A Look Back On Joy Padgett: Too Horrible To Subtitle

Where to begin... I guess with a short biography.

Joy Padgett, a former teacher, started out in politics in 1993 as a member of Ohio's House of Representatives. She continued to hold this seat until 1999. At this point Padgett's good friend and political idol* Bob Taft appointed her Director of the Office of Appalachia.

In early 2004 Padgett was appointed to finish out a term in the Ohio State Senate representing the 20^th district. This is where we all learned not to like her. In her bid to get elected to this seat later that year faced Democrat Terry Anderson. Padgett quickly showed her true form by sending out a mailing showing her opponent shaking hands with a member of Hezbollah calling him part of the "Blame America crowd". Of course she forgot to mention that the man Anderson was shaking hands with had held him as a hostage in Lebanon for 7 years. Padgett went on to win that election with 54% of the vote.

Padgett increased her profile last year by winning a special election for the Republican nomination in the race for the 18th congressional district after her other friend and political idol**, Bob Ney, plead guilty to corruption charges and dropped out of the race. Her chances at winning that election were spoiled when it was discovered that Padgett had some financial problems. Padgett had apparently defaulted on two small business loans totaling about $837,000 and she also filed personal bankruptcy claiming to have $1.16 million in debts against $202,143 in assets. The final nail in her political coffin was when it was discovered she'd transferred her third of her family farm to her two brothers shortly before declaring bankruptcy without receiving anything in return, even though the transfer was against Ohio law.

So now it looks like Padgett is finally going to leave politics behind. All I have to say is this: It's about time.

For more on Joy Padgett you can browse this sites old posts about her here.

*Okay I just made that part up. It's possible though.
** Once again I made that up. She did however get Ney's endorsement.