OH-05: Buehrer (R) TV Ad and Response to DeWine Letter
Submitted by Jeff on Sat, 10/27/2007 - 9:51am.
I have now received a copy of the conditional acceptance by State Sen. Steve Buehrer (R-Delta) of ORP Deputy Chair Kevin DeWine's proposed guidelines on campaigning, and on the face of the matter it seems unlikely to end the in-fighting in the GOP special primary.
Buehrer asserts that since the district's Republican county party chairs called on Buehrer and State Rep. Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green) to stop the negative campaigning a week ago, Buehrer has complied and Latta has not. In support, Buehrer submits the following TV and radio ads as proof that he has shifted to a positive campaign mode:
Buehrer then cites negative TV ads by Latta (previously posted on this blog) and bitterly complains that Latta has not complied with DeWine's request to stop negative tactics:
My opponent thumbed his nose at your letter and your authority and launched the most vicious attack ad I have ever seen. They launched two direct mail pieces that knowingly lied about my record for which the Ohio Elections Commission has now found probable cause to investigate. ...However, in the aftermath of your letter, I was not rewarded for my positive campaign. My opponent was not censured for his nasty campaign. ...
Mr. Latta has severely damaged my reputation. He has taken materials that do not belong to him and used them against me. He has launched the most vicious ad I have ever seen that seeks to leave voters with the impression that I am a criminal.
Now, after his character assassination has run its complete course, and after my children were forced to endure hours and hours of nasty ads against their father, you are begging me to be positive?
Buehrer then states that he will consent to DeWine's proposed truce only if Latta runs a television ad that apologizes to Buehrer and his family, subject to specific requirements:
* The ad script must be approved by me.* It must apologize for taking campaign materials that I paid for and using them against me.
* It must apologize for using Tom Noe as a weapon knowing full well that Mr. Latta had done the same thing.
* It must apologize to every Republican Chairman in the 5th district for his nasty and divisive tactics that have done immeasurable harm to our Party.
* Then if there is time, he can use the rest of the ad to explain his tax votes.
Finally, Buehrer declines to denounce the TV ads by Club for Growth, asserting that he has "absolutely no control over independent organizations" and "will not tell any organization that they should stop exercising their right to free speech, especially those groups that Mr. Latta invited into this campaign," the latter being a reference to Latta himself having sought the endorsement of Club for Growth.
Buehrer's demand for an apology is plainly a non-starter, and his refusal to denounce the Club for Growth is out of compliance with DeWine's demand. It seems pretty clear that Buehrer must know these things. Consequently, it appears that the peace negotiations are at a stand and the negativity will continue.
