Jean Schmidt, Ohio's Most Conservative Member of Congress
Two years ago I was roundly criticized when I had the Ohio Taxpayers Association PAC endorse Jean Schmidt for Congress. I took an even bigger thumping when I worked as a paid consultant for her campaign.
But I know Jean and her husband Peter, and I know them well. They are friends and simply good and decent people.
I believed that Jean was much more conservative than her voting record in Columbus indicated. Jean told me that she voted to raise sales taxes because she thought that a sales tax increase would do the least harm to Ohio's economy and taxpayers. (I agreed with her). She felt that she had to bite the bullet to make up for over 30 years of overspending from both Republicans and Democrats.
I thought that Jean deserved a second chance from conservatives. And Jean thought that I deserved a second chance too. Don't forget that Jean hired me when some of my closest political allies were under the dark cloud of a federal investigation. I had spent over 6 hours being interviewed by a federal agent and had turned over years of records. While I wasn't a target of the investigation, I was likely a witness if this matter had ever gone to trial.
Jean didn't disappoint conservatives one bit. As the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Right Angle Blog have reported, Jean was rated last year as the most conservative member of Congress from Ohio:
The most conservative members of Ohio's House delegation for 2006 were Jean Schmidt of Miami Township, who ranked 33rd, former Rep. Mike Oxley of Findlay, who was 73rd, and House Minority Leader John Boehner of West Chester, who ranked 85th. Navarre's Ralph Regula was listed as the 159th most conservative member of Congress. The magazine listed GOP Rep. Steve LaTourette of Concord Township among the House of Representatives' "centrists," with a ranking of 208th among conservatives and 221st among liberals.
Oh, and what about that big federal investigation of my former political allies? They were all cleared of any wrongdoing.
Congratulations Jean and Peter and thank you! Thank you for the personal sacrifices that you both have made to make Ohio a better place. And most of all, thank you for your friendship and your confidence in me!
Scott A. Pullins, Esq.
Publisher,
The Pullins Report
But I know Jean and her husband Peter, and I know them well. They are friends and simply good and decent people.
I believed that Jean was much more conservative than her voting record in Columbus indicated. Jean told me that she voted to raise sales taxes because she thought that a sales tax increase would do the least harm to Ohio's economy and taxpayers. (I agreed with her). She felt that she had to bite the bullet to make up for over 30 years of overspending from both Republicans and Democrats.
I thought that Jean deserved a second chance from conservatives. And Jean thought that I deserved a second chance too. Don't forget that Jean hired me when some of my closest political allies were under the dark cloud of a federal investigation. I had spent over 6 hours being interviewed by a federal agent and had turned over years of records. While I wasn't a target of the investigation, I was likely a witness if this matter had ever gone to trial.
Jean didn't disappoint conservatives one bit. As the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Right Angle Blog have reported, Jean was rated last year as the most conservative member of Congress from Ohio:
The most conservative members of Ohio's House delegation for 2006 were Jean Schmidt of Miami Township, who ranked 33rd, former Rep. Mike Oxley of Findlay, who was 73rd, and House Minority Leader John Boehner of West Chester, who ranked 85th. Navarre's Ralph Regula was listed as the 159th most conservative member of Congress. The magazine listed GOP Rep. Steve LaTourette of Concord Township among the House of Representatives' "centrists," with a ranking of 208th among conservatives and 221st among liberals.
Oh, and what about that big federal investigation of my former political allies? They were all cleared of any wrongdoing.
Congratulations Jean and Peter and thank you! Thank you for the personal sacrifices that you both have made to make Ohio a better place. And most of all, thank you for your friendship and your confidence in me!
Scott A. Pullins, Esq.
Publisher,
The Pullins Report
Schmidt would appear to be undeserving of the RINO label to be sure.
She's strongest on foreign policy and weakest on econ policy, which is why she ended up with one a B- from National Taxpayers Union.
After all is said, based on 2006's ratings from the 3 sources I've seen so far, she's certainly as reliable a conservative as there is in the Ohio delegation -- and that would include Boehner and Chabot.
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