Democrats Stand United Against GOP Culture of Corruption

Wednesday, January 18, 2006

DEMOCRATS STAND UNITED AGAINST
GOP CULTURE OF CORRUPTION

DEAN, OHIO DEMOCRATS SIGN NATIONAL HONEST LEADERSHIP PETITION

For Immediate Release January 18, 2006
Contact: Brian Rothenberg Phone: 614-221-6563

COLUMBUS, OHIO – United in the need to find solutions to GOP ethics scandals in Columbus and Washington D.C., Democratic members in the Ohio House and Senate joined today with DNC Chair and former Vermont Governor Howard Dean to sign a national petition for Congress to restore honest leadership to government.

The event coincides with the unveiling of an ethics package on Capitol Hill by Congressional leaders geared toward ending the post-Abramoff atmosphere that has consumed the nation’s political landscape as the GOP’s sole control of Ohio and more recently Congress comes under intense scrutiny.

National leaders have focused on Columbus, because Ohio has been the focal point of a pay-to-play culture that is now focused on Washington. In Ohio, GOP public officials and their staff members who have been under scrutiny include former House Speaker Larry Householder, former State Treasurer Joe Deters, former GOP operative Tom Noe, Congressman Bob Ney and Governor Bob Taft the first sitting Ohio Governor ever convicted of an ethics offense.

“With so much scandal and corruption plaguing Ohio’s Republican-led government, it made sense that we announce our package of reforms in this state, standing together with the Democratic leaders who will move Ohio forward,” said Dean standing before the ceremonial office of Ohio Governor Bob Taft.

Redfern agreed and continued, “Ohio Republicans have failed our state. They have immersed us in scandal and perfected a pay-to-play system that sells government to the highest bidder and rewards the special interests instead of the people’s interests. The people of this state deserve responsible, honest leadership and that is what the Democratic Party is offering.”