Ohio Democratic Party has 5 important questions for Josh Mandel

From the Ohio Democratic Party...

Absentee Treasurer To Make Rare Public Speech, But Will He Come Clean On Pressing Questions He’s Ducking?

COLUMBUS, Ohio – In a rare public appearance by our absentee Treasurer, Josh Mandel will speak tomorrow at the Akron Press Club. But will he actually say anything? It will come as no surprise if Mandel launches into his previously debunked falsehoods about his accomplishments as Treasurer, but here are some important questions Mandel has refused to answer and must come clean on.

1. Will Josh Mandel Explain Why He Supports Devastating Cuts To Medicare?

2. Will Josh Mandel End His Refusal To Speak Out Against China’s Currency Manipulation?

3. Will Josh Mandel Reveal If He Supported The Auto-Rescue?

4. Will Josh Mandel Reveal Where He Was During His 14 Missed Board Of Deposit Meetings?

5. Will Josh Mandel Continue His Pattern of “Misleading” & “Ridiculous” Claims?

“Josh Mandel’s wasted the taxpayer’s money during the last year ignoring his job in order to run for office and Ohioans want answers regarding our absentee Treasurer’s disturbing refusal to explain why he won’t stand up to his party’s efforts to cut Medicare, China’s illegal currency manipulation, or where he was when billion dollar decisions were made about our tax dollars,” said Ohio Democratic Party spokesman Andrew Zucker. “We’re glad that after a seven month refusal to speak at the Akron Press Club he’s finally relented and hoping Josh Mandel will finally come clean about his refusal to stand up for Ohio’s middle class, our seniors, or do the job that we’re paying him to do.”

BACKGROUND

Mandel Was “Vague” About Republican Budget – Mandel Has Never Indicated How He Would Have Voted. In December 2011, National Review reported “About the budget proposals of Republican congressman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, he’s equally vague: ‘I like parts of the Ryan plan but disagree with parts as well.’ Mandel promises to put forth specifics next year.” [John J. Miller Website, 12/2/11; National Review, 12/19/11]

Mandel Signed Cut, Cap, and Kill Medicare Pledge Which Will Force Deep Cuts to Social Security and Medicare. Mandel signed a radical Cut, Cap, and Kill Medicare budget pledge. “The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities noted that budget proposal for force deep cuts to both Medicare and Social Security. CBPP wrote “It is inconceivable, however, that policymakers would meet the bill’s severe annual spending caps through automatic across-the-board cuts year after year; if they did, key government functions would be crippled. Policymakers would have little alternative but to institute deep cuts in specific programs.” [Cut Cap Balance Act.comsigners, accessed 7/19/2011; Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 7/16/11]

Mandel Silent On Sen. Brown’s China Currency Bill For Manufacturers – Spokesman Said Mandel Wouldn’t Be Commenting On Issues Before The Senate. In December 2011, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported “Mandel also would not give his opinion on a foreign trade bill promoted by Brown and supported by small Ohio manufacturers as well as Portman, a former White House trade ambassador. Brown’s bill would authorize economic sanctions against China if authorities found China manipulated its currency, providing its exports with an unfair pricing advantage. Some conservatives say punitive tariffs might start a trade war. Asked about these issues, Mandel spokesman Joe Aquilino said that the candidate is not a Washington politician and, ‘consequently, for the next year we’re not going to pretend like he’s there and voting on every bill that’s introduced or that’s on the floor.’” [Cleveland Plain Dealer, 12/24/11]

Headline: Josh Mandel, Ohio Treasurer And Senate Candidate, Skipped Board Meetings For No Known Reason

Mandel Wouldn’t Respond To Questions About What He Was Doing Instead Of Attending 14 Board of Deposit Meetings. In February 2012, after noting that Mandel’s schedule offered little insight into his whereabouts during the 14 Board of Deposit meetings Mandel has missed as Treasurer, the Huffington Post reported “Unger did not immediately answer a request for comment on the apparent gaps in his boss’s schedule.” [Huffington Post, 2/24/12]

Mandel Has Repeatedly Been Called Out For “Hurling Wild Charges,” and “Misleading” and “Ridiculous” Claims. In a December 2011 editorial, the Akron Beacon Journal wrote “Mandel has been hurling wild charges.” Politifact has twice given Mandel a “Pants of Fire” rating labeling Mandel’s statements as “ridiculous” in December 2011 and in November 2011. And on the front page of the Plain Dealer on December 8, 2011, the Plain Dealer noted that Mandel would raise “eyebrows with statements often found to be far from truthful.” [Akron Beacon Journal, 12/7/11; Politifact, 11/14/11, 12/7/11; Plain Dealer via Politico, 12/8/11]