Ohio Sen 27th: New Coughlin (R) Ad Is Despicable Fabrication
Mud-slinging has reached a new low in the 27th Ohio Senate District race. Sen. Kevin Coughlin (R-Cuyahoga Falls), whose campaign against Tom Bevin in 2002 was noted for distortions and ugliness, has a new TV ad up that brands opponent Judy Hanna (D-Akron) as a "leader" of the Green Party, who "supports flag burning" and wants to "take take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance."Leader of the Green Party? Not according to Hanna, who has issued a press release calling the ad a lie:
My opponent's latest claims are both pathetic and pitiful. This is yet another election year tactic by Kevin to divert the attention of the citizens of the 27th District from his own deplorable record. ...So I called Coughlin's campaign office to find out what proof they have that Hanna is a leader of the Green Party. I was transferred to the State Senator himself. His proof? Because of her interest in fair elections, Hanna participated in the recount of the 2004 presidential election on behalf of the Green Party.
I have never been a member of the Green Party nor have I supported their stances. My opponent's assertion that I have worked to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance is a disgusting lie. The People of the 27th District deserve a State Senator who will tell the truth and not fool them with election year deception and dishonesty.
Coughlin said that he has an election recount report filed on the internet, which Hanna signed as "Field Director" for the Green Party Recount. Wait a minute, I said, I was a volunteer for the Green Party in the recount. It was the only way to participate, because only the minor parties had asked for a recount. Yes, he said, they paid for it. When I asked him if he feels that is a reasonable basis to call Hanna a "leader" of the Green Party, he said "Yes, I do."
Now, this is personal. I'm angry. I wore a Green Party Button so I could participate in the 2004 recount (see the picture), and I've never voted for a Green candidate or belonged to the Green Party in my life. I would have worn a Libertarian Party button just as readily. I am a loyal Democrat, but I strongly felt that the 2004 presidential vote needed to be recounted, so when the call went out for volunteers to help the Green Party and the Libertarian Party in the recount process I signed up.
This is a completely unfair distortion, and I think Coughlin knows it perfectly well. I don't think he believes for a minute that Hanna subscribes to the Green Party platform or objects to the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance. I think he's just found some way to connect Hanna's name to the Green Party and he's going with it, truth and decency be damned.
It's despicable, and Coughlin ought to be ashamed of himself.
UPDATE: I just spoke to Hanna, who confirmed that she has never belonged to the Green Party or voted for a Green candidate. So far as she is aware, she isn't even acquainted with anyone who belongs to the Green Party. She doesn't know what the Green Party platform is, much less whether anything about the Pledge of Allegiance is in it.
Hanna was approached to be a "field coordinator" for the Green/Libertarian recount of the 2004 election because of her prior experience as a volunteer coordinator for the Sierra Club. She was not paid for her work. It had nothing to do with ideology or allegiance to the Green Party. Like me, she was working as an unpaid volunteer in a project for the public good, protecting the integrity of our elections. This is no "leader" of the Green Party.
posted by Jeff @ 12:16 PM
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10 Comments:
http://democracyweek.org/summit0.html
There it is on tape and in print. Coughlin never said she was a member of the Green Party. The commercial says SHE WAS A LEADER IN THE GREEN PARTY.
This proves it.
Much like Ken Blackwell was a "leader" on the Bush Cheney campaign. Remember that?
While the progressive fringe of the dem party has it's hissy fit about being outed, why aren't they expressing outrage over Hanna's America-hating remarks?
Oh yeah, because they concur.
Jeff-
If you will recall, the Greens and Libertarians jointly assembled the volunteers for the recount, later joined by the Democrats. After they assembled us all and gave us our training, they ARBITRARILY assigned each of us to be either a Green, or a Libertairan, or a Democrat, since each party was entitled to a representatiive at the table. As I recall (I would have to check my notes), I was also arbitrarily assigned to be a "Green" for the day, although I have been a registered Democrat my entire life and have not, to my recollection, ever voted for a Green either (I tend to fall in the less starry-ended segment of the Democratic party and have always found the Greens a trifle too idealistic and unrealistic for my taste). But they could have just as eaily assigned me — or Judy — to be a Libertarian. They just needed to cover all their slots. I have been hearing countless of these Kevin Coughlin commercials and they sound smug, sanctimonious and mean. He's really foregrounding his perfect little family, even though I've heard gossip he may not be quite the great family man he presents himself as.
Anonymous-
You are a clown. Read my post. It explains how the recount worked. I was assigned to be a "Green" too, and have nothing to do with the party. It's people like Coughlin and much of today's Republican party who truly "hate America" by working against the interests of everyday citizens and destroying our economy, our army, our cities, and our standing in the world.
Poor "anonymous." Your "side" has no ammo left.
Anonymous-
You are a clown. Read my post. It explains how the recount worked. I was assigned to be a "Green" too, and have nothing to do with the party. It's people like Coughlin and much of today's Republican party who truly "hate America" by working against the interests of everyday citizens and destroying our economy, our army, our cities, and our standing in the world.
Poor "anonymous." Your "side" has no ammo left.
Jeff,
You've done a great job at covering this issue.
Coughlin and his "anonymous" lackeys are representative of the dwindling "moonbat" wing which has hijacked the Republican Party.
It truly is time to "throw the bums out."
I was raised by moderate, committed, active, life-long Republicans who were NOT wackos, not bigots and not liars.
Since they have died, I often wonder what would they do today?
I do know, that for a fact they DESPISED crooks like Tome Noe.
First anon - your link doesn't work.
In any event, WTF - not "member" but "leader"? That's BS!
There are no "America-hating" remarks by Hanna, but there are plenty of hateful distortions by Coughlin.
Jeff-
The second "anon" was me. That was an accident. I will fess up to calling the first poster a "clown."
If she walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck....oh, nevermind, it's all a HUGE conspiracy, right? The MAN is out to get all liberals, just like the MAN disenfranchises voters. Pathetic!
These ads only use Judy's own words and deeds. Nothing hateful. Just facts.
She's a radical left winger disguised as a mainstream Democrat.
America is evil and delporable? Her words.
Flag burners are democratic reformers? Her words.
Green Party leader? She herself introduces herself on video as a leader of the Green Party and paperwork at the Board of Elections establsihes her as the Green Party's official representative in Summit County in 2004.
And that photo? She actually paid for that photo herself, sat in the studio, had it taken, and used it on her own campaign materials! The RSCC didn't have to dig to far to find it.
Sorry guys, but this stuff is fair game. It's about her radical positions. That's it. I think it's one of the most effective commercials on tv right now.
Good copy & pasting anon!
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