Anti-Boehner billboard along interstate

PAC plans more such attacks; House minority leader's camp says claims are false.

A billboard paid for by Blue America PAC is seen off of southbound I-75 right after the Paddock Road on Wed., August 4.

Samantha Grier/Staff photographer A billboard paid for by Blue America PAC is seen off of southbound I-75 right after the Paddock Road on Wed., August 4.

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By Josh Sweigart, Staff Writer Updated 2:13 AM Friday, August 6, 2010

HAMILTON — Motorists headed to Cincinnati on Interstate 75 are likely to notice a billboard that went up this week featuring a photo of U.S. House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-West Chester Twp., swinging a golf club.

“When was the last time you golfed 119 times in one year?” the sign asks.

The billboard, an attack on Boehner, is funded by the national Blue America Political Action Committee. The PAC has raised $16,000 for billboards and other media attacks on Boehner as he is being challenged by Democrat Justin Coussoule of Liberty Twp.

“We think we’re going to spend much, much more than that on Justin,” said Blue America PAC founder Howie Klein.

The billboard refers to reports that Boehner’s PAC spent more than $80,000 on golf outings last year, and Boehner headlined 119 Republican fundraisers.

Boehner campaign spokesman Cory Fritz calls the billboard’s claim “false.”

“Congressman Boehner held seven golf events last year, not 119,” Fritz said. “He did hold 119 events in the district and across the country to benefit conservative candidates ... but only seven were golf outings.”

“Being minority leader or speaker of the House means John Boehner has a bigger platform to push for the priorities and values of the people of the 8th District of Ohio,” Fritz said. “If that makes him a bigger target for folks outside of Ohio who disagree with those priorities, so be it. It goes with the territory.”

Despite Boehner’s prominence on the national stage as he aims to become speaker if Republicans take back the House in the fall, Coussoule’s campaign said this sort of help from outside the district has been unusual.

“We are really, really a grassroots campaign,” said Alliea Phipps, Coussoule’s campaign manager. “I don’t think we’re getting more money because he’s running for speaker of the House, but I think we’re getting more money because he’s forgotten the office he’s currently holding and the people he’s representing.”

Coussoule’s campaign has raised $60,407 by June 30, according to his July Federal Elections Commission filing. The vast majority of that has come from Ohio residents donating less than $500 each.

Boehner’s campaign has raised nearly $4.5 million. His biggest source also was small individual contributions; those required to be listed were mostly from Ohio. He also received $1.7 million in large contributions from PACs across the country.

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2175 or jsweigart@coxohio.com.

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