On Ted and this whole “pedophile” issue…
I heard about this whole topic when it was first mentioned in the primary and now from reading some of the blogs and the news it’s coming up again. A few blogs today in the Carnival of Ohio Politics focused on this and it’s also been a topic of conversation on other blogs such as Buckeye State blog and others like Plunderbund as can be seen by using Blog Net News Ohio.
I don’t always agree with Russell over at BSB, and I think despite my hope that it would be otherwise that negativity will be a part of campaigning and blog discourse more often than I would like, but I’m troubled over this one. I agree with Russell that it is wrong the way this former staffer has had information that was supposedly expunged released. I don’t think what the conservative bloggers who released this information were right and I agree with the attorney as quoted in the Dispatch:
“He got the help that he needed,” she said. “He’s a father, he’s married, he’s a Christian and he leads a good life. The irony is that a lot of the qualities Ken Blackwell’s campaign says it represents, my client is now living, and leading a productive life.”
“Here’s a guy who has done everything he could to make amends for his mistake … and he can’t put it behind him,” she said. “To have assumptions made that he’s some sort of pedophile, I don’t know how any person could not be upset about that, especially since there is no factual basis.”
Hinners said her law firm is exploring possible legal action against bloggers who have identified her client and posted details of the expunged record. She said Blackwell’s campaign also has been contacted, adding, “We don’t threaten litigation lightly.”
While I think very highly of Paul Miller, I can’t say I agree with some of his post in this week that is a part of the Carnival of Ohio Politics. Especially this one statement:
Blackwell is obviously doubting Strickland’s judgment as a leader and employer here. On such a serious charge, due diligence would require at least some investigation of the man’s past. After all, isn’t that why folks are upset with Republican leadership over the Foley scandal? Even Strickland has not claimed he asked for such an investigation.
Let’s say the worst is true, I don’t believe it is but let’s say for just a moment that Ted Strickland knew at some point that this man had a conviction for exposing himself to children. How many elected officials routinely order background checks on their staffers? At what point does this type of a conviction ever go away? It’s obvious the man was never arrested again, he got counseling and until recently was trying to live a normal life. Do staffers have a position where they are in close contact with children? I could see if this staffer was to be employed in a school or some other setting where he would have contact with children but let’s be real here. He was a campaign staff person…
My largest problem with this is what is being made an issue by Blackwell at Strickland isn’t something that should even be an issue. My second issue is this man did not deserve to be treated in this manner and my final concern with this is it is evidence of the deeper problem in politics. Rather than campaign on which candidate offers the best solutions to our problems we instead waste too much time on trying to dig in the dirt for anything that can be found to run with. Trying to imply that someone supports homosexuals or is homosexual or trying to imply that someone supports pedophiles or is a pedophile may make great little attack sound blurbs but it does nothing to improve our state or our country. Nor to me is the way to win elections and I hope no matter who the candidate is that if they or their campaign feels something like this is the only way to win? The voters send them the message that it doesn’t work…So, I don’t believe that either voting “present” on a bill in 1998 or the actions of a staffer that was dealt with thru the legal system is any reflection on Ted Strickland’s ability to lead.
And incase anyone wonders how I feel about Democrats who do the same thing as what some of these Republicans are doing? I feel exactly the same, wrong is wrong no matter who is doing it.
Lisa Renee,
I understand your criticism. I also respect you highly, as you know.
The issue has now gone far past what I feel are legitimate questions of judgment into the realm of disgusting rumor-mongering and gay-baiting. I’ve made it quite clear at Newshound that I condemn such activities, and question Blackwell’s judgment in allowing his campaign to sink into this mess.
Setting aside this particular case though, don’t you think the choices we make in who we choose to employ, what we do when we are told an employee has committed a crime of which we were not told when the person was hired, and the public stands we take are legitimate issues in weighing qualifications for an executive elected position?
After all, if Strickland becomes governor, he will set policy details for hiring thousands of state employees. He will oversee the execution of state laws and requirements for those positions, including background checks. He and his staff will decide where to focus resources when preparing budgets. Reports and suggestions sent to him will be acted upon, or not acted upon, based on his own background, experience, principles and beliefs.
Here’s a parallel: Many people think the oil industry has had undo influence on Bush administration policy based on Dick Cheney’s private sector relationships and his energy policy advisory meetings early in the administration. For many, those connections raise issues of judgment, fairness and motivations on Cheney’s part.
Strickland is a psychologist. The 1999 resolution vote (”Present”
and his speech defending it on the House floor show a deference to psychological experts and disdain for non-experts who merely wanted to emphatically state that any report which puts adult-child sex in a positive light is morally wrong.
If the APA were to come out with a report favoring community control rather than prison for child molestors, where will Strickland stand? His “Present” vote doesn’t mean he “favors child molestation,” but it does mean he puts expert opinions ahead of the opinions of child advocates, parents and the abused themselves. In the same way, Cheney is accused of putting expert opinions (oil executives) over those of other interested parties (environmentalists, conservationists, etc.).
Why is one an issue in judging leadership qualities while the other is not?
October 21st, 2006 at 10:29 am”I agree with Russell that it is wrong the way this former staffer has had information that was supposedly expunged released. I don’t think what the conservative bloggers who released this information were right and I agree with the attorney as quoted in the Dispatch :”
As I understand the intent of expunging records, once a court expunges a record, it is supposed to be ignored, it doesn’t exist.
Real world experience: No matter what the record is, nobody removes and expunges it from your record. What they (governments particularly) do is make note of the record being expunged and attach it to the supposedly expunged record, where it stays forever.
The reality is that it is never expunged, because it and the record of it being expunged remain in your official record, and not even the brightest of the dim-witted burrocrats can fathom the irony of this.
And, the government is not the only one that handles records expungement in this manner; it is, in fact, the norm.
”And in case anyone wonders how I feel about Democrats who do the same thing as what some of these Republicans are doing? I feel exactly the same, wrong is wrong no matter who is doing it.”
Lisa, that would only be fair, which you are. That also means that you have something working for you that most people do not, common sense.
Hey, liberal + common sense… This Means Something. I’ve seen this before, but where…?
October 27th, 2006 at 10:19 am