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Sunday, July 31, 2005
OH-02: Come Clean Jean!
Posted by Bob Brigham
Ohio is appalled that Jean doesn't know Schmidt about Noe
Official state documents prove candidate covered-up ties to corruption
Jean Schmidt is well known for never forgetting a face or a name. Conventional wisdom recognizes her renowned memory to the point where the Cincinnati Enquirer noted (July 31, 2005):
Schmidt knows the district very well, having almost a "file-card" memory to recall details about people, places and issues she's had experience with on the local level.
Yet on this morning's CBS 12 "Newsmakers" program, Jean Schmidt lied to the voters on – only two days before the election. In an effort to cover up Jean Schmidt's involvement in the scandalous culture of corruption, Schmidt said she didn't know Tom Noe. Schmidt said she'd never met Tom Noe. Schmidt said she had never even heard of Tom Noe. The woman with the "file-card memory" lied.
You see, Jean Schmidt was Vice Chair of the Higher Education Subcommittee of the House Finance and Appropriations Committee. During the same period, Tom Noe was a member of the Board of Regents.
In fact, on March 21, 2002, official state documents prove Jean Schmidt testified before Tom Noe's committee. Tom Noe seconded and approved the minutes for this meeting, which read:
There are a number of areas where we are totally lined up with [Jean Schmidt's] thinking. In any event, the conclusion is that we need more contact, more often.
And , additional official state documents establish that Tom Noe testified before Jean Schmidt's committee on March 18, 2003.
These official State of Ohio documents confirm ties between Jean Schmidt and Tom Noe.
And this isn't an isolated incident, there is a pattern of the woman with the "file-card memory" not recalling her ties to corruption.
When it came to lobbying Bob Taft for online casino gambling, she suddenly forgot everything. The Toledo Blade reported (July 29, 2005):
Jean Schmidt, a former Republican state representative from the Cincinnati area, also appealed to the governor's office on behalf of a Web-based lottery. [...]In a November, 2001, e-mail, Jon Allison, a staff member for Governor Taft, complained that Ms. Schmidt "continues to bug me on Internet lottery."
One year later, her state representative re-election campaign garnered a $1,000 donation from Mr. Ach.
Ms. Schmidt said through a spokesman that she does not remember any conversations with the governor's office about an online lottery, although she does remember that this was a significant issue at the time.
The next day, the woman with the "file-card memory" was the focus of a Cincinnati Enquirer article headlined, Schmidt can't recall Ach favor.
It is time for Jean Schmidt to come clean about her relationship with Tom Noe, Bob Taft, Roger Ach and online gambling. The culture of corruption will continue until reporters demand that career politicians tell voters the truth.
Voters deserve straight talk, Come Clean Jean.
UPDATE: (Bob) Paul Hackett and former Senator Max Clelland are on the Courthouse Steps doing a press conference right now. The big three stations, channels 5, 9, and 12 are here. More to come...
UPDATE: (Bob) Paul Hackett just referred to Jean Schmidt as the, "Poster Child for the Culture of Corruption" as he held up the documents that busted her. During the press conference, it was clear why Hackett is such a successful attorney, he did a great job of telling the story.
UPDATE: (Bob) Max Clelland remarked, "The odor of corruption not only comes out of Tom DeLay's office, it also comes out of Columbus."
UPDATE: (Bob) Channel 19 was also there, along with the Cincinnati Enquirer. There is no way that the press can ignore this, you can't let politicians lie about their involvement in corruption.
UPDATE: (Bob) It is not too late to donate to Paul Hackett, help him FINISH THE JOB!
Posted at 12:59 PM in 2005 Elections, Activism, General, Netroots, Ohio, Open Seats, Scandals, Site News, Special Elections | Technorati
Comments
Basically, Jean Schmidt's sense of dementia is "Noe Ach"? She needs to jog her memory.
Posted by: WesClarkDemocrat ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.swingstateproject.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at July 31, 2005 01:06 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment
Is anyone planning on flyering the Bruce Springsteen concert in Cincinnati tomorrow? Would be great if we could get Bruce to mention Hackett by name. I'm sure the Boss would love a guy like Hackett.
Posted by: ihlin at July 31, 2005 01:25 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment
Million Dollar Question? :/
According to the Toledo Blade, last year Tom Noe profitted with more than $1 million off his rare coin deals.
It just wouldn't be ethical for Jean Schmidt to accept the GOP/NRCC's generous weekend commercial blitz against Paul Hackett.
Noe(p)! ...she shouldn't,...not even for a million bucks, imo.
http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050403/NEWS24/504030349
Posted by: WesClarkDemocrat at July 31, 2005 02:02 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment
Bob Brigham, please appoligize to the over 5.5 million people in this country with the last name of Schmidt for making such an off color remark about our good name. Bob, you really don't want to get on the bad side of this many people. Check your phone book to see just how many of us live near you.
One could easily find plenty of jokes to make about your last name too! I won't because when you use evil to fight evil, evil wins. Losing credibility by resorting to juvenile name calling also comes to mind, if that's what you want for yourself.
It's not our fault Jean Schmidt has our last name. Besides, she is not really a Schmidt, she married into it.
Kevin Schmidt, member of "People Named Schmidt Who Support Hackett For Congress"
Posted by: KEVIN SCHMIDT, STERLING VA at July 31, 2005 02:09 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment
or the more economical:
"Noe Schmidt" to rhyme with "No shit".
Posted by: GeorgeBushytail at July 31, 2005 06:33 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment
Here's your slogan:
JUST SAY "NOE" TO SCHMIDT
Posted by: rocknation at July 31, 2005 07:24 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment
I tried to watch the debate, I really did! But the magnitude of Schmidt's GOP hack-dom was just too repulsive. "We must stay the course...the tax cuts work...the soldiers told me they're happy..." She's a montage of very speech President Mightymouse has given since 2003. No way I'd vote for her--she seems totally incapable of having an original thought, and of putting the interests of her constituency ahead of that of her political party.
Posted by: rocknation at August 1, 2005 09:33 AM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment