Buckeye State Blog - Exclusive: Coughlin appears to be using taxpayer offices to conduct political activity - Comments

Exactly

AmberCat — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 14:50:41 -0800

They'll ignore it and then Ted Diadiun will write a column responding to people who complain by saying Coughlin's campaign isn't news because he's just started running and isn't the nominee yet, or some such. This is the paper that called endllessly and shrilly for the resignations of Marc Dann and Jimmy Dimora (neither charged with anything yet), while defending Tom Noe almost until the bitter end – and never even suggesting that Betty Montgomery's and Jim Petro's complicity with Noe perhaps made them unsuitable candidates. The PD even laughably suggested Montgomery as a someone Strickland could have picked as a potential replacement for Dann – never mind that Montgoemry's failings cost the state far more than Dann's did. Also, remind me again - did they ever call for Taft to resign?

Awwww c'mon

Himself — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 13:43:56 -0800

This isn't anything Ray Miller wouldn't do -- and get slapped by the Senate ethics committee for. But, let's let these guys beat each other up first before we step in to help 'em.

Isn't Plain Dealer in bed with Coughlin?

ohio_observer — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 12:00:39 -0800

Why would they report it when they can create non-existent controversies about dems?

Exclusive: Coughlin appears to be using taxpayer offices to conduct political activity

modernesquire — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 11:34:04 -0800

CowTownGirl confirmed what I had initially suspected, but quickly dismissed (because who would be dumb enough to film a campaign announcement in their official, taxpayer provided government office?): State Senator Kevin Coughlin filmed his Gubernatorial candidancy announcement in his official State Senate office. I dismissed it because I wasn't sure if any State Senate office had a fireplace, but the woodworking and appearance of the office looks strikingly similar to that of the offices in the State Senate at Capitol Square.

On top of that, Coughlin's campaign website which states is paid for by Coughlin for Ohio, his Gubernatorial campaign organization, lists his State Senate phone number and address for contact information. Coughlin also calls the website his "online" district office, but it also features his web post announcing his Gubernatorial candidacy.

So, I called Coughlin's State Senate office and asked if they knew where his announcement was filmed. Coughlin's aide said that although the aide had not seen the announcement clip yet (since it cannot be viewed on State computers and the campaign must be separate from the official office) the aide was "pretty sure" it was filmed at the Statehouse.

So to recap, within twenty-four hours of announcing his candidacy, GOP Gubernatorial candidate Kevin Coughlin has been revealed trying to promote a completely scripted and edited announcement speech as "unscripted." He's violated Ohio's campaign finance laws by using taxpayer-provided officespace for his personal political purposes. And he's posted that video on a website that is paid by his campaign but is presented as being part of his official office, including listing his state office phone number as "contact" information for him on his gubernatorial campaign website.

Coughlin's campaign launch isn't going so well.

BTW, when will any newspaper, radio station, or television station in Ohio report on this?