News and Notes for a Freaky Friday Morning

What's going on?

State Sen. Kirk Schuring (R-Canton) says he'll run for the 16th Ohio Congressional seat of Rep. Ralph Regula (R-Navarre), if and only if Regula retires. But what was that news story that Jerid caught before it was pulled down, announcing that Regula will indeed run?

Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA) of the frozen cash has pleaded "not guilty" to federal bribery charges.

The Immigration Reform Bill failed a second procedural test vote last night, so it is dead for the time being. Our Senators both voted in favor of getting the bill passed.

Sen. George Voinovich (R-OH), beseiged with constituent calls about passport application delays, called for a postponement on requiring passports when U.S. citizens return to this country from Canada or Mexico. However, today's news reports indicate that the requirement will be relaxed to the extent of permitting travellers merely to show that they have applied for the passport.

Lt. Gen. Douglas E. Lute, nominated to be the new War Czar (and I thought that the Commander Guy was supposed to be that himself!), confirms that The Surge hasn't accomplished much to date and isn't likely to anytime soon.

The star of GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney is rising, with new polls showing him ahead in both New Hampshire and Iowa and competitors John McCain and Rudy Giuliani both withdrawing from the Iowa straw poll in August.

Check out Pho's take on the announcement that strip club owners will collect signatures to put an initiative on the fall ballot, hoping to reverse the stricter regulation of strip clubs just passed by the General Assembly and allowed to become law without a signature by Governor Strickland. Oh, terrific, another ballot measure to get the righteous right out to the polls in November, and progressives will feel compelled to champion the cause of the flesh peddlers. Can't we all focus on something more important, please?