LFC Comments by Brian Massie, Average Citizen:
Good grief, this great article by the Ohio Star highlights the absolute corruption in the Ohio Republican Party at the state level. When the elected State Central Committee Representatives dare challenge the leadership of the State Republican Party there is swift and decisive justice served by Ohio GOP Chairman Bob Paduchik.
It is obvious who is running the Republican Party, and it is not the average Republican voter. Both political parties are morally bankrupt. However, free thinking Americans know that the Democrats are Demonic, and it is becoming clear that the Republicans are giving them a “run for their money”.
Eventually, there will have to be a realignment of the political parties, and perhaps even a third Party will be started. The Communists and Fascists will be one party, the “moderate” Democrats and RINO’s in the second party, and the majority of the patriotic “average citizens” that still believe in Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness” in the new party. What we currently have (to steal a phrase from the Communists) is not sustainable.
LFC stands with Denise Verdi, Joe Miller, Joann Campbell, Mark Bainbridge, Doris Peters and Laura Rosenberg for speaking out, and holding the Ohio Republican Party leadership accountable for their very questionable actions.
When we read that the ORP has not had a financial audit for 16 years, we definitely say that is not acceptable, and someone should be held accountable for malfeasance in office.
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Ohio GOP Sidelines Central Committee Reformers Ahead of December Meeting
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The leadership of the Ohio Republican Party (ORP) has taken away the board subcommittee assignments of several State Central Committee members who have questioned the accounting standards and management’s actions during the last months.
The sidelining of the six members elected by GOP voters comes ahead of a December 3 quarterly meeting that may include the state GOP’s panel’s consideration of endorsing Ohio Governor Mike DeWine ahead of the May 3 primary election.
An October 18 email from Ohio GOP Executive Director Justin Bis shows management took Fiscal Review panel members Mark Bainbridge and Denise Verdi of the Fiscal Review subcommittee and member Laura Rosenberger from the Audit panel after months of privately seeking tighter financial controls and party accounts and questioning of other poor accounting practices that have left the general accounts not being able to be audited.
The squabble went public when The Ohio Star in late July published internal emails detailing the dispute and clumsy attempts to mask the accounting reporting irregularities.
Others dismissed from committee assignments were District 21 member Joe Miller, District 23 member Doris Peters, and District 22 member Joann Campbell.
In the mid-October email to State Central Committee under the subject line of “General Announcements,” Bis casually mentions the shuffling of committee assignment in the memo’s last paragraph with a thinly veiled jab at the whistleblowers and their supporters on the committee.
“Finally, please find attached an updated list of subcommittee assignments. Serving on the ORP subcommittees is an important role for members of the State Central Committee. We appreciate those members that understand the subcommittee service requires discretion in managing confidential information and thank them for putting the Republican Party ahead of their personal ambition,” the email said.
Neither Bis nor Ohio GOP Chairman Bob Paduchik made themselves available to The Star seeking further comment through email and voice messages to Tricia McLaughlin, the party’s communications director.
In addition to resisting an expanded audit Bainbridge has championed, Paduchik has received criticism for authorizing the transfer of $500,000 in campaign donations as well as in-kind staffing and services for the re-election campaigns of DeWine and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost without consulting the committee, particularly the Fiscal Review subcommittee the GOP by-laws state must review all expenditures.
Paduchik dismissed that support as “tradition” and “the chairman’s discretion.”
Those Central Committee members taken off their committee assignments mid-term called their dismissal as nothing less than Pauchik’s revenge for exercising their oversight duties of members under the party bylaws and state law.
“It’s retaliation for people who are speaking out,” Bainbridge told The Star.
He said he remains supportive of the party and its mission to support the election of qualified candidates for public office.
“The issue,” he said, “is with the leadership of the Ohio Republican Party.”
Bainbridge and others have complained that since Paduchik became chairman, the committees have not met. They also point out the new committee structure has designated chairs assigned even though the bylaws call for the permanent committees to elect their own chairs.
Peters said her support of Bainbridge – a veteran certified public accountant well-versed in audits – stems from her experiences working in corporate finance departments.
“If the only CPA on the Central Committee has concerns, I listen to him,” Peters said. “I respect anyone who has worked as an Ernst & Young auditor.”
She added Central Committee members “are accountable to the (Republican voters), who elected us,” she said. “They expect me to do everything by the ORP bylaws and the laws of the state of Ohio.”
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Brian R. Ball is a veteran Columbus journalist writing for The Ohio Star and the Star News Network. Send him news tips to bball@theohiostar.com.
Photo “Justin Bis” by Justin Bis. Photo “Bob Paduchik” by Donald Trump.
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Categories: State of Ohio