Sherrod Brown's wife quits Plain Dealer after covering Josh Mandel campaign even

Today the Cleveland Plain Dealer announced  the resignation of Connie Schultz, wife of Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH).  Schultz had come under fire recently for attending a Tea Party rally near Cleveland at which her husband's likely opponent in 2012, Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel, was a featured speaker.  Schultz was spotted videotaping Mandel's speech, but she conspicuously neglected to mention in her article that Mandel was even at the rally. (Read the details in my previous diary).

Once news about Schultz's covert-op became known, the Pulitzer prize winning journalist and 18-year veteran of the Plain Dealer issued a  breathless apology, claiming that she never thought for a minute she was doing anything wrong and just "felt sick about it" and had learned her lesson.

Of course, the real issue was whether or not she was engaging in campaign activities at the behest of or on the tab of the Plain Dealer, the largest newspaper in Ohio.  If so, this would be this would be too obvious even for the mainstream media.  They still like to maintain the appearance of impartiality.
And so we have Ms. Schultz's resignation:

"In recent weeks, it has become painfully clear that my independence, professionally and personally, is possible only if I'm no longer writing for the newspaper that covers my husband's senate race on a daily basis. It's time for me to move on."

This begs a couple questions:

1.  It took four years into her husband's term to realize she is not an unbiased columnist when her husband is a sitting senator? 
2. Has this still not become "painfully clear" to the executives and editorial board of the Plain Dealer? Why did they let this go on for four years?

I would also like to know who else on the Plain Dealer staff is conducting campaign activities while being paid by the Plain Dealer.  If they are conducting research for campaigns while they are preforming their duties as reporters/columnists/etc., it needs to be listed as "in kind" donations on campaign finance reports. Perhaps Secretary of State Jon Husted should start asking some questions and poking around in Sherrod Brown's campaign finance reports.


UPDATE: The Plain Dealer added some commentary to Schultz's resignation letter at 3:32 PM:

"Schultz had written for the newspaper for nearly 18 years. She is married to Democratic U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, who will seek re-election to the U.S. Senate next year. Conservatives have criticized Schultz and The Plain Dealer, saying that she used her column to support her husband's political career.
Both Schultz and the leadership of the newspaper have maintained that her words are her own, and pointed out that she began writing about workers' rights and other liberal causes long before she married Brown in 2004.
Schultz took a leave of absence in 2006 when Brown first ran for the Senate."

Her editor, Debra Adams Simmons added:

"Her steadfast commitment to social and economic justice, her advocacy on behalf of women and her courageous efforts to speak truth to power highlight a distinguished career. Although Connie is moving on, hers will continue to be an important voice for the region."

Note how many liberal buzz words and phrases the editor from the Plain Dealer managed to pack into one sentence: "social and economic justice," "advocacy on behalf of women," and "speak truth to power."

Tells you all you need to know about the editorial perspective of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Is Sen. Sherrod Brown’s (D-OH) newspaper reporter wife campaigning on the Plain Dealer’s dime?

Is it appropriate for the wife of a sitting U.S. senator to report on political issues for a major newspaper in his state? If so, would propriety require that the reporter and the newspaper disclose the nature of the relationship between the reporter and the senator? Do the rules change as election activities commence? At what point are the reporter's activities (and the newspaper's subsidy of them) considered to be campaign contributions?


Those are questions people in Ohio are asking as the Third Base Politics blog reportedtonight that Plain Dealer columnist and wife of Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Connie Schultz, was spotted at a recent Tea Party Express rally in Lorain County.


In her column, titled "Politely Crashing the Tea Party," Schultz "politely" ridiculed the number of attendees, the absence of presidential candidates, a speaker she didn't agree with and three men (out of hundreds of attendees) who made rude comments to her.


However, Schultz made no mention of the fact that her three-hour visit to the Tea Party rally included finding a comfortable seat and videotaping a speech by Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel, who is her husband's likely opponent in the Ohio senate race in 2012. It couldn't have been easy to sit and listen to Mandel blaming her husband for Obamacare and calling him a leftist. On the other hand, as an avowed leftist herself, she may have been beaming with pride. Watch her and judge for yourself:

In a follow-up "apology" column today, Schultz brushed off the criticism saying she made a "mistake":

"I did not mention [Josh Mandel] because I wanted to avoid the appearance of singling him out for criticism, or promoting my husband. In retrospect, that was a mistake. You, the reader, should always be trusted to make up your own mind about whether my writing presents a conflict. That's why transparency matters. I am in the unique position of being a newspaper columnist married to a U.S. senator. My opinions are my own, but I must be ever vigilant to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest. I'm sorry I didn't let you know Mandel showed up."

Now, Schultz is no journalistic neophyte. She's a syndicated columnist with a Pulitzer prize on her desk. She's written a couple books and has written for the vaunted (ahem) Huffington Post. Holding her hands up to her cheeks and exclaiming, "Oh my goodness! I had no idea I would cause such a fuss!" just does not fly here.

On the issue of videotaping Mandel's speech, Schultz claimed that an operative for the Democratic party with a video camera was escorted out of the stadium and she felt compelled, as a journalist, to exercise her free speech rights:

"I did this because I think it's wrong for organizers of a public political event to cherry pick who is allowed to videotape a public official's speech. 

"As a resident of Avon, I knew taxpayers had approved a .25-percent income tax in 2007 to help pay for the stadium. I also knew the state exempted Avon from paying property tax on the facility, "with the understanding [that it] was devoted exclusively to 'public use.' " 

"When I held up my camera, I thought the journalist in me was making an in-your-face point about public forums."

All Pro Freight Stadium, home of the Lake Erie Crushers, rents its facility out for private events. I am guessing that the Tea Party Express event was one such private event. I'm no lawyer, but it would seem that funding with property taxes would not give every property owner in the city the right to control and direct private events in the stadium. If a DNC activist with a camera was causing trouble, the group hosting the private event would be within their rights to have them removed from the event.

Schultz continued:

"What I failed to consider is that I am never just another journalist when the public official who is speaking is bashing my husband. 

"Taping the speech gave the appearance that I was covering Mandel for The Plain Dealer. That was not, and never will be, the case. It doesn't matter that I did nothing with my video, or that someone else posted a video of Mandel's speech on You Tube. I should have taken a deep breath and kept my camera in my bag."

Really, she just failed to consider that? During Brown's last campaign, Schultz took a leave of absence from her leftist column in the Plain Dealer. This time around the Plain Dealer has promoted her to the front page of the Metro Section. (You can make up your own mind about whether conservatives get a fair shake in the paper that employs Senator Brown's wife).
Senator Brown wanted to make it perfectly clear that his wife was not on campaign assignment, telling WKYC's Tom Beres,

"She was not doing campaign work. Somebody that wanted to tape the speech was thrown out, probably illegally, because it's a public-funded venue. And she taped it. She didn't give it to the campaign. She's a citizen. She was there."

Of course, now that she's been caught, she couldn't give the tape to the campaign. Because, after all, that's the most serious issue here. If Schultz was conducting opposition research on Treasurer Mandel on the Plain Dealer's dime - on behalf of Brown's campaign - then it would need to be reported as a campaign contribution by the Plain Dealer. Otherwise, it would be a violation of campaign finance laws. That would be aside from the serious ethical boundaries the Plain Dealer would have crossed in having its employees conducting campaign activities.

Beyond that is the blatant impropriety demonstrated by the Plain Dealer and Schultz. Her bio fails to mention the connection between Schultz and Brown even though she writes consistently about political issues. Some recent columns have read like Democratic Party talking points: "Voter fraud is just a dark GOP fantasy," "Gay marriage just isn't a problem," "Teachers undeservedly face bashing and bullying" [by Republicans].

If Schultz is going to blatantly promote the policies of the DNC, she needs to clearly and conspicuously disclose her marriage to Brown.

In addition, if she is conducting campaign activities on company time, it needs to be reported as such. Furthermore, if there are other Plain Dealer reporters and employees engaging in campaign activities, they must report it. In fact, perhaps there should be an investigation to find out if Schultz or any other Plain Dealer employees are donating their time to political campaigns while on company time. These are lines than should not be blurred.

Obama's jobs plan is a National Infrastructure Bank with projects tied to "inequality reduction"

Thursday at a Holland, Michigan plant, President Obama turned on his folksy charm and declared that he would work tirelessly to “Git folks workin’ again” (note to the prez…I’ve been to lovely Holland, MI several times and they don’t talk that way, so there was no need to put on airs). He again terrified the markets by threatening to propose a whole host of new legislation to make sure the government provides everyone with a job. [Please, Mr. President, please, stay at Martha's Vinyard until 2012 and spare us any ideas you have rattling around in that oversize brain!]

One of the buzzwords that the president and his fellow Democrats have been floating this past week is investment in “infrastructure” as the solution to flat economic growth and high unemployment rates. Wednesday on Fox’s The Five, leftist political analyst Bob Bechtel said that a National Infrastructure Bank would help put people back to work.

To be honest, I had never heard of the National Infrastructure Bank until I received an e-mail about it this week from my senator, Sherrod Brown (D-OH), the most liberal member of Congress. Brown proudly announced that he was trying to sell the scheme to business leaders in Cincinnati as a way to rebuild a crumbling bridge. Brown linked to an article in the Cincinnati Business Courrier that covered the meeting :

“Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown assembled a group of business, labor and local government officials in Cincinnati Tuesday to voice support for new legislation that would create a national infrastructure bank to finance big-ticket projects like the Brent Spence Bridge….Brown’s proposal calls for projects of national significance to receive financing as long as they as they can demonstrate “an ability to repay the loan.”

In an opinion piece in Thursday’s Wall Street Journal, former PA Governor Ed Rendell and Mesa, AZ Mayor Scott Smith are pushing the rebuilding of our infrastructure via a National Infrastructure Bank:

“It is also time we create new infrastructure financing options, including a National Infrastructure Bank. Many of these new programs, using Build America Bonds, for instance, can be paid for with a minimal impact on the federal deficit.

"The government’s continued neglect of infrastructure will consign our nation and our children to economic decline. Rebuilding America’s future cannot be a Democratic or Republican political cause. It must be a national undertaking.”

Rendell and Smith write as representatives of Building America’s Future Educational Fund, which bills itself as “a bipartisan coalition of elected officials dedicated to bringing about a new era of U.S. investment in infrastructure that enhances our nation’s prosperity and quality of life.”

Alright, if by “bipartisan” they mean a collection of leftists and RINO’s which includes the likes of Michael Bloomberg, Arnold Schwazenegger, Gavin Newsome, Charlie Crist, David Patterson, and Ted Strickland. The Director of the Board is Donna Cooper from the Center for American Progress. Notice there’s quite a collection of out-of-work former Democratic office-holders on the list. Apparently their wives couldn’t handle having them wandering aimlessly around the estates all day.

So what exactly is this National Infrastructure Bank? Various iterations of it have been tossed around for the past several years. The basic idea is that a government bureaucracy would be set up to lend (or give) money out to fund infrastructure projects. Obama had a version in his 2011 budget announcement. Remember that “invest” is a code word for deficit spending:

“The Administration’s six year plan would invest $30 billion to found a National Infrastructure Bank (I-Bank). The I-Bank would leverage this Federal investment by providing loans and grants to support individual projects and broader activities of significance to our Nation’s economic competitiveness…A cornerstone of the I-Bank’s approach will be a rigorous project comparison method that transparently measures which projects offer the biggest “bang for the buck” to taxpayers and our economy. This marks a substantial departure from the practice of funding projects based on more narrow considerations.”

Well, this all sounds very reasonable, doesn’t it? We all want safe roads and bridges. We all have images of the Minneapolis bridge collapse seared into our brains and recognize that our nation needs upgrades in our infrastructure.

But as often has happened with this administration, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner reveals the real motives behind this plan:

“That’s why the President’s plan will reform our current system to promote merit-based investment by creating a National Infrastructure Bank, which will select projects on the basis of rigorous analysis. The National Infrastructure Bank will also draw private capital to invest in American infrastructure so that we can better leverage scarce taxpayer dollars. We will support projects that produce significant returns on our investment, allow Americans more choices in their modes of transportation, and improve the interconnectedness of our existing transportation networks to maximize the value of our current infrastructure.

“…Eighty percent of jobs created by investing in infrastructure will likely be created in three occupations –construction, manufacturing, and retail trade – which are among the hardest hit from the recession. Nine out of 10 jobs created in these three sectors pay middle-class wages.” [emphasis added]

Once again, the central planners are picking winners and losers. Not only are “three occupations” being targeted for specific consideration (union jobs, of course), but the “bank” will choose which projects have “merit” and thereby which “modes of transportation” will “produce significant returns on our investment,” all under the guise of giving us more “choices” in our modes of transportation (code for the continued push to get us all to “choose” public transportation).

But again, this isn’t necessarily all bad, until you actually read the legislation that has been proposed. It then descends into the usual Democratic pandering and central planning. H.R. 402, The National Infrastructure Development Bank Act of 2011, sponsored by Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and 56 co-sponsors (all Democrats) was introduced in January and is currently in the subcommittee on Domestic Monetary Policy and Technology:

“Establishment of National Infrastructure Development Bank- The National Infrastructure Development Bank is established as a wholly owned Government corporation…”

Oh no, here we go again. When you see the words “government” and “corporation” together beware. It brings to mind government takeovers of the banks, the auto industry and the student loan program.

“The Bank shall have a Board of Directors consisting of 5 members appointed by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.” [emphasis added]

The five members of the Board would have broad powers including:

"To make loans and purchase debt securities; to issue and sell debt securities of the Bank; to issue public benefit bonds and to provide financing to infrastructure projects from amounts made available from the issuance of such bonds; to make loan guarantees; to borrow on the global capital market and lend to regional, State, and local entities, and commercial banks for the purpose of funding infrastructure projects; to purchase in the open market any of the Bank’s outstanding obligations at any time and at any price; to monitor and oversee infrastructure projects financed, in whole or in part, by the Bank."

The eligibility criteria for infrastructure projects receiving assistance from the bank must meet the goals of the Bank:

"IN GENERAL- The Bank shall conduct an analysis that takes into account the economic, environmental, social benefits, and costs of each project under consideration for financial assistance under this Act, prioritizing projects that contribute to economic growth, lead to job creation, and are of regional or national significance."

And like nearly all legislation written by liberal Democrats, it rewards their special interest groups – those with the preferred skin color and gender and of course, the red carpet treatment for the beloved Mother Earth. It also adds the lofty goal of “inequality reduction,” which every good engineer should have foremost in his mind when designing a bridge. Some of the factors considered for transportation projects:

• Job creation, including workforce development for women and minorities, responsible employment practices, and quality job training opportunities. 



• Reduction in carbon emissions 


• Poverty and inequality reduction through targeted training and employment opportunities for low-income workers. 


• Use of smart tolling, such as vehicle miles traveled and congestion pricing, for highway, road, and bridge projects. 

“Smart tolling, such as vehicle miles traveled and congestion pricing”? We’ve heard talk of car transponders that will be able to report our mileage to the government so those who drive too much can pay higher tolls or taxes. Is this what they have in mind?

The requirements are similar for energy and environmental projects. For telecommunications projects it also adds Obama’s goal of internet access for all:
The extent to which assistance expands or improves broadband and wireless services in rural and disadvantaged communities.

Once again, we have the federal government engaging in social engineering – this time calling it “infrastructure” and telling us it’s about building roads and bridges and the smart grid. But if you read the text of the legislation, the priority seems to be picking the winners and losers and deciding who is deserving of this piece of the American Pie and who is not.

Best of all, this bill puts $5 billion in capital into the capable hands of Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner:

"There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for purchase of the shares of the Bank $5,000,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016 with the aggregate representing 10 percent of the total subscribed capital of the Bank":

There is a similar measure percolating in the Senate, S. 652, Building and Upgrading Infrastructure for Long-term Development, sponsored by John Kerry (D-MA) and co-sponsored by six Democrats and Republicans Kay Bailey Hutchison (TX) and Lindsay Graham (SC). While not including the radical social engineering language of the House version, the 7-member Board, appointed by the president, has broad powers to approve projects which must meet:

“…any criteria established by the Board of Directors or chief executive officer in accordance with this Act.”

Michelle Malkin summarized it this way:

“How would it work, and who would pay? Unveiled at the radical leftist Center for American Progress in January, Kerry and Company’s pipe dream would somehow leverage $10 billion in unidentified public funds into $640 billion in government loans and loan guarantees for union-exclusive construction and bogus green jobs projects. [T]he infrastructure banks would borrow more money the government doesn’t have to dole out grants that wouldn’t be paid back and don’t require interest payments.”

In addition to bailing out banks, auto companies and the student loan industry and propping up state and local governments with stimulus money, our lawmakers are now considering bailing out states and municipalities that failed to plan for the future. They now want to take out million dollar mortgages on roads and bridges they can’t afford with money borrowed from the federal government that doesn’t actually have any money and is borrowing it from China. To…give everyone a job. You can’t make this stuff up.


Cross posted at Red State

March 18, 2011

Today was a gorgeous spring day in Wayne County, Ohio - the thermometer hit a balmy 61 degrees!  I spent a lot of time in the car today and noted some sure signs of spring:

• Golfers on the golf course
• A few hopeful farmers plowing their waterlogged fields
• The beautiful sound of the crack of the bat as I watched Kyle and the Smithville Smimthies' baseball practice

We're enjoying it while it lasts, knowing we will surely have at least one more good snow before spring is here to stay (and that we'll be sitting through baseball games in the freezing rain). 


Here's today's roundup:


Malaysia garbles Lady Gaga's 'Born This Way' lyrics | Los Angeles Times: 

"Broadcasters in that country have chosen to electronically garble the part of the tune that says, 'No matter gay, straight or bi, lesbian, transgendered life, I'm on the right track, baby.' 

One broadcaster said they are being cautious regarding Lady Gaga's lyrics, which promote racial and sexual tolerance, because of government restrictions against airing material that might go against 'good taste or decency or [are] offensive to public feeling.'"

I wonder how many teens are running around singing this song, in its 5th week on the Billboard  Hot 100,   without even knowing what the lyrics are about?  It was featured last night on American Idol, with all the fresh-faced contestants enthusiastically belting it out, while the audience sang along.


House Votes to Defund National Public Radio - FoxNews.com:

"The House of Representatives on Thursday voted 228-192 on a bill to defund National Public Radio, the vast public radio network whose leadership has been questioned after a series of executive decisions about programming, staffing and reporting bias."

See how your representative voted here. 


This defunding caused Rep. Anthony Weiner to become positively unhinged, unleashing a mocking tirade against the GOP, accusing them of forcing Click and Clack into the unemployment lines.  What Weiner doesn't understand is that we want Click and Clack off the government payroll.  And while we're at it, let's go after PBS and take Big Bird and Curious George off the government payroll too.  Don't worry...if the market demands it, they'll stick around. 

Meanwhile...

U.S. Debt Jumped $72 Billion Same Day U.S. House Voted to Cut Spending $6 Billion | CNSnews.com: 

"The national debt jumped by $72 billion on Tuesday even as the Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives passed a continuing resolution to fund the government for just three weeks that will cut $6 billion from government spending.

"If Congress were to cut $6 billion every three weeks for the next 36 weeks, it would manage to save between now and late November as much money as the Treasury added to the nation’s net debt during just the business hours of Tuesday, March 15."

State monitor orders Barack Obama School closed
Asbury Park Press (HT: Michelle Malkin)

"The state fiscal monitor who oversees financial operations in the school district Thursday morning ordered the closing of the Barack H. Obama Elementary School as of July 1...

"Students next year will go to the district's two other more modern elementary schools -- Thurgood Marshall on the east side and Bradley on the west side...

"Officially renamed early in 2010 after the president, the building was known as the Bangs Avenue School since it was built a century ago. The state School Development Authority had planned to build a new school to replace the historic building, but has pulled back and Lowe said recently the state would not build a new school."

 Japanese people are setting the example, will the U.S. follow? | iVoters.com - Elaine Merritt

"There has been no surge of lawlessness in Sendai, the Japanese city hit hardest by the 9.0-magnitude earthquake.  For some reason, Japan has proven to be an exception." 

"When crises and national disasters happen in the United States, there are usually reports of violence, looting, and incivility as people scramble to survive or even just take advantage of the situation for personal gain. Remember the images from Hurricanes’ Andrew and Katrina when people were stealing TV’s and other electronics?...

"...In the United States, we have always been known for our caring and generosity to others but has something happened to us along the way?  Should a disaster of this magnitude happen here can we say as Japan that violence and incivility will not be the norm?

"Will we continue to see the attitudes of the people displayed in Andrew, Katrina, Wisconsin, and Ohio?

"Will Japan continue to be the world’s exception?" 

Sherrod Brown admits free trade in oil will save us (and himself) | RedState: 

"Senator Sherrod Brown (D) has sure noticed. He’s also noticed that gas prices are going up, and up, and up since Barack Obama took office, skyrocketing from under $2/gal to over $3.50/gal, an increase of about 75%. 

"So what does a Democrat (and Daily Kos darling) who has built a career by crusading against international trade do, when his career is on the line in 2012? Why, become a champion of trade, of course...

"Another comes from Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), who has urged the State Department to press oil-producing nations to increase their production while the U.S. economy continues to recover from the 2008 financial collapse."

"This is pure hypocrisy on Brown’s part. He’ll prescribe trade restrictions all day and all night; Bush’s bilateral trade juggernaut was slowed up only by Democrat stonewalling in the Senate. But as soon as Brown looks at Kasich, looks at Portman, and realizes he’s the odd man out in 2012, he starts screaming for trade."

Gotta love these election season conversions!


Birther? Potential 2012 Contender Donald Trump Doubts Obama’s Citizenship | The Blaze: 

“Everybody that even gives a hint of being a birther … even a little bit of a hint, like, gee, you know, maybe, just maybe this much of a chance, they label them as an idiot. Let me tell you, I’m a really smart guy,” he said in the interview, which took place aboard his private plane, Trump Force One.

“I was a really good student at the best school in the country. The reason I have a little doubt, just a little, is because he grew up and nobody knew him.”

Trump went on to say, “When you interview people, if I ever got the nomination, if I ever decide to run, you may go back and interview people from my kindergarten. They’ll remember me. Nobody ever comes forward. Nobody knows who he is until later in his life. It’s very strange. The whole thing is very strange.”

Irony Alert: Salon points out that a Spy Magazine article quotes a candy store owner from the neighborhood Trump grew up in saying, "I've been running this store for 28 years, and I don't remember him," even though Trump has bragged of being "something of a leader" in his old neighborhood. Hmmmm....


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This is so sad. ..Erick Erickson from RedState shared this Twitter exchange tonight.  Personhood Florida is a group working to get a Personhood Amendment on the Florida ballot.  Referring to a human being as an "unwanted growth" as if it were a cancerous tumor, is disgusting. 

PersonhoodFL Personhood Florida · Follow

@SherrieGG

Promoting Personhood of all human beings irrespective of age, race, health, function, condition of dependency. Pro-life, Against Abortion, Prolife, #tcot, #912

SherrieGG  

@PersonhoodFL Abortion does not kill children. It removes an unwanted growth. More women have had their lives SAVED by abortion than died.

@EWEricksonErick Erickson

The person who can rationalize this is a person who needs a lot of prayer.twitter.com/sherriegg/stat…

I agree with Erick.  Sherrie, and other like her, need prayer.  While we can and should work for legislation to stop abortion, ultimately, we need God to change the hearts and minds of people who don't believe in the sanctity of life. 




Phil Johnson Tweeted this "Fur Coat"video.  I keep watching the ending and trying to figure out how they did it.