Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Kevin's New Chairman II

This just in from our sources in the Coughlin camp. Rumors have it that the latest name being bandied about for Coughlin's candidate for Summit County Republican Party Chairman is Former Hudson City Council President George Roth.

Roth, a long-time Republican and construction big-shot, served as a member of the Summit County Republican Executive Committee while President of Hudson City Council. Roth was also co-chairman of a Hudson fundraiser for Senator Mike DeWine that hosted President George H.W. and Mrs. Barbara Bush.

The chairmanship would certainly not hurt Roth's construction business...

Tuesday, October 9, 2007

Kevin's New Chairman

The identity of Kevin Coughlin's slate of officers for the Summit County Republican Party's leadership is a better kept secret than Lou & Hy's Cheesecake recipe. Kevin has claimed that he's not a candidate for Chairman. Apparently, he wants a Chairman other than himself so that the Chairman can endorse his candidacy for any future office that Kevin might seek.

While pundits initially pegged former SCRP friend Pete Kostoff as the leading candidate for Chairman, it appears that even Kostoff doesn't want to be associated with Coughlin. So who's the candidate? Maybe Elvis is alive? Howard Hughes? Jim Petro?

Kevin has been dolling out hints to staffers and pundits in Columbus. The latest hint - The person ran against Alex Arshinkoff for Chairman. There are two living people who ran against Chairman Arshinkoff for Chairman - Mark Figetakis and Attorney Don Varian. Mark Figetakis hasn't been involved in Republican politics in decades. Thus, all eyes turn to Varian. Thirty years ago, Republican leaders wouldn't pick Varian because he was the law partner of the Democrat chairman Bob Blakemore.

Today, while Varian may not be partner of the Democrat chairman, his ties to Democrats and Roetzel run deep. Also, his participation in Republican politics has been scant - other than his contributions to the campaign of "pay to play" master Jim Petro. Can Summit County's Republican Party afford Don Varian as its Chairman. We don't think so.

Lies... Damn Lies... And... Well... Kevin Coughlin...Part II

Some people would not know the truth if it slapped them up-side the head. Unfortunately, for his constituents, Tom Noe-trained Kevin Coughlin has a truth problem.

Kevin couldn't tell enough lies and half-truths on his regular website so he created a shadow website to spew the venom that was too defamatory for his regular website (it takes work to make that much stuff up, but no lie is too big for Coughlin). Some of Kevin's "anonymous" attacks:

1. Kevin claims Summit County's leadership is under investigation by the FBI - Kevin's confusing his own friends with our party's leadership.

2. Kevin claims that the Summit County Republican Party "cut off Don Plusquellic's 2003 opponent late in the campaign, leaving the Republican candidate twisting in the wind." The City of Akron's campaign finance laws permit the Summit County Republican Party to give a Republican Candidate for Mayor of Akron $300. That's right folks, $300. Anything more is a crime.

3. Kevin claims that "In 2006, [the Summit County Republican Party Chairman] stated that there were conditions under which he and the Summit County Republican Party would support Ted Strickland for Governor." That is false. The Summit County Republican Party raised over $346,000 for the Republican Candidate for governor, Ken Blackwell. (See http://keepsummitcountyrepublicansstrong.blogspot.com/2007/08/summit-county-republican-party.html.)

Kevin Coughlin simply cannot tell the truth. It's just not in him to be honest.

We've been away...

While some public officials have been collecting their paycheck as a State Senator and working to tear apart the Republican Party in Summit County, our party's leadership has been focused on what they do every day - working with candidates to win elections.

Thus, we haven't had a chance to keep our blogspot presence up to date. Beginning today, we will be catching you up on the current news in Summit County.