Bye bye to Cleveland GOP Election Chair Bob "Ballots for Bush" Bennett
Ohio's Bob "Ballots for Bush" Bennett, an essential player in putting George W. Bush back in the White House in 2004, is no long chair of the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections. His milestone resignation leaves a legacy of scandal, recrimination, massive voter purges, felony convictions and a pivotal role in a stolen presidential election.
Bennett has quit in a signature cloud of graceless accusations and cheap shots at Jennifer Brunner, Ohio's newly elected Secretary of State, who asked him to resign along with the rest of the Cleveland election authority. His forced departure marks the biggest landmark yet in the unraveling theft of the presidential elections in Ohio 2004.
Bennett remains chair of the Ohio Republican Party. In 2004 he was apparently asked by White House consigliere Karl Rove to stay on at the Cuyahoga BOE to help guarantee Bush's second term. Cleveland is Ohio's biggest and most Democratic urban center. A massive sweep there by John Kerry was widely expected to have given him the White House. It was Bennett's job to mute that margin, and apparently that's exactly what he did.
Bennett has quit in a signature cloud of graceless accusations and cheap shots at Jennifer Brunner, Ohio's newly elected Secretary of State, who asked him to resign along with the rest of the Cleveland election authority. His forced departure marks the biggest landmark yet in the unraveling theft of the presidential elections in Ohio 2004.
Bennett remains chair of the Ohio Republican Party. In 2004 he was apparently asked by White House consigliere Karl Rove to stay on at the Cuyahoga BOE to help guarantee Bush's second term. Cleveland is Ohio's biggest and most Democratic urban center. A massive sweep there by John Kerry was widely expected to have given him the White House. It was Bennett's job to mute that margin, and apparently that's exactly what he did.
Lobby Ohio legislators about medical marijuana
If you or someone you know is suffering from a debilitating
condition or if you are a medical professional, a member of law
enforcement, or a public official, your presence during the
lobby day could be tremendously influential. Please remember to
dress and act professionally; we want to engage legislators, not
alienate them.
If you are unable to come to the Statehouse on April 26, you can still take action by sending a letter to your legislators urging them to sponsor medical marijuana legislation this year Website
We've provided sample letters to get you started, but a personally crafted letter is much more effective than a form letter. Please take a moment to personalize the letter before sending it to your legislator.
Please take action now.
If you are unable to come to the Statehouse on April 26, you can still take action by sending a letter to your legislators urging them to sponsor medical marijuana legislation this year Website
We've provided sample letters to get you started, but a personally crafted letter is much more effective than a form letter. Please take a moment to personalize the letter before sending it to your legislator.
Please take action now.
Two big victories boost Ohio's election protection movement
In a victory for election protection activists, Ohio's powerful GOP Chair Bob Bennett will be forced to face a public hearing on his removal as Chair of the Cuyahoga (Cleveland) Board of Elections. And in a second triumph, Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner has agreed, as part of a legal settlement, to take possession of the ballots and other key documents from the disputed 2004 election that gave George W. Bush a second term in the White House.
Brunner has requested the resignations of the entire scandal-plagued Cuyahoga County Board of Elections, which Bennett has chaired. Two Democratic members and one Republican have complied with her request. The BOE's executive director, Michael Vu, previously resigned amidst a cloud of scandal resulting from a mishandled primary election and more than $12 million in budgetary overruns. Two BOE workers have been given 18-month prison sentences for felony convictions stemming from what a government prosecutor called the "rigging" of an officially mandated recount for the 2004 presidential election.
Brunner has requested the resignations of the entire scandal-plagued Cuyahoga County Board of Elections, which Bennett has chaired. Two Democratic members and one Republican have complied with her request. The BOE's executive director, Michael Vu, previously resigned amidst a cloud of scandal resulting from a mishandled primary election and more than $12 million in budgetary overruns. Two BOE workers have been given 18-month prison sentences for felony convictions stemming from what a government prosecutor called the "rigging" of an officially mandated recount for the 2004 presidential election.
On the state level: Access to local media threatened by Ohio Bill
As big media faces a more public-interest oriented Congress, some public policy battles are moving to state legislatures. Phone giants interested in entering the video market want to get rid of local franchising, the locale-by-locale permission to use public right-of-ways that cable companies have had to secure.
A community with enough foresight to take advantage of franchising--and Columbus, regrettably, has not--has been able to leverage Public, Educational and Government (PEG) channels with budgets to run them, to provide high-speed governmental and civic sector networks, to require services in low-income communities, and to generate other benefits, services and local income.
A community with enough foresight to take advantage of franchising--and Columbus, regrettably, has not--has been able to leverage Public, Educational and Government (PEG) channels with budgets to run them, to provide high-speed governmental and civic sector networks, to require services in low-income communities, and to generate other benefits, services and local income.
More potential 2004 election illegalities rock Ohio's Hocking County as Cleveland braces for a legal firestorm
As the third of four members of the Cuyahoga (Cleveland) County Board of Elections resigns under pressure from Ohio's new Secretary of State, additional potential illegalities in Hocking County have resurfaced with new weight against a GOP executive director already under serious fire.
The four members of the Cuyahoga BOE have been asked to resign by Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, a Democrat elected in November, 2006. Brunner has issued a stinging five-point complaint, much of which derives from the report done by U.S. Congressman John Conyers in the wake of the 2004 presidential election, and on reporting done at http://www.freepress.org/ and research by grassroots election protection activists.
The four members of the Cuyahoga BOE have been asked to resign by Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, a Democrat elected in November, 2006. Brunner has issued a stinging five-point complaint, much of which derives from the report done by U.S. Congressman John Conyers in the wake of the 2004 presidential election, and on reporting done at http://www.freepress.org/ and research by grassroots election protection activists.
Fair and impartial aggravated murder
On Friday, March 16, Governor Strickland denied clemency to Kenneth Biros.
Commenting to the Associated Press, Mr. Strickland said he has no intention of placing a moratorium on capital punishment in Ohio.
He also said, according to the AP, "that he is open to new information on the matter, but for now is satisfied that Ohio has a fair and impartial system."
Profile in Lack of Courage
"No person shall purposely, and with prior calculation and design, cause the death of another . . . ." This is the definition of "aggravated murder" in section 2903.01 of the Ohio Revised Code.
An execution is a killing with prior calculation and design. There are approximately 195 men on Ohio's Death Row. Thus when Mr. Strickland denied clemency to Mr. Biros and, at the same time, appeared to shut the door on a moratorium, Ohio missed an opportunity to prevent what could amount to as many as 195 aggravated murders.
Commenting to the Associated Press, Mr. Strickland said he has no intention of placing a moratorium on capital punishment in Ohio.
He also said, according to the AP, "that he is open to new information on the matter, but for now is satisfied that Ohio has a fair and impartial system."
Profile in Lack of Courage
"No person shall purposely, and with prior calculation and design, cause the death of another . . . ." This is the definition of "aggravated murder" in section 2903.01 of the Ohio Revised Code.
An execution is a killing with prior calculation and design. There are approximately 195 men on Ohio's Death Row. Thus when Mr. Strickland denied clemency to Mr. Biros and, at the same time, appeared to shut the door on a moratorium, Ohio missed an opportunity to prevent what could amount to as many as 195 aggravated murders.
Easy way to help
An easy way to help the Native American Indian Center of Central Ohio is to use GoodSearch as your search engine. No cost to you and benefit to NAICCO.
Go to http://www.goodsearch.com/. Find Native American Indian Center of Central Ohio in their charities list and put your search keyword in the search window.
Isn't that easy?
Every time anyone uses GoodSearch for the NAICCO we get money credited to our account! A no-sweat fund-raiser!
Go to http://www.goodsearch.com/. Find Native American Indian Center of Central Ohio in their charities list and put your search keyword in the search window.
Isn't that easy?
Every time anyone uses GoodSearch for the NAICCO we get money credited to our account! A no-sweat fund-raiser!
Volunteer opportunities at Stratford Ecological Center
Ed Guide Training Set for March
We are looking for dedicated volunteers for Education Guides to lead a small groups of children on adventures around our farm and nature preserve on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday mornings. No experience necessary. Location: Stratford Ecological Center, 3083 Liberty Road, Delaware, OH 43015 (located just south of Delaware, OH, west of the junction of State Routes 23 and 315. Contact Jane at 740-363-2548 or SECVolunteer@aol.com
Trail Maintenance & New Trail Building
We are looking for volunteers who would like to help in the maintenance, reconstruction and new trail building. Location: Stratford Ecological Center, 3083 Liberty Road, Delaware, OH 43015 (located just south of Delaware, OH, west of the junction of State Routes 23 and 315. Contact Jane at 740-363-2548 or SECVolunteer@aol.com for more information.
Invasive Species Teams
We are looking for dedicated volunteers for Education Guides to lead a small groups of children on adventures around our farm and nature preserve on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday mornings. No experience necessary. Location: Stratford Ecological Center, 3083 Liberty Road, Delaware, OH 43015 (located just south of Delaware, OH, west of the junction of State Routes 23 and 315. Contact Jane at 740-363-2548 or SECVolunteer@aol.com
Trail Maintenance & New Trail Building
We are looking for volunteers who would like to help in the maintenance, reconstruction and new trail building. Location: Stratford Ecological Center, 3083 Liberty Road, Delaware, OH 43015 (located just south of Delaware, OH, west of the junction of State Routes 23 and 315. Contact Jane at 740-363-2548 or SECVolunteer@aol.com for more information.
Invasive Species Teams
Lobby your legislators for medical marijuana
Lobby your Ohio legislators on March 22, The Ohio Patient Action Network (OPAN) Ohio Patient Network - an MPP grantee - will hold a lobby day to generate support for medical marijuana legislation. Please join medical marijuana patients and health care advocates at the Statehouse in Columbus on Wednesday, March 22, to urge your legislators to sponsor medical marijuana legislation.
There are many new legislators in Columbus who are not familiar with medical marijuana, so we need to educate them about it. The most effective way to educate legislators is to meet with them personally.
If you are interested in participating in this vital lobbying effort, please contact Brandy Zink by e-mailing bzink@ohiopatient.net for details. If you or someone you know is suffering from a debilitating condition or if you are a medical professional, a member of law enforcement, or a public official, your presence during the lobby day could be tremendously influential.
Please remember to dress and act professionally; we want to engage legislators, not alienate them.
There are many new legislators in Columbus who are not familiar with medical marijuana, so we need to educate them about it. The most effective way to educate legislators is to meet with them personally.
If you are interested in participating in this vital lobbying effort, please contact Brandy Zink by e-mailing bzink@ohiopatient.net for details. If you or someone you know is suffering from a debilitating condition or if you are a medical professional, a member of law enforcement, or a public official, your presence during the lobby day could be tremendously influential.
Please remember to dress and act professionally; we want to engage legislators, not alienate them.
Open letter calling on Ohio House of Representatives to vote on Iraqi refugee resolution
The Northeast Ohio American Friends Service Committee [AFSC], a Quaker social action organization, calls on the Ohio House of Representatives to take up the recently-passed state Senate resolution welcoming Iraqi refugees to Ohio. This is a timely moment to address this humanitarian concern. Next Monday, March 19, 2007 marks the 4th anniversary of the launch of the war, invasion and occupation of Iraq.
The AFSC believes Ohio’s reputation in the eyes of the world can be enhanced by agreeing to accept people who have fled from the violence and destruction of their nation following 4 years of US military occupation. We believe it is, indeed, the responsibility of our nation to accept the responsibility for our actions. Therefore, the Northeast Ohio AFSC calls for the Ohio House of Representatives to pass the Ohio Senate resolution – but only after adding the following “Whereas” clauses.
The AFSC believes Ohio’s reputation in the eyes of the world can be enhanced by agreeing to accept people who have fled from the violence and destruction of their nation following 4 years of US military occupation. We believe it is, indeed, the responsibility of our nation to accept the responsibility for our actions. Therefore, the Northeast Ohio AFSC calls for the Ohio House of Representatives to pass the Ohio Senate resolution – but only after adding the following “Whereas” clauses.