OH-5: Latta (R) Files OEC Complaint Against Buehrer (R) Alleging False Statement in Campaign Materials
Submitted by Jeff on Mon, 10/08/2007 - 4:15pm.
I've received a copy of an Ohio Elections Commission complaint filed by Scott Pullins on behalf of State Rep. Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green) against State Sen. Steve Buehrer (R-Delta) and Club for Growth.
Latta alleges that the statements made in Club for Growth materials distributed on behalf of Buehrer to the effect that Latta supported higher taxes by voting for a $1 billion tax hike in 1998 are false statements. Latta cites an Ohio Supreme Court case which states that the bill in question, Am. Sub HB 697, did not levy taxes but merely authorized the electorate to determine whether the proposed taxes should be levied. Latta says that he voted "no" on the subsequent ballot referendum, 1998's Issue 2, which failed by 80% to 20%. Latta also references an OEC case in which Ohio Senate candidate Lise Pfeiffer was found to have made a false statement when she made a similar claim against State Sen. Larry Mumper (R).
The bad blood is already spilling in the GOP special primary in Ohio's 5th Congressional District.
This should be an easy win
This should be an easy win for the Latta team at the Elections Commission. Why would Buehrer use that vote when their has already been a ruling on the matter? By the way, if Club for Growth is only spending $75,000 on this race, Latta will win. This effort doesn't make any more sense that Buehrer attempting to claim that Latta isn't strong on the Pro-Life issue.