Ohio First: a story of Croney Kickbacks and Bush Pioneers

Ohio First: The links to Householder Scandal

Following the links in the chain discovered by luaptifer in Cronyism: Bush Pioneer Behind Attacks on Reform Ohio Now, we found.....

• The main opposition to Ohio reform, Ohio First Voters Education Fund, has very strong ties to Bush Pioneer and lobbyist, Tom Whatman.


• Whatman is the owner of Whatman Associates and its public affairs affiliate, Strategic Public Partners.


• Ohio First's website ProtectYourVote.org was registered by Brandon Lyndaugh, Vice President of Strategic Public Partners. The phone number and address for ProtectYourVote.org is the same as Strategic Public Partners.


• The Ohio First articles of incorporation name Whatman Associates President Darren Klinger as secretary.

Look below the fold as we continue to follow the money. Maybe we'll find another Pioneer....

1. Reports by Ohio First to the Ohio Secretary of State show $27,000 in payments to Strategic Public Partners for "campaign staff."


2. The same report shows a payment of $18,625 to Majority Strategies for "literary production."


3. Majority Strategies owner Sam Van Voorhis was subpoenaed in the investiagation of alleged campaign finance violations by another Bush Pioneer, former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder.


4. J. Matthew Yuskewich, Treasurer for Ohio First, also received a subpoena. He was the treasurer of the Ohio House Campaign Committee when the alleged kickback scheme occurred.


5. Wait, one more subpeona worth noting was issued to Tom Whatman. Whatman was the treasurer of the fund Informed Citizens of Ohio, started by Householder, which was also under investigation.

How many more links are there in the chain and where do they go?

and

Cronyism: Bush Pioneer Behind Attacks on Reform Ohio Now

first posted @ ePluribusMedia

By now it is apparent to most that cronyism is the engine that drives the Bush empire.

In a Halloween article, the Toledo Blade writers identify two Republican lobbyists who hand out donations to influence polices, and in return, seemingly net 6 million in federal contracts.

What isn't included in the Blade's article is that one of those lobbyists, Tom Whatman, has his hands in the GOP attack against the Reform Ohio Now's effort to clean up Ohio elections after the rumored voter disenfranchisement and vote stealing that occurred in the 2004 election.

{snip}



Let's follow the money:

4. And who might just be the president of Strategic Public Partners? President of Strategic Public Partners who hosts the form accepting donations for the Educational arm of the Ohio First group attacking Reform Ohio Now (the grassroots organization trying to clean up Ohio election law)?

Tom Whatman

Yes, that Tom Whatman. The lobbyist whom the Blade exposed on Monday as the channel for 6 million dollars in federal contracts to clients.