OH-02 GOP Jean Schmidt: She Gives House Speech Praising May 19 National Holiday In Turkey; Turkish Lobby Gives $15,600

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- Is there a connection between campaign contributions and access to a Cincinnati-area Ohio congresswoman and the U.S. House of Representatives? The text of Republican Rep. Jean Schmidt's May 22 remarks about the celebration of a national holiday in Turkey, which she called a "very significant day," are as follows:

"SPEECH OF HON. JEAN SCHMIDT OF OHIO
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
THURSDAY, MAY 22, 2008
Mrs. SCHMIDT. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate May 19 as a very significant day in the history of our dear friend the Republic of Turkey. In Turkey, May 19 is celebrated as the commemoration of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the Founder of the Republic of Turkey.

It was May 19 in the year 1919 when Mustafa Kemal landed in the Black Sea port of Samsun and the war of independence began. Under his leadership less than a year later the Turkish Grand National Assembly was established and a few years later the Republic of Turkey was born a new nation. Ataturk had a vision for Turkey and he set about reforming her. His vision of a pro-western, secular, and democratic state under the rule of law quickly became reality.

President John F. Kennedy said, 'The name Ataturk reminds mankind of the historical accomplishments of one of the greatest men of this century. His leadership gave inspiration to the Turkish nation, farsightedness in the understanding of the modern world, and courage and power as a military leader.'

It was in 1934 that Ataturk demonstrated his commitment to the rights of women by giving them full political rights. He understood that a country can only flourish when it's people are truly free. My hero, General Douglas MacArthur described Ataturk better than most could ever attempt. 'He was a soldier-statesman, one of the greatest leaders of our era. He ensured that Turkey got its rightful place among the most advanced nations of the world.' May 19 is a very important day when it all began. On this day a great leader began his journey, a vision became reality and a great nation was born. We should all learn a lesson from this man's life. A leader with a vision coupled with determination can lay the roots for a great future. Turkey's neighbors who today wrestle with their own beginnings should take note."

If you follow this link from Matt Hurley's Weapons of Mass Discussion blog you will see Schmidt's latest report of campaign contributions filed with the Federal Elections Commission. Hurley says of the OH-02 Republican, "Schmidt has done a pretty good job of fundraising in what has been a difficult climate." The data in the Federal Election Commission report reveals these contributions from the Turkish lobby:

"Turkish American Heritage PAC613 Rancho Bauer Dr. Houston, Texas 770796821
06/11/2008
1500.00
2500.00
Receipt
Turkish Coalition USA-PAC1025 Connecticut Ave. NW Ste 1000 Washington, DC 20036
06/11/2008
1500.00
5700.00
Receipt
Turkish Coalition USA-PAC1025 Connecticut Ave. NW Ste 1000 Washington, DC 20036
06/22/2008
1700.00
7400.00
Receipt"

Schmidt is getting praise from Turkish groups for her speech. And there is this in the Turkish Daily News, and this in the Turkish Journal. Census data from 2000 (the most recent count)shows there are 3,159 Ohioans of Turkish ancestry in the entire state. There were 136,498 Turkish-Americans in the U.S. Meanwhile, Ohio was preparing to honor Lima Company on May 23. Lima Company included U.S. Marines from the state who died in Iraq.

ABC News Revises Story About Wulsin Malariotherapy: Now Says OH-02 Dem Was Cleared

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- ABC News has revised and updated a story that focused on U.S. Rep. Jean Schmidt's attack on Democratic opponent Vic Wulsin as some kind of mad scientist. The changes were made after Wulsin's campaign filed written complaints that hinted at legal action against the network. Wulsin contended the "Investigative Unit" story was a hit piece, and noted the original version contained a quote from her although she had not been interviewed for the story. Wulsin's letter to ABC appeared to threaten future legal action, and said "the real story was that Schmidt sent out a letter including a charge she knew to be false." The latest version of the ABC story is here and now reflects Wulsin's concerns. The original version that appeared on ABC Correspondent Brian Ross's Website was written by Joseph Rhee -- and it has been scrubbed from the television network's portal. A written complaint July 3 from Wulsin's campaign to Ross shows the genesis of the dispute. The Daily Bellwether is reprinting that correspondence below:

"Mr. Ross, I just spoke with Joseph Rhee. He refused to update today's story with the fact that the Ohio State Medical Board concluded there was no merit to the charges Jean Schmidt made in her recent fundraising letter. The Medical Board is an independent panel of experts considered legal finders-of-fact. To not include their ruling would be like writing about the details of a criminal indictment months after a jury had found the defendant innocent and then failing to mention the verdict. I understand your unit's interest in Dr. Heimlich and his crazy ideas, but you should know that Dr. Wulsin is one of the medical experts who has publicly said his ideas are crazy. Moreover, Rhee's piece was ostensibly framed as a news story about Schmidt's use of this false charge in a fundraising letter last month. In a story about one campaign attacking another, I can not believe Rhee did not find is necessary to contact us for comment. Dr. Wulsin made her quotes to you in a different context, a different campaign and under different circumstances. It was simply misleading to include her quotes as if she was responding to Schmidt's recent fundraising letter. The real story is that Schmidt sent out a letter including a charge she knew to be false. Of course, that point isn't at all clear without mention of the Medical Board's findings. Attached, please find a pdf version of a letter issued to Dr. Wulsin from the Medical Board stating that, after a thorough review, any allegations that she acted improperly did not merit investigation. I hope that Rhee's story is removed or updated to fairly reflect the Medical Board's findings before further action is required by our campaign.

Kevin Franck
Communications Director
Wulsin for Congress"

Wulsin's campaign also shot out this letter to her political supporters that portrayed the Brian Ross piece as unfair journalism. It included the letter to the ABC correspondent:

"Friends,

"Some of you may have already seen the hit piece on Vic running on the ABC News 'Investigative Unit" website. Masquerading as journalism, the piece is basically a campaign ad for Jean Schmidt. It pretends to be a news story about Schmidt making false charges about Vic, but doesn't actually report any news. Rhee, the 'reporter,' did not include the fact that Schmidt knew the Ohio State Medical Board found no merit in the charges when she sent out that letter - in fact, the article doesn't even mention that the Medical Board made a ruling.

"Rhee did not contact our campaign for this story, instead he dredged up quotes Vic made to another ABC reporter a long time ago about something else. Remember this story is supposed to be about Schmidt's letter last month, how could quotes from Vic from before the letter was mailed be used as a response?

Rhee repeated Schmidt's charges that Vic participated in experiments without noting that a representative for Heimlich said she did not participate. When I asked Rhee to correct his story, he threatened to revise the piece to include MORE allegations against Vic

"[Attached] is a letter I wrote to Brian Ross, the head of the "Investigative Unit." We need help to act fast to counter this filth before it festers further. We've already heard that right-wing groups are about to start robo-calls against Vic for this same false charge.

"Please feel free to pass along Brian Ross' contact info (212) 456-7612, brian.e.ross@abc.com ) and ask people to demand that he take down this unfair, untrue hit piece against Vic Wulsin."

Iraq Plans To Double Oil Production By 2013: Price Per Barrel Stays At $140 On International Markets

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- So much for arguments that increased supply will lower prices at the gas pumps. Republican House members such as Jean Schmidt, Oh-02, contend that opening ANWR and the Florida coast to oil drillers will push down gasoline costs for U.S. motorists. But international petroleum markets largely shrugged off news today that Iraq plans to add nearly 2.4 million barrels a day to global production within five years:

"Exports of 2.11 million bpd currently form the bulk of the war-torn nation's revenues, and the oil ministry is keen to raise capacity over the next five years to 4.5 million bpd. Iraq has crude reserves estimated at 115 billion barrels but it is sorely lacking in high-tech infrastructure following years of crippling UN sanctions after the 1990 invasion of Kuwait by Saddam Hussein."

There's more from AFP about Iraq's efforts to dramatically boost production from its oil fields, the world's third largest after Saudia Arabia and Iraq. While Schmidt and others argue that increased U.S. drilling will help consumers, the evidence from Iraq today seems to suggest that world oil markets are barely influenced by promises of future supply. The news from Iraq appears to have had no affect at all, and gasoline still costs about $4 a gallon.

OH-02 Republican Jean Schmidt: She Hasn't Even Co-Sponsored House GOP Bill Opening U.S. Coast To Drillers

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- Mean Jean is missing in action even though the Republican leadership calls H.R. 3089 the No More Excuses Energy Act. And inquiring minds are wondering: Why hasn't Jean Schmidt signed up to support her own party's energy bill? The measure opens closed federal lands in Alaska, and also the Outer Continental Shelf in the Lower 48, to oil exploration and drilling. House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-8 Butler County, is a co-sponsor along with Roy Blunt, the Republican Whip. So is U.S. Rep. Geoff Davis, a Republican who represents Cincinnati's suburbs on the Kentucky side of the Ohio River. But OH-02's Schmidt, who made a speech on the House floor claiming Americans are desperate for cheaper gasoline (YouTUBE) while the Chinese are drilling off the coast of Florida, seems to have cut and run from her own party's "No More Excuses Energy Act."

In a press release issued earlier this month, Boehner -- who represents SW Ohio in a congressional district that abuts Schmidt's -- slammed House Democrats for refusing to back the bill:

“The Democratic Majority’s callous indifference as American families and small businesses struggle with $4 per gallon gasoline is both inexcusable and irresponsible. By flatly refusing to schedule votes on the House GOP plan to help reduce fuel costs and achieve energy independence, the Democrats in control of Congress are proving themselves complicit in our nation’s energy crisis, which is growing worse by the day on their watch.

“Where Democrats refuse to lead, Republicans will. Beginning today, House Republicans will offer a series of discharge petitions aimed at forcing the Democratic leadership to schedule several GOP-sponsored bills to increase production of American-made energy, reduce America’s costly dependence on foreign sources of energy, harness new alternative energy technologies, and lower gas prices. I thank Rep. Tim Walberg for offering the first discharge petition in this effort – one that seeks to force Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Hoyer to schedule Rep. Mac Thornberry’s No More Excuses Energy Act. The Thornberry bill will open new American oil refineries, invest in alternative energy sources, and increase environmentally-safe exploration of untapped oil resources in the United States.

“Rep. Walberg’s discharge petition provides rank-and-file Democrats an important opportunity to back up their rhetoric on gas prices with real action. By joining House Republicans in supporting it, they can send a long-overdue message to the Democratic leadership: American consumers are hurting, and this Congress has a responsibility to act on meaningful legislation aimed to bring down soaring prices at the pump.”
"NOTE: The No More Excuses Energy Act would help reduce the price of gasoline by opening new American oil refineries; investing in diverse energy sources such as wind, nuclear, and captured carbon dioxide; and making available more homegrown energy through environmentally-sensitive exploration of the Arctic coastal plain and in deep ocean energy resources. A recent Gallup survey indicated that 57 percent of Americans support increased production of American-made energy. For more information on the House GOP’s comprehensive plan for lower gas prices, please visit the House GOP’s “Real Energy Solutions” website at http://GOPLeader.gov/energy"

Meanwhile, the official CRS summary of the bill says:

"The following summary is provided by the Congressional Research Service, which is a nonpartisan government entity that serves Congress and is run by the Library of Congress. The summary is taken from the official website THOMAS.
7/18/2007--Introduced.
No More Excuses Energy Act of 2007 - Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to prescribe regulations for the taxpayer election to expense the cost of certain refinery property not later than 60 days after the enactment of this Act.
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) allow the issuance of tax exempt facility bonds for the financing of domestic use oil refinery facilities; (2) extend through 2018 the tax credit for producing electricity from wind facilities; and (3) allow tax credits for the production of electricity from nuclear energy, natural gas production, and carbon dioxide tertiary injectant processes.
Requires the President to designate at least 10 sites for oil or natural gas refineries on federal lands and make such sites available to the private sector for construction of refineries.
Prohibits the Nuclear Regulatory Commission from denying an application for nuclear waste disposal on the grounds of present or future insufficient capacity.
Terminates all existing federal laws prohibiting expenditures to conduct oil and natural gas leasing and preleasing activities in the Outer Continental Shelf.
American-Made Energy and Good Jobs Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to establish and implement a competitive oil and gas leasing program in the Coastal Plain of Alaska.
Repeals the prohibition against producing oil and gas from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Sets forth requirements for the sale of oil and natural gas leases in the Coastal Plain, environmental protection, transportation easements, and royalty payments to Alaska.
Establishes in the Treasury the Coastal Plain Local Government Impact Aid Assistance Fund to assist Alaska jurisdictions that are directly impacted by oil and gas exploration and production in the Coastal Plain."

And, the airline industry says the measure has merit. The industry's trade group has written House leaders urging action on the measure. As of this afternoon, Schmidt still hadn't signed on as a co-sponsor. The bill was filed last year, so she's had plenty of time to get aboard.

Hamilton County's Dem Chief Rips Jean Schmidt: 'Saturday Night Live Got It Right'

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- Hamilton County Democratic Chairman Tim Burke says OH-02 U.S. Rep. Jean Schmidt's House speech asserting "the Chinese are drilling off the coast of Florida" is another Saturday Night Live moment. He was, of course, referring back to the now legendary 2005 comedy bit that lampooned Republican Schmidt for calling Democratic U.S. Rep. John Murtha, a Marine Corps Vietnam War hero, a "coward."

Burke says Schmidt, who lives in Clermont County near Cincinnati, should retract her statement that the Chinese are involved in energy extraction off the coast of Florida because it is both ludicrous and false. She made the statement June 5 on the House floor, a speech that is available here on YouTUBE. Burke says Schmidt has not offered a scintilla of evidence to back up her claim. Instead, she has cited the political grapevine, and says she was repeating what others have said. In a letter to Schmidt obtained by The Daily Bellwether, Burke says:

"If you continue to believe that such drilling is going on, where is it located? How far off the coast? Latitude and longitude? How many platforms are involved. I don't think you will or can answer those questions because you know your original claim was false.

"While I have no reason to believe that you made a deliberate attempt to deceive, you made a statement on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives that was not true, a mistake that should be acknowledged and corrected. That is all I asked. So I was surprised to see your vitriolic, wild reply. I shouldn't have been give your history: plagiarizing as you own a newspaper column already published by another member of Congress; suggesting a nuclear waste dump might be a good thing in the Second District; and in another embarrassing speech on the floor of the House, accused a colleague in Congress, a Marine Corps hero, of being a coward. I guess Saturday Night Live got it right."

There's more on the ongoing "Chinese drilling off the coast of Florida" flap here. The issue is being driven by the Republican congresswoman's refusal to admit she made a mistake, and her insistence that others have made the same claim. In fact, no one has said the Chinese are drilling off the coast of Florida. There have been statements that China and Cuba may be starting to explore for oil in Cuban territory. Burke seems to have delivered a strong punch by demanding that she reveal the latitude and longitude of the Chinese drilling platforms that she claims exist somewhere off the coast of Florida.

Cincinnati Enquirer Censorship? Newspaper Rejects Dem Response To Republican Jean Schmidt's Column

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- Caleb Faux, executive director of the Hamilton County Democratic Party and chair of the Cincinnati Planning Commission, asked the Cincinnati Enquirer for equal time to reply to U.S. Rep. Jean Schmidt. Faux says the newspaper rejected his request for space to face off against Schmidt over her claim that the Chinese are drilling for oil off the coast of Florida. From Faux, the Democratic submission the Cincinnati Enquirer has refused to publish:

"My response below, which they decided they weren't interested in

_________

"In today's Guest Column, Congress Member Jean Schmidt blasts the Enquirer for calling her to task about a false statement on the floor of Congress. She laments that the Enquirer "has lost sight of the larger picture." Yet ironically, it is that larger picture that Jean Schmidt is being least forthright about.

"Schmidt falsely claimed on the floor of Congress that the Chinese are drilling for oil in waters 60 miles off the Florida Coast. When challenged she claims, again falsely, that other members of Congress including Democrats said the same thing. She then tries to change the subject to the high price of gas and her proposed solution, drilling in coastal waters.

"Schmidt, like her other GOP colleagues including John Boehner and Steve Chabot, are trying mightily to blame high gas prices on environmentalists and Democrats. This effort is little more than a shell game designed to divert attention from the real story, which is that more than anything it is Schmidt's beloved free market, supply and demand, that is driving gas prices higher.

"We may well end up drilling in coastal waters due to efforts like hers. But what she ignores is that any oil produced that way will not reach the market for at least 10 years and when it does, it will be in such small quantities that it will have little influence on price. It won't solve the problem.

"To those who've paid attention to energy policy, none of this is much of a surprise. We've known this was coming for at least 30 years, since the oil crises of the 70's. But during that same time it has been Schmidt and Republicans in Congress and elsewhere who've stood stubbornly in the way of preparing for it. They've blocked attempts to increase mileage standards for vehicles. They've blocked attempts to fund public transit. They've blocked efforts to develop alternative energy sources. They've blocked efforts to slow or reduce the urban sprawl that results in vastly increased oil consumption. Their solution has been consistent; more of the same, continued reliance on oil.

"Jean Schmidt's column is ample demonstration of why we need to replace her in Congress, why Vic Wulsin and Steve Driehaus should be elected and Jean Schmidt and Steve Chabot should come home. Energy policy and high gas prices are serious business, the cure is going to be slow and painful, more painful now because due to people like Jean Schmidt, John Boehner and Steve Chabot we've waited far too long to begin the change.

"Caleb Faux
Executive Director
Hamilton County Democratic Party
6109 Webbland Place
Cincinnati, OH 45213-1405
513.421.0495"

OH-02 GOP Jean Schmidt: Cincinnati Enquirer's Online Edition Seems To Have Scrubbed Her June 21 Column

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- Was there something the newspaper found fabricated or deceptive? Republican U.S. Rep. Jean Schmidt's guest column appeared in Saturday's print edition of Ohio's third-largest daily newspaper under this headline: "Others also have been wrong about Chinese drilling off shore of U.S." But in the column, Schmidt never said she was wrong. Unfortunately, you cannot read it online today in the Enquirer (but The Daily Bellwether has the full-text below). The Gannett Co Inc.-owned newspaper -- which was criticized by Schmidt for having "lost sight of the larger picture" -- does not have her article posted on the Internet.

The omission from the paper's Opinion section is odd. An editorial appeared the same day in the Opinion section with several reader-authored limericks about the emergence of cicadas in Cincinnati. The editorial remains accessible on the Web, and the editorial and accompanying limericks can easily be found by clicking this link.

Meanwhile, a search Monday afternoon for Schmidt's guest column turned up nothing on Google. Perhaps the Enquirer will eventually post her column. So far, there's been no explanation about why it is unavailable online.

In print, Schmidt was combative. She refused to admit that her statement on the House floor June 5 (captured by YouTUBE) "that the Chinese are drilling off the coast of Florida" is totally false. Both Vice President Dick Cheney and conservative columnist George Will have retracted similar claims. Schmidt did not -- and so all can see the position she has taken -- the The Daily Bellwether is reprinting her June 21 Cincinnati Enquirer guest column. Read on for the complete text of Schmidt's article:

"A recent story that appeared in this newspaper strongly implied that I simply made up a portion of a statement I have on the floor of the U.S. House. On June 5, I stated that the Chinese were drilling for oil in conjunction with the Cuban government. I was not the only one to have made that statement. House Ways and Means Chairman Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.), and the Chairman of the Senate Energy Subcommittee Byron Dorgan (D-N.J.) both made the same assertion. In fact, USA Today, a newspaper owned by the Enquirer's parent company, Gannett, reported Feb. 22, 2007: 'After the Soviet Union collapsed, Cuba opened its oil program to foreign investment in 1993. Today, companies from Spain, Norway, India, Malaysia and China are involved, either drilling wells offshore or using horizontal drilling to reach reservoirs in shallow coastal waters.'

"I am now called into question by one Gannett newspaper for saying what is published in another Gannett paper. By the way, USA Today has not retracted its story.

"According to a report issued by the Congressional Research Service, the Cuban government has signed agreements with oil companies from Spain, India, Norway, Venezuela, Malaysia, Vietnam and China for oil and gas. I am certain that citizens of Ohio's Second Congressional District, as they pay more than $4 a gallon to fill their gas tanks, are breathing a sigh of relief that oil companies from at least seven countries have the right to exploit resources within 60 miles of our borders -- a right that the congressional Democrats will not grant to our own domestic oil producers. And that was the larger point of the statement I made June 5.

"While the leadership of the current Congress dawdles, other countries are acting to increase oil and gas supplies. As we consider legislation to allow the United States to sue OPEC, increase taxes on energy producers, and re-start investigations of price gougers and speculators -- actions that will not lower gas prices by one cent -- other nations get it. In fact, it seems that even communist nations understand the law of supply and demand better than the Democratic congressional leadership. It is truly a shamed that The Enquirer lost sight of the larger picture. There is no way to ease the burden of rising energy prices without finding and taking advantage of, in an environmentally sensitive way, our own domestic resources.

"At the very least, we should be discussing the issue. The Enquirer missed a golden opportunity to further the discussion."

OH-02 GOP Jean Schmidt: Supporting Imported Ethanol Refined On The Backs Of Brazilian Slaves?

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- U.S. Rep. Jean Schmidt, R-OH-02, claims falsely that China is drilling for oil off the coast of Florida. She refuses to retract the claim, and fired off a letter to Cincinnati Democratic Party Chairman Tim Burke this week that says, "I will do everything in my power to increase the supply of gasoline in this country . . ." She wants lower prices at the pumps, and is co-sponsoring a House bill that repeals federal taxes and tariffs on imported ethanol. The source of much of that foreign ethanol Schmidt wants: Brazil.

But there are reports of slavery in Brazil's ethanol industry. And does her pledge to do "everything in my power to increase the supply of gasoline in this country" mean that she has overlooked or downplayed the existence of forced labor? Does she think that Americans are so callous and thirsty for gasoline that they will condone slavery to fill their fuel tanks? The Wall Street Journal took note of the human bondage earlier this year. So did the U.S. State Department, which issued its annual country report on human rights four months ago. American ethanol used as motor fuels is distilled from corn; Brazil's is made from sugarcane. The complete text of the government's report on Brazil is available here. This description of ethanol and working conditions in Brazil seem pertinent:

"Violators for forced labor laws enjoyed virtual impunity from criminal prosecution, and no landowner has ever been convicted and imprisoned for using slave labor . . . In July MTE inspectors [government inspectors] freed 1,108 forced laborers from a sugar cane farm producing can for ethanol in Ulianopolis, Para. Several improper adjustments had been made to the workers' paychecks, often leaving workers owing money at the end of the pay period. The living quarters of the workers were overcrowded and unsanitary. The owners agreed to pay what was owed, and ethanol distributors said that they would not buy ethanol from the firm until the workers' rights were respected."

There are numerous other reports, including disclosures earlier this year that former Democratic President Bill Clinton invested in a Brazilian ethanol firm accused of mistreating workers. Clinton's connection is here, and spokesman Matt McKenna said the former president "finds these allegations deeply troubling" and expected an immediate end to the degrading conditions for the ethanol workers.

In fact, there have been a string of similar incidents in Brazil which are recounted here on McClatchy, here on FOX news, and here in the UK's Guardian. An English language Brazilian publication also raised the issue of slavery and harsh working conditions. And there's this from the Catholic News Service:

"Harvesting jobs are a magnet for unemployed laborers from other parts of Brazil, The Catholic Church office that ministers to migrants estimated that about 40,000 migrant workers help with the sugar cane harvest in Sao Paulo state. Many are bused to the farms by middlemen who charge them inflated fees for transportation, meals and supplies, creating debts that the workers cannot repay and forcing them into a form of slavery."

OH-02 Turns Blue In 2008: 126,739 Registered Dems Now Outnumber 121,660 Republicans

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- It doesn't look like Republican country anymore. And the sudden shift to the Democrats clearly has reshaped the political complexion of the eastern suburbs of Cincinnati, where 51,753 Democrats are now registered versus 42,527 Republicans. Those suburbs are densely populated and hold more than a third of the OH-02 electorate. They have been a pillar for Republican candidates and officeholders. Just two years ago, the GOP had a lock on the area with 17,513 more registered voters than the Dems. And across Ohio's entire 2nd Congressional District -- which touches seven southern counties near the Ohio River -- a blue wave has risen. Overall, there are 126,739 Dems compared to 121,660 Republicans, a 129 percent increase since 2006.

The dramatic change in declared party alignment could be considered bad news for Republican U.S. Rep. Jean Schmidt, who is seeking reelection in a district that no longer looks to be a GOP stronghold. David Margolis, field director for Democrat Vic Wulsin, says the voter registration figures made public today show "the entire character of the district has changed. The number of committed Democrats in the 2nd District has more than doubled since March, turning what had been a Republican advantage into a Democratic majority." Wulsin lost by 2,517 votes in 2006 -- a year when the district had only 55,389 registered Dems.

Below are the latest numbers of Republicans and Democrats in the counties comprising Schmidt's district, with the counties color-coded by party. The data comes from the Ohio Secretary of State's office, which gets monthly reports on voter registrations from county election boards:
Adams County -- 4,354 D; 4,925 R, Dems up 89% since 2006.
Brown County -- 8,725 D; 6,108 R, Dems up 82% since 2006.
Clermont County (Schmidt's home county) -- 30,998 D; 38,579 R, Dems up 113% since 2006.
Hamilton County -- 51,753 D; 42,527 R, Dems up 167% since 2006.
Pike County -- 6,509 D; 2,741 R, Dems up 67% since 2006.
Scioto County -- 9,514 D; 4,242 R, Dems up 46% since 2006.
Warren County -- 14,859 D; 22,538 R, Dems up 188% since 2006.

To be fair, there are more registered Republicans in OH-02 now than in 2006, when Schmidt last faced Wulsin in a general election. GOP registrations are up by nearly 17%. But that didn't come anywhere close to keeping pace with the wave of Ohioans who registered as Democrats.

OH-02 GOP Jean Schmidt: America Needs To Import Brazilian Ethanol

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- Earlier this month, the Cincinnati Republican signed up as the 19th co-sponsor of a measure that would open U.S. energy markets to more foreign imports. The move would aid Brazil's farmers and that country's growing ethanol industry by allowing a foreign competitor to gain access to American consumers.

Here's the bill, H.R. 6137 Title: To remove the additional tariff on ethanol. Sponsor: Rep Shadegg, John B. [AZ-3] (introduced 5/22/2008) Cosponsors (19) Latest Major Action: 5/22/2008 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
COSPONSORS(19), BY DATE [order is left to right]: (Sort: alphabetical order)
Rep Barton, Joe [TX-6] - 5/22/2008
Rep Upton, Fred [MI-6] - 5/22/2008
Rep Deal, Nathan [GA-9] - 5/22/2008
Rep Radanovich, George [CA-19] - 5/22/2008
Rep Bono Mack, Mary [CA-45] - 5/22/2008
Rep Rogers, Mike J. [MI-8] - 5/22/2008
Rep Myrick, Sue Wilkins [NC-9] - 5/22/2008
Rep Sullivan, John [OK-1] - 5/22/2008
Rep Burgess, Michael C. [TX-26] - 5/22/2008
Rep Blackburn, Marsha [TN-7] - 5/22/2008
Rep Gallegly, Elton [CA-24] - 5/22/2008
Rep Tancredo, Thomas G. [CO-6] - 5/22/2008
Rep Pearce, Stevan [NM-2] - 5/22/2008
Rep McCrery, Jim [LA-4] - 5/22/2008
Rep McCaul, Michael T. [TX-10] - 5/22/2008
Rep Kuhl, John R. "Randy", Jr. [NY-29] - 5/22/2008
Rep Issa, Darrell E. [CA-49] - 5/22/2008
Rep Herger, Wally [CA-2] - 6/3/2008
Rep Schmidt, Jean [OH-2] - 6/5/2008
THOMAS Home Contact Accessibility Legal FirstGov

Currently, the U.S. levies a 54-cent per gallon duty on imported ethanol, plus a 2.5 percent tariff. The levies were put in place to protect the domestic ethanol industry, which is supposed to deliver a home-grown source of fuel to help free the U.S. from foreign energy producers. But some Republicans contend opening the U.S. market could mean lower gas prices for Americans. GOP talking points for the measure cite Brazil as a source for the imported ethanol: "We can continue to encourage domestic cellolusic and advanced biofuels to take the place of food-based ethanol here at home. Until those fuels are commercially available, it makes sense to increase our supply of ethanol needed in consumers tanks, especially from our friends, like Brazil."

The Republican talking points are available here.

Schmidt has already put her foot in her mouth once this month by dabbling in U.S. energy policy. She says China is drilling offshore oil wells near the Florida coast. So far, nobody has been able to find them. You can read about that flap and watch a video of the House speech in which she says, "the Chinese are drilling off the coast of Florida with their new energy partner, Cuba."

Meanwhile, the Republican claims that China is drilling near Florida are being debunked, and seem to have been a mirage on the distant horizon.

OH-02 GOP Mean Jean Schmidt: Another Missive From The Mistress Of Prevarication

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- Republican U.S. Rep. Jean Schmidt, who is well known for spreading untruths (falsely claiming two college degrees and plagiarism) is again practicing her dark arts. This time, the Mistress of Prevarication is circulating a fundraising letter that claims her opponent's "contempt for the culture of life has even led her to participate in grotesque medical experiments." But that is not factual. It is a smear aimed at Democrat Vic Wulsin, the physician who opposes Schmidt in Ohio's 2nd Congressional District.

Wulsin has her critics. And Dr. Robert S. Baratz might be at the top of the list. His complaint of unethical practices was recently dismissed by the Ohio State Medical Board. In fact, Baratz was clear the experiments cited by Schmdit were conducted by Henry Heimlich. Repeat -- Henry Heimlich. Here's a portion of a press release Baratz issued earlier this year:

"The experiments were conducted in Africa by Henry Heimlich, MD (popularizer of the 'Heimlich Maneuver' for treating choking.) These experiments were either conceived, coordinated, devised, supervised, funded, or managed by Heimlich and/or The Heimlich Institute in Cincinnati."

Wulsin did do some consulting work for the Heimlich Institute. But Schmidt's fundraising letter falsely portrays Wulsin as a mad scientist: "Wulsin was paid for her work in medical 'studies' where victims of AIDS in Africa and China were, without their consent, injected with the malaria virus, all in the name of 'scientific inquiry'."

How can we prove Schmidt doesn't know what she is talking about? For starters, Schmidt's claim that victims in China and Africa were injected with the "malaria virus" is freighted with intent to deceive because a "malaria virus" does not exist. Malaria is caused by a parasite of the Plasmodium genus. And Baratz, who filed the medical board complaint, says Wulsin didn't inject anyone in China or Africa:

"In 2004, Heimlich engaged Dr. Wulsin to review his work on 'malariotherapy' and write a business plan for promoting it. Wulsin concluded "the preponderance of evidence indicates that neither malaria nor immunotherapy will cure HIV/AIDS and that the Heimlich Institute had been too secretive about its work. Despite claims by Heimlich that no active work on malariotherapy was being done, Wulsin's report shows that it was."

Baratz contends Wulsin should have condemned the Heimlich Institute's work and turned "in the individuals involved to regulatory and other authorities."

[UPDATE: Jeff Coryell has weighed in at Ohio Daily Blog and says Schmidt is engaged in a poltical smear. Meanwhile, Buckeye State Blog says Schmidt's tactics smack of desperation and notes that she made light of the horrendous conditions at Walter Reed Army Hospital as overblow by the media. And Tim Russo wonders why Schmidt is obsessed over experiments "nobody has ever heard of."]

[UPDATE: Does Schmidt have a motive to stretch the truth? Schmidt's fundraising letter does state that Democrats "are energized and united." It acknowledges she faces a fight to hang onto the Republican House seat. Schmidt says: "With this election likely to be so tight, we can't take any chances Vic Wulsin's campaign will be successful in fooling the voters. We desperately need to finance the highly expensive media campaign and get-out-the-vote efforts that will bring us victory."]

What's Up With This? A Democrat Is Holding A Fundraiser For Mean Jean

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- Not The Fishwrap has a satirical item up on YouTube about the Ohio Democrat who's holding a fundraiser for Republican U.S. Rep. Jean Schmidt at his home. Schmidt is running against Democrat Victoria Wulsin for the OH-02. Several prominent Cincinnati-area Republicans are on the the same host committee. More than a few Dems are wondering: What gives? After all, the Dem is close to Strickland and the Clintons, and stayed at the White House as a guest of Bill.

Congrats To Joel Coon: Dem Childers Took Mississippi House Seat From GOP With Joel As Manager

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- Could he help knock off Republican U.S. Rep. Jean Schmidt? Joel Coon saw her as extremely vulnerable when he was in Ohio last year. His work in Mississippi produced the third straight victory for the Democrats in a special election in Republican territory. Coon was the campaign manager for Travis Childers, the newest Dem in Congress. The Hill, the newspaper that serves Capitol Hill, said the win sends "the listless GOP into further disarray."

For a few months last year, Coon was in Ohio managing the campaign of Steve Black, a Cincinnati lawyer who switched parties to seek the Democratic nomination in OH-02. Coon moved on for reasons that have never been publicly disclosed. Black lost the March primary to Dr. Victoria Wulsin. In Ohio, Coon believed that the shift of manufacturing jobs overseas was a critical issue for Democrats to emphasize during contests in GOP-controlled House districts such as OH-02. Coon also believed a Democrat running in a Republican district has to be a moderate to win. Before leaving the Black campaign, he told the Daily Bellwether last fall:

"One thing is, you have to find a certain kind of Democrat that doesn't scare independent voters. You have got to have a moderate, but a moderate who is progressive on the right issues like the war, like S-Chip"

And:

"I think trade has to be a huge issue in general . . . a lot of the eastern part of the district (OH-02) has been decimated. NAFTA is a disaster. We're not looking to run a duplicate Sherrod Brown campaign. But he won 30 rural counties statewide that John Kerry didn't win, so our rhetoric is going to be very, very similar. Clearly people were listening to what Sherrod Brown had to say. Sherrod Brown was on to something."

In Mississippi, Coon largely ran that kind of campaign with Childers. He didn't scare independent voters. He talked down trade agreements. And it worked.

Ohio Pol Phil Heimlich Becomes Radio Talker: Show Debuts Saturday In Toledo, Cleveland, Columbus

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- Phil Heimlich is returning to public life as a weekend talk show host on the Salem Radio Network, which is best known for carrying a mix of conservative talkers and Christian broadcasters. So he's not exactly following the footsteps of Jerry Springer, another former Cincinnati pol who forged into broadcasting after a political setback (Springer lost the 1982 Democratic primary for Ohio governor.) Earlier this year, Heimlich abandoned his campaign against U.S. Rep. Jean Schmidt for the Republican nomination in Ohio's 2nd Congressional District. His new weekly show, Hard Truths With Phil Heimlich, makes it debut Saturday (May 3) on five AM stations -- WTOD, 1560 Toledo; WHKW, 1220 Cleveland; WRFD, 880 Columbus; WGTK, 960 Louisville, Ky., and WLQV, 1500 Detroit.

Phil Heimlich is the son of Dr. Henry Heimlich, the physician credited with the maneuver that has saved choking victims around the world. Phil Heimlich has been a conservative Republican officeholder in Cincinnati, where he served on the City Council and Hamilton County Commission. He lost a race for reelection for the county office in 2006 and has largely faded from the public eye. His new show -- slated for the 2-3 p.m. timeslot on Saturday afternoons -- at present does not have an outlet in Cincinnati, his homebase. Although Salem's stable of talk show hosts includes conservatives such as Michael Medved, Bill Bennett and Hugh Hewitt, Heimlich says he does not intend to espouse either a Republican or Democratic party line:

"We will only find the answers to the difficult issues facing our country when we stop looking in the wrong places. We will not find answers in the often empty debate between Democrats and Republicans, nor with those labeled 'liberals' or 'conservatives.' Hard Trusts seeks the difficult answers where they best can be found. -- in the pages of history, through out own common sense, and most importantly in the Word of God."

OH-02 GOP Jean Schmidt: As If America's Cops Weren't Already Busy Enough . . .

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- U.S. Rep. Jean Schmidt is co-sponsoring the inaptly named "Stop Adolescent Smoking Without Excessive Bureaucracy Act of 2008." But if HR 5513 ever becomes law, the conservative Republican could have the cops busier than ever. The measure says police agencies will have to inform parents whenever kids are spotted or suspected of having any kind of tobacco product. Which probably means more bureaucracy and more paperwork. And probably less time to fight serious crimes like rape, robbery, murder, burglary, larceny and all the other offenses already on the books. Not that smoking is a good thing. But maybe law enforcement agencies have other things to do than tell parents that Johnny or Janie might have been puffing on a Marlboro.

Schmidt's proposed federal law would make it illegal for anyone under 18 to "possess or attempt to possess a tobacco product in a public place." And the cops would have to deliver the news, even if the kids "allegedly" had tobacco. Section (C) of the Schmidt bill declares:

"A law enforcement agency, upon determining that an individual under 18 years of age allegedly purchased or received a tobacco product, or allegedly received a tobacco product in a public place, shall notify the individual's parent or parents, custodian, or guardian (if the name and address of a parent, guardian, or custodian is readily ascertainable) . . "

No arrest, no jail, no fine. But parental notification by the cops. Just a knock on the door. Or a letter. Or a phone call from the local gendarmes. Or maybe the FBI. Or maybe an entirely new law enforcement agency would have to be created to deliver the news -- the tobacco police.

Schmidt is one of eight cosponsors of the bill, which was filed Feb. 28. The measure -- which hasn't drawn much attention -- is intended to reduce youth usage of tobacco products. Schmidt, who hails from Clermont County and represents the section of the state where Ohio's tobacco industry is based, faces Democrat Vic Wulsin in the November general election. Wulsin is a public health physician.

Besides Schmidt, the others on the tobacco police bill -- all Republicans -- are Marsha Blackburn, TX; Howard Coble, NC; Mary Fallin, OK, Tom Feeney, FL; Trent Franks, AZ; Patrick McHenry, NC; Peter Sessions, TX; John Shadegg, AZ.

OH-02 GOP Jean Schmidt: New Poll Numbers Seem To Show She's A Weak Incumbent

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- An internal poll taken for U.S. Rep. Jean Schmidt's reelection effort shows the OH-02 Republican is under 50% in her district's rural counties, at 51% in her suburban base, and at 52% in urban Hamilton County. The poll was taken a week after the March 4 nominating primary. Across OH-02, Schmidt's polling shows she leads Democrat Vic Wulsin by anywhere from 10 to 20 points. But nowhere does Schmidt get anywhere but a sliver beyond 50% support. The numbers indicate there's a huge amount of room for Wulsin between now and November; the numbers also show Schmidt isn't a popular incumbent.

But there is more than Schmidt's poll that gives the GOP pause. What should be most troubling for Republicans about OH-02 -- and most encouraging for Democrats -- is that Schmidt ran worse and turned out to be the weakest of the three GOP House incumbents who faced opposition for renomination in Ohio's March 4 primary. In OH-05, U.S. Rep. Bob Latta (R-NW Ohio) carried 74% of the ballots; 53,401 Republicans picked Latta in that contested primary. In OH-12, U.S. Rep. Pat Tiberi (R-Central Ohio) carried 91% of the GOP voters with 60,924 ballots in his contested primary. Schmidt received only 57% of the vote and 40,891 ballots. Compared to the two other Ohio congressional GOP incumbents who defeated primary opponents, Schmidt's performance was lackluster. Bottomline: Republicans who took part in the OH-02 primary showed they aren't enthralled with their congresswoman.

Matt Hurley at Weapons of Mass Discussion writes from the Republican side and sees Schmidt's latest internal polling as not entirely encouraging news:

"I'd still like to see Schmidt do better. Where might she pick up some of that support?"

Jeff Coryell, at Ohio Daily Blog writes from the Democratic side and also sees Schmidt's poll as not entirely good news for the conservative congresswoman from Clermont County:

". . . Schmidt barely cracks the 50% line even without a serious primary challenge. Wulsin received 14,074 more votes than Schmidt in the March 4th primary, a troubling sign for the incumbent."

Former Ohio GOP U.S. Rep. Bob McEwen: Yes, My OH-02 Republican Friends Voted For Vic Wulsin And Hillary

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- OH-02 Democratic Congressional candidate Vic Wulsin remarked Wednesday in a blog comment that conservative Republican Bob McEwen told her his guests at a dinner party earlier this week had abandoned the GOP. The six picked up Dem ballots on primary day March 4 and joined the crossover crowd. McEwen, who spoke to The Daily Bellwether about the big switcheroo, confirms Wulsin's account is correct. He said he phoned her Wednesday morning with the news. Says McEwen:

"I guess she left out the other part -- that they voted for Hillary, too. I had six people over for dinner that night and we talked about the voting. They all picked up Democratic ballots. Everybody was Republican, and they voted for Hillary and for her [Wulsin]. The reason they took a Democratic ballot? They wanted to help Hillary. I think it really was the Rush stuff."

Conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh urged listeners to vote for Hillary rather than John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee. McEwen told the Bellwether he stuck with the GOP on primary day. He also wonders if his friends -- the half dozen new Democratic converts -- would switch back to their original party by November's general election. "Only time will tell. I guess we're going to find out."

Wulsin's comment about McEwen's dinner party appears in this thread on FireDogLake. Here's what she said:

"The 2nd District has some very interesting dynamics. Congressman Bob McEwen [OH-R]called this morning to congratulate me. He said that at his dinner table last night, the other six guests-- all Republicans -- had chosen Democratic ballots and voted for, yep, Vic Wulsin! He says the Repubs want her OUT (he barely lost to her in the '06 primary so remember where he's coming from) and want a reasonable alternative. So, I'd like to think some of the crossing over comes from a desire to get Schmidt out. As an epidemiologist, I look forward to crunching some numbers to where the biggest 'crossing over' occurred and how that affected the Clinton:Obama ratio and the Wulsin:Black ratio."

Democratic Ballot Shortages In Clermont County: In Mean Jean's OH-02 Home Base, Of Course

BATAVIA, Ohio (TDB) -- Some precincts in Clermont County don't have enough Democratic ballots to meet expected demand and voters reportedly were being told to wait. But some news reports suggested citizens were being turned away. Sheriff's deputies were standing by to rush ballots to the polls. The shortage clearly is a major screw up and heads should roll. WKRC-TV, Channel 12 in Cincinnati is reporting that new ballots were hurriedly being printed to cover the primary day shortfall:

"Several precincts in Clermont County have run short on Democratic ballots. Election officials were printing more and the sheriff is delivering ballots to Milford, Miami Township and Union Township."

Those are some of the most heavily populated communities in Clermont County, a suburb of Cincinnati in Ohio's 2nd Congressional District. It is the home county of Republican U.S. Rep. Jean Schmidt, who is in a GOP primary today. Clermont -- on the Ohio River east of Cincinnati -- is one of the most Republican counties in Ohio and virtually every office is held by the GOP.

Howard Wilkinson at the Enquirer reports that some voters complain they had been turned away from the polls. There were complaints that some precincts in Clermont ran out of ballots at 2:45 p.m. Also, some voters were saying they had been asked to wait at the polls until new ballots arrived. An early official theory for the shortages: Crossover voting by Republicans who are picking up Democratic ballots.