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Home > Blogs > Ohio politics > Archives > 2010 > January > 25
Monday, January 25, 2010
Husted urges campaign finance “transparency” in wake of U.S. Supreme Court ruling
In the wake of last week’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling prohibiting a ban on spending by corporations and unions in candidate elections, state Sen. Jon Husted, R-Kettering, has proposed safeguards to “ensure transparency in campaign finance and advertising.”
Husted, who is running for secretary of state, outlined the proposal on Monday, Jan. 25, in a letter to Senate President Bill Harris, R-Ashland, and House Speaker Armond Budish, D-Beachwood. Copies were sent to Gov. Ted Strickland and Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner.
Husted said that he is drafting legislation to require:
*That all corporate and union expenditures on campaigns must clearly identify who is paying for the advertising.
*That corporations and unions must report the among of the expenditure and the individual corporate or union donors to the secretary of state.
“…we should act on the fact that the (Supreme) court did not prohibit disclosure requirements and take full advantage of this open door to shine light on these expenditures,” Husted said in the letter.
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Yost launches auditor campaign; says Morgan not “viable”
Republican Delaware County Prosecutor Dave Yost on Monday, Jan. 25, launched his campaign for state auditor after nearly a year of campaigning for attorney general.
His candidacy sets up a possible GOP primary with state Rep. Seth Morgan, R-Huber Heights. Yost said Morgan was not “viable” because he would not have time to set up an effective campaign before the November election.
Yost also declined to endorse former U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine of Cedarville for attorney general. Yost had been running against DeWine for the GOP nomination for AG.
“To the people of this state, I pledge to you that every tax dollar sent to Columbus will be spent for a public purpose, and according to law - and I shall take decisive action whenever it is not,” Yost said at state Republican headquarters in Columbus.
Yost entered the auditor’s race at the request of state Republican Chairman Kevin DeWine of Fairborn, Mike DeWine’s second cousin.
Jason Mauk, Ohio Republican Party executive director, said he expects Yost to get the state party’s endorsement. Mauk also said that the state party committee would likely not endorse Mike DeWine for AG at a special meeting where it will discuss the auditor’s race. The committee “could very well” endorse Mike DeWine at a regularly scheduled meeting in April, when it has agreed to reconsider the AG race, said Mauk.
Earlier, this post incorrectly quoted Mauk as saying the state party would not endorse Mike DeWine. Mauk said a Mike DeWine endorsement probably would not come at the special meeting but could come at the regular meeting in April.
Morgan, a certified public accountant, is staying in the race, said Rob Scott, Morgan’s spokesman.
“Seth Morgan has enormous statewide support from many Republicans, conservative grassroots organizations, regular citizens and businesses,” Scott said in a prepared statement.
“Instead of backroom political deals, the next Ohio auditor will be selected by the citizens of Ohio and we look forward to that process.”
Hamilton County Commissioner David Pepper is the Democratic candidate for auditor.
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Strickland to focus on job creation in Tuesday state of the state speech
Gov. Ted Strickland’s State of the State speech on Tuesday, Jan. 26, will focus on “creating jobs and employing more Ohioans as Ohio emerges from the international recession,” Amanda Wurst, Strickland’s spokeswoman, said on Monday.
“The governor will outline a plan to continue investing in Ohio’s working families with initiatives that won’t break the bank,” said Wurst. The governor will offer “creative and economical solutions,” she said.
The proposals will draw on Ohio’s strengths in advanced energy, the university system of Ohio and Ohio’s “second-to-none workforce,” said Wurst. The governor also will cite the Third Frontier high-tech economic development program, she said. Strickland has urged lawmakers to put a renewal of the Third Frontier on the May ballot.
The speech will be streamed live at noon at www.governor.ohio.gov, Strickland’s offce said.
The speech comes with the Democratic governor facing re-election this year in the face of a stubborn economic slowdown. The state lost 121,100, 900 jobs in 2009 and has lost 349,600 jobs since Strickland took office in January 2007, according to federal data.
December’s unemployment rate stood at 10.9 percent, the ninth straight month of double digit unemployment.
A Dayton Daily News/Ohio Newspaper Poll released on Sunday showed Strickland trailing John Kasich, his Republican challenger for governor, 51-45 percent.
“He doesn’t pay a whole lot of attention to polls,” said Wurst. “He’s focused on creating jobs for Ohio and putting Ohio on a path to recovery once this international recession is over.”
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Lebanon conservative Viars mounts campaign to keep Yost in AG race
Lebanon conservative Lori Viars, executive director of the Family First political action committee, has launched a campaign to keep Republican Delaware County Prosecutor Dave Yost in the race for attorney general.
Yost today, Jan. 25, plans to announce that he now will run for auditor, after Ohio Republican Chairman Kevin DeWine of Fairborn asked him to consider the switch from AG. State Rep. Seth Morgan, R-Huber Heights, already is running for auditor.
Viars, in an e-mail on Sunday, urged her allies to call or e-mail DeWine.
“Tell Chairman Kevin DeWine at Ohio Republican Party that we want conservatives Seth Morgan AND Dave Yost!” Viars said in the e-mail. “We want ‘em both!”
“We need conservative Seth Morgan CPA for State Auditor AND we want conservative Dave Yost for Attorney General.
“Tell Kevin DeWine it’s his liberal cousin Mike DeWine he should be taking out of the Attorney General race! Kevin DeWine should not be trying to pit one conservative against another!”
Former U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine of Cedarville, Kevin DeWine’s second cousin, is running for attorney general.
Viars said that she was acting as an individual, not on behalf of Family First.
“I’m very upset that once again Chairman DeWine chooses to kick conservatives to the curb,” Viars said by phone.
State GOP spokesman John McClelland could not be reached.
Hamilton County Commissioner David Pepper is the Democratic candidate for auditor.
