“Today a company in my state said they wouldn’t locate a business in my state because I’m not for the Export-Import bank,” he said. “What is that about? You think you’re going to tell me what I can do? You can’t tell me what to do on that!”
Kasich was referring to a Wall Street Journal report that General Electric had decided not to locate its headquarters in Ohio because of Ohio lawmakers’ opposition. Kasich and Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Urbana, are among those who oppose the reauthorization of the bank, which expired in July.
Kasich was speaking to a larger point – that it’s hard to balance the budget without cutting things that people want – but it was clear that the report had chafed the second-term governor, who is seeking the Republican nomination for the White House.
“Hopefully the report is wrong,” he told a group of reporters later Saturday. “I don’t know. But that would not be a smart way to make a business decision about where you’re going to locate.”
For more details about this story, go to myDaytonDailyNews.com or pick up a copy of Sunday’s newspaper.
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