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Friday, October 15, 2010

John Kasich's New Ad Features 'Journalist' Who REALLY Screwed Up: Misused Nazi Phrase Emblazoned Over The Gates Of Auschwitz

Mytheos Holt Admitted He Was A Dolt
 CINCINNATI (TDB) -- The star of Republican John Kasich's latest television ad apologized to his entire college campus for comparing the extermination camp's "Arbeit Macht Frei" -- the phrase millions passed while being herded to the gas chambers -- to Obama's "Yes we can."

Mytheos Holt publicly had to retract his words, which appeared in a column in the Wesleyan Argus not quite two years ago.  Now Holt -- who openly admitted he was a dolt -- is going to pop up in a John Kasich TV spot that attacks Gov. Ted Strickland for false and misleading ads.  Holt claimed in his apology that he wrongly thought "Arbeit Macht Frei" was simply a German campaign slogan.  His knowledge gap proved offensive and disgusting -- it's a phrase forever associated with murder, starvation, slave labor, brutal experiments on children, and ovens, those awful ovens, the soul stealers.  The Daily Bellwether has the apology here:

Holt apologizes

"A few hours after my column ran this Tuesday (“Mytheology: Wesleyan Viewed from the Right: It's a Brand New Day,” Nov. 11, 2008, Volume CXLIV, Number 19) I received an angry e-mail from a friend about my usage of the slogan “Arbeit Macht Frei.”
I was under the impression that he was reacting against my implied comparison between two arguably totalitarian slogans, so I replied back snappishly, but he then informed me that it had been written over the gates at Auschwitz. I was shocked and horrified to learn this, and so I apologize for using that phrase. I had intended it merely as a reference to what I thought was an oft-used campaign slogan in Nazi Germany, NOT to imply that Obama was on the verge of committing genocide.
I realize that I was wrong not to research the phrase. If anyone should have done so, it would be a half-Jewish student whose mother's side of the family was fortunate enough to escape Europe before Hitler could get to them.  This was an extreme comparison, and I am deeply sorry to anyone who was offended by the column.

Anthony Fossacecca at Ohio Daily Blog says Holt is a rookie partisan Hack who has been in journalism only since the Spring. Fossacecca didn't know about the death camp furor, which The Daily Bellwether discovered after reading Holt's columns in a campus newspaper.  Here's Fossacecca:

"Republican Gubernatorial Candidate John Kasich is about to launch a new ad later today attacking Governor Ted Strickland for running false and misleading ads. In the spot, the Kasich campaign cites one source for their attack on Strickland : National Review blogger Mytheos Holt. And Holt is hardly a credible source. Until last spring, the poor kid was writing for The Wesleyan Argus in an ultra-conservative column called "Mytheology" before he graduated and grabbed a desk at NRO. He's also grabbed coffee for folks at Accuracy in Media and shadowy Bush group, Freedom's Watch.
With a crack resume like that, it's no wonder Team Kasich swooped in to use him as the only credible journalist willing to shill for the team.
In the spot, he's quoted calling Ted's spots "blatant misrepresentation of the truth.... ridiculous... not one sentence in context."
With youthful exaggerations like that, perhaps he should have run for State Treasurer."

Another Veteran Ohio Journo Sent Packing By Gannett's Cincinnati Operation: Bengals Blogger Chick Ludwig Booted From Cincinnati.com

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- Retired Dayton Daily News sportswriter Chick Ludwig -- who spent 12 years as that newspaper's Bengals beat writer -- has been sacked after a year at Cincinnati.com.  He wrote a popular blog (1.3 million page views) mostly about the NFL football team.  Ludwig said his contract wasn't renewed, apparently for economic reasons.  Ludwig spent 30 years with the Dayton Daily News and hooked up with Cincinnati.com last October.  Cincinnati.com is the Cincinnati Enquirer's companion website and is a property of Gannett Co., Inc. the giant media company that owns USA Today.  Gannet's stock was down $1.24, or 8.8%, Friday o n the New York Stock Exchange.  Investors were disappointed by the company's third quarter earnings report .  So adios, Chick, a Cincinnati native who appears to be yet another victim of Gannett, and the entire traditional media's, constant cost-cutting mode.

This is some of what Ludwig had to say about his departure, which he wrote on the blog.  He was classy and didn't offer sour grapes:

"The awesomeness, intensity and belligerence that marked 'Typing Away With Chick Ludwig' has come to an end.  I often use the term 'knifed' when a Cincinnati Bengals player gets terminated, released or waived. Now the time has come for 'The Chickster' to get knifed.  My contract is up, and I haven’t been renewed. The economy has claimed yet another victim. So this is my final entry for the Cincinnati.com Blog Network.

"I’d like to think my specialty is the written and spoken word. And all I ever wanted to do was offer opinion, insight and analysis on the Cincinnati Bengals, and bring a little levity to your day. Hopefully, 397 blog entries and 1.4 million page views are signs I made a dent, if not a smidgen of difference, in your daily life.  My immediate plan: Fire up a Hav-A-Tampa sweet jewel, sip a glass of Rolling Rock, take a nap and prep for my Sunday, Oct. 17, speech at the Maketewah Country Club Caddie Banquet (cocktails 5:30, dinner 6:30)."

By the way, The Chickster remains the Bengals correspondent for the Sporting News.

Hamilton County Bail Bond Scandal Update: Clerk Of Court Releases Printout Showing Bondsmen Owe $2M, Just $59,746 Paid

$2 million owed, pennies collected
CINCINNATI (TDB) -- A computer printout from Hamilton County Clerk of Court Patricia M. Clancy's office shows $2,053,140.90 in forfeited bail bonds is listed on the books as debts owed by bondsmen who posted sureties to get accused felons out of jail.  When the accused felons skipped criminal court dates -- or fled town -- the bonds were forfeited.  In fact, the printout shows just $59,746.37 has been collected in 56 forfeiture cases, which go all the way back to 1998.  Clancy is a Republican who took office 22 months ago -- she inherited the debts.  What is not yet clear is what is being done to collect the $2 million.  Judges signed orders -- the oldest goes back to Aug. 13, 1998 -- that should have sent the money to law enforcement agencies and prosecutors to fight drugs on the streets of Cincinnati and its suburbs.  Yet the forfeiture orders don't seem to be enforced very aggresively, and collection efforts lag.

Hamilton County Democratic Chairman Tim Burke got the printout -- which list debts owed through Oct. 14 -- by filing a freedom-of-information request last week.  Clancy's office released the list in response to a query seeking:  "Any list or compilation showing open bond forfeitures and sums owed to the County, by whom and when such sums became due as a result of bond forfeitures."

The Daily Bellwether has previously done items about uncollected bonds.  You can read them by clicking here and here. While at the courthouse yesterday, The Bellwether spoke with Clancy's top deputy, John Williams, a Republican who is running for Juvenile Court judge this year. Williams said officials haven't actively pursued collecting some forfeited bonds owed by bondsmen because of concerns that criminal court judges would set aside the forfeiture orders. He said the county would not have the cash to repay overturned forfeitures if the money had been disbursed to law enforcement agencies. Instead, the clerk's office has chosen not to collect the money while carrying the debts on its books as unpaid. There are rumors the feds are investigating, but those rumors remain unconfirmed. The Dems sense scandal in the air and are likely to press the issue in the days ahead. Stay tuned.

Fifth Third Bank's Chief Investment Strategist John Augustine: Economy Won't Be Normal Until 2017

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- The Cincinnati bank's expert spoke in Indianapolis this morning.  He thinks the U.S. is in for a long slog, and apparently it makes no matter who wins the mid-term elections next month.  Really, if John Augustine is correct and the economy stays out of whack for seven more years, that begs a question: Then what is normal?  The Great Recession started in late 2007 and officially ended in July 2009.  He sees the effects lingering for nearly a decade, and added that most Americans don't believe the recession has ended.  Augustine's comments were reported by the Indianapolis Business Journal, which noted that Augustine said business closings still outpace openings. The Fifth third strategist said the odds don't favor a double-dip recession. But there is a 33% chance the economy could fall back into recession by March 2011.

University of Cincinnati's Latest Ohio Poll: Kasich's Lead Is Overwhelming IN SW Ohio

Kasich Behind In Central Ohio, Up in SW Ohio
CINCINNATI (TDB) -- Today's Ohio Poll shows Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland trailing GOP nominee John Kasich statewide, with 51% of likely voters picking Kasich. The poll puts Strickland at 43% statewide with less than three weeks to Election Day. But when the numbers are broken down by geographic region, Kasich is only winning big in one section of the state, the Cincinnati area. According to the University of Cincinnati pollsters, Kasich holds a gigantic 29-point edge in the Cincinnati area -- Strickland is at 33% and Kasich 62%.  Other than that, the contest appears tight across other chunks of Ohio.

SW Ohio traditionally has been a Republican bastion and if the poll numbers are accurate it could be the region whose votes give Ohio a Republican governor over the next four years.  There is another interesting geographic wrinkle in today's Ohio Poll -- Kasich trails Strickland by an ever so tiny margin in the Columbus (Central Ohio) region. Kasich served as a Congressman from the Columbus area, and he is a well known politician there.  Kasich was also a state senator. Central Ohio is Kasich's political base, yet Strickland leads there , 49% to 48%.  Strickland's lead is razor-thin and within the poll's margin of error.  Logically, Kasich ought  be blowing Strickland out in Central Ohio because that is his backyard. But the poll suggests that Ohioans who know Kasich best -- he served as an officeholder in Central Ohio for a long time in the 1980s and 1990s -- aren't thrilled about his comeback, nor are they supporting him in droves.

Here's the geographic breakdown as reported by the Ohio Poll, which has a 3.7% margin of error. (The poll says the geographic data could fall outside the margin):

Northeast Ohio -- Strickland 47%; Kasich 49%; Don't Know 4%.
Northwest Ohio -- Strickland 39%; Kasich 45%; Don't Know 12%; Other 4%.
Central Ohio -- Strickland 49%; Kasich 48%; Don't Know, 3%.
Southeast Ohio -- Strickland 47%; Kasich 45%; Don't Know 8%.
Southwest Ohio -- Strickland 33%; Kasich 62%; Don't Know 5%

Strickland, who is from Scioto County on the Ohio River in Southeast Ohio, holds a slight lead in what is traditionally known as the Appalachian portion of the state. But the pollsters cautioned that their sample of likely voters was not large enough to ensure the results are reliable for the region.  Strickland represented the area in Congress before his election as governor in 2006. Still, it should give some comfort to Dems that the poll suggests the governor holds a slight lead in his backyard and that he also holds a slight lead on Kasich's home turf in Central Ohio.

UPDATE: 1:03 pm -- Strickland campaign manager Aaron Pickrell says the Ohio Poll has a solid reputation, but takes issue with a few of its underlying assumptions today:

"In this poll - Governor Strickland and Congressman Kasich each get 86% of their respective party's vote and Governor Strickland is winning independent voters by 1%, yet Congressman Kasich has an 8% advantage overall.  This is based on a sample that is 49% Republican, 42% Democratic and 9% Independent.  The poll conducted in September had a sample of 45% Republican, 42% Democratic and 12% Independent.  We strongly dispute a 7% Republican advantage in the turnout of this election.  If you did an apples to apples comparison of the sample used in September and the percentage of the vote each candidate receives - it would be Kasich 48% to Strickland 46%.

"Yet, even those polling numbers belie what we are seeing in early voting. Despite the so-called "enthusiasm gap," Ohio Democrats are turning out in greater numbers than Republicans. The investments that we have made in recent years in the Ohio Democratic Party have resulted in the creation of one of the strongest state parties in the nation. While the Republicans have virtually no turnout operation, the Ohio Democratic Party has a truly statewide get-out-the-vote operation that is identifying and turning out our supporters weeks before the November 2nd election.

"No one pretends this is going to be an easy election - but today's Ohio Poll does not offer an accurate snapshot of the race.  Governor Strickland is ahead by a couple of points in this race and with the superior early vote and GOTV operation - there is no question he will be successful on Election Day."

Abortions in Ohio Hit All-Time Low Last Year: 5,000 Pregnancies Terminated Legally In Hamilton County

Ohio Health Department County Stats
CINCINNATI (TDB) -- State health statistics show there were 28,721 abortions performed in Ohio in 2009, the lowest number since the 1980s when records began to be kept.  Ohio Right to Life said there has been a 40% decline in pregnancy terminations over the decades, and that the downward trend has been consistent and steady since the year 2000.  Still, the Ohio Department of Health's annual report contained some disturbing data.  There were 190 girls under age 15 who had abortions last year.  Were they sexually active or victims of child molesters?  The report does not offer any clues.  Overall, 18% of Ohio abortions involved women under the of 20; 83% were single and 41% were African American.  Said Ohio Right to Life Executive Director Mike Gonidakis, whose organization has posted the state health department's annual report:

"We are winning the fight against those who push abortion as the first and sometimes only choice for women in crisis.  We continue to witness a trend of Ohioans moving towards a firm respect for life.  One of the reasons for the continued decline in abortions has been the enactment of new laws which help young women make positive decisions for themselves and their babies.  Whenever you have even the slightest legislative gain that protects women and defends her baby, it will make a difference.” 

The Ohio Right to Life press release is available here. The full text of the Ohio Health Department's report on Ohio abortions in 2009 is accessible by clicking here. The documents contains data going back to 1997. Reaction to the numbers has been muted. Right Ohio blogger Matt Naugle said, "Any abortion is horrendous and an act of murder," but he was first to publish the numbers and noted the decline. On the Democratic left, Plunderbund called the declining number a positive development:

"The reduction in the number of abortions in Ohio IS good news and providing women with as much information as possible and as many options as possible SHOULD be everyone’s goal. That’s because we all have the same goal: reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies in Ohio. And, based on the statistics, that has been happening, and happening rather quickly in the past few years."

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Tea Party Sues Butler County Board of Elections: Says Supporter Banned From Access To Voters Outside Precinct In Union Hall

CINCINNATI (TDB) --  The Tea Party wants a federal restraining order that would prohibit officials in Butler County -- John Boehner's backyard -- from interfering with supporters who gather petitions opposing President Obama's health care law.  The Tea Party plans to set up outside an International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers union hall in Liberty Township that serves as a voting precinct.  It says a federal judge should intervene to: "Stop the unconstitutional restrictions imposed by the IBEW in cooperation with the Butler County Board of Elections."  The lawsuit claims a Liberty
Township Tea Party activist, Kathy Dirr, was previously ordered off the property and threatened with arrest last May during Primary Day voting.  U.S. District Judge Michael Barrett has set a 3 p.m. hearing on Oct. 18 at the federal courthouse in Cincinnati on the request for a temporary restraining order.  Lawyers Chris Finney and Curt C. Hartman represent the Liberty Township Tea Party.  The Case is No. 1:10-CV-707 in the Southern District of Ohio.

The Tea Party says Dirr was seeking signatures on a petition in support of the Ohio Health Care Freedom Amendment, which seeks a statewide referendum aimed a limiting the reach of the new federal health care law:

"On the day of the primary election, Ms. Dirr set up a table outside of the electioneering-free zone at the IBEW Local 648 Union Hall from which she could engage in discussing and advocacy with her fellow citizens and solicit signatures on the petition.  Her table contained a sign which announced "Stop Obama Care' and was located outside of the electioneering free zone as was marked by the precinct election officials.  Neither the table nor Ms. Dirr obstructed anyone's access or posed any safety hazard.

"After Ms. Dirr had been at the IBEW Local 648 Local Union Hall and collecting signatures on the petitions for approximately 10 minutes, four precinct election officials (who work under direction and supervision of the Board of Elections) came outside and approached Ms. Dirr, inquiring if she was 100 feet away from the entrance to the hall.  The election officials insisted that Ms. Dirr move her table approximately 10 feet from its initial location, which Ms. Dir did and from this new location continued to solicit signatures for the petition she was circulating.

"Then approximately 10 minutes later, Defendant Jeffrey McGuffey, who is the membership development director for the IBEW, approached Ms. Dirr and demanded that she immediately cease her activities and leave the polling place all together.  But in light of Ms. Dirr's knowledge that the same or similar activities having been allowed to take place outside of the electioneering-free zone during the course of prior elections for at least 10 years, Ms. Dirr indicated that she would not leave until the Butler County Board of Elections indicated that her continued presence at the polling place location was not permissible."

Eventually, the lawsuit contends, the county elections director, Betty McGary, sent an e-mail saying that the union could decide who it would allow on its property.  Dirr said she stopped seeking signatures.  The lawsuit says she wants to show up again on Election Day Nov. 2 and resume collecting signatures outside the voting precinct.  The lawsuit says the Tea Party and its members should be allowed to "freely disseminaate information of critical importance to the elections, government and politics on election days outside of the electioneering-free zone at polling place . . . "

Ohio Citizen Action Follows the Money: Cash From Cincinnati-Based Insurance Cos. Flows To GOP Supreme Court Candidates

Cincy Cash Floats GOP Justices
CINCINNATI (TDB)-- Half the money raised by Republican Justice Maureen O'Connor -- who is campaigning for the chief justice slot this year -- has come from insurance companies.  Justice Judith Lanzinger, the GOP nominee who is seeking reelection, got 49% of her campaign kitty from insurers.  And a significant chunk of the campaign cash raised by the two judges flowed in from insurers who have their home offices in Cincinnati.  Ohio Citizen Action pored over campaign contribution reports and compiled data about who is financing the Supreme Court campaigns this year, and The Daily Bellwether has the complete text (pdf) of the 14-page report available here. Citizen Action says that Ohio should stop judges from presiding over cases that involve their financial backers -- the money raises the possibility of bias.  A sample of the findings:

"Insurance companies dominated the contributions to the Republican candidates. In fact, insurance companies just from Cincinnati (American Financial Group, Cincinnati Equitable Corp, Cincinnati Financial Corp, Cincinnati Insurance Company, Hukill Hazlett Harrington Agency, Ohio National Financial Services, Ohio National Life Insurance, Schiff, Keidler-Shell, Inc., Stay Focused Insurance, Union Central Life Insurance Co., and Western & Southern Life Insurance) together contributed $157,845 to the contested Republican candidates for Ohio’s high court."

Ohio's Economy Finally Climbing Off The Mat: Data Shows Job Growth No Longer Flatlined For 2010

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- There are jobs being created in Ohio this year -- 36,200 have been added in the private sector to date.  A meager recovery, but a recovery nonetheless.  Some 600,000 jobs have disappeared in the last decade -- including nearly 400,000 during the Great Recession that started in December 2007 -- but new jobs are slowly returning to Ohio.  The economic crisis was worsened by Wall Street's collapse and the burst mortgage bubble.  The year-to-date trend line for jobs in Ohio is finally beginning to tick in the correct direction.  Meanwhile, state budget officials are reporting glimmers of other positive economic signals, including an uptick in tax revenues that reflects the current flow of Ohio's economy.  They also said state spending is down, an indication that Gov. Ted Strickland is holding the line.  The monthly financial report prepared by Ohio's Office of Budget and Management went out two days ago.  It said:

"During the month of September, Ohio's General Revenue Fund (GRF) tax receipts totaled $1.494.4 million [$1.5 billion], $56.2 million (3.9%) above the monthly estimate.  General Revenue Fund tax receipts for the year-to-date total $3.9997.7 million [rounded to $4 billion] and are $248.2 million (6.6%) greater than the same point a year ago.  For the second month in a row, Ohio has seen better-than-expected performance across most tax sources, and as a result, tax receipts for the first quarter of the fiscal year are $107.0 million  (2.7%) above estimate."

"September fiscal year 2011 GRF spending totaled $2.182.3 million [$2.2 billion] and is $173.2 million (7.4%) below estimate for the month.  On a year-to-date basis, total GRF disbursements are $33.8 million (0.4%) under estimate.  This variance is attributable to under-spending in nearly every category of GRF disbursements."

The full-text of Ohio's latest monthly financial report is available on the OBM website. It is the document dated Oct. 12, 2010.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Pentagon Says 100% of 2010 Army and Marine Recruits Were H.S. Grads: Air Force and Navy Not So Educated

H.S. Grads Are Flocking to Military
CINCINNATI (TDB) -- The Defense Department is crowing:  All 74,577 soldiers recruited into the U.S. Army in fiscal year 2010 have a high school diploma, which is a quality record.  The Marines had 28,041 recruits and they, too, were all grads -- another first.  Those are the two branches of  the military that do most of the fighting -- they have infantry and field artillery.  In the old days, brawn was more important than brains.   Of the Air Force's 28,493 newest members, 99% finished high school.  98% of the Navy's 34,180 sailors held diplomas -- last place.  Clifford Stanley, the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, said the down economy helped create a banner year for recruiting -- high unemployment spurred young Americans to sign up and all four services met their quotas.  Stanley said 7 of 10 Americans in the prime age groups for enlistment -- ages 17 to 24 --are ineligible due to medical, educational or conduct (i.e. law enforcement, drug use) issues.  Still, Stanley said patriotism and love of country motivate people to enlist:

"As we look at where we are right now in terms of the challenges facing us, it's more to it than the economy.  To a person -- serving their nation, doing it with honor, being patriots -- seems to be the recurring theme that come up every time we look at and talk to those who are wearing a uniform today.  And we're still proud to have that in our active and our reserve components, and our Guard."

Nat'l Right-to-Life Committee Attacks Ohio Law Punishing Political Smears: Riled By Driehaus Complaint Over OH-01 Billboards

Ohio Law Criminalizes Campain Lies
CINCINNATI (TDB) -- The Ohio Elections Commission plans to hold an initial hearing Thursday (Oct. 14) on Rep. Steve Driehaus' complaint he's been falsely accused of voting for federally subsidized abortions.  But the National Right to Life Committee, a Washington-based group, says the panel has no business examining the truthfulness of political advertising, apparently even false advertising.  Driehaus, a freshman Democrat representing Ohio's 1st district on Cincinnati's west side, faces Steve Chabot, who a Republican who held the seat for 14 years.  Driehaus beat Chabot in 2008.  Driehaus filed a complaint with the Ohio Elections Commission contending that the Susan B. Anthony List -- a pro-life PAC in DC -- lied when it posted billboards in OH-01 claiming he "voted for tax-payer funded abortion." 

Under Ohio law, the commission determines if a statement is false and made recklessly during a campaign.  Its purpose is to try and keep things clean.  The Ohio Elections Commission has been around for nearly 40 years, and Republicans and Democrats alike have turned to it to combat smears.  If it finds problems, it can issue a reprimand or refer the matter for criminal prosecution.  A conviction carries possible penalties of up to 6 months in jail and a $5,000 fine.  The National Right to Life Committee filed affidavits with the Ohio Elections Commission that contend the messages on the anti-Driehaus billboards are truthful.  It cites provisions of the federal health care law enacted earlier this year.  Driehaus and others say there is nothing in that law permitting tax-payer funded abortions.  Driehaus is a pro-life Catholic Democrat who worked at Xavier University, a Jesuit school in Cincinnati.  Douglas Johnson, federal legislative director for the National Right to Life Committee, says the Ohio Elections Commission shouldn't be able to enforce an Ohio law "reminiscent of the methods used to chill criticism in certain countries run by presidents-for-life."  Here's the full text of the National Right to Life Committee's attack on the Ohio Elections Commission:

"NRLC's Johnson offered these additional comments on the subject: 'It is outrageous the Ohio law allows an incumbent politician, like Steve Driehaus, to haul citizens before an appointed government tribunal, under threat of potential criminal prosecution, for expressing an opinion about the public policy implications of a vote that he cast in Congress.   This is an incumbent-protection law that is intended to intimidate critics, reminiscent of the methods used to chill criticism in certain countries run by presidents-for-life.  In America, anyone should be free to express their views on the effects of the bills that Mr. Driehaus voted for, without fear of criminal prosecution or fines.  Mr. Driehaus enjoys full freedom to dispute his critics, with the voters as the ultimate judges about whose claims are most credible.  Mr. Driehaus apparently does not trust the voters to see things his way, and so he attempts to utilize criminal-law strong-arm tactics in a pathetic effort to intimidate and gag his critics.'"

Ohio BWC Lost $56.4 Million In Lehman Bros. Investments: State Fund For Injured Workers Netted Two Pennies Per Dollar

BWC Report Shows Lehman Bros. Hit
CINCINNATI (TDB) -- The failure of Lehman Bros., the Wall Street investment bank that employed John Kasich, the GOP candidate for governor, was a financial calamity for the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation.  Records dug up this week by The Daily Bellwether show BWC managed to recover just $1.54 million of $57.9 million invested in Lehman stock and bonds.  Kasich was a managing director at Lehman -- though he now tries to downplay his role at the bankrupt Wall Street firm.  A BWC investment committee report shows the Lehman holdings were liquidated two years ago as Wall Street collapsed in the worst financial mess since the Great Depression.  $10.5 million in Lehman stock was sold for $35,000.  That's right, $35,000.  $47.3 million in Lehman bonds was sold for $1.5 million.

 BWC also lost lesser amounts in AIG, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae -- in all $94.6 million vanished as the bubble burst.  The Oct. 14, 2008 investment committee report said:  "The bulk of these losses were attributable to holdings in four troubled prominent financial services organizations whose financial conditions deteriorated rapidly due to each firms large exposure to troubled and illiquid mortgage-related assets."

BWC is a state insurance pool that is funded by businesses in Ohio who pay premiums.  If BWC's investments earn money, the premiums remain stable, or drop.  If it loses money, they go up.  Wall Street's reckless practices hurt the fund, of this there is no doubt.  Here is what the investment committee reported:

"Lehman Brothers, a large investment banking firm, was force to file for bankruptcy protection on September 15 [2008] as sit incurred a liquidity crisis precipitated by a rapidly growing lack of investor and institutional counterparty confidence resulting from its weak and deteriorating mortgage and real estate portfolios."

Kasich has contended on the campaign trail this year that he was not a wheel at Lehman Bros.  Instead, he portrays himself as a minor cog.  But there are proxy records showing he was more of a Wall Street insider than he now lets on.  Kasich was on the board of Instinet, an electronic stock trading operation in Manhattan that was a major Wall Street player and helped pioneer 24-hour trading. Instinet was bought by the NASDAQ stock exchange in 2005. There is more about the history of Instinet here. The company's proxy discloses Kasich's responsibilities at Lehman Bros., which seem to be far more extensive than his current claim that he headed a tiny two-person office in suburban Columbus. From the Instinet proxy:

John Kasich. Mr. Kasich, age 52, has been a Managing Director in the Investment Banking Group at Lehman Brothers since January 2001, where he has responsibilities across a range of industry groups, including health care, power and utilities, technology, retail and financial institutions. Prior to joining Lehman Brothers, Mr. Kasich was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Ohio’s 12th Congressional District, from 1983 to 2000, and served as Chairman of the House Budget Committee from 1995 to 2000. Prior to serving in the U.S. Congress, Mr. Kasich was an Ohio State Senator for four years. Mr. Kasich also currently serves as a director of Invacare Corporation and Worthington Industries, Inc., and is the host of the program “Heartland with John Kasich” on the Fox News Channel. Mr. Kasich is a graduate of the Ohio State University. Mr. Kasich has been a director of Instinet since June 2001.

 

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

NPR Outsources Work To Canadian Firm: Public Radio's Comment Moderation Corps Employed By Winnipeg Outfit

 Canada Rescues Public Radio
CINCINNATI (TDB) -- Isn't there an American company capable of keeping the comments civil and spam-free on NPR's website?  After all, the network was formerly known as National Public Radio and it has been nurtured by U.S. taxpayers.  Certainly NPR knows that its home country is trying to recover from the worst economic downture since the 1930s.  Still, it is outsourcing jobs to a Canadian company.  NPR's Andy Carvin announced today that ICUC Moderation Services from Winnipeg will be patrolling online commenters because public radio's own staff can't keep up with the task. Carvin is the senior strategist on public radio's social media desk. Said Carvin:

 ". . . we've reached a point that our staff is spending an enormous amount of time penalizing problem commenters rather than facilitating conversation and engaging the community.
Because of this, we've decided to ask for some help. We've now begun working with a group of professional moderators who are helping us monitor comment threads for spam and trolls. With their assistance, our news staff can now concentrate on doing what we've always intended - to use the comments for fostering intelligent dialog, finding potential sources, fleshing out story ideas and like.
For the vast majority of you, nothing will change on the site, though hopefully you'll experience fewer spam and trolls.

"The moderators we're working with, a Canadian-based company called ICUC Moderation Services, have been trained to understand NPR's commenting rules, so the same standards that applied before still apply now."

NPR gets the largest chunk of its budget from fees and dues it charges local stations that are members of the network.  They, in turn, receive federal subsidies.  In Ohio, about $1.96 million flows to the local radio stations from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which is funded by Congress.  Cincinnati's WGUC-FM gets about $350,000 in federal funds. You can see all the federal grants to public broadcasters in Ohio by clicking this link. The current federal budget calls for $430 million, which is distributed between radio and television stations across the nation.

H/T Jim Romenesko who spotted Carvin's blog posting about the commenting cops from Canada.

Democratic National Committee Ups Radio Buy To $3 Million: African Americans In Driehaus' District, 4 Other States Targeted

Rev. Lowery Will Invoke Dr. King
CINCINNATI (TDB) -- The DNC seems willing to spend in OH-01.  It is adding $1 million to a radio campaign aimed at black voters in Cincinnati and several other targeted cities across the nation.  In all, $3 million will be spent on spot featuring civil rights leader the Rev. Joseph Lowery, who was a close confidant of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  The script:  "In 2008, we changed the guard.  This year we must guard the change.  This is Reverend Joseph Lowery asking you to stand on the shoulders of those who came before you."

Freshman U.S. Rep. Steve Driehaus could be the beneficiary if Lowery's call to "guard the change" pulls African Americans to the polls.  Driehaus captured OH-01 for the Democrats by knocking of Steve Chabot, a Republican who held the seat for 14 years.  The congressional district covers Cincinnati's West Side and has a 30% black population.  When Obama ran in 2008, blacks voted in record numbers and Driehaus was swept into office.  If black voters don't show up this year, Driehaus could be toast.  Polls show him facing an uphill battle against Chabot.  On Monday, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee pulled the plug on $275,000 worth of Cincy TV time that it had reserved in OH-01.  The GOP then cancelled its time.  Many  viewed the DCCC's decision as a move to write off Driehaus and switch TV budget to more competitive districts.  But the DNC has stepped in to purchase more time for Lowery spots on urban radio, indicating that Cincinnati's OH-01 is still on the radar.   The Lowery spots will also help candidates up and down the Dem ticket.  African Americans are predominantly Democratic voters. 

New Harris Poll Crowns Dallas Cowboys America's Favorite Team: Popularity Poll Places Cincinnati Bengals 27th of 32 NFL Teams

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- The Steelers are fifth on the most popular list. Harris Interactive released the annual poll today. There were 2,620 adults surveyed online last month. The Cleveland Browns finished in 26th place, meaning they were one notch more popular than the Bengals. More Republicans follow football than Democrats. Baby Boomers and GenXers are the biggest fans. The chart below has the complete ranking of favorite NFL teams 1998 through 2010.


National Weather Service Declares 'Severe' Drought In Cincinnati: Forecast Sees Scant Rainfall In Coming Months

Severe Drought Grips Butler And Hamilton Counties
CINCINNATI (TDB) -- Abnormally dry.  That's what's ahead for Cincinnati and SW Ohio as a lingering drought is expected to worsen.  There will be rain showers off and on in the months ahead,  and autumn will bring cooler temps.  But the seasonal change won't break the dry spell that already has been officially declared a "severe drought" by the National Weather Service.  That news should have made headlines in the mainstream media, but it seems to have fallen through the cracks. Probably because the local TV crews and newspaper reporters were out chasing car wrecks.  Other chunks of Ohio are in what is considered a moderate drought.  The Daily Bellwether has the long term drought assessment from the federal government. It says the drought is likely to persist -- and worsen -- barring the arrival of a late season hurricane.  Nobody is mentioning climate change or global warming:

"Short and medium range forecasts and both the 6-10 and 8-14 day outlooks indicate enhanced chances of below-median rainfall across the Mississippi and Ohio River Valleys, and the seasonal outlook for October-December shows odds tilted in favor of below-median precipitation continuing across the lower Mississippi Valley. Abnormally drier conditions associated with La Nina are expected to extend eastward and southward during the upcoming three months as the probability of tropical cyclone activity decreases towards the end of the 2010 Hurricane Season. Therefore, drought persistence is maintained across the Southeast and Ohio Valley in areas that have slipped into at least moderate drought. A large area of drought development is forecast for most of the southeast not currently in moderate drought, including parts of western Arkansas, eastern Texas, the Tennessee Valley, and most of the immediate Gulf Coast and the Florida panhandle. The potential for tropical cyclone activity early in the seasonal period adds some uncertainty to the forecast, and if a late-season tropical cyclone were to affect parts of the southeast more significant improvement would be likely."

At The Daily Bellwether's home office, the yard and trees have been getting watered on most mornings since September.  Still, the grass is brown.  And the fate of the trees is a concern.  Will they come back strong next Spring?  There is more drought info here on the NOAA portal. Meteorologists determine the beginning of drought by calculating the degree of departure from the average of precipitation.  Usually it is done by comparing the current situation to historical averages base on a 30-year span -- often 75% of average precipitation over a specified time period.

Monday, October 11, 2010

What Do Out of Office Ohio Governor's Do? They Teach


The Human In Photo Is Bob Taft

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- Former GOP Gov. Bob Taft has become a first time teacher this fall at the University of Dayton, where he's leading an upper level political science class.  Taft left office in 2006 after completing two terms.  At the time, polling showed he was the nation's most unpopular governor.  He landed at U of D in 2007 as a distinguished research associate in the School of Education.  Dayton put out a press release today announcing Taft's shift to the classroom. Taft said about his teaching debut: "I've done a lot of lecturing on political topics, but this is my first time leading a course. I've always been passionate about education, and my primary interests at the University of Dayton have been on improving education and access to college.


"It was a lot of work for me to prepare the syllabus, select the textbook, develop the writing assignments for the students and then, of course, class presentation and grading are a new adventure for me," Taft said. "But it's giving me a great opportunity to connect with students and contribute to the University in a new way."

The press release doesn't mention that Taft was the first sitting Ohio governor to be convicted off a crime. He failed to disclose on ethic statements that he was given free golf outings, 52 in all. One was with Tom Noe, a swindler who is serving prison time. Others were with lobbyists. The press release also doesn't mention that Ohio lost about 250,000 jobs under Taft, who served in the governor's governor's mansion during periods of economic boom in other areas of the nation. Taft also drew the ire of conservative Republicans for signing legislation that enacted the largest tax increase in Ohio history. Back in 2007, when he landed on campus, Dayton's student newspaper, The Flyer, was ballistic.  Here's a link from from The Daily Bellwether's archives about Taft's arrival on the campus of the Catholic university.

Big Debate In Alabama Today Over Andre Smith Pick By Cincinnati Bengals: Mobile Sportswriter Points Out 'Bama Star Remains NFL Dud

Did Saban Snooker Bengals?
CINCINNATI (TDB) -- Sportswriter Mike Herndon at the Press Register down in Mobile has the comment line burning at his Alabama Gulf Coast newspaper.  He noted today -- after the Bengals stunk it up Sunday against Tampa Bay -- that the Andre Smith "saga" continues to unfold in Cincinnati.  First-rounder Smith still hasn't cracked Bengals' the starting line-up, although he did play a few downs Sunday.  1Herndon dredged up a Marvin Lewis quote that suggests the Bengals might have been snookered by University of Alabama Coach Nick Saban before the 2009 draft.  Smith came from the Crimson Tide.  The old quote seems to have lit the woods on fire.  Here's a link to Herndon's piece that is stirring up Alabama, Auburn and NFL fans down in Mobile. And here's a comment that says it's not Saban's fault if the Bengals wasted a No. 1 pick on a dud:

"I like Marvin Lewis, but it's not Alabama's fault he drafted Smith as high as he did. Teams spend a fortune in money and time scouting these players. If, at the time of the draft, they don't know what kind of player they are getting, that is their fault, not the college. For example, the Colts were going to draft Ryan Leaf number 1 over Peyton Manning. Leaf then failed to show up for his final interview with the Colts scout staff. Right then, they knew Leaf was a player that simply didn't care, which then showed in his failed NFL career. The Colts drafted Manning and the Chargers drafted Leaf. Worked out best for the Colts."

Congressional Dems Reported Pulling Plug On Driehaus: $275,000 In OH-01 TV Time Said Canceled

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- If the respected Rothenberg Political Report has its facts right, then Steve Driehaus is losing access to the TV cash pipeline of his fellow House Democrats at a critical time. Driehaus is in a tough reelection race against Republican Steve Chabot, who lost the Cincinnati-area congressional seat two years ago. Chabot is looking for a comeback, and the Rothenberg piece says the House Dems -- who should be among Driehaus strongest allies -- have scrapped reserved time at channels 9 and 12 in the Cincinnati market:

"The DCCC has cancelled all of its reserved time at WKRC, the CBS affiliate in the market, for the weeks of October 19 and October 26. The Committee pulled over $200,000 worth of reserved time. The Committee also cancelled its time (over $75,000 worth of time) for those two weeks at WLWT, the NBC affiliate."

OH-01 covers the west side of Cincinnati and Hamilton County. It has a large African American population that usually votes Democratic. Driehaus rode the Obama wave into the House.  If Driehaus falls, and the seat switches back to the GOP, Chabot will vote to make John Boehner the House speaker.

UPDATE: 3:29 pm -- Plunderbund says the Driehaus campaign is still getting field work aid from the DCCC. The TV is gone. Driehaus folks say the reserved ad time on Cincy TV was let go because Chabot is not getting similar help from the House Republicans. Plunderbund suggests that both Chabot and Driehaus are being left to duke it out among themselves. I think this is bad news for Driehaus and a major miscalculation by House Democrats to slash TV spending for OH-01.  If Chabot isn't getting similar aid from the House (John Boehner) Republicans, then anything the Dems used for TV buys could help give Driehaus an upward bump with the electorate. Some $275,000 for TV ads would only strengthen his campaign, especially if Chabot could not match the TV spending. OH-01 is the most closely watched race among voters in SW Ohio. It is generating the highest interest and most sparks. A low turnout by Dems in the district could negatively impact  Democratic candidates up and down the ballot.  Today, the House Dems gave ammunition to the Boehnerites.

UPDATE 2: 4:03 pm -- NBC's Chuck Todd says Driehaus is the first congressional Democrat to lose DCCC support this year. He said the national House Dems view OH-01 as hopeless: "But with the DCCC now out, it's fair to say the national party doesn't have a lot of confidence in its chances of Driehaus holding. In other words, he's being written off. There are a number of Democratic-held House districts the DCCC will be making tough choices about in the next few days because if they want to pull BACK a buy they promised a specific TV station, there's no penalty if they do it in the next few days. It all depends on the market and the specific TV station's rules. In the case of the Cincinnati market, the DCCC had to make its final decision earlier this morning and that's how this news leaked out."

More On Bail Bond Scandal In Hamilton County: Cincinnati Police Didn't Receive Court-Ordered $$$$ Forfeitures

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- At a time when crime is high and up to 112 cops face layoffs due to pinched government budgets, it seems absurd that large sums earmarked for law enforcement haven't reached Cincinnati police and suburban departments.  The Daily Bellwether has located records indicating nearly $2 million in forfeited bail bonds is due and owing.  There could be more; the $2 million is what this blog tracked down in 50 forfeiture cases dating back to the 1990s.  One bail bond company appears to have 26 unpaid forfeiture judgments -- the math indicates the judgments total about $1.05 million.  The business still seems to be writing bonds.  Last week, the courthouse was buzzing with rumors of a federal investigation about a financial scandal centered on uncollected bail bonds.  But the issue goes deeper -- it impacts public safety and keeping cops on the streets.

Officials at the Republican controlled courthouse appear to know they have a problem.  Hamilton County Clerk of Courts Patricia Clancy said in budget documents filed with the county commissioners last month that she was going after the forfeitures:  "The Clerk is also working with the prosecutor to recover forfeited bonds monies that remain uncollected." 

The topic of uncollected bonds received one sentence in a five-page, single-spaced document that admits in its own words local government faces a serious "budget crisis."  Talk about burying an issue.

Why wasn't the recovery effort pursued earlier?   The Bellwether has found records indicating that one of the uncollected bonds dates back to 1991, another to 1997.  Many of the uncollected forfeitures date back to years when Republican County Commissioner Greg Hartmann was serving in the court clerk's office. There are numerous examples of money owed to the Cincinnati police, who are supposed to use forfeited bail bonds to target drug crimes.  But they haven't gotten all the cash that is supposed to come their way from the court clerk's office.  Here's one example from Case No. B 08-05552-B, which involves an accused drug trafficker from Detroit who posted a $200,000 bail.  When the person didn't show up in court, Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Melba Marsh ordered the $200,000 forfeited.  She signed the judgement entry on April 2, 2009 and said about $160,000 should go to the Cincinnati cops.  Here's are a few pertinent paragraphs from the court order:

"WHEREFORE, it is further ordered pursuant to R.C. 2925.11(E) that the forfeited bond funds on deposit with the Clerk of Courts be paid as follows:
 "First, to the Clerk of Courts to satisfy the costs on the bond forfeiture proceeding; then the remaining balance is to be divided eighty (80%) to the Cincinnati Police Department and twenty percent (20%) to the Prosecuting Attorney of Hamilton County, pursuant to R.C. 2925.50.  In any additional funds come into the possession of the Clerk of Courts relative to the judgment on Bond Forfeiture, those additional funds are to be divided on the same pro rata basis as set forth above.  The aforementioned funds shall be used to law enforcement efforts pertaining to drug offenses."

While that seems to indicate the money was "on deposit," the reality appears to be different.  Four months later, the Clerk of Court's office obtained a certificate of judgment for $200,009 that named the bondsman and the defendant.  It is a legal document showing the debt remains on the books.  Somehow an accused heroin trafficker from Detroit was caught in Cincinnati, posted bond to get out of jail, skipped town, and has yet to deliver the $200,000 a judge ordered forfeited.  And the forfeiture was supposed to go to the Cincinnati police to fight drug crime on the streets.

Here's another example, Case No. B09-004059.  Common Pleas Judge Dennis Helmick ordered an accused drug trafficker to forfeit a $100,000 bond after he failed to show up.  The trafficker is still at-large.  Helmick said on May 1, 2008 that $80,000 should go to the Cincinnati police "for law enforcement efforts pertaining to drug offenses."

That $80,000 doesn't appear to have reached to the police for the fight against street crime.  A certificate of judgement shows the debt is still on the books unpaid.