Is Naugblog A Hogblog? Backing Payday Lenders Seems To Generate Payday Lender Ads

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- Extreme rightwing Ohio blogger Matt Naugle is extremely surly toward State Rep. Chris Widener, R-24, who supports the elimination of the payday lending industry. As you can see by clicking the link, Naugblog has a line up of Google-placed advertisements from the payday lending industry. My favorite among those ads reads: "Easy Payday Loans. Get the money you need. No headache. Fast approvals. Apply now." So the attack is generating a revenue stream, and money is involved. Thus, the motive for picking on Widener, an architect from Springfield, and other lawmakers Naugblog denounces as "fellow unprincipled Republican colleagues" might not be based solely upon pure philosophic principles. Could it be conservatism for cash? A financial motive could be behind the surliness: Write pro-payday pieces, trash members of your political party, gin up the cash box and pocket the proceeds.

Naugblog says Widener voted to shut down the payday lenders, "In exchange for support and endorsements from Ohio's liberal newspaper editorial boards for himself and his fellow unprincipled Republican colleagues." Remember, those words appear today on an Ohio blog that is getting money from payday lending industry advertisements.

Naugblog also has what looks like an ad -- or a public service spot -- placed by the Buckeye Institute, which also has been supportive of the payday lenders. Is it possible money is being thrown around the blogosphere in Ohio to finance certain viewpoints. And that begs a question: Is Naugblog on somebody's pad?