Cross-posted on
Election Inspection.
Ohio's 14th district is in the suburbs of Cleveland - exactly the kind of place where Democrats have been making inroads in the past two cycles. The PVI of the district is R+2 - a very winnable district. Steve LaTourette has a scandal against him and an opponent who's both a Vietnam Vet and an elected Judge. We need to send O'Neill money to help get this race onto the DCCC radar and attract attention from VoteVets as well. That's right, the only barrier to this race becoming competitive is money, the one thing nearly any of us can help with.
Send a lot or a little to a veteran running for congress this Memorial Day.
Bill O'Neill is a Vietnam veteran who received a Bronze Star - that's patriotism that no flag pin can match. He's also been a civil rights lawyer, a small businessman, and a union organizer - a man who understands the economic challenges faced by Ohioans who've felt the brunt of the Bush Economy. In more recent years, he's been one of the most respected appellate judges in Ohio - a man of integrity who can be trusted to make sure that no man, even the President of the United States, is above the law. He stepped down from the bench in June 2007 to run for Congress, because he knows a judge cannot be compromised by the trials of campaigning.
Learn more about O'Neill.
Steve LaTourette is scum - he cheated on his wife with his former chief of staff, who was lobbying his commiteee, who LaTourette then remarried after getting a divorce. So he's literally in bed with a lobbyist, and she suddenly got all sorts of new clients. For example, she represents the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority, while he's the ranking member on the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime, a part of the Transportation and Infrastructure committee. This isn't why the GOP removed him as chair of the Ethics committee, of course - they simply didn't like his toothless admonishment (with no penalties) of Tom Delay. LaTourette quickly fell in line after that.
Salon article on LaTourette by Cliff Schecter. LaTourette has a perfect score on the Family Values card according to
the GOP - that is, unless you count his own family values. (Is that why
people think he's a moderate?)
So please - rec this diary, spread the word, and
Donate to Bill O'Neill!
