OH-02 Dem Primary: 'Wulsin Girl' Was A Paid Wulsin Staffer

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- The Wulsin Girl video that is making a splash in the Ohiosphere has raised a question. Should there have been a disclaimer somewhere in the reporting about singer Ann Driscoll's ties to candidate Victoria Wulsin, who is running for the OH-02 Democratic nomination? Driscoll's performance has popped up everywhere from The Plain Dealer's OPENERS political blog to The Cincinnati Enquirer's POLITICS EXTRA. Nowhere do the reporters seem to make clear she once was a paid staffer for Wulsin -- perhaps they were burned by some exquisite viral marketing by that camp.

Back in June 2006, Driscoll posted on the pre-Jerid version of BuckeyeStateBlog over the need for transparency and disclosure in politics. She wrote about a joint appearance by Ted Strickland and Wulsin, who was the Dem party's nominee against U.S. Rep. Jean Schmidt. Driscoll said Strickland had enthusiastically endorsed Wulsin that year, and added:

"Full Disclosure: I am currently a paid staffer for Dr. Victoria Wulsin. I first got my start in blogging as an early supporter of her candidacy in the special election primary last summer, which Paul Hackett ultimately won. In light of the recent discussion regarding the dubious ethics of some of the biggest liberal bloggers in the nation, I think it is especially important to emphasize disclosure and transparency."

[UPDATE: 7:45 AM -- Jean Schmidt has seen the video and praises Driscoll. She told WKRC-TV, Channel 12: Ms. Driscoll is obviously a talented young woman. I liked the tune but have some issues with the lyrics. It's cute, she did a great job." The TV news report mentioned that Driscoll had worked for Wulsin previously, but called her "a past volunteer in the office." That seems to imply Driscoll was not a paid staffer.]

OBM's 'Transparency' Website: Finally Moves Pelosi From Ohio To California

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- The new federal online portal designed to make details about government spending more transparent can be quite muddy at times. USAspending.gov finally shows that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's congressional district isn't in Ohio, and didn't account for $184,209,050 in federal contracts in the state during fiscal year 2005. The old report showed federal contract dollars flowing into her faux Ohio district at a rate second only to that of U.S. Rep. John Boehner in OH-08. The latest report shows government contracts in OH-08 were valued at $196,394,602 in FY 2005; that is down dramatically from $330,563,132 reported on the transparency Website as recently as Dec. 28.

Federal officials says they are constantly updating and correcting data as it comes in from spending agencies. There is billions to keep up with in Ohio -- in FY 2006 some $8.2 billion, assuming the number hasn't changed in the past few hours. The FY2007 data currently on the transparency portal shows that Boehner's district received $492,503,380 from federal contracts. A few days ago, the number was far higher at $1.22 billion. Half the money simply vanished on the updated transparency report.

OH-o1 Republican Steve Chabot -- who represents a Cincinnati district next door to Boehner's -- seems to be the beneficiary of the shifting numbers. Federal dollars flowing to government contractors in Chabot's chunk of Ohio turf more than doubled from nearly $502 million to $1.33 billion.

Of course, all the numbers could be bogus, inaccurate or subject to revision. There just doesn't seem to be a way to trust the data reported on the line showing "Top 5 Known Congressional Districts Where Work Is Performed." Or it may be as simple as this: Even the federal government doesn't really know where all the money is going. Still, have some fun and check this current version of the FY2006 spending report. Will it be the same in two days?