ProgressOhio, State Senator Michael Skindell and State Rep. Dennis Murray have filed a motion to intervene in a Kasich Administration lawsuit that seems to be nothing more than an attempt to pull one over on the Ohio Supreme Court. In the latest twist in the JobsOhio legal odyssey, Gov. John Kasich's administration is suing Gov. Kasich's administration. JobsOhio is asking the Ohio Supreme Court to force Ohio Department of Commerce Director David Goodman to sign an agreement to transfer the state's liquor operations to JobsOhio. In response to this bogus action, ProgressOhio, Skindell and Murray have petitioned the Ohio Supreme Court, asking them to put an end to these legal games and allow the courts can decide on the constitutionality of JobsOhio.
- PDF of the Motion to Dismiss
- PDF of the Motion to Intervene
- PDF of the Motion to to Expedite
"Coming from a governor who is known for a 'my way or the highway' attitude, this seemingly disingenuous legal action against his direct report is laughable at best. Should the Ohio Supreme Court agree with our position and find that this is nothing more than a phony declaration, with the intent of speeding up the legal process, it could produce swift and punitive results against the Kasich administration," said ProgressOhio Executive Director Brian Rothenberg.
"The Kasich Admininstration is playing litigation paddy cake with itself to try to distort Ohio constitutional law. Both sides of this sham litigation say that they think JobsOhio is constitutional, meaning that if the Court were do decide this case, neither 'side' of the Kasich Administration would be arguing to protect the Ohio Constitution or the people of this state from exactly this kind of government overreach that the Constitution is designed to prevent," said Rep. Murray.
In statements given during an August 10, 2012 interview with the Columbus Dispatch, Director Goodman says that he "personally questions the validity of these constitutional challenges." This raises the question, if Goodman believes in the constitutionality of JobsOhio, why is he declining to sign the transfer agreement. This is a quintessential example of the administration being disingenuous and attempting to trick the court. However, the Supreme Court is well aware of its own jurisdiction and these shenanigans it should not succeed.
"We have great confidence in the legal process and would like for the charades to stop so that the courts can determine the issue of standing and ultimately decide on the constitutionality of JobsOhio," added Rothenberg.
