Secty of State: Ohio Elections Commission Finds Probable Cause for Complaint Against Hartmann (R) TV Ad

The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that the Ohio Elections Commission has found that a complaint filed last week by Jennifer Brunner (D-Columbus) about the first TV ad by opponent Greg Hartmann (R-Cincinnati) has probable cause and will hear arguments in the case on November 1st. The "Willie Horton"-type ad accuses Brunner of handing down a "light sentence" in a weapons case when she was a judge, leading to the defendant getting out of prison and committing a rape. Brunner says that she gave an appropriate penalty for the gun charge under applicable law.

Brunner's complaint hasn't deterred Hartmann from releasing another such ad today, accusing Brunner of giving a woman convicted of killing a 19-month-old baby a five-year sentence in 2004, which an Appeals Court later increased to 11 years.

"The truth is that Greg Hartmann is a political operative who will do anything to try and pull Jennifer Brunner back in a weak attempt to move himself ahead," said Patrick Gallaway, Brunner's press secretary, in a press release today. Hartmann served as executive director to the Hamilton County Republican Party while working in the county prosecutor’s office. The Brunner campaign says that "numerous memos in his personnel file demonstrate that he had trouble showing up to work and had his pay docked for being absent without leave."

"We wish Mr. Hartmann could offer Ohio voters positive ideas and address the real issues facing the next Secretary of State,” added Gallaway. “Instead, Hartmann knows he does not have the election and business experience to match Brunner, as confirmed by endorsements from Columbus Dispatch, Dayton Daily News, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Akron Beacon Journal, Youngstown Vindicator, Lorain Morning Journal and Canton Repository."

Brunner has a recommended diary on DailyKos.com today, calling for support to help fend off Hartmann's attacks. View Brunner's TV commercial, responding to Hartmann's first attack ad, here.