Thursday, May 29, 2008

Ohio Political News

> Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland has named Nancy Hardin Rogers, dean of Ohio State University's Moritz College of Law, to be the interim Attorney General until there is a special election in November.

>The Akron Beacon Journal is reporting about another Ohio Republican scandal. Here is an excerpt:
State Rep. John Widowfield, R-Cuyahoga Falls, abruptly resigned his legislative seat Wednesday amid allegations he purchased Ohio State University football tickets with campaign funds and sold them for a profit.

In a brief letter to House Speaker Jon Husted, R-Kettering, Widowfield said he was resigning effective 1 p.m. Wednesday....

Did Widowfield think no one would notice that he was scalping football tickets?????

> Bloomberg has an interesting article this morning about Republican Rep. Steve Chabot (OH-1). Here is an excerpt:

In 2006, Ohio Republican Representative Steve Chabot barely survived the electoral drag of the Iraq War, congressional scandals and an unpopular president. Barack Obama's presidential candidacy this year may deliver a knockout blow.

More than a quarter of the voters in Chabot's Cincinnati district are black, the highest concentration for any incumbent House Republican in a competitive race this fall. Obama's likely spot at the top of the Democratic ticket may fuel a surge in turnout among black voters that could help the party pick up a half-dozen new House seats.....

Chabot has had President Bush visit his district for fundraisers. Chabot has voted against SCHIP and has strongly supported all of President Bush's policies for the Iraq War. However, Chabot's most controversial vote was that AGAINST the New G.I. Bill. Does Chabot hate the veterans? Why would he vote against helping these young men and women who have suffered so much physically and mentally in Bush's wars? Shame on Chabot!