OH-5: OEC Finds Probable Cause on Latta (R) Complaint Against Buehrer (R) UPDATED

Matt Parker, campaign manager for State Rep. Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green), reports that the Ohio Elections Commission found probable cause on Latta's compaint against State Sen. Steve Buehrer (R-Delta) alleging false statements by a 3-0 vote. A statement from the Latta campaign is pending.

UPDATE: Here is the statement from the Latta campaign:

Campaign Manager Matt Parker commented, “I am pleased that the Ohio Elections Commission ruled unanimously to move forward with our complaint. The Club for Growth has a history of using unethical campaign tactics. Just last month they were fined $350,000 by the FEC for failing to properly report contributions. It should be no surprise to anyone that they are now under investigation for making false statements about Bob Latta.”

Parker continued, “The truth is, Bob Latta is a rock solid conservative who protects our wallets. He has won three Watchdog of the Treasury Awards and has been Ohio’s leading advocate against the Death Tax. Club for Growth and the Buehrer campaign are not going to get away with distorting Bob Latta’s record.”

The full hearing on this complaint will most likely be heard on October 18th.

2nd UPDATEThe Club for Growth responds:

As the Club for Growth PAC stipulated in its statement to the Ohio Elections Commission, we stand by our assertion that our representation of Bob Latta’s voting record in our press release is completely accurate. Indeed, the official analysis by the Ohio Legislative Budget office, consistent with our press release, describes the 1998 legislation as a sales tax increase, as did Bob Latta’s own lawyer in a 1998 press release when he was the executive director of National Taxpayers Union of Ohio.

Even Bob Latta himself is not disputing that he voted for the 1998 bill that proposed a massive tax increase. Nor is he disputing the fact that he voted for a historically high tax hike in 2003. In short, Bob Latta is in complete agreement with the Club for Growth PAC regarding his tax-hiking record. The only thing we disagree about is whether Ohio voters have a right to know just how bad his record is. It is clear that Latta’s complaint is just a desperate political stunt to try to distract voters from his tax-and-spend record.

We are confident that a full investigation by the Ohio Elections Commission will show Bob Latta’s complaint for the hollow stunt that it is and will absolve the Club for Growth PAC of any wrongdoing.