Posted on 06/17/2005 3:49:21 PM PDT by Columbus Dawg
ST. CLAIRSVILLE - Ohio Republican Party Chairman Bob Bennett told Belmont County Republicans there are problems ahead for the state GOP in 2006 at a fund-raiser this week at Undo's West in St. Clairsville.
His words came amid allegations of financial and ethical wrongdoing by some Republican officeholders in Ohio just as the 2006 race for governor begins - and as 2008 presidential campaigns start to take shape. "There are a few people in our party who have abused their trust," Bennett said, making reference to a scandal in which Republican office holders invested state money in rare coins. As much as $10 million in coins owned by the state are now missing.
"There could be more bad news about Republicans still to come," he added. "The word around Columbus is that some indictments could be forthcoming, and that's the way it should be.
"We have to get these officeholders off the playing field if they're guilty, prosecute them and put them in jail."
The Ohio GOP problems don't end with "Coingate," he continued. Bennett didn't mention names, but next spoke of legislators with alleged close ties to lobbyists.
"Sometimes lawmakers get elected, and after a time they begin to think themselves invincible," he said. "A lobbyist buys them a $125 dollar bottle of wine, and they think nobody will ever find out about it. Eventually, it all catches up with them.
"This has resulted in some ethics problems (among Ohio's Republican officeholders), and there needs to be some internal investigations."
Recent reports have linked U.S. Rep. Bob Ney, R-Ohio, with controversial lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Ney has been asked to appear before the House Ethics Committee on the issue.
Bennett also speculated that recent actions by Ohio's two U.S. senators- both Republican - could hurt fund-raising efforts for next year's gubernatorial election.
"I've got (Sen. Mike DeWine) off making compromises (regarding senate filibuster of judicial nominees), and (Sen. George Voinovich) going against the nomination of John Bolton (as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations)," he said. "How is anybody going to give me any money?"
Bennett added that he was certain key Republican contributors would continue to donate money to the party. But he is concerned that special interest groups such as America Coming Together will pump money into campaigns in the state.
"We always have our people who will write checks," he said. "But we can't compete against $20 million."
Bennett explained he "might be worried" about elections next year if Democrats offered a strong plan to improve the state. "As of right now, they have no ideas," he said. "They have nothing."
Bennett termed U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland, D-Ohio, a "viable candidate" for Ohio governor on the Democratic side in 2006.
In his own party, Bennett sees a volatile three-way primary between Ohio Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell, State Auditor Betty Montgomery and Attorney General Jim Petro. He suspected that if a poll were taken of the Republicans in the room each would get a third of the vote.
Interesting comments about DeWine and Voinovich.
Anyway we could get an Ohio Ping on this one?
BTW, I'd like to be put on the Ohio Ping list if that is possible. Thanks.
I don't know him except for his family name, but I gather that Bob Taft is not exactly a winner either.
Bush managed to win Ohio, but this junk doesn't help.
"There are a few people in our party who have abused their trust," Bennett said.
Starting with that blubbering fool Voinovich.
It's not enough to say we won't contribute to the Party but will contribute only to candidates we support. We must do more to get a good candidate to oppose DeWine in the 2006 Republican party.
My immediate choice would be John Boehner, currently in the House. However, I have no idea of his plans.
I'm backing Blackwell for Governor. Montgomery would be a disaster, and I don't think Petro would be as good as Blackwell on the issues important to me: abortion, gun ownership, and taxes.
Very interesting. they are usually not this open.
The solution, of course, is to get the corrupt out of the Party. Replace them with good conservatives. get behind Blackwell and ditch deWine.
I'd like to see Blackwell prevail, so, though it won't be much, I'll contribute.
Taft might be a good guy, but he is no leader.
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as long as he is Pro American and defends the US Constitution that's leadership enough and a great deal more than we have been getting from either New World Order Politicians!! Get the Wimps Voinavich an DeWine Out and put some strong AMERICANS --- IN!!
This is a trend that could go national.
In Ohio, you've got two Senators who won't hold the line on nominations.
Out West, you have private citizens trying to hold back the illegal immigrant tide, while the Administration tells the Border Patrol to stand down in areas the Minutemen patrol!
In the Senate, you have a handful of Senators derail the President's full slate of judicial nominees, but you don't see the Republican leadership nullifying the deal and pressing ahead with the nuclear option.
And after talking a good game, Republican state legislators backed away from Terri Schiavo, a Republican governor did not intervene, the Republican Congress did not enforce contempt of Congress penalties against officials who openly violated Congressional subpoenas, the Republican President said he had done all he could, the Republican Attorney General went on vacation, and Republican judges from the trial judge up to the Supreme Court all enforced their death sentence against the woman.
Meanwhile, martial law still hasn't been declared in rebellious parts of Iraq.
This is all stacking up to be a bad year for Republicans, and it just makes you sick because none of this weakness and vacillation is necessary at all.
"As much as $10 million in coins owned by the state are now missing."
As well as $250 million from the worker's comp fund invested into a "hedge fund" managed by some political cronies.
"When looking at Dems, I got to give it to them they march the line or will find being cut off from funds and find a powerful opponent at the next election."
Bill and Hillary could teach a few lessons to our party in this regard.
Does anybody really believe that prominent Democratic politicians actually like Hillary, and that's why they'll be supporting her in 2008? Or might it be that they need $$$ from her and her husband, and they're afraid of what might be in her FBI files?
I don't know what corner of the state you live in, but from my viewpoint, Cato Institute is right--Taft is the worst governor in the nation. Robert Taft is NOT a "good guy." He is a corrupt big government high-tax liar who dishonestly ran on a no tax-hike platform in '02. Arrogance personified.
Bob Bennett needs to have a heavy metal enema to help reposition his head, if he can't see the future of the party in Ohio resides with Ken Blackwell. Petro is a nobody masquerading as a Bob Dole somebody. Montgomery is the last decade's mystery guest.
Ohio GOP needs serious chemotherapy, radiation, and maybe radical surgery at the top.
Yeah, and Chirac is at what...23%. Europe is doing so much better. </sarc
Aint it hell that Jeb would not break the law.
Aint it hell that Jeb would not break the law. And in the Senate it takes votes.Frist didnt have enough.
Bennett is not referring to DeWine or Voinovich as the legislators that have abused their trust.
He is more than likely referring to former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and his goons (The same people who wrote the infamous 109-page memo to destroy the political career of Ken Blackwell). Householder and some former aides are under federal and state investigation for possible wrongdoing. The way Bennett is talking, is it other state legislators too? There were many of the state reps who were very loyal to Householder. Some are still in the House. Some have moved on.
When he mentions stuff like "indictments could be forthcoming," (something to Cleveland Plain Dealer has corroborated and that has been whispered among many within the establishment here in Columbus) he is more than likely referring to Householder and his goons, not DeWine and Voinovich. This is something I have heard first hand from people as well.
Even though DeWine and Voinovich have angered many, myself included, they have never stooped to the levels of Larry Householder and his goons.
When I say Tom Noe and Coingate will be forgot about next year, I have an eerie feeling it will be because of this stuff. It is this stuff that I believe Bob Bennett is referring to.
Bennett sounds like a stand-up guy.
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