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Rep. Turner argues over nuclear weapons funding

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By Jessica Wehrman and Jack Torry
Washington Bureau Updated 8:41 AM Monday, October 17, 2011

WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Mike Turner spent part of last week in a battle of press releases with fellow Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., over funding of the U.S. nuclear weapons budget.

It started when Markey held a press conference and called for $200 billion in cuts to the nuclear weapons budget over the next decade.

Turner, R-Centerville, responded with a press release: “Congressman Markey should be more careful before irrationally proposing policies that would gamble with our national security,” he said, adding that Markey’s proposal “amounts to unilateral disarmament of the U.S.”

Markey fired back with his own salvo: “The presumption that we cannot maintain an effective nuclear deterrent force and save money at the same time is irrational,” he said, adding that cutting $200 billion over the next decade from the nation’s nuclear weapons budget will “cut wasteful programs that America no longer needs and cannot afford.”

“It is time for Republicans to stop hiding behind the radioactive relics of the Cold War and join middle class American families in fighting for our nation’s economic future,” Markey said. “I think the public understands that the risk of being killed by cancer, Alzheimer’s disease or a stroke is much higher than the risk of being killed in a nuclear war.”

Turner wasn’t about to let Markey have the last word.

“Congressman Markey believes that if we eliminate our nuclear deterrent, we’ll suddenly have the funds to pay for every program he thinks is a priority,” he said in a third press release that included quotes from administration officials calling for funding of the nuclear weapons program. “However, the President, the Secretary of Defense, our military commanders, and key national security leaders in the House and Senate recognize that full nuclear modernization funding provides the safety under which those programs exist.”

Mandel outraises Brown in quarter

Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel, the likely opponent to Sen. Sherrod Brown in next year’s U.S. Senate race appears to have outraised Brown during the last quarter, raising $1.5 million to Brown’s $1.25 million.

Mandel spokesman Joe Aquilino said the campaign has $3.25 million in the bank. Brown, D-Ohio, currently has $4.2 million in the bank, according to Justin Barasky, a spokesman for the Ohio Democratic Party.

Aquilino pointed out that Brown’s campaign has spent significantly more than the Mandel campaign, spending $556,002 to Mandel’s $160,954 in the second quarter.

Brown, he said, “had five years to build up a strong financial advantage over a would-be opponent, and we’ve erased over 75 percent of that lead in just six months.”

He said the Mandel campaign believes Brown is vulnerable because of his liberal voting record, Obama’s plummeting polling in Ohio and the tough economy in the state and said Mandel “has a compelling personal story to tell ... that is appealing to Ohio Independents who are giving a lot of money on the internet in small dollar increments.”

Barasky, of the Ohio Democratic Party, said Mandel was “willing to highlight his fundraising numbers” but unwilling to take a position on issues such as a bill, sponsored by Brown, that would punish China for currency manipulation.

Barasky said of Brown’s donations during the third quarter 60 percent came from in-state donors, including political action committees. Of individual donations, 58 percent came from Ohioans.

This is the second quarter that Republican Mandel has outraised Brown. Brown raised $1.5 million last quarter to Mandel’s $2.3 million.

The deadline for filing the reports is Saturday, Oct. 15.

Representatives fill war chests

All eyes are on the U.S. Senate race and the congressional primaries created by redistricting, but meanwhile, other Ohio lawmakers are quietly amassing thousands for their own re-election bids.

Among the lawmakers who filed their Federal Elections Commission reports ahead of the Oct. 15 deadline are Reps. Jim Jordan, R-Urbana, Marcia Fudge, D-Cleveland and Steve LaTourette, R-Bainbridge Twp.

Jordan amassed $264,392 between July 1 and Sept. 30 and currently has $1.1 million in the bank. He has no debts, and spent $60,799 during the period covered by the report.

LaTourette, meanwhile, raised $109,635 during the same period and had $562,923 on hand. He also had no debt, and spent $124,949 during the period covered by the report.

Finally Fudge raised $60,200 during the period covered and has $247,116 in the bank. She has no debts and spent $40,454 during the last quarter.

Unsurprisingly, House Speaker John Boehner, meanwhile, continues to have the most in his campaign coffers, but then, he has three political fundraising committees. He’s raised more than $6 million this quarter alone, and more than $40 million this year to date, including via mail and member events sponsored by the National Republican Congressional Committee. Cory Fritz, a Boehner spokesman, said much of that money will be used to help other Republican members meet their goals and run strong campaigns in 2012.

D.C. Bureau Chief Jack Torry and Jessica Wehrman contributed to this report.

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