A Voice in The House
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Categories: Civil Liberties/Privacy, Honest and Ethical Government, Civil Rights and Equality, Social Justice, Reproductive Rights, Ranting and Venting, Women's Issues
Categories: Civil Liberties/Privacy, Honest and Ethical Government, Civil Rights and Equality, Social Justice, Reproductive Rights, Ranting and Venting, Women's Issues
The Delaware Gazette wants to know if our public servants are really serving the public. They have asked readers to write in with their stories. For what it's worth, here's mine:
I am a stay at home mom, former business owner, and community volunteer. I do quite a bit of public speaking, mostly with conservation groups, children's organizations and women's groups.
About a year ago, I was asked to help a group of Ohio women prepare their personal testimony for The Ohio House on the very difficult issue of abortion.
What I witnessed in the legislature that day was appalling.
Over 100 Ohio citizens were invited to speak before our elected representatives. Each woman was asked to prepare a seven minute speech. When they arrived at the Statehouse, a paid lobbyist from Florida hijacked the proceedings and prevented Ohioans from giving their prepared testimony. This "hired gun" convinced the committee chairman to alter the proceedings and give her the floor for the entire morning session. She even bribed the committee by passing our free signed copies of her book! When we returned after the lunch break, security refused to allow us back into the hearing room, because this lobbyist had packed the room with a group of protesters she had hidden away in a restaurant across the street.
I spent the entire afternoon consoling over a hundred Ohio women as they cringed, and cried, and shook with frustration over the censorship and trickery. These women took time away from work and families to be there. They deserved to be honored for their bravery and their willingness to participate in citizen debate, but instead, they were dismissed by our lawmakers and turned away. While I have great respect for our current Delaware County Representative Jon Peterson, I was most disappointed that his long years of experience as a legislator did nothing to preserve order or protect our citizens from this disgraceful example of lobbyist maneuvering.
On that day I stood up in the atrium of The Statehouse and made a promise. I promised I would help these people be heard, though I knew not how, at the time. I promised them I would do everything possible to make sure nothing like this ever happened again. I am proud to say, I have kept my word. I have entered the ring as a candidate, to serve Delaware County in The Ohio House of Representatives in 2008. While I cringe at the mere idea of becoming a professional politician, I made a promise, which I intend to keep; The Ohio House is the collective voice of Ohio citizens, and by God, in This House, Ohioans WILL be heard.
Kelley Wenzlaff
www.momforthehouse.com
I am a stay at home mom, former business owner, and community volunteer. I do quite a bit of public speaking, mostly with conservation groups, children's organizations and women's groups.
About a year ago, I was asked to help a group of Ohio women prepare their personal testimony for The Ohio House on the very difficult issue of abortion.
What I witnessed in the legislature that day was appalling.
Over 100 Ohio citizens were invited to speak before our elected representatives. Each woman was asked to prepare a seven minute speech. When they arrived at the Statehouse, a paid lobbyist from Florida hijacked the proceedings and prevented Ohioans from giving their prepared testimony. This "hired gun" convinced the committee chairman to alter the proceedings and give her the floor for the entire morning session. She even bribed the committee by passing our free signed copies of her book! When we returned after the lunch break, security refused to allow us back into the hearing room, because this lobbyist had packed the room with a group of protesters she had hidden away in a restaurant across the street.
I spent the entire afternoon consoling over a hundred Ohio women as they cringed, and cried, and shook with frustration over the censorship and trickery. These women took time away from work and families to be there. They deserved to be honored for their bravery and their willingness to participate in citizen debate, but instead, they were dismissed by our lawmakers and turned away. While I have great respect for our current Delaware County Representative Jon Peterson, I was most disappointed that his long years of experience as a legislator did nothing to preserve order or protect our citizens from this disgraceful example of lobbyist maneuvering.
On that day I stood up in the atrium of The Statehouse and made a promise. I promised I would help these people be heard, though I knew not how, at the time. I promised them I would do everything possible to make sure nothing like this ever happened again. I am proud to say, I have kept my word. I have entered the ring as a candidate, to serve Delaware County in The Ohio House of Representatives in 2008. While I cringe at the mere idea of becoming a professional politician, I made a promise, which I intend to keep; The Ohio House is the collective voice of Ohio citizens, and by God, in This House, Ohioans WILL be heard.
Kelley Wenzlaff
www.momforthehouse.com
