Ohio State Sen. John Carey's Newspaper Guest Column Today: GOP Lawmaker Caught Plagiarizing From Colorado?

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- Ohio State Sen. John Carey -- who hails from Coal Country in Southeast Ohio -- is in today's Cincinnati Enquirer with a "Guest Column" talking up John McCain's energy policy. But much of what Carey writes today also appears under the name of Colorado State Rep. Kevin Lundberg, whose "Guest Editorial" happens to be on the on the same topic for the Craig Daily Press in that state. Coincidence or political coordination? Both officials -- one in Appalachia the other in the Rocky Mountains -- somehow have claimed authorship of articles that use mirror-like phrasing.

Here's a sample of Carey today in the Cincinnati Enquirer:

"Obama and Washington extremists believe coal is a 'dirty energy' that ought to be taxed. Obama has said "what we need to tax is dirty energy, like coal, and to a lesser extent, natural gas," and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has echoed that sentiment in saying 'coal makes us sick. Oil makes us sick.' This 'dirty energy' that 'makes us sick' also happens to put food on the tables and roofs over the heads of many hard-working Ohio families. Not to mention that coal provides 90 percent of our state's electricity."

And here's a chunk of Lundberg's guest editorial from the Colorado publication:

"Obama and his Congres­sional Democrat supporters believe coal is a 'dirty energy' that ought to be taxed. Obama has said 'what we need to tax is dirty energy, like coal, and to a lesser extent, natural gas,' and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has echoed that sentiment in saying 'coal makes us sick. Oil makes us sick.' What Harry Reid calls 'dirty energy' that 'makes us sick' also happens to put food on the tables and roofs over the heads of many hardworking Colorado families. Not to mention that coal provides seven-tenths of our state’s electricity. In 2006, Colorado produced 36,000 short tons of coal and consumed 19,707 to generate electricity."

Here's Carey in Ohio:

"With half of our country's electricity produced from coal, our energy portfolio moving forward must include coal as a large component. The U.S. Department of Energy says our 267 billion short tons of coal reserves comprise 27 percent of the world total. We depend on this resource, especially here in Ohio, and we need a president who understands that."

Here's Lundberg in Colorado:

"Considering half our country’s electricity is coal-produced, moving forward with our energy portfolio must include a large component of coal. The U.S. Department of Energy says our 267 billion short tons of coal reserves comprise 27 percent of the world total. We depend on this resource, especially here in Colorado, and we need a president who will work for our best interests."