VIDEO: 12 Days Of Christmas, American Bridge Style
From gaffes to flip flops to crony capitalism, this has been a fun year to be involved with politics at American Bridge 21st Century. As 2011 draws to a close, we thought it would be fun to take a look back at just a few of the stories that have made headlines over the last 365 days. “Between the Republican Presidential, Senate and House candidates, this has been a year of bountiful flip flops, gaffes and just outright craziness. As the year comes to a close, we at American Bridge would like to wish you a happy holiday and leave you with some of our favorite moments,” said Rodell Mollineau, President of American Bridge 21st Century. Happy holidays from American Bridge! We hope you enjoy our take on the 12 Days of Christmas.
Mandel “Too Busy” To Meet With The Press – Here’s What He’s Been Busy Doing
The Plain Dealer reported recently that Senate candidate Josh Mandel has been “too busy” to schedule an appearance with the Akron Press Club. American Bridge 21st Century decided to look into what has been taking up so much of his time that he is unable to answer basic questions about his policy positions. “The Ohio press corps should cut Josh Mandel some slack given that he is so busy running for Senate, he just doesn’t have time to answer their questions. As long as there is lobbyist money to be raised in DC and California, Ohioans will just have to wait,” said Matt Thornton, spokesman for American Bridge 21st Century. Check out why Senate candidate Josh Mandel was too busy to appear in Akron after the jump:
Plain Dealer: Shady pics and video: Groups backing Josh Mandel, Sherrod Brown having fun and fits
On December 1, 2011, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported:
Speaking of authentic images, Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel, a Republican who plans to run against Brown and is supported by the Chamber of Commerce, was in Washington yesterday to raise money. A video tracking team from American Bridge, a political group that says it wants to "hold Republicans accountable," was waiting for him outside one of the Capitol Hill events, and the video -- of a fast-walking Mandel -- is posted above.
Plunderbund: Josh Mandel’s salary database even has his own salary wrong
On November 30, 2011, Plunderbund reported:
A few months back, as the SB5/Issue 2 battle was heating up, Treasurer Josh Mandel put up his “transparency” website which allowed people to search for the salaries of public employees in Ohio. The data, obtained from the right-leaning Buckeye Institute, not only excluded the salaries of a number of key advisers to Mandel, but it also highly overstated the salaries of many public employees. As all this was going on, Mandel was delaying the release his personal financial disclosure forms with the United State Senate for 6 months supposedly to make sure everything was exactly right. Here’s the thing: if you compare his own salary for 2010 on the website against the salary he listed on his PFDs, they are different...
"Pants on Fire" from PolitiFact for Josh Mandel
During a November 14th radio interview on the Tea Party Express Hour, Ohio Treasurer said that Sen. Sherrod Brown is "out there egging on a lot of these protesters who are spitting on policemen and going to the bathroom on policemen's cars at these protests on Wall Street and other places." PolitiFact Ohio analyzed Mandel's statement and came to this conclusion:
As a public official, Mandel knows words matter. And given the incendiary level of other comments he made in the interview (he says at one point that Brown has "vilified capitalism" and views anyone who creates jobs as "the enemy.") his clear meaning was that Brown was encouraging protesters who are "spitting on policemen and going to the bathroom on policemen’s cars." That statement is not accurate and also makes a ridiculous claim. On the Truth-O-Meter, that rates Pants on Fire.
Toledo Blade: Mandel refuses to give up Iott's donation
On November 2, 2011, the Toledo Blade reported:
The campaign of Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel for the U.S. Senate on Tuesday rejected a call for him to donate to charity a $1,000 contribution he received from a Lucas County man who portrayed a Nazi soldier in military re-enactments. [...] Mr. Mandel, who is Jewish, is seeking the GOP nomination to run for Senator Brown's seat in 2012. The liberal issue advocacy group ProgressOhio said Mr. Mandel should donate the contribution to a charity, such as the Wiesenthal Center or the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Cleveland Jewish News: Nazi reenactor gives $1,000 to Mandel Senate campaign
Marilyn Karfeld at the Cleveland Jewish News highlights Josh Mandel's acceptance of a $1000 contribution from a Nazi reenactor:
"Rich Iott, a 2010 Ohio Republican congressional candidate who for years dressed up in SS uniforms to participate in Nazi reenactments, has given $1,000 to Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel's Senate campaign. The October Federal Elections Commission filing by Citizens for Josh Mandel shows Iott donated the money on Sept. 5 to Mandel's primary-election campaign..."
Columbus Dispatch editorial: Mandel remains a mystery to Ohioans
Jack Torry of the Columbus Dispatch wrote the following:
"After the Senate approved Sen. Sherrod Brown’s bill aimed at punishing China for its export policy to the United States, a reporter asked Brown’s likely opponent, Republican Josh Mandel, how he would have voted on the bill. A Mandel spokesman answered this way: “Try as he might, it’s too late for Sherrod Brown to hide from his record of outsourcing Ohio jobs to countries like China. During Sherrod Brown’s past decade as a D.C. politician, one out of every four jobs that has left America left from Ohio.” There was a bit more, but you get the idea. Nowhere did the spokesman provide the slightest clue as to where Mandel stood on an issue that has a lot of traction in Ohio..."
POLITICO: Nazi reenactor gave Mandel $1,000
On October 21, 2011, POLITICO reported:
"Rich Iott, the Nazi reenactor who ran unsuccessfully for Congress, donated $1,000 to Josh Mandel's Ohio Senate campaign, according to the Republican's campaign finance filing provided to POLITICO by the Democratic group American Bridge."
Plain Dealer: Conservative Family Research Council set to endorse Josh Mandel in U.S. Senate race
Henry Gomez from the Plain Dealer reports that Josh Mandel was endorsed by the controversial Family Research Council:
Family Research Council is no stranger to controversy. It cracks the Southern Poverty Law Center's list of hate groups for "defaming gays and lesbians." The New York Times, in its coverage of last week's summit, noted that FRC dismisses the claim as "politically motivated."