I’m a little surprised that this nugget from Saturday’s Dayton Daily News isn’t getting more attention statewide:
Brunner accuses Fisher of running a negative campaign against her and pressuring donors not to contribute to her campaign ? charges Fisher denies. She also said Fisher resigned as development director so he could solicit business leaders who had benefited from development department grants and loans.
Again, Fisher denies the charge but his campaign received nearly $20,000 from eight business leaders whose companies collectively received $12.9 million in state loans, tax credits or grants.
Fisher said the contributions are not connected to the state help in any way.
No connection except that a year ago, the then spokeswoman of the Fisher campaign told me that Fisher resigned as Director of the Department of Development to avoid the appearance of any impropriety by accepting campaign donations from executives and PACs of companies receiving stimulus money being doled out by the Ohio Department of Development.
Then there’s:
On Friday, Brunner attacked Fisher again for accepting more than $30,000 from financial institutions? political action committees and bankers who received billions in federal bailout money.
Lee Fisher’s campaign message of the moment is Wall Street reform because Lee Fisher cannot help but suddenly care about popular legislation when it’s about to pass anyways with or without his support.
And yet, not a single reporter has reported that they’ve so much as ASKED Fisher if he plans on returning the maxed out donation of Goldman Sacs’ president now that it has been charged with a massive federal fraud case by the SEC.? Heck, not a single reporter has even MENTIONED the donation in the context of FIsher’s newfound populism.
Maybe it’s because the papers have endorsed Fisher and they now have a vested interest in the outcome, but I’m stunned that any minor tripe trotted out by the Fisher campaign is given “FEATURED STORY” status, and yet, Fisher seems to get a pass simply because the media has left it to the blogs to say anything critical of him.
Rob Portman was, rightfully, attacked in the media for accepting money from Murray Energy after the coal mining deaths in West Virginia.? Josh Mandel was attacked for accepting donations from people with recent white collar federal crimes like… bribing New York’s State Comptroller.? But since the SEC suit against Goldman Sachs, not a word about Lee Fisher’s dubious acceptance of that and $30k in other bailout banking industry-related donations.
Budget Watch
