ProgressOhio

...Democrats said that in order to fund a $4 billion expansion of nutrition programs, including food stamps, they would close a tax loophole affecting foreign companies that have U.S. subsidiaries in places like Bermuda.

Republicans, like Rep. Deborah Pryce of Ohio, cried foul:

"In the 11th hour, Democrat leaders blindsided America with the news of how they were going to pay for this bill by putting 5 million American jobs at risk," Pryce charged.

Pryce mentioned the Honda plant in Ohio that she said would be affected by the tax increase.

...

Democrats countered that Republicans were exaggerating the tax's impact, and noted that the Bush administration had itself called for the loophole to be closed.

White House officials arranged for top officials at the Office of National Drug Control Policy to help as many as 18 vulnerable Republican congressmen by making appearances and sometimes announcing new federal grants in the lawmakers' districts in the months leading up to the November 2006 elections, a Democratic lawmaker said yesterday.

Rep. Henry A. Waxman (Calif.), chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said documents obtained by his panel suggest that the appearances by the drug control officials were part of a larger White House effort to politicize the work of federal agencies that "may be more widespread than previously known."

Waxman cited a memo written by former White House political director Sara M. Taylor showing that John P. Walters, director of the drug control office, and his deputies traveled at taxpayer expense to about 20 events with vulnerable GOP members of Congress in the three months leading up to the elections.

...

Appearances also were held with Rep. Deborah Pryce of Ohio in Columbus and with then-Rep. Chris Chocola of Indiana in South Bend. Pryce narrowly won reelection, while Chocola lost in November.

Paula Brooks stepped out of a race for Congress this morning, avoiding a contentious primary with fellow Democrat Mary Jo Kilroy.

Brooks' announcement, a decision she said she reached over the weekend, clears the way for a rematch between Kilroy and incumbent Republican, Rep. Deborah Pryce.

It also ends months of speculation and discomfort at the Franklin County County Courthouse.

"Thank you," Brooks said Franklin County Democratic Party Chairman William A. Anthony Jr. told her when she phoned Sunday night to give him the news.

Anthony was to convene his 195-member central and executive committee to endorse one of the two women, an effort to avoid a bloody battle.

If both commissioners ran, it would require each to give up a shot at re-election next year and leave two of the three commissioner seats more easily open to a Republican challenge.

Mendenhall Lab, Rm 100

125 S. Oval Mall

Columbus, OH 43210

Join the College Democrats at Ohio State for a Town Hall meeting with Governor Ted Strickland. Also joining us will be State Representatives Joyce Beatty, Dan Stewart, Ted Celeste, and Tracy Heard.

We will be discussing a variety of issues ranging from higher education, to the economy, to the importance of the youth vote in the state of Ohio. This is the first time Governor Strickland has come to campus to speak directly to students, and we hope this dialogue sparks continued cooperation between campus and the Statehouse. The event is free and ALL members of the community are welcome to attend. We hope to see you there. 

Join the OSU Dems at the Drexel Gateway Theatre, 1550 N High Street, on Wednesday, April 25th for our first annual Candidate Meet and Greet. The event will last from 6-9 PM.

Candidates for Columbus City Council (and possibly Mayor Coleman), the Franklin County Commissioners, and other Democratic candidates and elected officials from in and around Central Ohio will be joining us. A few State Representatives and State Senators will also be in attendance. This is an excellent opportunity to hear directly from local leaders.

Admission is free with a student ID and is $10 for community members. Food and Drinks provided. We hope to see you there!

FEC reports for Quarter 1 were due today. Here is how a few key Ohioans did:

OH-1: 

Chabot--Total Receipts: $116,865  Cash on Hand: $159,776

OH-2:

Schmidt--I couldn't find Mean Jean's filing on the FEC website. She either didn't file on time or there is a glitch on the site. When I punched in OH-2, only Pat DeWine and Rob Portman's committees appeared. 

OH-14:

LaTourette--Receipts: $79,700  CoH: $172,460

OH-15:

Pryce--Receipts: $208,368  CoH: $171,446

Kilroy--Recepits: $22,923  CoH: $35,635

OH-16:

Regula--Receipts: $1,560  CoH: $91,178

OH-18:

Space--Receipts: $212,866  CoH: $180,343 

The most interesting piece of information out of all of this is Regula's abysmal fundraising this quarter. Where it appears that Chabot, Pryce, and Space are all gearing up for a fight, Regula's numbers will simply add to the speculation that he wil retire after serving this final term. I would expect LaTourette's Q2 numbers to improve significantly now that Judge William O'Neil has made it clear that he will challenge LaTourette in the 14th.

Finally, Kilroy's numbers were also accompanied by what appeared to be some pretty significant debt left over from 2006. She will have to kick her fundraising into high gear later this year in order to keep up with the money Pryce is receiving from corporate PACs--espcially those associated with the insurance industry. 

Check out www.FEC.gov to scan the database.