Jennifer Brunner Launches Transition Website

Just got this press release through her email list.

MEDIA ADVISORY

“Brunner Moving Forward with Transition Website”

For Immediate Release

November 17, 2006 - Columbus, Ohio—Secretary of State-Elect Jennifer Brunner welcomes those interested in her transition to visit her enhanced website at www.jenniferbrunner.com

Visitors to the site will discover ways to provide valuable feedback to the Secretary of State-Elect on their voting experiences this fall, learn about new initiatives in the works for the office, apply for positions in her new administration and send their comments and ideas to Brunner.

"I look forward to tackling the many challenges to make voting simple and accessible for Ohioans,” said Brunner. “We have already articulated our goals for the office and are anxious to work with Secretary of State Blackwell’s administration for a smooth transition,” added Brunner.

Brunner’s Four Goals for the Secretary of State’s office are to:

• Restore trust to Ohio elections
• Ensure business filings are quick, efficient and easy to retrieve
• Protect social security numbers from public access
• Create and maintain a social health index

"I have met so many talented people throughout my campaign from across our great State, and at the same time, I know there are many talented and dedicated employees in the Secretary of State’s office,” said Brunner. “I plan to assemble the best team with talent from both inside and outside the office who are committed to meeting our goals for Ohioans,” continued Brunner.

Brunner pledged throughout her campaign to hit the ground running once elected. “There is a lot of work that needs to start happening, and I will be working immediately to form a team to start tackling our goals,” said Brunner.

Ohio voters made Jennifer Brunner Ohio’s first woman elected secretary of state on November 7, 2006. A former Franklin County Common Pleas Court Judge, Brunner brings a unique perspective and uncompromised credentials as Ohio’s top elections official. Her service as a board of elections member, Legislative Counsel for the Secretary of State’s Office, 13 years of private practice election law experience; including serving as a special prosecutor for election fraud, and making tough decisions as a Judge, clearly demonstrate her ability to be an effective and fair secretary of state.

Jennifer Brunner
Ohio Secretary of State-Elect

Excessive Force

I don't know if everyone's seen the UCLA video yet, but if you haven't I've included it in this post. I subscribe to YouTube's most played video feed and three different incarnations of this same video appeared in it.

As you can see the student is tased several times, though I'd always thought they drew the line at three shocks. While I'm not sure why the person was initially tased (I know it all started because he didn't have ID, but I wonder if he resisted arrest at all), they tased him several times after that because he wouldn't get up.

Below is a statement from UCLA.

Date: November 15, 2006
Contact: Office of Media Relations ( media@support.ucla.edu )
Phone: 310-825-2585

Statement from UCLA Acting Chancellor Norman Abrams About Incident at Powell Library

University police are investigating an incident late last night in which police took a student into custody at Powell Library. Investigators are reviewing the incident and the officers' actions. The investigation and review will be thorough, vigorous and fair.

The safety of our campus community is of paramount importance to me. Routinely checking student identification after 11 p.m. at the campus library, which is open 24 hours, is a policy posted in the library that was enacted for the protection of our students. Compliance is critical for the safety and well-being of everyone.

-UCLA-

Source: Statement from UCLA Acting Chancellor Norman Abrams about inc... 11/15/2006

Democrats Just Say "No" To Murtha

Steny Hoyer was elected to be the next House majority leader by a large margin.

WASHINGTON - Democrats picked Rep. Steny Hoyer to be House majority leader on Thursday, spurning Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s handpicked choice moments after unanimously backing her election as speaker when Congress convenes in January.

A Marylander and 25-year veteran of Congress, Hoyer defeated Rep. John Murtha of Pennsylvania in a vote of 149-86.

Source: Dems pick Hoyer as majority leader - Politics - MSNBC.com

Jennifer Brunner Writes Piece For Huffington Post

It's late, but just as I was closing programs down for the night this popped up in my Google Reader. Jennifer Brunner has become the latest person to write an article for the Huffington Post's "Fearless Voices" series. The first two paragraphs are below but there's a lot more if you follow the source link.

My name is Jennifer Brunner, and this year I was the Democratic candidate for Ohio Secretary of State. On Election Day, by defeating my Republican opponent and two other candidates in 51 of Ohio's 88 counties, with an unofficial total vote of 1,994,276 or 54.78% of the votes cast for this office, I became Secretary of State-Elect.

In addition to being the first member of an Ohio county board of elections to be elected Secretary of State, this marks the first time in Ohio history that a woman has been elected to this post.

Source: Fearless Voices | Jennifer Brunner: On Being Fearless... | The Huffington Post

Zack Space Is Already A Target For 2008

Republicans are already making plans to take back the 18th district. Going by some of the statements contained in the Dispatch article I read on this it seems that Republican leadership will soon be actively seeking a person to run against Space in '08. Does this mean that they never though Padgett was the right person? If it does then I owe the Republicans a little bit more credit then I currently give them.

WASHINGTON — From meeting President Bush at the White House to participating in freshman orientation on Capitol Hill, Democrat Zack Space is just taking stock of his surroundings this week as the newly elected congressman from Dover.

He’s even heard from Bob Ney, the GOP congressman-turned-admitted-felon, who offered advice on constituent service.

But just a week after the election, Republicans smarting from losing their congressional majority already have circled Space’s eastern Ohio district as one they should win back in two years.

Source: The Columbus Dispatch - Local/State

Ohio State Gets An Unlikely Cheerleader

This was just too good to pass up, even though I hate football. Apparently on the Ohio House floor tomorrow at 1:30 PM Michigan State Rep. John C. Stewart will be singing "Carmen Ohio" due to a bet on last years game.

Source: PD Openers

Senate Committee Posts

Tentative Democratic Senate committee posts were decided today. The full list is below. Sherrod Brown appears in blue.

Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

Chair: Harkin

Leahy
Conrad
Baucus
Lincoln
Stabenow
Nelson (NE)
Salazar
Brown
Casey
Klobuchar

Appropriations

Chair: Byrd

Inouye
Leahy
Harkin
Mikulski
Kohl
Murray
Dorgan
Feinstein
Durbin
Johnson
Landrieu
Reed
Lautenberg
Nelson (NE)

Armed Services

Chair: Levin

Kennedy
Byrd
Lieberman
Reed
Akaka
Nelson (Fl)
Nelson (NE)
Bayh
Clinton
Pryor
Webb
McCaskill

Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

Chair: Dodd

Johnson
Reed
Schumer
Bayh
Carper
Menendez
Akaka
Brown
Casey
Tester

Commerce, Science, and Transportation

Chair: Inouye

Rockefeller
Kerry
Dorgan
Boxer
Nelson (Fl)
Cantwell
Lautenberg
Pryor
Carper
McCaskill
Klobuchar

Energy and Natural Resources

Chair: Bingaman

Akaka
Dorgan
Wyden
Johnson
Landrieu
Cantwell
Salazar
Menendez
Lincoln
Sanders
Tester

Environment and Public Works

Chair: Boxer

Baucus
Lieberman
Carper
Clinton
Lautenberg
Cardin
Sanders
Klobuchar
Whitehouse

Finance

Chair: Baucus

Rockefeller
Conrad
Bingaman
Kerry
Lincoln
Wyden
Schumer
Stabenow
Cantwell
Salazar

Foreign Relations

Chair: Biden

Dodd
Kerry
Feingold
Boxer
Nelson (Fl)
Obama
Menendez
Cardin
Casey
Webb

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

Chair: Kennedy

Dodd
Harkin
Mikulski
Bingaman
Murray
Reed
Clinton
Obama
Sanders
Brown

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

Chair: Lieberman

Levin
Akaka
Carper
Pryor
Landrieu
Obama
McCaskill
Tester

Judiciary

Chair: Leahy

Kennedy
Biden
Kohl
Feinstein
Feingold
Schumer
Durbin
Cardin
Whitehouse

Intelligence

Chair: Rockefeller

Levin
Feinstein
Wyden
Bayh
Mikulski
Feingold
Whitehouse

Budget

Chair: Conrad

Murray
Wyden
Feingold
Johnson
Byrd
Nelson (Fl)
Stabenow
Menendez
Cardin
Sanders

Special Committee on Aging

Chair: Kohl

Wyden
Lincoln
Bayh
Carper
Nelson (Fl)
Clinton
Salazar
Casey
McCaskill
Whitehouse

Veterans Affairs

Chair: Akaka

Rockefeller
Murray
Obama
Sanders
Brown
Webb
Tester

Small Business and Entrepreneurship

Chair: Kerry

Levin
Harkin
Lieberman
Landrieu
Cantwell
Bayh
Pryor
Cardin
Tester

Rules and Administration

Chair: Feinstein

Dodd
Byrd
Inouye
Schumer
Durbin
Nelson (NE)
Dorgan
Murray
Pryor

Joint Economic

Chair: Schumer

Kennedy
Bingaman
Klobuchar
Casey
Webb

Indian Affairs

Chair: Dorgan

Inouye
Conrad
Akaka
Johnson
Cantwell
McCaskill
Tester

Source: Tentative Democratic Committee Assignments in Senate | Democrats.com

Well This Should Make It A Lot Easier...

Bob Ney himself has joined the ranks of people calling for the Ney Center at Ohio University Eastern to be renamed.

The Robert Ney Center at Ohio University Eastern is one step closer to changing its name.

Tuesday, Bob Ney himself sent the university an email saying he wants his name taken off of the building out of respect for the school.

The advisory board at the campus had already recommended to the board of trustees that Ney's name be removed.

In his email, Ney stated he does not think it's in the best interest of the institution or the community to engage in a raging debate over his name.

Ohio University officials said the ultimate decision rests with the board of trustees in Athens.

The Ney Center was built in 1997 and is used as the school's basketball arena, workout facility and also houses several classrooms.

Ney also said in his email that he is very proud to have worked with the university to help them secure federal funds for the building.

-Renee Cardelli & Amy Post, NEWS9

Source: Ney Wants His Own Name Taken Off Building - News - WTOV9.com | WTOV

Ohio University Newspaper Calls For Renaming Ney Center

This op/ed piece ran in an Ohio University newspaper. It calls for the renaming of the Ney Center, an athletic facility located at the Ohio University Eastern branch.

As this paper has stated numerous times, Bob Ney failed his constituents, his state and his party. He abused his legislative power for personal gain and was involved in one of the biggest Washington scandals in the last quarter century.

He is a convicted felon whose name is synonymous with disgrace and shame. His name also adorns a building on Ohio University’s eastern campus, and it’s time for it to be removed from its edifice.

The naming was part of a donation deal, in which Ney helped facilitate the construction of the building. His financial assistance to the university can’t — and shouldn’t — be denied, but this is a situation where the perception might be more important than the reality.

Continuing to allow his name to be so strongly connected to the university is an implicit validation of his activities. That seems like a stretch now, while his name is still appearing in the news as often as it is, but in 10 years, he will be even less known as a once-politician, and more reviled as someone in Jack Abramoff’s pocket.

OU needs to break the connection with Ney now instead of later. It needs to right the perception that it endorses the fallen congressman’s actions and his legacy as quickly as possible.

Source: The Post Online

Trent Lott Wants Back In The Spotlight

Trent Lott thinks his penance is over and wants another leadership position. The former majority leader is running for minority whip.

As rumored since last year, Political Wire has learned that Sen. Trent Lott (R-MS) will run for Senate Minority Whip. He launched a "quiet campaign" just before the midterm elections in anticipation that the previous holder of the position, Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA), would lose his re-election race.

Source: Political Wire: Lott Will Make Leadership Bid

Bonus Quote:

I want to say this about my state: When Strom Thurmond ran for president, we voted for him. We're proud of it. And if the rest of the country had followed our lead, we wouldn't have had all these problems over all these years, either

Those were Trent Lott's words on December 5, 2002 at Strom Thurmond 100 birthday party. Thurmond had run for President as a segregationalist. Lott also has a history of voting against African-American civil rights bills and opposed a Martin Luther King holiday. Read more at Wikipedia.

The Axis Of Hypocrisy

Read the following excerpt from a Reuters news story carefully.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Bush administration said on Monday that Guantanamo prisoners have no constitutional right to challenge their detention before U.S. federal judges, and the lawsuits by hundreds of detainees must be dismissed.

Does that trouble you? Why have we Americans stopped holding ourselves to a higher moral standard? I find it troubling that we have the audacity to say that someone doesn't have the right to challenge their detention in court. Keep in mind that in the end we let a lot of these people go because we can't link them to terrorists.

Source: U.S.: Guantanamo detention cases must be dismissed | US News | Reuters.com

Iraq Vets Freaking Out Over Roadside Trash

Not that I blame them.

Take a minute and imagine what it must feel like to think every piece of trash on the side of the road or every discarded soda can could be an improvised explosive device. Such is life for a mother of two I met recently in suburban Illinois.

Keri Christensen served in Iraq with the Army National Guard. She has been back for a year and still panics when she takes her kids for a ride in the family minivan. Keri's job in Iraq was to haul tanks and heavy equipment from Kuwait to Iraq. She had to scan the roads regularly for roadside bombs to help keep the convoy safe. That fear has stuck with her.

She says she was diagnosed in Iraq with post-traumatic stress disorder. As many as one in seven soldiers returning from Iraq could have it, according to the U.S. Department of Defense.

Source: CNN.com - Anderson Cooper 360° Blog

Never Trust A Republican With Your Money

Tom Noe has finally gotten what he deserved for using state money to improve his own life (not to mention illegally funding Bush's 2004 campaign, but that's an old charge).

TOLEDO, Ohio - A former GOP fundraiser was convicted Monday of embezzling from a rare-coin investment fund in a scandal that hurt Ohio’s Republican Party on Election Day.

Tom Noe, a coin dealer and former Republican fundraiser, was convicted of theft, money laundering, forgery and tampering with evidence.

The scandal surrounding the investment became a political liability for the GOP, which lost all but one of the statewide, nonjudicial offices up for election Tuesday.

The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation gave Noe $25 million in 1998, followed by another $25 million in 2001 to invest in rare coins.

Noe, 52, was accused of using some of the money to pay off business loans and finance a lavish lifestyle.

Source: GOP fundraiser convicted of embezzlement - Crime & Punishment - MSNBC.com

She Took My Job, So I Took Her Office

No, that post title didn't come from a country music song. It came from the actions of Ohio's own Rep. Steve LaTourette. He's moving into Nancy Pelosi's old office suite because he "figured since she took my chairmanship, I'm going to take her office". Of course I'm sure she doesn't care as she's leaving it for a bigger office.

Concord Township Republican Rep. Steve LaTourette will take over an office suite occupied by Nancy Pelosi as part of routine office reshuffling that occurs after every election. The space is available because Pelosi, as the new majority leader, is getting bigger quarters.

LaTourette says he decided to move to Pelosi's old office because "it has a very nice view of the Capitol," although it has the same square footage as his current Rayburn House Office Building digs. He will be moving from the building's fourth floor to its third.

"I figured since she took my chairmanship, I'm going to take her office," said LaTourette, who lost a transportation subcommittee because of the Democratic takeover.

Among those who checked out LaTourette's current office for use next year was Cleveland Democrat Dennis Kucinich, who has occupied the same quarters in the Longworth House Office Building for about a decade. He decided to take an office on Rayburn's fourth floor, but not LaTourette's suite.

- Sabrina Eaton

Source: PD Openers

Giuliani Is Testing The Waters For '08 Run

The man America hated until 9/11/01 has started an exploratory committee to research a bid for President in 2008.

WASHINGTON Nov 13, 2006 (AP)— Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, a moderate Republican best known for his stewardship of the city after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, has taken the first step in a 2008 presidential bid.

The former mayor filed papers to create the Rudy Giuliani Presidential Exploratory Committee, Inc., establishing a New York-based panel that would allow him to raise money to explore a White House run and travel the country.

The four-page filing, obtained by The Associated Press, lists the purpose of the non-profit corporation "to conduct federal 'testing the waters' activity under the Federal Election Campaign Act for Rudy Giuliani."

Source: ABC News: AP: Giuliani Takes Step Toward '08 Bid

BREAKING: New RNC Head Picked

Mel Martinez has been picked to succeed Ken Mehlman as head of the Republican National Committee.

Congress Is Back

Just a quick note that Congress goes back into session today. I wonder what all the Republicans will be trying to get through before they lose power?

Youth Voting Up In This Election

It's still early but it seems that a lot more people in the 1-29 age group voted this time.

Early returns from Tuesday's elections show that young people were particularly inspired to cast ballots, a result that drew cheers from voter activists.

Two million more people under the age of 30 voted in the midterm elections than in 2002, according to an analysis by the University of Maryland's Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement.

Twenty-four percent of those 18 to 29 who were eligible voted, the center concluded, up from 20 percent in 2002. The increase is the largest ever among young voters for midterm elections, and it dwarfed the 1 percent rise among the electorate overall from 2002 to 2006.

Source: Youth Movement at the Polls - washingtonpost.com

Two More Possible Presidential Candidates

It's been an exciting day. First Feingold's out and then Biden's in, and now there are two more names in the "possible" category.

He's the popular New Mexico governor who has done stints in Congress, the United Nations, and the Energy Department, so it's about time Bill Richardson had a website promoting him for president. Well, americaforrichardson.org is up and running, and its webmaster, former Richardson aide Jeff Gulko, says the goal is to get 2008's lone Hispanic hopeful elected president. It might be working. Democrat Richardson tells us he's mulling over a January announcement and says, "I've got something to offer."

There's also talk that John Edwards will also run again.

Source: USNews.com: Washington Whispers

Mike DeWine For Governor in 2010?

I've seen a rumor on several blogs today that Mike DeWine is planning to run for governor in 2010. I can't confirm it and obviously a lot could happen by then, but it's still interesting.

Nancy Pelosi Supporting John Murtha for Majority Leader

Nancy Pelosi sent out a letter to Democrats in the House of Representatives urging them to vote for John Murtha for majority leader.

Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), "in line to become Speaker in January, is throwing her support to Rep. John Murtha (D-PA) in the race for Majority Leader, a move that will be an early test of her influence and will weigh heavily on Murtha's contest with Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) for the post," Roll Call reports.

"Pelosi, in a letter distributed Sunday to newly elected House Democrats, wrote that Murtha's outspoken opposition to the war in Iraq helped change the electoral campaign for the House this fall."

Source: Political Wire: Pelosi Backs Murtha for Majority Leader

A Quick News Roundup

A quick news summery.

Democrats say will push for Iraq withdrawal | Politics News | Reuters.com

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrats, who won control of the U.S. Congress, said on Sunday they will push to begin withdrawing American troops from Iraq in the next few months but the White House cautioned against fixing timetables.

"First order of business is to change the direction of Iraq policy," said Sen. Carl Levin, a Michigan Democrat expected to be chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee in the new Congress that convenes in January.

McCain says to mull presidential bid over holidays | Politics News | Reuters.com

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona said on Sunday he was preparing for a possible run for president in 2008 but would not make a final decision until after the new year.

"I am going to sit down with my family over the holidays and make that decision," the four-term senator, who unsuccessfully ran for president in 2000, said on NBC's "Meet the Press."

White House intent on Bolton for U.N. envoy | Politics News | Reuters.com

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Bush administration is intent on overcoming Democratic opposition to U.N. Ambassador John Bolton, the White House said on Sunday, but top Democrats said Congress would not confirm the outspoken envoy.

"I think if (Bolton) actually was able to get a vote in the full Senate, he would succeed ... I'm still hopeful that we can get him through," White House Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten said on ABC's "This Week with George Stephanopoulos."

One In, One Out: Biden To Seek Presidency

I'm sorry that I can't find a whole lot of details right now, but it seems that Senator Joe Biden (D-DE) will be seeking the Democratic nomination for President in 2008.

Senator Joseph R. Biden (D-DE) said this morning on ABC's This Week with George Stephanopoulos that he planned to seek the Democratic nomination for President in 2008.

Source: Sen. Biden: I Will Run For President In '08... | The Huffington Post

Feingold in 2008? It's Not Going to Happen

Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) has decided not to run for President in 2008. Apparently he found the appeal of being in the Senate majority to be to strong to focus on anything else.

For full letter check out the source link at the bottom.

On Sunday, November 12^th in Racine, I will hold my 1000^th Listening Session with the people of Wisconsin. Before reaching that milestone, I want you to know that I've decided to continue my role as Wisconsin's Junior Senator in the U.S. Senate and not to seek the Democratic nomination for President in 2008.

Source: Progressive Patriots Fund - Russ Feingold, Honorary Chair | 2008