What The FOP Forgot About Chris Smitherman

While I am still unable to find an official listing of Cincinnati FOP endorsements (CityBeat has a list posted yesterday), I must point out what I would think was a clerical error.  Chris Smitherman is listing the FOP as one of his endorsements for Cincinnati City Council.  This is what I would expected if we lived in Bizarro World, where pigs actually fly.  Instead I will collectively pinch everyone and confirm that you are dreaming.

That in mind, I will just have to assume that someone in the FOP must have broken in the evidence locker and took out a truck full of weed and drove it over to FOP headquarters before they picked their endorsements.  What I am sure the FOP didn't bother to do was vet Chris Smitherman before his endorsement, other than to determine if he would pledge not to fire anyone on the the police force and for his No vote on State Issue 2 (SB5).

If they did, they might have dug up this article from Greg Korte in the Enquirer about some of the antics Smitherman pulled right after taking office as a Council member in 2003.  As soon as Smitherman had run a 'moderated' campaign as a Charter Committee endorsed candidate, he came right out of the shoot attacking the Cincinnati Police Department.  He demanded a list of where all police officers went to high school.  He was so loved by the FOP back then former FOP President Keith Fangman had this to say:

"Chris Smitherman is the master of illusion," said Keith Fangman, the Fraternal Order of Police vice president. "He hoodwinked the voters into believing he wanted to improve police-community relations. And he has done the exact opposite."

So, I guess the FOP has now been 'hoodwinked' into giving an endorsement.  If Smitherman is elected, I would make a bet at what parts of the CPD he would start targeting.

No matter how much of a Republican Smitherman claims to be, which he should do as he's getting praised by the likes of Chris Monzel, not to mention COAST and Charlie Winburn.  I really don't understand how the local NAACP can just abandon it's principles under the ruse of getting one man more power.  Making deals with the 'devil' will do nothing but ruin you in the end.

Gruesome Playground Injuries at Know Theatre

See this show! I saw it on opening night and it a great cast, great director, great staging, awesome use of video, and tremendous story. it's playing Thursday to Saturday until November 5th. Go to www.knowtheatre.com for more information.

Leslie Ghiz Was NOT Endorsed by CincYPAC

If you read my blog a few weeks ago, you'd know that Leslie Ghiz was not endorsed by CincYPAC this election season.

 If you read Leslie Ghiz's detailed list of alleged endorsements  (Pictured above) on the current League of Women Voter's website, Smartvoter.org, then you would find the false information indicating she was endorsed by the YP policital action committee.

I don't know if Leslie is mistaken about who endorsed her or if she's just not running a serious campaign that would take the time to update her candidate page on the LWV web site from the prior election, with just over three weeks before the next election.  She also lists an endorsement from POWR PAC, which I can't find published anywhere.  The POWR PAC website isn't coming up and they've not posted anything on their Twitter account for months, so I think they've not issued any endorsements yet this year.

Ghiz has got a more up-to-date endorsement listing on her website, one would think she could get a staffer to update the LWV page.  I guess all of the time she's been spending coming up with a detailed Republican plan to avoid police layoffs while still eliminating the $33 Million budget deficit has prevented her staff from this type of simple house-keeping item.  I'm sure we'll all get to see that plan any day now.

Chaos Headed to Ohio in the 2012 House Election

Ohio may have election chaos of its own making in 2012.  The Enquirer has an in-depth story on the repercussions on the Ohio Supreme Court 7-0 ruling on Friday that requires Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted to accept a ballot initiative to overturn the gerrymandered Republican plan to draw Federal Congressional districts.

In case anyone was thinking this was not a bullshit plan, take in a simple fact: each district must contain 721,032 residents.  Hamilton County's 2010 Census population is 802,374.  There is no reason the 1st District, where the law starts off, should not have been created entirely inside Hamilton County.  That's Fair.  Sure part of the county would need to be in another district, but only around 80,000 people. Instead the 1st District, as set by Republicans, includes parts of three counties.  That's the bullshit.

Sure, Republicans could claim that Democrats  have done the same thing in the past.  I don't care about the past.  We are in the present.  If you are going to say this plan is "Fair", as a quote in the Enquirer article from Ohio House Speaker William Batchelder (R) did, then you the purveyor of bullshit that deserves opposition and a little scorn in the form of a  blog post like this.

Aja Roberto Appears To Be A COASTer

I'm perplexed that someone would go from being the Treasurer of CincYPAC to a supporter of COAST.  Ben at Cincyvoices has a very good article describing what I would characterize as the bizarre and unprofessional actions of Aja Roberto in how she resigned from the CincYPAC board and made unclear and unsubstantiated claims against the organisation, then went on to be a host of the COAST fundraiser supporting Issue 48 and against all passenger rail projects in Cincinnati.

It made her appear to just be a Republican pissed that most of her Republican candidates who don't agree with CincYPAC issues didn't get endorsements.  Something to be shocked over, I'm sure....

What the evidence of this situation points to in my opinion is that a hardcore Republican confused the stated issues of CincYPAC with the anti-city stances of Suburbanite Republicans and was pissed that more people were not as confused as she was, so she created a spectacle.  Classy, I know.

That's what I'd call a shit show.  It's also radioactive for any political candidate who allows her into their campaign on a significant level.  She'd fit in well with Chabot or Winstrup, I'd surmise.  I hope she stays out of City politics, of which she's greatly mistaken on where YP's stand.

Where's the Full List of FOP Endorsements?

I've read the Smartvoter.org website listing details about Cincinnati City Council candidates and their campaigns. These details include endorsements. I see at least two candidates that I am surprised are listing an FOP (Fraternal Order of Police - the Cincinnati Police Union) endorsement. One of those two I am down-right shocked at reading. I've not seen a press release or posting on the FOP website listing the candidates. I'm wondering why.  Reading this candidate's Facebook pages makes me think I've figured out the litmus test that got this candidate an endorsement, but without the full list, I can't pieced it all together.

I already commented on the Mike Allen's reported endorsement from a local media outlet, but I've not found any other mentions than candidate's listing on the page linked above or shout-outs on their own pages. I don't want to comment on one of the alleged endorsements without some official confirmation.

This candidate appears to have transformed from something they were into something the FOP would endorse.  I don't see how the past can be forgotten.

Over-the-Rhine to Headline The Emery Theatre 11-11-11 Kickoff

Soapbox Cincinnati happily broke the story this morning that famed local band Over-the-Rhine will headline the 11-11-11 benefit event for the Emery Theatre restoration project.  Details on the event are here.