By Brian Massie, A Watchman on the Wall
We would like to thank Jon Morrow for sending us his article on the Ohio Republican Party. We completely agree with him that there should be no room in the Republican Party, at all levels, for bearing false witness against anyone.
There needs to be a complete cleansing of the Ohio Republican Party since they are no longer representing the average citizens of the State. Seniors no longer believe that they have a voice. This is a video that clearly states the problems with politicians and government. They have lost sight of why they exist.
https://jonmorrow.substack.com/p/part-1-behind-the-buckeye-curtain
PART 1 – Behind the Buckeye Curtain: Ohio’s Problems are a result of the Ohio Republican Party losing its Moral Compass.
With the HB6 scandal still fresh in the Public’s mind and a State Teachers Retirement System debacle that is unfolding – we can see why this illegal activity is tolerated. A lack of Ethics!
THE REPUBLICAN REFORMIST MAY 11, 2024
Did Ohio Republicans get our just Desserts in 2023 for bearing False Witness?
It’s no secret that politics can get a little dirty, but when it gets downright dishonest, it’s like finding a lump of coal in your Christmas stocking when you were hoping for a toy truck. In the case of the race for Ohio’s 32nd House District between Bob Young and Matt Shaughnessy, we’ve got a classic case of a political mudslide.
Here’s the scenario: The Ohio Republican Party took an illegally obtained 20-year-old police report and, without even batting an eye, distorted it to make a completely false accusation against Democratic candidate Matt Shaughnessy. They claimed he beat his wife and plastered images of a battered and bruised woman on campaign literature. Only, the woman in those images wasn’t his wife. Not only was this misleading, but it was also a direct attack on Shaughnessy’s character and family. It was also an attack on his livelihood as a lawyer.
I don’t mind at all in calling out Democrats – but you don’t lie, cheat, and steal to win – because if you do you are no better than those that you are running against. Creating a false impression of someone is most certainly bearing witness. I cringe when I see this type of campaigning because it causes everyday Republicans to lose respect for the party and become ashamed of how the party operates.
But here’s the real kicker. Shaughnessy, being an attorney, didn’t take this lying down. He filed a libel lawsuit that not only cost the Ohio Republican Party time but also plenty of money to defend itself against his claims (more money was spent on defending the ORP’s reprehensible behavior than what was spent on defending Ohio from abortion on-demand, issue 1). The police report that the Republican party got its hands on clearly stated that there was no sign of bruising or redness on Shaughnessy’s wife, and guess what? No charges were filed. No one was arrested.
The irony of all this is that shortly after Bob Young won his seat, he went on a drunken rampage, assaulting his wife and her brother and was arrested. If that wasn’t enough, he violated his wife’s protection order and got rearrested. It’s like the pot calling the kettle black, only this time, the kettle wasn’t even on the stove.
Now, I don’t know about you, but I’m not okay with the Ohio Republican Party—or any party for that matter—spreading falsehoods to win an election. It’s one thing to point out the flaws of your opponent when they’re genuine. It’s another to manipulate the truth and use deceit to sway voters. When you start crossing those lines, you’re not just playing a dirty game; you’re eroding the very foundation of democracy.
It makes you wonder if all the scandals the Ohio Republican Party has faced over the last 30 years are just part of some cosmic joke, or maybe a not-so-subtle hint from above that it’s time to clean up our act. I mean, if you spend too long in the slime, you start to forget what it’s like to walk on solid ground.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. We, as a party, have a duty to act with ethics and morality. That means no more bearing false witness, no more smear campaigns, and no more bending the truth to fit a political agenda. What we need is a rule that says the Ohio Republican Party won’t spend money on creating negative campaigns against fellow Republicans or running smear ads against other campaigns.
Negative campaigns should be defined as advertisements that focus more on tearing down an opponent rather than building up the candidate. Smear ads? They’re the ones that twist the truth or outright lie to make someone look bad. If you’re taking things out of context or just making stuff up, that’s not how you win elections—that’s how you lose your soul. We all suffer when dirty campaigning is utilized. Who wants to run for office when they can be assured their name will be dragged through the mud? The unwarranted mudslinging is a self-fulfilling prophecy. When parties resort to such reprehensible behavior they get less than virtuous candidates to run for office. We all suffer with less than virtuous candidates.
Remember as a member of the State Central Committee – the committee puts it name on supporting candidates and then either allows them to act unethically and indignantly or holds their candidates to standard of conduct up as something to be admired from an ethical and moral perspective.
So, let’s put a stop to this nonsense and get back to what really matters: electing leaders who can stand on their own merit without having to drag their opponents through the mud. Because when it comes down to it, if you have to lie to win, maybe you’re in the wrong game.
Categories: State of Ohio, Uncategorized