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."]

OH-02 GOP Jean Schmidt: USA Needs National Watermelon Month

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- This is almost too fruity to believe. Oh-02 Republican U.S. Rep. Jean Schmidt agreed last month to cosponsor a House resolution perpetually declaring July "National Watermelon Month." But don't mark your calendars yet. The measure has been buried in a committee. And at the moment, Schmidt seems to be the only member of the Ohio House delegation who considers this a matter of such import it deserves congressional attention.

The push for a National Watermelon Month is backed by the National Watermelon Association, a trade group for the watermelon growers and dealers. Is it possible that Schmidt -- who signed on to co-sponsor H.R. 578 on December 11, 2007 -- agreed to lend her support in exchange for a campaign contribution or some other form of political support this election year? Perhaps the growers have in mind some kind of fundraising event or reception. Her interest in watermelons seems puzzling because watermelon production is not exactly a huge industry in Ohio, nor in Ohio's 2nd Congressional District which includes Cincinnati, its East Side suburbs and five Appalachian counties.

Schmidt put her name on co-sponsor list less than a month after
Dummocrats rated the National Watermelon Month resolution as among the silliest introduced in Congress this session. The measure notes that 4.2 billion pounds of watermelon are grown in the U.S. each year, that they are eaten and bought in all 50 states and are exported to Canada. It also proclaims that watermelon has been a nutritious family favorite for generations of Americans. H.R. 578 goes on to declare:

"Resolved, that it is the sense of the House of Representatives that there should be established a National Watermelon Month to recognize the health benefits of watermelon and the importance of watermelon to the agriculture industry of the United States."

Mean Jean And Her Schmidt-Kickers: Heimlich Will Spin The Sour Notes

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- Republican congressional candidate Phil Heimlich has been busy in the studio putting together a campaign album that he calls Jean Schmidt's Greatest Hits. The platter will come out the same week that tables are loaded with Thanksgiving turkeys. No coincidence there. Check out the album cover, and a list of some of the tunes coming our way. It is the start of his long and winding road to the March 2008 primary.

Heimlich, a former Hamilton County Commissioner and Cincinnati City Council member, wants to get back into political office. He is challenging U.S. Rep. Schmidt in a contest for the GOP nomination in Ohio's 2nd Congressional District. Some Republicans have spread rumors he plans to drop out of the contest. But the upcoming attack on Schmidt seems to belie those rumors as coming from a bunch of day trippers. Heimlich says he's got an "amazing Internet offer" that won't be available in any stores.

"Over the next several weeks we'll be unveiling Jean Schmidt's Greatest Hits. a compilation of outrageous statements, misleading rhetoric, backpedaling positions, and is some cases outright falsehoods. The accomplishments have earned Jean notoriety, not just locally but all across the nation. From labeling people cowards to eating crow, Jean Schmidt has squeezed so many embarrassing moments into such a short amount of time, it's hard to imagine what she could accomplish in yet another term in Congress."

Heimlich's spin, of course, is that Schmidt is an inept and boorish political figure, an impetuous diva, who is out of tune with her district, which covers seven counties in southern Ohio.

OH-02 Dem Steve Black: Calls On Mean Jean To Be Keen Jean On SCHIP

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- Democrat Steve Black, who is seeking the OH-02 nomination, sends an open letter to Republican U.S. Rep. Jean Schmidt urging her to change course and vote to override President Bush's SCHIP veto later this week. Black says she can redeem herself from an earlier vote to "gut this incredibly effective bipartisan program."

Black has to get past another Democrat -- physician and '06 Dem nominee Vic Wulsin. His move today is good politics; the children's health insurance is popular, and he has seized upon her opposition as an opportunity to revive the Mean Jean image that has dogged Schmidt since her days as a state legislator. Black doesn't come right out and call her Mean Jean, but he paints her opposition to SCHIP as near heartless.

Read on for the full-text of Black's letter to Schmidt:

October 15, 2007
U.S. Representative Jean Schmidt
238 Cannon House Office BuildingWashington, DC 20515

Dear Rep. Schmidt:

I am writing to ask that you vote to override the President's veto of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) reauthorization legislation. Although your "no" vote on this legislation sadly speaks for itself, I am sure the voters of the 2d District would like to hear the reasoning behind your vote to gut this incredibly effective, bipartisan program that promotes the health and well-being of America's children.

As you must know, the SCHIP reauthorization has had bipartisan support within Congress and from others, including the National Governors Association, the AARP, faith based groups, and numerous medical/health provider associations. If you studied the issue, you must also know that 80% of our uninsured are working families; the number of uninsured children skyrocketed by 710,000 last year alone; and ever fewer employers are insuring their workers and their families. And, finally, as you should know, uninsured children are 4 times likely to use expensive emergency room care than insured children, and are 2 ½ times more likely to go without care for an illness than insured children – a financial and social cost to us all. SCHIP has been a safety net for families with incomes too high to qualify for Medicaid, but too low to afford private coverage. Since SCHIP began, the number of uninsured children has dropped significantly, with SCHIP currently enrolling 6.6 million children.

President Bush's target of allocating a $5 billion increase to SCHIP over the next five years will cut funding for approximately 21% of children currently enrolled. His veto, if allowed to stand, will also dash the hopes of millions more currently uninsured lower to lower middle income children who would be helped by the $35 billion SCHIP reauthorization, responsibly paid by for an increased cigarette tax. President Bush wrongly portrayed SCHIP as government run amok, a program that would deprive Americans of "choice and competition that comes from the private market."

Rep. Schmidt, there is NO choice available for millions of Americans who are excluded from the private market due to exorbitant premiums and insurers who "cherry pick" only the healthy. If the private market could have fixed this problem, wouldn't it have done so by now? Why did you reject this long-term investment in America's and Ohio's children? Healthy children learn better in school. Healthy children are more likely to be productive citizens. Healthy children should be America's priority. It is a priority of mine. You should make it yours. I ask you to put aside partisan politics and vote to override the President's veto.

Sincerely, Steve Black