Sherrod Brown's wife quits Plain Dealer after covering Josh Mandel campaign even

Today the Cleveland Plain Dealer announced  the resignation of Connie Schultz, wife of Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH).  Schultz had come under fire recently for attending a Tea Party rally near Cleveland at which her husband's likely opponent in 2012, Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel, was a featured speaker.  Schultz was spotted videotaping Mandel's speech, but she conspicuously neglected to mention in her article that Mandel was even at the rally. (Read the details in my previous diary).

Once news about Schultz's covert-op became known, the Pulitzer prize winning journalist and 18-year veteran of the Plain Dealer issued a  breathless apology, claiming that she never thought for a minute she was doing anything wrong and just "felt sick about it" and had learned her lesson.

Of course, the real issue was whether or not she was engaging in campaign activities at the behest of or on the tab of the Plain Dealer, the largest newspaper in Ohio.  If so, this would be this would be too obvious even for the mainstream media.  They still like to maintain the appearance of impartiality.
And so we have Ms. Schultz's resignation:

"In recent weeks, it has become painfully clear that my independence, professionally and personally, is possible only if I'm no longer writing for the newspaper that covers my husband's senate race on a daily basis. It's time for me to move on."

This begs a couple questions:

1.  It took four years into her husband's term to realize she is not an unbiased columnist when her husband is a sitting senator? 
2. Has this still not become "painfully clear" to the executives and editorial board of the Plain Dealer? Why did they let this go on for four years?

I would also like to know who else on the Plain Dealer staff is conducting campaign activities while being paid by the Plain Dealer.  If they are conducting research for campaigns while they are preforming their duties as reporters/columnists/etc., it needs to be listed as "in kind" donations on campaign finance reports. Perhaps Secretary of State Jon Husted should start asking some questions and poking around in Sherrod Brown's campaign finance reports.


UPDATE: The Plain Dealer added some commentary to Schultz's resignation letter at 3:32 PM:

"Schultz had written for the newspaper for nearly 18 years. She is married to Democratic U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, who will seek re-election to the U.S. Senate next year. Conservatives have criticized Schultz and The Plain Dealer, saying that she used her column to support her husband's political career.
Both Schultz and the leadership of the newspaper have maintained that her words are her own, and pointed out that she began writing about workers' rights and other liberal causes long before she married Brown in 2004.
Schultz took a leave of absence in 2006 when Brown first ran for the Senate."

Her editor, Debra Adams Simmons added:

"Her steadfast commitment to social and economic justice, her advocacy on behalf of women and her courageous efforts to speak truth to power highlight a distinguished career. Although Connie is moving on, hers will continue to be an important voice for the region."

Note how many liberal buzz words and phrases the editor from the Plain Dealer managed to pack into one sentence: "social and economic justice," "advocacy on behalf of women," and "speak truth to power."

Tells you all you need to know about the editorial perspective of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Is Sen. Sherrod Brown’s (D-OH) newspaper reporter wife campaigning on the Plain Dealer’s dime?

Is it appropriate for the wife of a sitting U.S. senator to report on political issues for a major newspaper in his state? If so, would propriety require that the reporter and the newspaper disclose the nature of the relationship between the reporter and the senator? Do the rules change as election activities commence? At what point are the reporter's activities (and the newspaper's subsidy of them) considered to be campaign contributions?


Those are questions people in Ohio are asking as the Third Base Politics blog reportedtonight that Plain Dealer columnist and wife of Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Connie Schultz, was spotted at a recent Tea Party Express rally in Lorain County.


In her column, titled "Politely Crashing the Tea Party," Schultz "politely" ridiculed the number of attendees, the absence of presidential candidates, a speaker she didn't agree with and three men (out of hundreds of attendees) who made rude comments to her.


However, Schultz made no mention of the fact that her three-hour visit to the Tea Party rally included finding a comfortable seat and videotaping a speech by Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel, who is her husband's likely opponent in the Ohio senate race in 2012. It couldn't have been easy to sit and listen to Mandel blaming her husband for Obamacare and calling him a leftist. On the other hand, as an avowed leftist herself, she may have been beaming with pride. Watch her and judge for yourself:

In a follow-up "apology" column today, Schultz brushed off the criticism saying she made a "mistake":

"I did not mention [Josh Mandel] because I wanted to avoid the appearance of singling him out for criticism, or promoting my husband. In retrospect, that was a mistake. You, the reader, should always be trusted to make up your own mind about whether my writing presents a conflict. That's why transparency matters. I am in the unique position of being a newspaper columnist married to a U.S. senator. My opinions are my own, but I must be ever vigilant to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest. I'm sorry I didn't let you know Mandel showed up."

Now, Schultz is no journalistic neophyte. She's a syndicated columnist with a Pulitzer prize on her desk. She's written a couple books and has written for the vaunted (ahem) Huffington Post. Holding her hands up to her cheeks and exclaiming, "Oh my goodness! I had no idea I would cause such a fuss!" just does not fly here.

On the issue of videotaping Mandel's speech, Schultz claimed that an operative for the Democratic party with a video camera was escorted out of the stadium and she felt compelled, as a journalist, to exercise her free speech rights:

"I did this because I think it's wrong for organizers of a public political event to cherry pick who is allowed to videotape a public official's speech. 

"As a resident of Avon, I knew taxpayers had approved a .25-percent income tax in 2007 to help pay for the stadium. I also knew the state exempted Avon from paying property tax on the facility, "with the understanding [that it] was devoted exclusively to 'public use.' " 

"When I held up my camera, I thought the journalist in me was making an in-your-face point about public forums."

All Pro Freight Stadium, home of the Lake Erie Crushers, rents its facility out for private events. I am guessing that the Tea Party Express event was one such private event. I'm no lawyer, but it would seem that funding with property taxes would not give every property owner in the city the right to control and direct private events in the stadium. If a DNC activist with a camera was causing trouble, the group hosting the private event would be within their rights to have them removed from the event.

Schultz continued:

"What I failed to consider is that I am never just another journalist when the public official who is speaking is bashing my husband. 

"Taping the speech gave the appearance that I was covering Mandel for The Plain Dealer. That was not, and never will be, the case. It doesn't matter that I did nothing with my video, or that someone else posted a video of Mandel's speech on You Tube. I should have taken a deep breath and kept my camera in my bag."

Really, she just failed to consider that? During Brown's last campaign, Schultz took a leave of absence from her leftist column in the Plain Dealer. This time around the Plain Dealer has promoted her to the front page of the Metro Section. (You can make up your own mind about whether conservatives get a fair shake in the paper that employs Senator Brown's wife).
Senator Brown wanted to make it perfectly clear that his wife was not on campaign assignment, telling WKYC's Tom Beres,

"She was not doing campaign work. Somebody that wanted to tape the speech was thrown out, probably illegally, because it's a public-funded venue. And she taped it. She didn't give it to the campaign. She's a citizen. She was there."

Of course, now that she's been caught, she couldn't give the tape to the campaign. Because, after all, that's the most serious issue here. If Schultz was conducting opposition research on Treasurer Mandel on the Plain Dealer's dime - on behalf of Brown's campaign - then it would need to be reported as a campaign contribution by the Plain Dealer. Otherwise, it would be a violation of campaign finance laws. That would be aside from the serious ethical boundaries the Plain Dealer would have crossed in having its employees conducting campaign activities.

Beyond that is the blatant impropriety demonstrated by the Plain Dealer and Schultz. Her bio fails to mention the connection between Schultz and Brown even though she writes consistently about political issues. Some recent columns have read like Democratic Party talking points: "Voter fraud is just a dark GOP fantasy," "Gay marriage just isn't a problem," "Teachers undeservedly face bashing and bullying" [by Republicans].

If Schultz is going to blatantly promote the policies of the DNC, she needs to clearly and conspicuously disclose her marriage to Brown.

In addition, if she is conducting campaign activities on company time, it needs to be reported as such. Furthermore, if there are other Plain Dealer reporters and employees engaging in campaign activities, they must report it. In fact, perhaps there should be an investigation to find out if Schultz or any other Plain Dealer employees are donating their time to political campaigns while on company time. These are lines than should not be blurred.

Cut, Cap, and Balance

Senator Jim DeMint was on Hannity tonight promoting a new website - a movement, really - called  Cut, Cap, Balance Pledge.  It's a bold plan to set us back on the road to fiscal responsibility:

"We believe that the “Cut, Cap, Balance” plan for substantial spending cuts in FY 2012, a statutory spending cap, and Congressional passage of a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution is the minimum necessary precondition to raising the debt limit. The ultimate goal is to get us back to a point where increases in the debt limit are no longer necessary."

The group hopes to make this the focus of a national debate during next year's election cycle.  It is asking legislators, candidates and ordinary citizens to take the pledge:

1. Cut - Substantial cuts in spending that will reduce the deficit next year and thereafter.
2. Cap - Enforceable spending caps that will put federal spending on a path to a balanced budget.
3. Balance - Congressional passage of a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution -- but only if it includes both a spending limitation and a super-majority for raising taxes, in addition to balancing revenues and expenses.

So far three presidential candidates have signed on - Ron Paul, Tim Pawlenty and Herman Cain,  as well as 15 House members and 11 Senators. [UPDATE: Rick Santorum has also signed]  I hope in the coming days that I will see Rep. Jim Renacci from my district and Ohio Senator Rob Portman added to the list.  Both campaigned as fiscal conservatives and stressed the need to cut federal spending.  Time to walk the talk, gentlemen. 

Also notable is the list of 2012 Congressional candidates.  On the U.S. Senate list we find both Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel and former OH State Senator Kevin Coughlin.  So....I guess it's official that Mandel is running for the Senate?  He's been evasive when questioned about it, but all signs have pointed to him running.  This is just one more indication that he's in.  That he's boldly jumping in with DeMint, Marco Rubio, and Rand Paul at the outset of the race gives us an indication of how he might position himself as a candidate and if elected,  with whom he might align himself.  This is a GOOD development!  After years of suffering through Sherrod Brown, Ohio could use a Marco Rubio-style senator of our own, couldn't we?  

Let's be honest here.  A balanced budget amendment is a long shot.  Amending the Constitution is a very difficult process by design.  Either two-thirds of both houses of Congress or two-thirds of the state legislatures must propose the amendment.  Then, three-fourths of the state legislatures must approve it.  But the 26th amendment, which gave 18-year-olds the right to vote,  only took four months, so it's not an impossible task.

And the first two parts of the pledge - cut and cap - are within reach if the Republicans will hold the line and stand on the promises they made when they were elected in 2010.

Take a few minutes to check out the website.  If your senator or representative has not signed on,  call, send an e-mail or Facebook message or tweet them.  It only takes a minute and a few dozen calls and messages can make a huge difference.  Also, share the website with all your Facebook and Twitter friends.

Ohio's Conservative Coalition

OH conservatives urge Mandel to run for senate - msnbc.com: 

"On Wednesday, a coalition of Ohio conservative leaders announced their hopes to draft Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel to run for U.S. Senate in 2012 against current Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown.

In addition to Mandel, other names that are being considered by Republicans for the race include Congressman Jim Jordan, Lt. Governor Mary Taylor and former State Representative Seth Morgan. The conservative group said they are looking for “individuals of strong character, conservative principles, and ability to successfully challenge Sherrod Brown.”

I received a press release yesterday from "Friends of Seth Morgan" which names the members of the nameless "Statewide Coalition of Conservative Leaders."  Or is that the name?  If it is, they need a better one.  The following names are listed in the press release:

Chris Littleton, President & Co-Founder, Ohio Liberty Council 
Rob Scott, President & founder of the Dayton Tea Party (Dayton, Ohio)
Phil and Rebecca Heimlich
Lori Viars, Warren County Republican Party Board of Directors
Phil Burress, President of Citizens for Community Values Action
Linda Theis, former President of Ohio Right to Life
Bobbi Radeck, State Director of Concerned Women for America Ohio
John and Diane Stover, leader of North East Ohio Value Voters
Steve Christopher, former Republican candidate for Ohio Attorney General and tea party activist
Jim and Lisa Woods, founders of Medina County Friends and Neighbors and Northeast Ohio Conservative Council
Glenn Newman, founder of Marietta 912 and Board Member of the Ohio Liberty Council
Jack Boyle, President of Citizens United to End Ohio's Estate Tax and former Ohio State Director for American's for Prosperity
Mike Wilson, President, Cincinnati Tea Party
Janet (Folger) Porter, President, Faith 2 Action

It's interesting that Seth Morgan, who seems to be the spokesman for the group, is listed both as one of the potential candidates and as a member of the coalition.  


The article also notes that former state senator Kevin Coughlin is testing the waters:

"I've had a few conservative organizations approach me about making a run against Sherrod Brown. Though I'm not leaning toward or against it, I owe it to myself and my supporters to give it careful consideration. I have been meeting with party and opinion leaders around the state and in Washington, racking up mileage and securing commitments from contributors."

Coughlin also made a half-hearted attempt to get into the gubernatorial primary last time around, but backed out when it became clear he would be no match for Kasich.  


Is this early move to identify a conservative candidate an indication that the Ohio Republican Party (ORP) establishment is leaning toward Coughlin or another recycled establishment candidate?  It wouldn't be the first time the ORP chose and promoted a candidate well before a primary. 

Mandel, for his part, has demurred, saying that he is focused on his job as state treasurer.  It's no secret that, much like the U.S. Congress, there has been a struggle in Ohio in recent years between the GOP "establishment" and those who want to see a Republican party that is more transparent and more about "We the People" than "We the Party." 


The names listed above represent grassroots activists from across the state as well as individuals (Morgan, Christopher) who were edged (some would say shoved)  out of this past election by party establishment candidates (and the ORP). 


Clearly, though the election is still nearly two years away, a lot is going on behind the scenes. This move signals that the independent conservative movement (fiscal and social) is alive and well in Ohio and fully intends to have a voice in the 2012 election. 


And that's a good thing. 

March 19, 2011

We welcomed Ryan home from Hillsdale College last night.  He sat down for a quick dinner (Bolyard Burgers, on the grill!), unloaded a carload of laundry, and headed off to Bible study with his dad.  He also left me with a reading assignment from his American Heritage Reader, compiled by the Hillsdale College History Faculty.  It's a collection (882 pages) of  important documents and writings from Colonial times thru Reagan.   Ryan was so excited about what he's been learning that he wanted to share it with me, which is music to a homeschooling mom's heart.  My assignment:  "The Great Nation of Futurity" by John Louis O'Sullivan (1813-1895).  It contains this quote about our country:

"We have had patriots to defend our homes, our liberties, but no aspirants to crowns or thrones; nor have the American people ever suffered themselves to be led on by wicked ambition to de-populate the land, to spread desolation far and wide, that a human being might be placed on a seat of supremacy."

Our nation has truly been blessed! In light of what we've seen in the Middle East in recent months and looking across the whole of history, we are indeed unique and exceptional. 


Baptist Press - Disaster pushes Japanese beyond secular thinking: 

 ...Proud of their secular society, most Japanese are not religious. But in a time of crisis, International Mission Board missionary Gary Fujino says they tend to fall back on an old Japanese expression, 'The god that you depend on in times of crisis.'

'What that means is when things are bad, you will go to the temple and shrine because nothing you've tried thus far worked,' Fujino explains. He notes that, once the crisis is over, no one goes back to the temple or shrine. 
Thousands of prayer tablets hung in one-day testify that the crisis in Japan continues to grow and people are trying to find ways to cope...

They really believe that in themselves they have what they need, which makes it very difficult to share the Gospel' Fujino says. 'What we need is for people to be shaken and realize that you need something outside of yourself -- God'...

'I learned in the Kobe earthquake that I needed God. I learned that I don't need material things. My heart opened up,' she says. 'I think God saved me back then because He wants to use me now.'...

...She explains that the Japanese government will take care of things and rebuild houses in a few months, but she can do something even bigger -- introduce people to the God who can rebuild their lives.   'I have a really strong God,' she says. 'I want those people in the disaster to know my God's strength and power.'

Dorsey cannot make it to the disaster zone yet because of radiation fears, not to mention the lack of government permits, but she's doing what she can in Tokyo. From her church just a few miles from the Shinto shrine, she prays for her country. Dorsey's prayers are different than those hanging in the shrine. Hers are not 'wishes' or 'hopes.' She knows her God personally and knows He will provide."

Somehow, I knew this was coming.  The Radiation Network has real-time updates from Gieger counters across the country. The map is refreshed every minute of the day for those who are having trouble sleeping without knowing what the radiation level is.  According to the website, "alert level" is 100 counts per minute (CPM), so it looks like we're in good shape, for now. 

Public Policy Polling surveyed 400 Republican "usual primary voters" last week and asked the following:

If the Republican candidates for President in  2012 were Haley Barbour, Mitch Daniels, Newt 
Gingrich, Mike Huckabee, Sarah Palin, Ron  Paul, Tim Pawlenty, and Mitt Romney who 
would you vote for?


Haley Barbour  2% 
.................................................
Mitch Daniels  4% 
..................................................
Newt Gingrich 16% 
.................................................
Mike Huckabee 19% 
...............................................
Sarah Palin 15% 
.....................................................
Ron Paul  7% 
.........................................................
Tim Pawlenty  5% 
..................................................
Mitt Romney 18% 
....................................................
Someone else/Undecided 13%



Given the choices of Ken Blackwell, Drew Carey, Jon Husted, Shannon Jones, Jim Jordan, Steve LaTourette, Josh Mandel, and  Mary Taylor who would you most like to see as 
the Republican candidate for Senate next year?


Ken Blackwell 17% 
.................................................
Drew Carey 12% 
.....................................................
Jon Husted 14% 
......................................................
Shannon Jones  1% 
...............................................
Jim Jordan  8% 
......................................................
Steve LaTourette  8% 
.............................................
Josh Mandel 6% 
...................................................
Mary Taylor 9% 
.....................................................
Someone else/Undecided 25%


Drew Carey?  Really?  Did people think they were voting for John Kerry? They asked the same question again without Carey in the mix and got the following results:



Ken Blackwell 

21% 

.................................................
Jon Husted 14% 
......................................................
Shannon Jones  4% 
...............................................
Jim Jordan 10% 
......................................................
Steve LaTourette 10% 
.............................................
Josh Mandel 

 7% 

...................................................
Mary Taylor

 8% 

.....................................................
Someone else/Undecided 26%

It's interesting that Ken Blackwell, Ohio's former Secretary of State received so many votes.  He's a solid conservative who challenged Michael Steele for the GOP Chairmanship a couple years ago.  Considering his name hasn't been in the news much, it's a strong showing.  Jim Jordan has said he plans to stay in the House, where he leads the conservative Republican Study Committee.  It's notable that there are a lot of undecided votes up for grabs.

They also asked:

Would you describe yourself as very liberal, somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat 
conservative, or very conservative?


Very liberal 1% 
......................................................
Somewhat liberal 3% 
............................................
Moderate 16% 
.........................................................
Somewhat conservative 46% 
..................................
Very conservative 34%


80% of  Republican "usual primary voters" consider themselves conservatives.  Lawmakers and candidates, listen up!  RINOs need not apply.  


Wisconsin lawmaker hit by property damage - JSOnline: 

"The office of Sen. Dan Kapanke (R-La Crosse) said the senator has been subjected to damage of personal property and has received threatening statements in the wake of mass protests in recent weeks over Gov. Scott Walker’s budget-repair bill.

Kapanke have been unavailable, but an aide to Kapanke says that windows on Kapanke's car were broken in Madison and the senator's wife found nails strewn on the driveway of their home."

This is what democracy looks like?


Germany's Eco-Trap: Is Environmentalism Really Working? - SPIEGEL ONLINE
This article in Spiegel Online demonstrates what happens in the headlong rush into ill-conceived environmental policies:


E10 (ethanol) Fuel:

"Many haven't yet fully realized that E10 is an ecological swindle. People who want to help the environment shouldn't use it. Nine large European environmental associations recently conducted a joint study which concluded that the bottom line impact of the fuel on the environment is negative. Rainforests are being clear-cut in Brazil and Borneo to make room for sugarcane and oil palm cultivation. At the same time there's a shortage of arable land for food production, which is leading to the threat of famine in parts of the world. Last year, the price of grain rose sharply in the global market."

 Recycling:

"Under German law, only 36 percent of plastic rubbish has to be recycled. The remainder can be sold for a profit, for example to plants that burn rubbish to produce heating or power. Such facilities are everywhere in Germany. Municipalities across the country built then in response to a ban on storing garbage in landfills. Indeed, now there are far too many of them in Germany -- and there is a shortage of burnable waste.

The result is that firms are buying up as much plastic waste -- which burns well due to the high quantity of oil in plastics -- as they can get their hands on. Indeed, some companies have even resorted to importing plastic waste to burn -- hardly a contribution to an environmental utopia."

Water Conservation:

"The Germans are obsessed with saving water. You won't find many countries north of the Sahara that are as water-conscious as Germany. They save water while washing dishes (a modern dishwashing machine uses only six liters per cycle), while going to the toilet (many toilets have a setting that allows only a brief flush), and even when washing their cars....

..."And water conservation in Germany can be harmful -- particularly when it comes to the sewage systems beneath German cities. The lack of waste water flowing through the canalization means that fat, faeces and discarded food aren't getting flushed out enough, and are corroding the walls. To compensate, utilities are forced to pump hundreds of thousands of liters of fresh water through the system to keep it operable..."

Insulation:

"By rights, the venerable town of Weimar with its beautiful old architecture should be forbidden. None of the buildings meet modern standards of heating insulation. The walls are too thin, the windows aren't properly sealed, the place is a disaster in terms of energy efficiency. Politicians in Berlin have ensure that the situation will soon improve. By 2050, all buildings in Germany must be carbon neutral, according to the government's energy plan presented last year. 'If we take that legislation seriously, we would have to tear down half the town,' says Weimar Mayor Stefan Wolf....

 ...Across the country, insulating panels are going up on the outside of myriad buildings. With older buildings making up a quarter of the country's housing stock, there seems to be little other choice...

Another problems is that well-insulated buildings don't breathe -- no outside air gets in and CO2 can build up quickly inside as a result. So can mould. Installing air vents can be exorbitant."

World's Guiltiest Dog.  Poor Denver....shoulda left those kitty cat treats alone!