From Yahoo photos:

Somone one Hillary’s advance team will be fired tommmmmmmorrow.

Dave Hickman, on a comment on Bizzyblog.com says yes, they do:

The reason it seems like there is no original content over at BSB is because Todd Hoffman, Ohio Democratic Party Online Communication Director, oversees and influences the content which Jerid Kurtz, Bryan Clark, modernesquire and others publish.

ODP Todd has administrative rights to BSB. I know because Todd banned me one late night when Jerid wasn’t around to do it for Todd.

Because the ODP failed at two official party blogs, they took over at BSB to turn the BSB front pagers into blind mouthpieces to spout off Todd Hoffman’s ODP press releases word-for-word.

Now young Jerid is uselessly tooling around New Hampshire because a few establishment Democrats held a fundraiser for him at the Short North Tavern in Columbus.

I’m sure that the presidential campaign staffers in New Hampshire have been handing-over plenty of press releases for Jerid to copy word-for-word into what he considers to be good BSB posts.

What a waste of a good blog. BSB was the #1 or #2 Ohio blog not very long ago (when Russell Hughlock moderated and front paged). Now, under Todd Hoffman, Bryan Clark, modernesquire and Jerid Kurtz’stewardship, BSB is struggling to be listed in the top 20 (currently #18 at blognetnews.com/ohio)

http://www.blognetnews.com/Ohio/influence-index.php

I think Brian makes some interesting points- I don’t know how true they are, but I think it is fair to say that Russell did a much better job than Jerid and the gang. While Russell was a Tory-turned-Democrat partisan who would say great things about a cheese sandwhich if it had a D next to its name, BSB is has turned into just a random collection of anti-Bush and anti-Matt Naugle posts… with “Renee in Ohio” chiming in from time to time with some random anti-religion commentary. I may disagree with Russell’s politics, but he was effective because he lacked a core philosophy- and thats what made him so good at promoting any local Democrat yahoo.

By the way- Isn’t it odd that Jerid and company would care so much about New Hampshire, when Ohio is going to be a serious battleground state that will be won by again by a tiny margin? His informal writings from the road are better suited for a personal myspace or xanga blog.

It looks like Jennifer Brunner and Marc Dann always find time for partisanship. Jennifer Brunner’s staff can’t bother to answer a simple question on the phone. And Marc Dann can’t bother to find out if anyone on his staff was criminally involved in someone’s death, or if his “top cop” was sill collecting a paycheck from the Youngstown police department while working for the AG’s office. But they somehow always find time to be partisan hacks and beat up on Ken Blackwell:

Attorney General Marc Dann has decided that former Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell did not have the legal authority to award $80,000 in bonuses to employees before he left office.

Jennifer Brunner, Blackwell’s successor, is asking Auditor Mary Taylor to declare that the bonuses were an illegal expenditure of public money so Dann’s office can seek to recover it.

A number of the staffers accepted the bonuses as severance payments, as some accepted the money instead of putting the Secretary of State’s office from having to pay unemployment compensation.

And while Democrats will still continue to kick and scream about this, they might want to remember that plenty of Democrats also received bonuses in other offices. And, when the Ohio legislature selectively gave bonuses to a select number of staffers, the current Chairman of the Ohio Democrat Party Chris Redfern even defended those bonuses!

Associated Press
Friday, December 30, 2005

BONUSES FOR SOME OF OHIO HOUSE STAFF CAUSE HARD FEELINGS
70% of employees didn’t get share of one-time incentives that totaled $89,500

COLUMBUS - Merit bonuses ranging from $500 to $4,000 handed out to 59 Ohio House employees have irked some of the 70 percent of staff members who didn’t get them.

The one-time bonuses totaled $89,500.

Scott Borgemenke, House Speaker Jon Husted’s chief of staff, said he understands some people are mad, but that’s what happens in a merit-based system.

“I hope it incentivizes them to work next year and do a better job,” he said.

House Minority Leader Chris Redfern agreed.

“If we’re going to say government should be run in a similar fashion to business, you have to award people on merit from time to time,” he said.

“And if that makes someone unhappy, no good deed goes unpunished.”

So if Chris Redfern supported bonuses as incentives for government employees as a means to increase productivity, then why wasn’t Ken Blackwell allowed to do the same?

When you consider the pay and the benefits given to state government employees, they are certainly paid more than enough. But this situation is nothing more than selective outrage by a couple of hyper-partisan political hacks.

Bizzyblog has the details here.

But I thought Ted Strickland opposed this effort? Could it be a sign that Gov. Strickland is ok with with amendment and will do everything to help the education amendment behind the scenes, but won’t publicly endorse it? Would Progress Ohio boldly steal Strickland’s slogan without his approval?

Laura Bischoff reports that Dann’s driver was convicted of involuntary manslaughter:

COLUMBUS - For the last three months, an ex-con has been driving Attorney General Marc Dann around the state and attending to his security details.

Dann’s office fired David L. Nelson, 57, last week when a national criminal background check turned up a misdemeanor involuntary manslaughter conviction from 1976 in Mercer County, Pennsylvania.

Nelson, a retired steel worker from Girard near Youngstown, passed an Ohio criminal background check when he was hired Feb. 20 as a $12-an-hour, part-time driver for Dann, said Jennifer Brindisi, a spokeswoman for the attorney general. Nelson’s title was deputy security director.

When Nelson was expected to transfer to the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation to work transporting evidence, a national background check was ordered.

Pennsylvania records show Nelson was originally charged with murder and voluntary manslaughter in the Sept. 6, 1975, shooting death of John M. Smith. Those charges were dropped when Nelson agreed to plead guilty to involuntary manslaughter, according to court records. He was sentenced to 11 to 23 months in prison but served most of that time in a half-way house and later on probation.

Nelson worked as a driver on Dann’s campaign as well, transporting him for thousands of miles, and contributed to Dann’s campaign coffers, according to state records. But Dann was unaware of Nelson’s criminal background, Brindisi said.

So the Attorney General couldn’t do a simple national background check before hiring this guy? How incompetent can Marc Dann be?

Dayton Daily News reports that Gov. Bob Taft has been hired by the University of Dayton as the “distinguished research associate for educational excellence.”

“Taft had mixed results as governor, but he’s very well respected nationally as a leader of education reform,” said Mickey McCabe, vice president for research and executive director of UDRI, who will supervise Taft.

Taft is well respected nationally as a leader of education reform? Who knew?

The OSU Lantern newspaper officially endorsed socialized healthcare. Why? Because Sandman, the villain in Spider-Man 3, might have been saved from a life of crime if health care was provided by the federal government.

Just a reminder- Your tax dollars help fund this sort of deep thinking.

(Thanks to Andy for the tip.)

Gag!:

MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) - Presidential hopeful Hillary Rodham Clinton outlined a broad economic vision Tuesday, saying it’s time to replace an “on your own” society with one based on shared responsibility and prosperity.

The Democratic senator said what the Bush administration touts as an ownership society really is an “on your own” society that has widened the gap between rich and poor.

“I prefer a ‘we’re all in it together’ society,” she said.

I think that idea has already been tried before…

Remember when Marc Dann used tax-payer dollars to buy a $40,374 SUV from a campaign donor?

It turns out that Dann’s driver has a serious criminal record, and Dann’s office won’t relase the records, even though they are required to by law:

AG driver fired after FBI check
By AMY McCULLOUGH Tribune Chronicle

WARREN - A part-time employee of the Ohio Attorney General’s Office was fired last week after a federal agency discovered he had a criminal background.

Although David Nelson, who was hired as Attorney General Marc Dann’s part-time driver, initially passed a Web Check background search, he did not clear a national background search conducted by the FBI, attorney general spokeswoman Jennifer Brindisi said Wednesday.

The national check was conducted when Nelson was transferred to the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation’s Boardman Office, where he was supposed to transport evidence.

Although Dann’s campaign mantra centered on his investigation of the “Coingate’’scandal and the successful lawsuit against then-Gov. Bob Taft for the release of public records in that case, Brindisi said she could not release the conviction that led to Nelson’s dismissal, saying it was a personnel matter.

The Attorney General’s Office is responsible for protecting Ohio Sunshine Laws, which cover public records, including convictions. The Tribune Chronicle is filing a request for the records.

If Marc Dann cares about keeping government transparent, he will release those documents. Maybe we need a Marc Dann-like candidate to sue Marc Dann?

Nate Livingston of the Cincinnati Black Blog, after reading an article in The Cincinnati Enquirer, sums up Ted Strickland’s plan for raising the black graduation rate:

I gather, from reading the article, that Governor Ted Strickland’s plan, if you can call it that, for raising the Black graduation rate consists of giving former State Senator C. J. Prentiss a job. That’s some plan.

I think Ted Strickland is just trying to make up for never meeting a black person in his life until he was elected Governor.

Here is the video from the press conference I mentioned yesterday, with Bill Todd, candidate for Mayor of Columbus:

Here is a good overview of Ohio’s nepotism law. It is clear that Mike Coleman, and the Strickland administration have some serious questions to answer.

From Ken Blackwell’s latest column at Townhall.com:

“There are two powers in this world, the sword and the spirit. Over time the spirit will always prevail.” - Napoleon

The merciless monsters who constitute Al Qaeda and its terrorist movement are equal opportunity killers.

They will use anyone - man, woman, pregnant mother, child - in acts of suicide to kill anyone: Spanish commuters, Sudanese Christians, Indian train travelers, London Tube-riders and tourists, or Americans working at their desks on a clear September morning.

They will kill by any means: videotaped beheadings, homemade bombs packed with nails, explosive chlorine tanks, and, of course, jetliners loaded with fuel and people. Their terrorism is an asymmetric form of warfare that seeks to attack the human spirit.

Read the rest of Ken’s column here.

From the Dayton Daily News

State Reps. Shannon Jones, R-Springboro, and Josh Mandel, R-Lyndhurst, are sponsoring a bill to force the pension systems, state treasury and Bureau of Workers' Compensation to divest from several dozen companies that do business in Iran and Sudan. Jones said the pension systems have about $1 billion invested in these companies, primarily foreign oil interests.

But four of the five pension systems oppose the bill, saying mandated divestiture on a timetable could cost them a bundle and conflict with their fiduciary responsibilities to manage the investments for the best return.

The Ohio Retirement Study Council, which reviews legislation affecting the pension systems, recommended against the bill.

The five pension systems collectively control $175 billion, BWC has an $18 billion portfolio and the treasury controls $11 billion but rarely invests in stocks and bonds.

Retirement Study Council Director Aris Hutras pointed out that the bill doesn't mandate divestment by other large state investors, such as public universities or the Ohio Public Employees Deferred Compensation Program.

Jones says it isn't about making a political statement. Instead, the bill is designed to protect retirees' money since investing in Iran and Sudan is risky.

"I can't understand why the pension funds are resisting this," Jones said. "It's their responsibility to be assessing this risk. They are not."

This could be the first meaningful thing done to help Darfur.

Lincoln Logs has the details here. How sad it is to find out with sort of idiots Jennifer Brunner hired.

from the email inbox:

(Columbus) Today at 2:00, at the offices of the Ohio Republican Party, Bill Todd will call for a state and local investigation into Strickland-Fisher Transition Team Chairman Michael Coleman’s activities concerning the hiring of personnel for the Transition Team.

Todd will have brief prepared remarks, and be available for questions.

I’ll post the media reports of this important press conference as they come in.

Update @ 2:45pm:

Todd calls for three investigations into activities of Strickland Transition Team

Mayoral candidate questions Mike Coleman’s role in Transition Team personnel activities

(Columbus) Mayoral Candidate Bill Todd today called for separate state and local investigations into the hiring and payroll activities of the Strickland-Fisher Transition Team. His announcement is in follow-up to a public records request Todd made on May 21 of Governor Strickland, Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman who served as Transition Team chairman, and John Haseley, the Governor’s current chief of staff. To date, Todd has received no response from any of the three individuals.

Todd is concerned, among other things, with the fact that Mayor Coleman apparently hired his wife, Frankie, to a position on the Transition Team. It is a felony for a Public Official, under 2921.42(A) of the Ohio Revised Code, to neither authorize the employment of a family member nor use the authority of his position to secure employment for any family member.

“The citizens of Columbus, and frankly of Ohio, deserve a full explanation and accounting of all Transition Team activities, especially as they relate to personnel decisions,” Todd said.

Todd is calling on State Inspector General Tom Charles to add this matter to his pending investigation of Mrs. Coleman. He is also asking the Ohio Ethics Commission and Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien to engage in separate investigations of Transition Team activities.

-30-

From The Cleveland Scene:

Roetzel in the crossfire
The last time we checked in with Joanne Schneider, she was at the center of one of Ohio’s largest securities-fraud cases [”The $60 Million Pyramid,” April 19, 2006].

It all started when Schneider decided to take on an ambitious project in Parma Heights that included a gated community, waterfalls, three restaurants, and two arcades. Problem is, Schneider raised $60 million from more than 700 investors through promissory notes — formal IOUs that she had no way of paying back. She was quickly hit with a cease-and-desist order from the state Division of Securities.

But according to stiffed investors, her attorney, Ken Lapine of Roetzel & Andress, didn’t tell her to stop issuing the IOUs. Instead, Lapine allegedly used Roetzel’s clout with former Attorney General Jim Petro to stall any prosecution of Schneider. After all, Roetzel was responsible for one-tenth of Petro’s donations. And the Laziest Man in Law Enforcement had a sturdy reputation for turning a blind eye to anyone willing to pay.

As Schneider continued to rake in investors, Roetzel collected fees approaching $1 million.

Now Schneider faces 163 counts of fraud. And she doesn’t seem interested in going down alone.

Until now, Lapine has refused to reveal anything about his work for Schneider, claiming attorney-client privilege. But last week, Schneider waived said privilege, which means Lapine can now be deposed. And that may produce some rather unseemly headlines for one of Ohio’s most connected law firms.

“This is huge,” says Josh Cohen, who represents investors. “[Schneider] put herself in peril by doing this, but we are convinced that there’s a strong case against Roetzel & Andress. Their political pull is terrifying.”

Some facts about the state of real estate in Cuyahoga County (from the Northern Ohio Multiple Listing System, need to be a member to access the site)

In the 4th Quarter of 2006

10,817 homes for sale / 3,082 Homes Sold

In the 1st Quarter of 2007

13,030 homes for sale / 2,456 Homes Sold (A 4,000 home jump in a quarter)

——-

In the 4th Quarter of 2006

75 days for a home to sell in Cuyahoga County

In the 1st Quarter of 2007

86 days for a home to sell in Cuyahoga County (Taking a week an a half longer, which is forever in real estate)

——-

In the 4th Quarter of 2006

$154,100 average sale price for a home in Cuyahoga County

In the 1st Quarter of 2007

$142,900 average sale price for a home in Cuyahoga County (Buyers settling for less to leave Cuyahoga)

Instead of debating Rob Frost in a losing arguement about wasting $22 million . Why doesn't the County Commissioners actually try and do something to save an ever shrinking tax base. Keep in mind the cheaper the home prices get the less PROPERTY TAX the county gets. Although Ohio isn't booming right now, I guarentee that the surrounding counties are probably doing better than this. Mabye one of the other bloggers could do some statistical analysis on these numbers and present them in a better fashion.

This isn't a partisan attack, this is a plea, if Cuyahoga isn't saved…this state will never "Turnaround."

This probably helps , although they would do it anyway since all the big cities are run by Democrats, however if you're a business owner why would you want to locate a business to a place where your people don't want to live. You need to do more than just throw money at the problem, you'll need to change the climate of the county. In addition, by targeting the big cities, it seems that the Governor is letting the suburbs which are propping up the state, suffer a bit.

UPDATE : LEE FISHER WANTS TO ELIMINATE TWO COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FROM CUYAHOGA COUNTY

Fisher, a Cleveland Democrat, told the City Club audience that Cuyahoga County could improve communication with municipal leaders by switching from three county commissioners to a single elected executive, a system used in Summit County.

Just think of the salaries and benefits that would be saved by us taxpayers of Cuyahoga County. I wonder if this will get any press, since the county commissioners are all Democrats.

Ouch.

Newt also said that the GOP must run against Bush in 2008 to win, much like Nicolas Sarkozy ran against Jacques Chirac. Considering how the President is handling the immigration bill, its getting difficult to argue against Newt.

From Jonathan Riskind and Jack Torry in The Columbus Dispatch:

WASHINGTON — One after another, in amounts from $500 to the maximum $2,300, the contributions flew into the campaign coffers of Sen. George V. Voinovich.

In all, 20 executives and family members affiliated with WellCare Health Plans gave $16,300 to the Ohio Republican during a Feb. 20 fundraiser in Florida.

Why the newfound generous support by a Florida-based HMO for an Ohio lawmaker?

It’s all about relationships. WellCare opened its doors in Ohio late last year. So when its representatives were invited to the fundraiser, the HMO’s executives figured that some campaign contributions were a good idea.

“We accepted this invitation to start to build local relationships,” WellCare spokesman John Aberg said.

Sudden wellsprings of campaign cash from a company’s political-action committee, or bundling of executives’ donations, generally don’t materialize simply out of the goodness of a corporation’s heart.

Neither the Voinovich campaign nor WellCare elaborated on who invited the company’s executives or precisely how Voinovich and WellCare found each other.