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Home > Blogs > Ohio politics > Archives > 2009 > July > 15
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Deceased voters “aid” casino petition drive
In Montgomery County, petitions to put a casino issue on the November ballot, include signatures from some deceased voters, Board of Elections Director Steve Harsman said on Wednesday, July 15.
Harsman said the board at its Wednesday meeting would consider turning the issue over to the Montgomery County prosecutor’s office for investigation.
The same problem has cropped up in Preble County. Board of Elections Director Virginia Weiler said one of the signatures on petitions there was from her father Joseph who died in 1974.
Opponents of the casino plan said in a press release that there are “widespread irregularities” statewide in the petition drive.
Casino backers support investigations into irregularities and “we think anyone who violated state law ought to be prosecuted to the fullest,” said Bob Tenenbaum, spokesman for the backers.
They want to put an issue on the Nov. 3 ballot to put casinos in Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Toledo. They have filed petitions with about 850,000 signatures, more than double the 402,275 required.
Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner has sent the petitions out to county boards of elections to be verified. Harsman said that in Montgomery County about 32,000 of the 82,000 signatures have been determined valid. In Preble County, 830 of 1,992 signatures were valid, Weiler said.
If the petitions don’t have enough valid signatures on the first try, they get 10 more days to gather more.
Penn National Gaming of Wyomissing, Pa. and Dan Gilbert, majority owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers, are financial backers of the casino plan.
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U.S. Senate campaign bucks: Portman, $1.7M, Fisher, $900,000, Brunner, $228,000
This just in from Dayton Daily News Washington correspondent Jessica Wehrman:
Republican Rob Portman raised $1.7 million for his U.S. Senate campaign in the second quarter, ending June 30, according to his campaign finance report. Portman, a former Cincinnati-area U.S. House member, also raised $1.7 million in the first quarter.
Portman has $4.3 million on hand for the campaign.
Democrats Lee Fisher and Jennifer Brunner also released fund raising information.
“Ohioans are responding to our message that Washington isn’t doing enough to create jobs and opportunities for economic growth,” Portman said in a press release.
“Middle-class families are anxiously watching their budgets while Washington allows runaway spending to continue. The strong support I’ve received makes clear that Ohioans are looking for leadership on health care, energy and tax relief instead of implementing more job-killing policies.”
The second quarter contributions came from 2,216 individual donors; combined with first quarter donors, nearly 3,500 individuals are behind Portman, the release said.
Also, Democratic Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher’s campaign for the U.S. Senate said on Wednesday, July 15, that Fisher raised more than $900,000 in the second quarter.
That brings his total to more than $1.9 million raised since he entered the 2010 Senate race in February, the campaign said.
Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, who’s battling Fisher for the Democratic nomination, raised more than $228,000 in the second quarter and overall has raised more than $435,000, Brunner’s campaign said.
Both Fisher’s and Brunner’s campaigns said they were pleased.
“We’re grateful for the support we’ve received from every corner of Ohio,” Fisher for Ohio campaign manager Geri Prado said in a press release. “This campaign is about keeping good-paying jobs in Ohio and creating new jobs by making our state the hub of the clean, green energy industry.”
“My campaign is hungrier, smarter, more disciplined and more focused on solid public policy that touches the lives of everyday Ohioans,” Brunner said in a press release.
“If it was all about money, Lee Fisher would have been elected governor more than a decade ago and saved Ohio from Bob Taft.”
Rob Portman and Cleveland-area auto dealer Tom Ganley are vying for the GOP nomination.
The candidates are seeking the seek now held by Republican Sen. George Voinovich who is not seeking re-election.
