Ohio

As you now have already heard, Jones-Kelly was put on administrative leave and so far is not going to be fired (yet).
Here is what it takes to only get put on unpaid administrative leave:
1. Inappropriately looking up information on a citizen.
2. Lying about the reasons you are doing so to the media and the public.
3. Forcing a subordinate to write a letter to cover for you.
4. Using state resources on political campaigns.

This in from the office of Governor Strickland:
Governor Ted Strickland issued the following statement today:

Now it remains to be seen what will be done about it, but the Inspector General has stated according to the Columbus Dispatch:

Nice job with this week’s Carnival of Ohio Politics by Boring Made Dull that includes a quick YouTube video on the “Ten Principles of Economics” that I can finally watch since I have dsl again! (Yeah! ) I really recommend watching the video if you can, it might just change your life.

I’m not picking on the blogger who posted this, since all he was doing was posting what was sent to him, but as I was reading King’s Right Site and the Action Alert that a Diane Stover who is the Northeast Ohio Values Voter director, sent out and is the topic of several blogs out there, focusing on their belief that Kevin DeWine does not support the moral issues of the base of the Ohio Republica

Two releases from the Ohio House of Representatives tonight:
Armond Budish Elected as Next Speaker of the House
Szollosi, Garrison, Heard, Goyal, Sayre Round Out New Majority Leadership Team

This in via email from the office of State Senator Mark Wagoner:
Wagoner Selected to Serve as New Majority Whip by Ohio Senate Republican Caucus in the 128th General Assembly

I received emails from the offices of Representative Peter Ujvagi and Senator Mark Wagoner today on the approval from the State Controlling Board. Rep. Ujvagi’s came in first so it is listed first, Senator Wagoner’s follows, while each contains information related to HRC Manor Care, each shares a different second local business. The decision to combine was based on the fact that both releases relate to funds from the State Controlling Board.
Rep. Ujvagi Announces State Approval of Job-Creating Support

TOLEDO, OH — The Toledo Young Republican Club has requested an advisory opinion from the Ohio Elections Commission following the passage of a number of property tax levies in Lucas County on November 4, 2008.
The request is regarding the phrase “not a new tax,” which often appears in the marketing material for levies that are seeking a replacement. The Club has determined that this language is misleading because the levy will actually raise the average resident’s property taxes due to the re-evaluating of it to current levels.

From the Columbus Dispatch, More workers accused of politicking on state time. First the usual cautionary statement, it is not clear which campaign the three Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission employees were using government email/computers to “politic” for. What I found interesting was this:

What’s most surprising is that no one has mentioned this until now, Higher truck fees threaten Toledo port:
ODOT - seeing its gasoline tax revenues declining dramatically as people travel less and drive more fuel-efficient vehicles - has set its sights on large trucks to make up part of the shortfall.

This in via email:

Women Legislators Group Names Rep. Brown Ohio State Director
Organization Promotes Causes of Women, Children, Families
COLUMBUS – The Women Legislators’ Lobby (WiLL) today announced the appointment of State Representative Edna Brown (D-Toledo) as State Director for Ohio.

This in from the office of Governor Ted Strickland:
Governor Places Department of Job & Family Services Director on Paid Administrative Leave
Columbus, Ohio – Ohio Governor Ted Strickland today issued the following statement:

Barack Obama swept to victory as the nation's first black president Tuesday night in an electoral college landslide that overcame racial barriers as old as America itself. "Change has come," he told a huge throng of cheering supporters.
The son of a black father from Kenya and a white mother from Kansas, the Democratic senator from Illinois sealed his historic triumph by defeating Republican Sen. John McCain in a string of wins in hard-fought battleground states — Ohio, Florida, Virginia, Iowa and more.

When the Ohio Republican Party had it's lawsuit against Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner dismissed by the U.S. Supreme Court, it wasn't because of the merits of the case, but because the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA) does not authorize a lawsuit by a private party. According to the law, only the Attorney General of the United States is authorized by Section 401 to bring a civil action to enforce the statute.So what is the Department of Justice doing?

Dayton, OH - MCAO (Mechanical Contractors Association of Ohio) have endorsed the candidacy of State Representative Barbara Sears for House District 46. Here is their statement:
"The Mechanical Contractors Association of Ohio is pleased to endorse Barbara Sears in her effort to continue her work in the Ohio House of Representatives.

According to Tiffany Wilson at Palestra.net, Barack Obama campaign worker Zachary Cafritz registered to vote in Ohio on September 9, 2008 and he cast an early absentee ballot on October 4, 2008 in Franklin County.He listed an Ohio address, but he is not the owner of that property. He does, however, own a "a nearly million dollar property within the Beltway" that he bought in February.

So, the latest person that some are pushing to become the Democratic version of “Joe the Plumber” is…Sean Powless who I am happy to report IS a registered voter.