Ohio AG Dann experiences need to compensate for shortcomings

Photo taken from today's edition of The Columbus Dispatch.

The Columbus Dispatch reports this morning that Ohio's new Attorney General Marc Dann (D-Warren) has purchased a new 2007 Chevrolet Surburban LT, valued at well over $40,000 for use as his personal transportation while in office. He bought the SUV from a campaign donor, to boot, and your tax dollars will foot the bill. It is five times more valuable than former AG Jim Petro's personal car, a 2003 Mercury Sable. The Dispatch also reports on the other statewide office holders' choices of vehicle, all of which besides Governor Strickland's are cheaper and get better gas mileage. Kudos to Treasurer Rich Cordray for using either his own vehicle, or a pool vehicle for his transport rather than springing for a new ride. But for Marc Dann, this is simply the latest in an embarassing line of decisions since being elected. No word yet on whether Dann will be speaking out against global warming from his new SUV ot not.

Gov. Strickland lays out priorities in Inaugural Address

Earlier today, in a cold and wet Columbus winter morning, Governor Ted Strickland gave his Inaugural Address to Ohioans, and an interesting speech it surely was. Strickland quoted Winston Churchill, George W. Bush, the Bible, and told critics of Ohio to, "get thee behind me." The speech itself offered no real revelations on what Strickland intends to do while Governor, but it did offer much insight into the priorities and beliefs that he will bring to the Governorship. In this excerpt, Strickland talks about why Ohio is being held back, and high taxes and regulation are not the causes at fault in his mind: (Bolds are mine)

"Though significant, the road to our renewal is not blocked by overregulation or lack of infrastructure, or even high taxes. No, we are only being held back to the extent that our state fails, either from lack of investment or lack of innovation, to provide the opportunity for quality learning for every citizen."

Governor Strickland also spoke of Ohio's common values, and how he shares these priorities. Please note that the first value/priority listed in the speech is universal health care, and that the last priority in the speech is using wisely Ohioan's tax dollars, after protecting the environment.

"We all want health care for those who need it. We all want a solid education for our children. We want a system of higher education that is affordable and gives our kids the opportunity to remain in Ohio to raise their families -- strong families, where moms and dads can have living wage jobs. We all want to honor the contributions of our parents and our grandparents so they can feel secure in their retirement years. We want safe and secure neighborhoods. We want to protect our natural environment and to ensure the health and safety of our children. We all want a government that provides services that are needed, but we also want the government to stay out of our lives when it has no right or reason to be there. We want the price we pay for a civilized society -- our tax dollars -- to be used wisely -- with proper respect for the hard work that has made them available.

I am willing to, and going to, give Governor Strickland every chance to turn around Ohio, because Ohio most certainly needs turning around. However, it is going to take some hard realization to see that lower taxes and less restrictive government regulation should be on even footing with a better education system. If we simply educate our children without creating a good business environment, they will continue to move elsewhere to find work. Best of luck, Governor! The people of Ohio are counting on you.

4 More Years for Ohio Lawmakers?

Coming to a ballot near you next November, if Ohio's Democratic and Republican Chairmen have their way, will be an initiative to extend the 8-year term limits imposed in 1992 to 12-year limits. The Dispatch discusses the news in an article that merely puts an official sort of stamp on what has been rumored since the November 2006 elections: that ORP Chairman Bob Bennett and ODP Chairman Chris Redfern agree on the damaging effect of current term limits. Some would advocate term limits as a way to restrict and prevent corruption, but others see them as damaging to the legislative process in terms of the quality of laws enacted. Personally, I support the principle of term limits, but I would tend to agree that 12 years may better serve Ohio. Especially at the state level, so many incoming Assemblymen are rather inexperienced with the workings of state government, drafting legislation, and the working of the Assembly itself. It really takes a full term to get acclimated, in some cases more, and two more terms would only be four more years.

If term limits are extended, however, I would like to see a different way of drawing the districts. A Representative or Senator in the General Assembly should not be able to get elected once and coast for the next twelve years; districts should be at least competitive at the state level for no other reason than to productivity on the part of the elected. It seems that Speaker Jon Husted (R-Kettering) agrees with this notion, as he is quoted in the Dispatch piece as saying:

"It seems to me that we should have a fair way of drawing districts before we start talking about changing terms," Husted said. "The voters will be more receptive to it if they think elections really matter."

If you were reading Red State Rampage last week, we reported about Bennett, Redfern, and Husted all traveling together with the Ohio State University delegation to the BCS Championship Game last weekend. It is rather fair to assume this topic came up in discussion; it will be interesting to see what else, if anything, comes of that trip.

Who's OSU taking to the Dance?

When the Ohio State Buckeyes play Florida in the inaugural BCS Championship Game in Glendale, Arizona, on January 8, The Ohio State University will have a very large contingent of guests in attendance. The Columbus Dispatch has published the list of all official guests of the university, and there are no real surprises, simply a lot of the likely suspects (suspects may be a bad choice of syllogism when speaking of politicians, eh?). Ohio GOP and Ohio Democratic Party Chairmen are both on the list, with ORP Chairman Bob Bennett taking his wife Ruth Ann Bennett, and ODP Chairman Chris Redfern taking his fiancee Kim Kahlert. Among other Ohio politicians in the General Assembly attending include:
-Speaker Jon Husted (R)
-State Rep. Steve Reinhard (R)
-State Rep. Michelle Schneider (R)
-State Rep. Robert Hagan (D)
-State Sen. Steve Stivers (R)
-State Sen. Jay Hottinger (R)
-State Rep. Jim Carmichael (R)
-State Sen. Steve Austria (R)
-State Rep. Jon Peterson (R)
-State Rep. Tom Letson (D)
-State Rep. Jim Hughes (R)
-State Rep. Matt Barrett (D)
-State Rep. Ross McGregor (R)

Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman (D) is attending, as is outgoing City Council President Matt Habash (D). Ohio Secretary of State-elect Jennifer Brunner (D) will be on the flight, as will Ohio 5th District Congressman Paul Gillmor (R). All of the politicians are paying their own way, at $2,100 per person. Other notables include ambitious OSU Student Senate President Nick Benson, whose trip is being paid for by the university from the bowl payout, and Undergraduate Student President Ryan Fournier, whose trip is covered because he is working on the trip. The Board of Trustees also is on the list, part of which will be paid for by bowl proceeds. Notable Republicans on the Board of Trustees include RNC Co-Chair JoAnn Davidson, outgoing Auditor of State Betty Montgomery, disgraced former Taft aide Brian Hicks, and GOP campaign treasurer extraordinaire Bill Curlis. Of these four, only Curlis is paying his own way.

One interesting side note to this list are the few Republicans who will get to spend a plane ride and a weekend with Chairman Bennett, no doubt discussing 2008 ambitions and beyond. State Sen. Jay Hottinger, rumored candidate for Congress in the 18th District is one of these to note, as are Speaker Husted and Rep. Hughes, who have both been rumored replacements for 15th District Congressman Deborah Pryce if she retires. State Rep. Steve Reinhard is also a rumored candidate to replace term-limited State Sen. Larry Mumper in 2008. It also is not known if Governor-elect Ted Strickland will be making the trip.

Marc Dann: Providing Comedic Fodder Since Birth

During a recent search of editorial pieces from the past few weeks in Ohio newspapers, I came across a piece that the Warren Tribune-Chronicle published a week before Christmas on Ohio Attorney General-elect Marc Dann. The Tribune-Chronicle predicts that Dann, currently a State Senator from the 32nd District, will play politics during his term upcoming as Attorney General. Earlier in the week, we at Red State Rampage reported on the selection of Tom Winters, former attorney to Tom Noe, as Dann's right-hand man in the AG's office. Previously, Dann recommended Capri Cafaro, failed Congressional candidate and daughter of shady character J.J. Cafaro, as his replacement in the 32nd Senate District. Members of the Cafaro clan, Capri included, have been big patrons of Mr. Dann in the past, and this election cycle was no exception.
Anyhow, as if two major gaffes before even taking office were not enough, the editorial from the Tribune-Chronicle reports that the AG satellite office in Youngstown promised by Dann during the campaign will be located in a mall owned by the Cafaro family themselves! One could not make this up! The guy who made his name criticizing Republican corruption in Ohio, and won his campaign by tying his opponent to that corruption, is diving headlong into the game of pay-to-play? No. Never! Marc Dann is clearly not going to perform his duties based upon who gave him a campaign contribution, right? Well, given these three moves in the past month, before he has even taken office, Dann is on a fast track to becoming a cellmate of Jim Traficant and Tom Noe.

Marc Dann's upcoming term as Ohio's Attorney General should provide material for yours truly until at least 2010, and likely beyond, as we see how quickly Mr. Dann is able to screw up one of the top AG's offices in the nation. One piece of advice to anyone looking to do business with or stay on the good side of Marc Dann: Get those donations in early and often or be left out in the cold!

Photos below courtesy of the Lorain County Democratic Party, taken at the Marc Dann-Barbara Sykes "Harry Buffalo" fundraiser in October.
J.J. Cafaro, taking a rare break from buying his daughter a district and shopping for politicians to line his pockets, seen here with defeated Democratic Auditor of State nominee Barbara Sykes. Please note that they are wearing Dann for AG stickers, but that Dann and Cafaro are not seen together in any of the pictures, likely to avoid any suspicions.
Defeated 13th (and 14th) Congressional District candidate Capri Cafaro with the woman she lost the May 2006 Democrat Primary to, US Rep.-elect Betty Sutton.

Ohio Political Roundup

-My Congressman, Deborah Pryce, has (almost) officially won her bid for re-election, but due to the close margin of victory, another automatic recount will be taking place. Ever the optimist (or opportunist, you pick one), Mary Jo Kilroy is waiting to concede until after the recount is complete. I would post the still frame of her press conference in the Dispatch today, but it sent me in search of Pepto Bismol after a just a quick glance so I will spare you that misfortune. By the way, their 'recount strategy' is to make sure every vote counts, even the fraudulent ones. How dare Deb Pryce and the GOP disenfranchise fraudulent voters!

-Ohio Senate Democrats have filled two vacant seats left by Charlie Wilson's election to the US House and Marc Dann's election to Attorney General. It really showed that they searched high and low, near and far, for the best and brightest candidates to fill the posts; their commitment to cleaning up corruption and qualified politicians shines through brightly. Failed Congressional candidate Capri Cafaro is finishing up Dann's term, and Jason Wilson, who happens to be Charlie's son, will serve out his time. If Cafaro decides to become a media whore a la Marc Dann, at least she will look good on camera. Besides that, she will be a great fundraiser, and I will go ahead and guarantee that all of the cash will come on the up and up. I am sure that the donor gave it freely after being knee-capped and fitted for concrete shoes. The junior Wilson will also prove to be a great asset to petition drives taking place in neighboring districts; he did great work while coming up short on 50 valid signatures for his dad's last campaign (after which he was fired). He is a true scholar.

-The Ohio GOP Headquarters building on South Fifth Street in downtown Columbus has been vandalized no less than five times in the past month; it is clearly not politically motivated. Evidently, the latest in Democratic campaign strategy (or what qualifies for strategy) is to bankrupt the GOP by forcing them to make repeated costly repairs to their facilities. ORP spokesman, John McClelland, claims that they caught the culprit on video camera, which is not surprising because of the plethora of surveillance cameras on site there. My theory is that Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman is still perturbed at the GOP for running out of coffee at March's St. Patrick's Day Parade. He was told that there was Irish coffee available, but apparently his wife is the only one who likes it Irish.

-Look for a better sense of where the next General Assembly will be headed after session begins in January. The budget will be on the table (dripping with pork, to be sure), term limits will likely be addressed, and redistricting and campaign contribution reform will likely be broached by springtime as well. In order to get anything accomplished, there will have to be some cooperation due to the divided government coming into power.