Career Bank Lobbyist = Steve Stivers

Republican candidate for Congress Steve Stivers, won't say he was a career bank lobbyist. He'll call his former job title with Bank One anything but lobbyist. But we know better. Ohioans are a little wary of someone who supports banks more than the rights and needs of consumers. Here is an excerpt from a recent article in Roll Call:

....“Steve Stivers’ career as a lobbyist is a central theme in this race because Central Ohio residents are looking for real answers to the serious economic problems that have been caused by too much lobbyist influence in the state and federal government,” Kilroy’s communications director, Brad Bauman, said in an e-mail. “It simply cuts to the core of his credibility. ... He spends a lifetime advocating for banking deregulation and then wants to tell people in Ohio how he’s gonna help fix the mortgage crisis, people simply don’t buy it.”

Stivers’ campaign manager, Mike Hartley, said the Republican candidate “was an advocate” for one of the state’s largest employers and “worked to bring jobs to Central Ohio” when he worked for Bank One.....

He "was an advocate"? Stivers was "an advocate" for Bank One. He protected their business profits when he met with state representatives. He worked to make sure that his employer did not have to deal with too many regulations or inconveniences. Stivers even filled out yearly lobbyist reports for the State of Ohio.

For more information, see the Office of the Legislative Inspector General:

Search for Steve Stivers at the following links for his lobbying reports:
Lobbyist Forms Filed 1991 - Present
Financial Disclosure Statements Filed 1994 - Present

No matter what Stivers and his staff call it, STEVE STIVERS IS A CAREER BANK LOBBYIST.

During his short tenure in the State Senate, Stivers has sided with big business, banks, and lawyers over regular citizens. Besides his bank lobbyist leanings, Stivers is also against women's reproductive freedom. This is probably an area where Ohio women should have the most concern. Here is an excerpt from Emily's List:

...Stivers styles himself as a moderate, but his voting record on fiscal and social issues is anything but. One of four Republican senators who voted against bipartisan legislation to curb predatory lending practices, Stivers has consistently opposed consumer protection efforts — a reflection of his loyalty to the banking industry (he was a longtime lobbyist for one of Ohio’s largest banks). He says he is pro-choice, but has consistently voted against reproductive freedom, earning “0” ratings from Ohio NARAL. In 2004, Stivers voted to require doctors to prescribe three times the necessary dosage of RU-486, effectively tripling the cost of medical abortions. Two years later, he voted to codify Ohio’s ban on funding for abortions for poor women. Stivers even worked against an amendment requiring insurance companies to cover contraception. In a moment of sleazy candor, Stivers made an offensive remark about a group of high school girls visiting the state Senate. According to the Canton Repository, when Stivers was reminded that he had just returned from his honeymoon, he said, “I’m allowed to window shop, just not buy.”....

Democrat Mary Jo Kilroy will have my vote.