GOP candidate (to replace Cong. Bob Ney-R) may be ineligible

[Kolesar]

GOP candidate may be ineligible

Associated Press

NEW PHILADELPHIA - The leading Republican candidate to replace scandal-scarred Rep. Bob Ney on the November ballot may be ineligible, party officials said Tuesday, complicating GOP efforts to assure a smooth transition for the fall campaign.

``As far as I know, I have a green light,'' said state Sen. Joy Padgett, as party lawyers reviewed a state law that bars politicians who lose one primary from entering another one during the same year.

The developments came one day after the Bellaire congressman announced he would abandon his race for re-election, acting under pressure from party officials who feared the loss of his seat. The six-term lawmaker has come under scrutiny for his ties to Jack Abramoff, a lobbyist at the center of a congressional corruption scandal. Ney has not been charged, and denies all wrongdoing.

In stepping down, Ney threw his support to Padgett, who also said she had been encouraged to run by House Majority Leader John Boehner, R-West Chester.

http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/news/state/15231678.htm

Ohio public radio has been referring to this as the Ohio "sore loser" law.

[VolcanoJen]

1. That's not all... she can't run for state and fed office in the same year

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/001308.php

But there's yet another statute that might prevent Padgett from running. A year-old statute prevents Ohioans from running for both state and federal office in the same year. "Ironically," the Columbus Dispatch notes, "Republicans slipped that restriction into the state budget bill last year — apparently to prevent Democratic U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland from running both for re-election and governor this year."

Snicker. :-)

Unfortunately, look who gets first crack at a decision: :eyes:

Ohio Republicans have said that they'll seek a ruling from Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell's office on the "sore loser" statute; Blackwell spokesman James Lee told me that they hadn't received the letter requesting a ruling yet. Such a ruling wouldn't necessarily be conclusive, however. The determination whether to certify Padgett as a candidate is up to the Tuscaraws County Board of Elections in Ney's district. The board is composed of two Republicans and two Democrats; Blackwell's office is the tie breaker (Blackwell is a Republican). The board has until September 8th to certify a candidate.

[cmd]

2. Blackwell passed the hot potato to Petro

Blackwell already used to rule against a Democrat earlier this year. Now, in a very transparent effort to avoid reversing himself, he turned the matter over to Petro's office. Petro/Padgett - ring a bell? Padgett was Petro's running mate in the primary. Do you really think Petro will rule against his old buddy? Jolly Joy will be in the race. Send money, everyone! Zack needs your help. cmd

[rg302200]

3. I pray she is ineligible...

Her dirty campaign against Terry Anderson in '04 showed me that she is a despicable, disgusting excuse for a human being. I am ashamed that I have to call her my State Senator! If I have to call her my U.S. Rep I will end up choking on my own bile!

[Kolesar]

4. The press should excoriate Padget for the way she slandered Terry Anderson

Terry was an AP reporter who was captured and held in Lebanon. The newspapers and media should close ranks on a matter of principle and expose this and endorse Zack Space.

Susan Gwinn, chairwoman of the Athens County Democratic Party, said voters will remember Padgett’s campaign tactics from 2004.

Padgett approved a mailer that included a picture of Anderson meeting with a Hezbollah terrorist leader and called him "part of the ‘Blame America’ crowd." In the picture, Anderson, a former Associated Press correspondent who was held hostage in Beirut for almost seven years, was actually confronting one of his captors for a CNN documentary.

http://www.columbusdispatch.com/?story=dispatch/2006/08/10/20060810-A3-00.html

[rg302200]

5. One would think the papers would do just that..

But most of the papers around S.E. Ohio are owned by the Dix publishing company and they are openly Republican. Padgett got away with so much shit in the last election that I don't think she will get a free pass this year. A lot of people were upset when they found out how low she went to attack Anderson. Of course Anderson didn't help himself any by walking out in the middle of their debate. Then again if I had to sit in the same room as Padgett I wouldn't just walk out, I would probably commit Hara-kiri.

[zbdent]

6. Nope ... Blackwell (surprise, surprise ...) said that she's eligible!

Was anybody surprised that he would consider that a Repuke was not to be bothered by the "Rule of Law"?

I'm not sure if he's following the "Spirit of the Law" ... the spirit was to keep a "sore loser" from using the attention to storm into another, consolation office campaign ... it was written to keep the popular Dem candidate for Senate from running for his local seat after losing in the primary ... the spirit of the law was "non-partisan" ... but the spirit of the law(makers) was "Keep a Dem from helping the Dems retake Congress" ...