republicans to beat his opponent, Republican Ken Blackwell, Ohio's secretary of state. Strickland said he will need Ohioans to elect Democrats to other offices to advance Democrats' proposals on issues such as education, minimum wage and health care.

The crowd cheered when Strickland announced that the independent Rasmussen poll on Saturday reported he has a 13-point lead over Blackwell. Strickland has also raised more money than Blackwell so far - $2.6 million, about double what Blackwell has, a Strickland spokesman said...

It seems as though Republican candidate for state treasurer, Sandra O'Brien, has some problems. Here is an excerpt from the Cleveland Plain Dealer:

...As the little-known O'Brien begins her underdog general election run for state treasurer, the recent letter underscores troubling lapses that have surfaced from her 12-year tenure as auditor in Ohio's far northeastern county.

The most serious questions about O'Brien's record arise from state audit findings spread over several years, including a 2003 finding that a lack of safeguards in O'Brien's office led to the embezzlement of $40,000.

Couple those findings with a series of costly court disputes with local officials, and a picture emerges of an auditor with a penchant for controversy a picture at odds with her pleasant demeanor.

With $11 billion in state assets riding on the state treasurer's job, O'Brien detractors question her fitness for office while O'Brien and her supporters shrug off the disputes as partisan politics and see her as a fierce watchdog of public money....

Ouch!!!!

The citizens of Ohio are extremely tired of the corruption that the Republicans have created throughout the state. If Ohioans really want change, they'll need to vote out large numbers of Republicans in the next election. The Ohio GOP controls all areas of the state government. Just voting for a Democrat for governor, is a start, but not enough to make significant change. We have to work together to get Ohio back on the right track and that means voting for Democrats instead of the corrupt GOP.

Kilroy: Demand a Plan

Democratic candidate for Ohio's 15th district, Mary Jo Kilroy, had this to say about the war in Iraq (US News):
...In Ohio, Kilroy, who is facing Rep. Deborah Pryce, says Congress should demand a plan from the president to bring troops home.
"There is a lot of language in this resolution that of course everybody agrees with, but I think they are using it for very partisan political purposes," says Kilroy. "I think they are refusing to allow a necessary real debate on the war and an appropriate timetable for withdrawing and redeploying from Iraq."

Kilroy has made it simple--Demand a plan from the president to bring the troops home.
However, Pryce and the Republicans would rather play lapdogs for the president. The Republicans don't want to discuss the causes and future of the war because they just want to repeat the Karl Rove mantra- Cut and run! Cut and run! Cut and run! What the heck does Rove know about war? He avoided Viet Nam. Didn't he cut and run when he dropped out of college?

House Republicans: Wrong on Immigration

The Republicans in the House of Representatives are headed in the wrong direction on immigration reform. Their planned sideshow has been noticed with an editorial in the New York Times. Here are some excerpts:

This was supposed to be the time that the House and Senate got serious about immigration — by working out the differences between their drastically opposing bills and sending a solution to President Bush, who has made repairing the immigration system one of his cornerstone promises to Americans. It was going to be a hard job, involving lots of focused attention and a willingness to compromise. A hard job, but that's what we pay these people for. But wait. Hold on. House Republican leaders have decided they don't want to negotiate just yet....

The House has a much more simple-minded solution: walling immigrants out and calling the rest felons...

A senior member of the Republican leadership, Representative Deborah Pryce of Ohio, called the Senate legislation the "Kennedy bill," a nasty bit of partisan mislabeling that would surprise Arlen Specter and the other Republican co-sponsors, including Mel Martinez and John McCain.

If the Republicans really wanted to listen, they would listen to a recent poll that found that Americans are coming around to President Bush's immigration views. Or to the more than 500 economists who signed an open letter to Mr. Bush arguing that immigration is a net plus for the nation's economy.

Given the topics that have preoccupied Congress lately, one wonders why the Republicans don't simply propose a catchall bill aimed at illegal gay liberal Mexican flag burners and be done with it. The immigration debate has been obscured for too long by a fog of distortion and fear, and the House Republicans are gambling that the public won't see through it. The American people deserve better. They deserve action on a good immigration bill, and if this do-nothing Congress won't give it to them, they should elect a Congress that will.

These Republicans, including Pryce, are just trying to make a show of things. They aren't actually interested in solving any problems. As a matter of fact, this Republican controlled House of Representatives has accomplished nothing. It is time to throw the Republicans bums out. We need members of Congress who will actually get the job done.

Update:
Republican Rep. Patrick McHenry (NC-10th) is for staying the course in Iraq. Born in 1975, McHenry is still young enough to join the military. Now that the Army has raised the enlistment age to 42, McHenry could show his real support of the war by enlisting in the Army. Someone should send enlistment papers to McHenry. Why should McHenry advocate sending our sons and daughters to Iraq when he would be an excellent candidate for military service??????

Ohio's Unemployment Rate for May '06

Ohio released the unemployment numbers for May 2006. Here are the numbers:

Ohio's unemployment rate was 5.3 percent in May, down from 5.5 percent in April, according to data released this morning by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Ohio's nonfarm wage and salary employment remained relatively unchanged over the month, increasing slightly from 5,462,500 in April to 5,462,700 in May...

Among the state's 88 counties, the May 2006 unemployment rates ranged from a low of 3.1 percent in Delaware County to a high of 9.2 percent in Monroe County. Rates decreased in 87 of the counties. The comparable rate for Ohio in May was 4.9 percent....

Keep in mind that this report does not include those laid off at the auto plants.

Money and Politics

Republican Deborah Pryce and other GOP members held a big fundraiser and collected almost $300,000.

Kenneth Blackwell has his hands on something again: Dispatch:

Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell will decide whether a conservative supporter can continue an independent run for Congress that could hurt his own party’s nominee.

The Franklin County Board of Elections voted along party lines yesterday on a Republican challenge to the candidacy of Charles R. Morrison II, a Madison County business owner who wants to join the 15 th District race between GOP incumbent Deborah Pryce and Democratic challenger Mary Jo Kilroy....

According to the article, Morrison ran against Pryce in 2004 primary and managed to get 7,200 votes. Morrison's campaign scares the daylights out of the Pryce supporters because Pryce will need every vote to defeat popular Democrat Mary Jo Kilroy. Now Blackwell, suspected of having his hand in the 2000 and 2004 elections in Ohio, has to decide if Morrison stays or goes off the ballot. I don't think Blackwell can be objective on anything that challenges his friend, Pryce or the GOP.

President Bush's roadtrip to Europe bring more demonstrations. This time the protests were in Hungary. Pic #1
Pic #2

Bush Trip to Austria Met With Large Demonstrations

President Bush has a terrific ability to unite a lot of people-----against the U.S.A. A newspaper in Vienna, Der Standard, has a slide show of the demonstrations in Austria. (photo: APA/Guenter R. Artinger) Slideshow: http://derstandard.at/?url=/?id=2487727%26_index=2

Pryce Does NOT Support Troops

Need evidence of how much Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce supports our troops and veterans? Remember that actions speak louder than words. Read below:

1. Pryce voted against expanding access to the military's TRICARE health insurance program to all reservist and National Guard members. The proposal would have expanded military health care to provide access to TRICARE to members of the Guard and Reserve and their families for a low fee, which would have helped 2,563 in Ohio. [HR 1815, Roll Call #221, 5/25/05; Leadership Document, “DOD Authorization Previous Question on Rule”; S. 2400, Roll Call Vote #105, 6/2/04]

2. Pryce voted against $30 Million Boost for Veterans Health Care & Benefits. In 2005, Pryce voted against an additional $30 million for veterans' health care. The amendment have would added funding for combat-related trauma care to support wounded troops once they return to their homes, medical and prosthetic research and 100 additional staff to help process claims for compensation and pension benefits. [HR 2528, Roll Call #224, 5/26/05; Leadership Document, “Medical Quality Democratic Amendment Final]

3. Pryce opposed $150 Million Increase for Military Personnel. In 2005, Pryce voted against a proposal to the budget to increase funding for military health care by $100 million and transitional job training for military personnel by $50 million.
[HR 1268, Roll Call #76, 3/16/05; CQ.com vote reports]

4. Pryce voted against Additional Job Assistance to Veterans Returning from Overseas. Pryce opposed efforts to provide extra job training assistance to veterans who are returning from overseas. Four out of 10 members of the Guard and Reserve forces lose income when they leave their civilian jobs for active duty, and many are self-employed or run small businesses. This means they face the daunting task of reestablishing their businesses after their release from active duty. [HR 27, Roll Call #47, 3/2/05; 109th Congressional Record, pg. H915, 3/2/05; 109th Congressional Record, pg. H2074, 4/14/05]

-------------------------
The Republicans had promised to have major successes this term. However, it is very easy to see that the Republicans have been total failures. Here is the Republican report card:

Immigration Reform = F (The GOP failed to accomplish anything.)
Social Security Reform = F (They still plan to try to dismantle Social Security next year.)
Ending the Iraq War = F (There is still no exit plan. The Republicans want to continue the war forever.)
Domestic Spying Investigation = F (Sen. Specter (R-PA) changed his mind about having hearings.)
Lobbying Reform = F (Are you kidding? Do you think the Republicans want to give up their cash cow?)
Veterans Benefits = F (The GOP supports your kids fighting in Bush unending war. Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce has been a miserable failure in supporting our troops and veterans.)

Less than 1 Percent?

US News and World Report has a small article about Ohio's 15th district. Here is an excerpt from that article:

In the 15th Congressional District, centered in Columbus, Democrats may have a better shot. Incumbent Deborah Pryce, the fourth ranking Republican in the House, is facing Mary Jo Kilroy, a county commissioner. A proven vote getter and formidable fundraiser, Kilroy will most likely benefit from a decade-long exodus of conservative voters to the exurbs. That has made the increasingly suburban district more moderate. It went to Bush by less than 1 percentage point in 2004...

If Bush got this district by less than one percent, it means that Kilroy has a fighting chance to unseat Pryce. The people in the 15th district are extremely concerned about the war in Iraq. Pryce supports Bush's war without any reservations. However, many of us in the 15th are saddened by the many young people we've lost in Iraq. If Pryce is re-elected, she will continue to support this war and will refuse to change the course. However, if Kilroy is elected, we will have someone in Congress who is not a puppet of the administration, the GOP, and big business. Kilroy is our only choice for change.

Details, Details, Details

The Pryce campaign is a little red-faced today (besides being caught red-handed!). Here is an article from Myrtle Beach Online:
Rep. Deborah Pryce, R-Ohio, goofed in a television ad: In the last frame, her first name is spelled "Deboarah."

We all make spelling errors. However, when you are a professional politician with a big staff, and your message is out there for the voting public, you cannot make mistakes. Why? It shows your lack of attention and inability to focus on details. Pryce is really not concerned with details. Pryce just follows the orders of Bush, Rove, DeLay, Hastert, Boehner, and the rest of the high-living, business-loving Republicans. The average citizen has been forgotten. The rest of the article goes like this:

Her challenger, Mary Jo Kilroy, a Democrat, has exploited the gaffe.
"Deborah Pryce and her campaign are so 'wildly' out of touch, they don't even know who they are anymore, or even how to spell the candidate's name," Scott Kozar, Kilroy's campaign manager, declared in a statement.
Pryce spokesman John DeStefano was not amused. "We finally know Mary Jo Kilroy knows one issue - correct spelling. ... No matter how you spell Deborah Pryce, one thing is certain: Mary Jo Kilroy is a tax-raising liberal."

Really, Mr. DeStefano? I remember when the Republicans were fiscal conservatives. At the end of President Clinton's last term there was a surplus. Now our country is now faced with the largest national debt in our history. Pryce is not a fiscal conservative. Kilroy is more fiscally conservative than Pryce. As an Franklin County Commissioner, Kilroy has been balancing the county's budget for years. Who should we trust with our money----Pryce who rewards big business and the wealthy with tax cuts or Kilroy who knows how to balance a budget???

This just in: Looks like Republican Denny Hastert is under investigation. Oh, no! Not another Republican corruption scandal!!!!! Details here.

Pryce: Stay in Iraq for the Women???

Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce gave a speech on the floor of the House to support "staying the course" in Iraq. In her speech, Pryce said that our troops should stay in Iraq to help the women of Iraq.

What? Many American mothers, wives, daughters, sisters, grandmothers, and aunts have lost family members in Iraq. What about the American women? Is Pryce so cold-hearted that she would worry about the lives of others before she would worry about the families in her district and her country? Isn't she concerned about the American mothers who cry every single night? Isn't she worried about the American wives who will never have their husbands with them? Doesn't she think about those American boys and girls who've lost their fathers?

This country is on the wrong track. Pryce's thinking is wrong. Why do we women need to make any additional sacrifices for this war? Haven't we lost enough?

White House, Pryce, and GOP: 2500 Deaths Just a Number?

Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce (OH-15) just doesn't get it and neither does the rest of the GOP. The people in the 15th district want our family members home. Americans want Bush's war in Iraq over. We want our sons and daughters home before another one dies. Too many lives have been lost and too many lives have been changed forever because Bush and the neo-cons decided to invade Iraq.

However, Pryce and the GOP want us to continue to stay in Iraq. Why? Why? How we will know when the war is won?

The disconnect that this administration has from the human cost of this war was displayed yesterday. This is from Think Progress:

White House Press Secretary Tony Snow was asked this afternoon if President Bush had any reaction to the death toll for U.S. troops in Iraq reaching 2,500. Snow responded: “It’s a number.” Watch it

If this White House and the Republicans think that the deaths of 2500 Americans is just a number, it shows their pure political purpose for keeping our men and women in Iraq: The Republicans don't want to admit that the reason for the war was a lie.

:> This takes the cake: Despite the fact that Republican Congressman Lynn Westmoreland (GA-R) co-sponsored a bill about the Ten Commandments, Westmoreland can't name them. Steven Colbert visited Westmoreland and Crooks and Liars has the video. Video-WMP Video-QT

Re: the VFW endorsement of Pryce= It is goes against the bylaws of the VFW.
I found out that: No one in the VFW can endorse any political candidate except the VFW-PAC Board of Directors. This information came from someone in the VFW in DC.

Republicans vs. Move On

Did the Republicans threaten to sue TV stations that would broadcast Moveon.org ads against Republican Deborah Pryce??? A similar case in Virginia, made a TV station turn down a Moveon.org ad. It just may have also happened here in Ohio. The Liberty Post has the AP story. Here is an excerpt from that article:

A TV station and a cable network are refusing to run an ad sponsored by a liberal activist group that targets Republican U.S. Rep. Deborah Pryce because of questions about material the group provided to back up the ad's claims.

The group MoveOn.org is spending $300,000 on ads targeting Pryce and other lawmakers. The ads say they accepted thousands of dollars in donations from defense contractors and then "opposed penalties for contractors like Halliburton who overcharged the military in Iraq."

Tom Griesdorn, president and general manager of WBNS-TV, said the station didn't air the ad because its attorneys "did not feel comfortable with the documentation provided by Moveon.org," he said.

In other words, the Republicans may have threatened to sue WBNS if they ran the ads. This is what is called pure and simple intimidation.

If you live in Worthington, Upper Arlington, Dublin, Columbus, Grove City, and other parts of the 15th congressional district, we are NOT getting the full truth about Pryce's big money defense contributors. Moveon.org has the facts and they are backed up with lots and lots of sources and records. Here are the Pryce (OH-15) ad | facts and an excerpt:

PAC contributions form defense contractors working in Iraq (not including contributions from PACs of defense contractors not working in Iraq):

Flour Corp. PAC.........$500
CH2M Hill Co. LTD PAC.......$2770
Science Application International Corp. Voluntary PAC.....$1000
Lucent Technologies, Inc. PAC.....$6000
Northrup Grumman PAC (contract awarded to Vinnell Corp, fully-owned Northrup Corp)....$6000
Motorola Inc. PAC.....$500
______________Total $16,750

......Then she opposed penalties for contractors....
Rep. Pryce voted against Higgins, D-N.Y., motion to recommit the bill to the Judiciary Committee with instructions to add language that would impose stricter criminal and civil penalties on corporations who intentionally overcharge the federal government for the provision of goods and services in response to a presidentially declared major disaster, emergency or military action, including in Iraq and Afghanistan.[HR 1751, CQ Vote 584, 11/9/05]...

Go to Move ON and see the ad that the Republicans don't want you to see. The Republicans haven't told us the truth about Ohio's corruption problems and they haven't told us the truth about Iraq. Now Pryce and her party won't tell you the truth about their contributions from defense PACs.

If you haven't seen Pryce's ads claiming her endorsement of a local VFW, count yourself lucky. The local VFW could lose its charter because it endorsed a candidate. Also, Pryce's early ad may signal her desperation and indications that she is losing in her own private polling. It is just my guess.

Many Veterans Against Pryce

A recent endorsement by a Veterans group for Republican Deborah Pryce is causing a lot of anger among veterans. Pryce has voted against many veterans issues and many veterans believe she should have not gotten any endorsement. For example, here is a letter written by a veteran and posted at Veterans for America. The letter writer provides some information as to Pryce's real voting record on veterans benefits. Just between you and me, Pryce's voting record is pathetic. The voting record can be found here .

The Republican Strategy At Work

*Yesterday we saw all the glitz associated with the Republicans controlling the news. After President Bush showed up unexpectedly in Iraq yesterday, we are supposed to believe that everything is good. However, the heavily orchestrated event does not change the reality of the war. Our young men and women continue to be killed and THERE IS STILL NO EXIT STRATEGY. How does a short trip to anywhere provide information? The appearances had all the markings of Karl Rove-- cheering people in uniform, American flags, and lots of cameras. However, other than the self-congratulations offered by the president, did you hear any concrete details? No. This story shows the results of the Iraq War: Sgt. Mark Smykowski's death in Iraq.

*Ohio's golfing governor, Bob Taft, got some news yesterday: He was ordered by the Ohio Supreme Court to turn over his papers he claims are secret. The Toledo Blade has the story. I have to give a lot of credit to Ohio Sen. Marc Dann of Youngstown for his unyielding search for the truth in the Taft corruption matter. Why isn't anyone talking about the missing millions in the BWC's Coingate corruption scandal?

The Guessing Game

With the midterm election months away, political pundits are trying to guess if Democrats will pick up any seats in the fall election. The Canton Repository has and article and every researcher and writer has his or her own number. Here are some excerpts from the article:

Grover Norquist, president of the conservative group Americans for Tax Reform, breaks it down this way.

“Democrats must win 74 percent of all competitive races to gain the majority,” he writes in this month’s American Spectator. “Not impossible, but difficult.”

Nuh-uh, says Amy Walter, who crunches House numbers for Cook Political Report. “They need to win 56 percent of all the competitive races.”

...“Fifty-seven,” says Bernadette Budde, political analyst for the Business Industry Political Action Committee.

“Two dozen,” says Scott Reiter, a representative of the Realtors Political Action Committee....

...We ask Rothenberg to put his expertise on the line: How many seats will the Democrats take?

“Eight to 12,” he says at first, then backs up. That’s what the science tells him, he says, but his “gut” tells him ”15 to 20...”

It should be an interesting four months.

Pryce Hearing More Local Opposition

Today's Columbus Dispatch claims that there are outsiders coming to Ohio to oppose Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce and Republican Rep. Bob Ney. I disagree. I know for a fact that there are lots and lots of people in central Ohio who volunteer for Move On and other groups and 99% of the members are locals. In the 2004 election, thousands of people in Ohio organized and joined groups in opposition to the ruling party (the GOP). Those local volunteers are out there again trying to change the status quo.

What kind of people volunteer for Move On and other political action groups? They are mothers, fathers, grandparents, business people, college students, retirees, high school graduates, college graduates, and your neighbor. People want to do something and that is why they are willing to get out there, talk to people, and work for change.

Pryce and the Republicans are trying to characterize their opposition as outsiders. However, the Republican opposition is made up of regular, ordinary Ohioans who are sick and tired of the corruption, lies, deficits, and the unending war. We've had enough and we are going to say it loud and clear---Vote Pryce and the Republicans out of office!


*>>>>Just a little reminder: The President, Rep. Deborah Pryce, and the Republican Party plan to work on reforming Social Security again starting in 2007. If we elect a Democratic majority, the Republican agenda will be altered because they will lose their power. Remember, Pryce wrote the text on how Republicans should sell the privatization of Social Security.

By the way, are you interested in where Pryce is getting all her political contributions? Well, since individuals in her district are not big supporters, PACs are her biggest contributors. According to Political Money Line, Pryce has gotten $418,498 from Finance and Insurance PACs, $157,020 from Health Care PACs, and other PACs which you can read about here. It is obvious that Pryce is getting her money from special business PACs. This shows that she really doesn't care about the regular citizen. Her priorities are set by big business PACs and big money groups. More campaign information on contributions is located here.


In case you missed it----Raw Story is reporting that Bob Herbert of the New York Times has written that ......In the 2004 presidential election, Senator John Kerry (D-MA) "almost certainly would have won Ohio if all of his votes had been counted, and if all of the eligible voters who tried to vote for him had been allowed to cast their ballots," writes columnist Bob Herbert for Monday's edition of The New York Times.....

Pryce and the Republicans want to know why Ohio voters are so upset! The Republicans stole the election. Why won't we just go crawl into a hole and never talk about it again? 1. It is a crime. 2. Look the damage the Republicans have done to our state and our country. 3. We will NEVER forget.

Pryce Has Been Republican Messenger

Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce is very responsible for the mess that has been created in Ohio and our nation. As part of the Republican leadership in Washington, DC, she helps set the agenda and works to get the Republican agenda into law. That is precisely why it is time to vote for Mary Jo Kilroy, Democratic candidate for the 15th congressional district. For too long, Pryce and the Republicans have taken this country on a dangerous course. Under the Republican leadership, there is no accountability and no oversight. The Republicans refuse to question the Republican president's policies and his ignoring of laws. Our national debt is staggering. Our national priorities (tax breaks for wealthy, defense of marriage act, removal of estate taxes, waging an unpopular war, not funding the No Child Left Behind Act) creating laws that benefit corporations (medicare drug act, gas producer tax cuts) have set this country back. If we really want to get this country back on the right track, Pryce has got to be voted out of office.

There is an article in the Morning Journal about Pryce and Kilroy. Here are some excerpts:

...Alexander Lamis, a political science professor at Case Western Reserve University who edits books on Ohio politics, said suburban voters are angry over the rise of cultural conservatism and less likely than in the past to separate Pryce from her party.

''She should be worried; despite the moderate image she's had, she's going to get caught up in the voter fury developing on the Democratic side,'' he said. ''She may hold on, but if you look at contested districts around the country, many of them are in these Democratic-trending suburban areas.''

...Kilroy says Pryce has stuck with the conservative line whenever moderate Republicans broke with the party leadership, as they did last year in rejecting Bush's plan for individual retirement accounts under Social Security. Pryce was out in front encouraging Republicans to stick with the president's plan....

We have a choice in the 15th district this November. If you really want change, you must work for it and back it up with a vote to change our representation.

Pryce Was In Favor of Term Limits Before She Was Against It

Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce was for term limits when she signed the Republican document, Contract With America. According to the 'contract' there was to be a limit of no more than twelve years served in the House or the Senate. .............. Keeping that in mind, it is time for Pryce to retire. It is time to vote her out of office.

Here is an interesting picture of Pryce with Bush and other Republicans. This is one of the few pictures of Pryce and Bush you'll find online. Pryce's staff members have scrubbed most pictures that show her with Bush. She has ALWAYS supported Bush and his policies, she just doesn't want you to 'picture' that.

IN OTHER NEWS...

Another reason I don't shop at Wal-Mart: Toledo Blade--
A Georgia company was given $30,000 in proposed fines and cited three times by federal inspectors for unsafe working conditions at a new Wal-Mart store in Upper Sandusky.

Two of the three citations against Harco Services LLC, of Kennesaw, Ga., are willful, the most serious that can be issued, after an April visit from inspectors of the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration found workers were exposed to cave-in hazards while working in a trench about 14 feet in depth....

Democratic candidate for Ohio governor, Ted Strickland is bringing in the big bucks for his campaign.

Republican Rep. Bob Ney appears to be unable to handle the pressure of his scandals being printed in newspapers. I always thought that you know a person's character by how he/she handles stress. It looks like Ney is cracking under all the scrutiny.

Pryce Stopped the Ads

Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce stopped the recent ads from Moveon.org. However, we can still get the facts out to the citizens of Ohio's 15th District. Listen up, everyone in central Ohio, because this is the ad Deborah Pryce doesn't want you to see: MOVEON.ORG

Dayton, Ohio is bracing for more layoffs. WHIO-TV has a story about additional layoffs. Here is an excerpt: Officials in the Dayton area warn that a "perfect storm" of layoffs is developing that could wipe out as many as 9,000 jobs....

This must be the "robust" economy that Pryce and the Republicans boast about all the time.

PRYCE IS RELIEVED ABOUT CALIFORNIA ELECTION!
From Ocala.com (by David Broder) comes this tidbit:
So, bottom line, both parties are going into the summer doldrums and the fall campaign with no idea how the midterm battle for control of Congress and most governorships will turn out.

The last big round of primaries, held in eight states on Tuesday, only added to the confusion. When I bumped into Rep. Deborah Pryce, chairman of the House Republican Conference, in the Capitol - 36 hours after Brian Bilbray had managed to hold a normally safe Republican seat against a fierce Democratic challenge in a San Diego area special congressional election - I asked her how she was feeling.

"Relieved," was her one-word answer. And when I inquired about her own election situation, she ruefully said, "Fine, except I am from Ohio"-a reference to the scandals that have enveloped Republican Gov. Bob Taft and created problems for Ohio's GOP ticket...

Are we to feel sympathy for Pryce? Didn't she create her own problems by associating herself with DeLay, Bush, Ney, Hastert, Rove, Noe, and the rest of the corrupt GOP? Why didn't Broder mention the rest of the Ohio scandals--coingate, election fraud, bribery, golf trips, etc???

I don't think she should feel relieved. Mary Jo Kilroy is a great Democratic candidate and she will provide Pryce with the political fight of her public life.

The Talk of the Town

*People in the district continue to talk about Republican Deborah Pryce and the Republican culture of corruption. The very conservative U.S. News and World Report has an article about Rep. Bob Ney's legal problems and the fallout that other Republicans, like Pryce and Chabot, may experience if Ney gets indicted.

By the way----where is Pryce? She is hardly seen in her district. We may need to revive the book "Where's Waldo?" and rename it "Where's Pryce?"

*The Republican culture of corruption story continues in Ohio. This investigation has involved federal, state, and county officials. Former CFO of Ohio's Bureau of Workers' Compensation, Terrence Gasper, went to court yesterday. Here are some excerpts from the Columbus Dispatch:

The former chief financial officer at the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation accepted 150 meals, trips, sports tickets and other gifts from agency vendors — sometimes in exchange for handing out lucrative state investment business, authorities said yesterday.

Investigators said freebies taken by Terrence W. Gasper, who pleaded guilty yesterday to corruption charges, are an "egregious" example of a public official being bribed and that charges against others are expected soon....

...Gasper, who ran bureau finances from 1995 through October 2004, pleaded guilty yesterday to both state and federal charges as part of plea agreements that require him to cooperate with the investigation. He is the first bureau official to be prosecuted.

Gasper admitted accepting free stays at a Florida condominium, a $9,000 college tuition payment for his son and other gifts that authorities said were worth "many thousands of dollars" from former coin dealer Thomas W. Noe, brokers and others doing business with the bureau....

A Dayton TV station, WHIO, is reporting that some people in the Dayton, Ohio area are worried about massive layoffs. Here is an excerpt:

Officials in the Dayton area warn that a "perfect storm" of layoffs is developing that could wipe out as many as 9,000 jobs.

The Montgomery County Job Center said plans to close seven plants and end some shifts will mean the loss of more than 2,600 jobs by the end of June. More than a 1,000 other cuts are planned by the end of the year.The Job Center's Lucius Plant said there also could be some bad news for workers at the five Delphi auto parts plants in the region. And, he said any plant closings by Delphi or other companies are likely to have a domino impact, forcing suppliers to cut back their operations, too.

This must be another example of how well the Republicans are helping the economy----NOT!

Pryce, Boehner, Ney, Oxley: Staffs Got Trips

Let us say that you work for a Republican member of Congress. You've just returned from a fancy trip to Las Vegas courtesy of "special interests, think tanks and industry associations with business before Congress." The next time you get a mailing or phone call from one of those groups, you are going to make sure that your boss sees the information or talks to the lobbyist.

The Plain Dealer's article mentions the names of 4 Republicans from Ohio. Here is an excerpt from the article:

...Special interests, think tanks and industry associations with business before Congress have spent millions ferrying Capitol Hill staffers and hosting them at beach resorts, Las Vegas, foreign capitals and exotic islands over the last five years, data analyzed by The Plain Dealer shows.

Congressional staff from Ohio fared especially well, according to the data, provided by the Center for Public Integrity....

...Aides to Rep. Michael Oxley of Findlay, chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, were treated to $380,462 worth of free trips between 2000 and 2005....

...With $205,397 worth of privately paid travel, Boehner aides visited Morocco, Germany, the Czech Republic and seaside cities from Palm Beach, Fla., to San Diego, Calif. Trip sponsors included the Food Marketing Institute, the German Marshall Fund, Fidelity Investments and Airbus....

... Next highest among Ohioans was the staff of Rep. Bob Ney, with $190,679 in privately paid trips, and Rep. Deborah Pryce, whose staff got free trips costing $150,276 altogether....

Wow! Perhaps some of the unemployed people in the 15th district of Ohio should try to get a job in Pryce's office. The benefits provided by lobbyists are great!

--------And.....
Is this how the administration is supporting and protecting the troops?

Raw Story reports:
...Personal data on about 2.2 million active-duty military, Guard and Reserve personnel - not just 50,000 as initially believed - were among those stolen from a Veterans Affairs employee last month, the government said Tuesday.

VA Secretary Jim Nicholson said the agency was mistaken when it said over the weekend that up to 50,000 Navy and National Guard personnel - and no other active-duty personnel - were affected by the May 3 burglary.

In fact, names, birth dates and Social Security numbers of as many as 1.1 million active-duty personnel from all the armed forces - or 80 percent of all active-duty members - are believed to have been included, along with 430,000 members of the National Guard, and 645,000 members of the Reserves....

Not only do our troops have problems with health benefits, having to pay for their own food in military hospitals, the military payroll, the lack of body armor, and armored vehicles, they now have to deal with having their personal identities stolen. When will the VA Secretary resign? Where does Rumsfeld stand on all this? Shouldn't he be fired too?

And still more......

If the Republicans win the House of Representative and Senate next year, they intend to try to again take apart social security. The party in power gets to set the agenda, just like they keep holding votes to ban gay marriage, the Republicans are wasting time! According to The Hill, the Republicans have big plans for Social Security in the next session. The only way to stop the Republicans is to vote them out of office.

News from the 15th

*Have you seen the picture of Democratic candidate, Mary Jo Kilroy, with Senator Barack Obama? LINK

*The former chief financial officer of the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation, Terrence Gasper, is expected to plead guilty tomorrow. Another day in Ohio brings another Republican corruption story. LINK

*Republican Deborah Pryce is rolling in the dough, according to Political Money Line. However, most of her campaign money is coming from big businesses, PACs, and special interest groups/lobbyists. (Most of thems probably don't live in her district.) Pryce is hardly seen in her district. She must be spending lots of time with all of those big lobbyists, sipping their champagne, and golfing at fine country clubs. Meanwhile, back here in Ohio's 15 congressional district, we are waiting for some jobs and relief from high gas prices.

Bush Losing Support in Ohio

This isn't a surprise---From the Cincinnati Enquirer:

A new Ohio Poll out Friday showed President Bush's approval rating in Ohio at 35 percent - not just the lowest of his presidency, but the lowest of any of the four presidents in the 25-year history of the University of Cincinnati-based poll....

...One of the reasons for Bush's continued free fall in the polls is that his support has fallen among Ohioans who identify themselves as Republicans, said the Ohio Poll's Eric Rademacher. One of every three Republicans polled said they disapprove of Bush's performance.

Even in Southwest Ohio, Bush's numbers are no better than they are statewide. Only 36 percent said they approved of the job Bush is doing. In 2005, Bush had a 59 percent approval rating in Southwest Ohio...

Oh, my!

Who does Pryce represent?

If we are to believe Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce, the Ohio economy and massive job losses are just an illusion. The fact that your college-educated son or daughter can't get a job would be a mystery to Pryce. Pryce said the following LINK:

Rep. Pryce: 33d straight month of job gains. GDP revised upward to a very robust 5.3%. Unemployment remains low, currently lower than the average of 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's. Economic polices that have taken shape under Secy Snow's leadership are having positive results. Snow has helped create this robust economy. We will miss him.

These jobs and this robust economy she speaks of are NOT in the 15th district or in the state of Ohio. Who does Pryce represent?

Pryce Not Realistic About Ohio's Job Situation

This week's announcement that only 75,000 new jobs were created in May in the U.S. was seen as dismal by most experts but Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce. While Ohio continues to lose jobs and have factories close, Pryce continues to look at the economy and job market through rose colored glasses. The Charleston Post and Courier had an article about the poor job numbers. Here are some excerpts:

"This is a seriously weak payroll picture," said Ian Shepherdson, chief U.S. economist for High Frequency Economics.

Job growth in May totaled 75,000, less than half the consensus forecast of economists before the Labor Department's announcement. And half of the 75,000 gain in May was offset by a 37,000 downward revision in estimates of job growth in previous months....

Here is what Deborah Pryce had to say about the job numbers. This is from the same article mentioned above:
Rep. Deborah Pryce of Ohio, chairman of the House Republican Conference, pointed out that May represented the 33rd straight month of job growth. "What's not to like about this economy?" she asked. "Virtually everywhere you look, you see good news."

Obviously, Pryce can no longer understand that jobs are not that plentiful and are not paying well. She must not be aware that people in her home state of Ohio are losing jobs when businesses leave and plants close. Pryce has no compassion for those who are losing jobs or people who are looking for work. To see the list of companies and planned layoffs in the state of Ohio visit: http://jfs.ohio.gov/warn/current.stm

Does Pryce really believe that 'virtually everywhere you look, you see good news'? Has Pryce checked what is going on in her home district?

USA Today: Pryce Vulnerable

According to USA Today, the name of Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce (OH-15) is showing up on lists of vulnerable Republican candidates. Pryce is on a list in the article, as well as several other well known Republicans.

Why would these candidates be vulnerable? Here in Ohio's 15th congressional district, people are unhappy with the poor economy, dismal job growth, our kids dying in Iraq, invasion of privacy, Republican scandals, tax rewards for the rich, a confusing senior drug program that rewards drug companies, and the dirty politics that the Republicans and their lobbyist friends have spread through government. It has become checkbook lawmaking. If your special interest group needs a law to help their industry, write a contribution check to a Republican candidate or the Republican Party, and you'll get a law to protect your industry. The rights and needs of regular citizens don't count to Republicans. I think that the people in Arlington, Dublin, Columbus, Worthington, Hilliard, Marysville, Grove City, and all over Ohio and this nation have had enough! It is time for a change.

************
Republican Rep. Bob Ney's campaign manager is living in a bubble. Do you think he doesn't listen to the news or read anything about Ney's BFF (best friend forever) Jack Abramoff?????

ABC NEWS picture MSNBC

Republican Noe Pleads Guilty

The parade of Republican corruption, charges, indictments, election stealing, and law breaking just keeps marching on here in Ohio. There are 2 stories today about Ohio Republican corruption. Please keep in mind that the day isn't over and a new Republican corruption story could emerge at any moment!

(1) Tom Noe, Republican fundraiser and sweetheart of the Ohio and National GOP, pleads guilty to charges yesterday. The Columbus Dispatch has this tidbit: Saying he wanted to accept responsibility and spare his family and friends further embarrassment, indicted coin dealer Thomas W. Noe admitted yesterday that he broke federal laws to get credit for raising money for President Bush's re-election campaign....

(2) Breaking News from the Dispatch: The former chief financial officer of the scandal-plagued Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation was charged this morning with both federal and state counts related to allegations of illegal dealings with agency brokers and former coin dealer Thomas W. Noe.

Terrence W. Gasper, 59, of Worthington, was charged simultaneously in federal court in Cleveland and in Franklin County Common Pleas Court with what's called a bill of information.

That typically means the target of the charges has agreed to waive indictment and plead guilty.....

Holy cow! Those Republicans are getting indicted and pleading guilty to all of these charges. Tsk! Tsk! Tsk! Which Republican will be next???????

BREAKING NEWS!!! We have the 3rd Republican corruption story!!!!!!
From Raw Story: Here is an excerpt---

....CREW's complaint alleged -- and the FEC agreed -- that Frist 2000, Inc. failed to disclose a $1.44 million loan taken out jointly by Frist 2000, Inc. and by Frist's 1994 campaign committee, Bill Frist for Senate, Inc. The result of the discrepancy was to make it appear that Frist 2000, Inc. had significantly more money that it actually had.

In June 2000, Senator Frist took $1 million of the money that had been contributed to his 2000 Senate campaign and invested it in the stock market, where it promptly began losing money. In November 2000, Senator Frist sought to collect $1.2 million he had lent his 1994 Senate campaign committee. As a result of the stock market losses, however, Frist 2000, Inc. did not have enough money to repay the loan. Senator Frist solved this problem by having the 1994 and the 2000 campaign committees jointly take out a $1.44 million bank loan at a cost of $10,000 a month interest. Frist 2000, Inc. did not report this debt on its FEC disclosure forms.....

****Raw Story is reporting that a new poll has George W. Bush as the worst president in the last 61 years!!! What an accomplishment!