CPS election outrage 2010

~~ Abuse continues this week! ~~

That did not take long!
As of Monday, the Cincinnati Federation of Teachers has resumed mis-using school property and personnel for partisan political purposes, aimed at securing the election of liberal democrats Congressman Steve Driehaus and Governor Ted Strickland.

COAST is sending a letter to Steve Driehaus and Governor Strickland today asking that they demand the electioneering inside Cincinnati Public Schools on their behalf cease immediately.
Many folks have commented to COAST that the CPS voting scandal is so outrageous that they would not believe the facts if COAST's attorneys had not established an iron-clad case in Court. After all, why would largely honest public servants allow this abuse of tax resources to be used for political purposes?

Thus, imagine COAST's surprise Tuesday morning when CPS's attorney announced to COAST about new campaign activities of the Cincinnati Federation of Teachers using the property of Cincinnati Public Schools:
We learned that the CFT through its building representative placed in the mailboxes of its members at Western Hills High School the attached material that you may regard as a political advertisement within the scope of the 2002 Agreement. We are told that the material is paid for and prepared by AFT/OFT/CFT.

A copy of the attachment to the e-mail is here. You really will not believe it. It is overt electioneering on behalf of democrats Steve Driehaus and Ted Strickland. COASTers may recall that the activists taking three van loads of CPS students to the Board of Elections to vote democrat were wearing Driehaus campaign stickers and handing out democrat sample ballots.

COAST attorneys then inquired whether the abuse of school property for political purposes was going to spread to all CPS schools. CPS' attorney responded:
CFT counsel confirms today that the materials at Western Hills Engineering were to be delivered by CFT building reps to all CPS schools for distribution to teachers through the mailbox. While we have not polled every school, we have no reason at this time to think that is not the case. Let me know if your client would like to reciprocate.

We know COASTers are speechless in reading this. We were speechless when our attorneys forwarded us these messages as well. After a week of withering criticism in the media and from the public about the ice-cream-for-votes scandal, CFT and CPS are again shamelessly mis-using government property for partisan political purposes. And the center of that political activity seems to be Congressman Steve Driehaus.

There appears to be no way to stop the use of CPS property before the election for political purposes. Rather than educate our children, CPS appears hopelessly dedicated to advancing the agenda of the ideological left -- and to use our tax dollars in doing so.

So, Congressman Driehaus and Governor Strickland, please instruct your minions to stop the abuse - and stop it now!

Enquirer calls CPS voting indoctrination an "Outrage" and "Orwellian"

We were delighted Friday to welcome the Cincinnati Enquirer aboard our campaign to challenge the outrageous conduct of the Cincinnati Public Schools and its Hughes High School civics teacher Dennis McFadden.

We encourage you to read the Enquirer editorial on the topic here.  In that most excellent opinion piece, the Enquirer decried the conduct of CPS, calling it an "outrage."

What CPS did is an absolute outrage and a violation of the trust the public places in the district to educate children, not indoctrinate them.

The Enquirer went on to say:

What then happened is inexcusable - and, as the candidate who blew the whistle on it said, "Orwellian."

The Enquirer even rejected the ultra-lame excuses of CPS that this was an isolated incident and one that they had no idea would happen with the activists they chose to escort the children to the polls:

This truly stretches credulity. It's hardly a secret that CPS is about as close to a one-party operation as you can get, with union domination and an all-Democrat school board.

COAST and its founder Tom Brinkman have been featured on WLWT, WXIX, WKRC, the Daily Caller, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, the Savage Nation, Fox News. www.DrudgeReport.Com,  www.Lucianne.Com, and National Review on this topic.  On Saturday, COAST attorney Chris Finney appeared live on the Fox News Channel to discuss the scandal.

The lawsuit will be pursued to its conclusion to expose the schools depth of collusion with democrat party activists and to force the schools to stop this conduct once and for all.

Read all of COAST's fall 2010 endorsements here.

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Hey, Teacher, leave them kids alone

 All in all, it's just another brick in the wall of the liberal, big-government establishment

File this under the category "life imitates art."  The 1979 Pink Floyd song decrying thought programming and abuse of children while under control of their teachers was brought to life last week as Hughes High School teacher Dennis McFadden took three van loads of children to the Hamilton County Board of Elections during school hours with three Democrat Party Activists and provided them with "sample ballots" containing the names of only democrat candidates.  Afterwards, COAST's new candidate for "creep of the year," CPS civics teacher Dennis McFadden bought the children ice cream for their good deeds in voting the democrat ticket. 

We don't need no education
We don't need no thought control
No dark sarcasm in the classroom
Teachers leave them kids alone
Hey! Teachers! Leave them kids alone!
All in all it's just another brick in the wall.
All in all you're just another brick in the wall.

COAST and its founder Tom Brinkman, Jr. on Monday sued Cincinnati Public Schools for violating a 2002 Agreement with COAST in which Cincinnati Public Schools promised to stop using school property and personnel to advance one-sided political agendas.  That agreement had arisen from 2002 mis-deeds in which CPS used school property and personnel to campaign in favor of a $1 billion bond issue for the schools.

"The forced political indoctrination of school children exposed by COAST in this instance is downright creepy," said COAST Chairman Jason Gloyd.  "We have exposed only the tip of the iceberg of the abuse of our CPS tax dollars to advance the ends of the Democrats and Labor Unions."

The COAST suit brought to a halt the collusion of CPS High Schools and paid personnel from the Democrat National Committee to turn out CPS students to prop up the democrat ticket in November.  Steve Johnson, a COASTer working daily in front of the Board of Elections met the Church vans carting Hughes High School Students last Wednesday and learned theirs was the first of five high schools the democrats intended to bring en masse to vote during school hours.

The COAST action brought immediate national attention to the democrat-labor brainwashing and abuse of tax dollars to try to reverse the revolution that is sweeping America to stop their tax-and-spending agenda, with appearances on The Drudge Report, Fox News, mentions on Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity the Savage Nation and links on a host of other blogs and web sites.  Read the Enquirer stories linked here, here and here.

COAST intends to pursue the litigation in front of Judge Beth Myers to expose the culture of abuse of children for political purposes ingrained in the CPS administration and to put a stop to it once and for all.

"If you don't eat yer meat, you can't have any pudding.
How can you have any pudding if you don't eat yer meat?"
"You! Yes, you behind the bikesheds, stand still laddy!"

Read all of COAST's fall 2010 endorsements here.

2010-10-21 13:31 Update: COAST thanks WCPO 9 News for their excellent coverage of this story.

Driehaus' Pay to Play

 No more unanswered questions.  Just follow the money trail.

You may remember COAST's reporting of the closed door fundraiser with Congressman James Oberstar and Nancy Pelosi waterboy Steve Driehaus.  In August, Steve Driehaus met with Congressman James Oberstar, Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in a closed door meeting at the local offices of Parsons Brinkerhoff.  Liberal apologists defended the secret meeting, ensuring all that there was no quid pro quo.

As you may know, Parsons Brinkerhoff is a planning, engineering and construction management firm connected to many local boondoggles that either already have received government funding, or are poised to do so.  They are a member of the Cincinnati Streetcar Development Team, Project Manager for Governor Strickland's pet 3-C Rail project, as well as the Project Manager for the failed Riverfront Transit Center. 

It appears that COAST's reporting of top secret fundraiser for the Driehaus campaign following the closed meeting appears to be correct.  Was this meeting used as leverage by Driehaus to raise money from a contractor that stands to benefit from federal funding for local transportation projects?  You be the judge.  The Parsons Brinkerhoff PAC and Parsons Brinkerhoff President Fred Craig each contributed $500 to the Driehaus campaign.  Those contributions were deposited the very next day after the meeting.  Smell Fishy? 

Not coincidentally, Parsons Brinkerhoff's PAC also contributed $1000 to the campaign of Congressman Oberstar. 

"Steve Driehaus reminds us once again why we strongly oppose returning him to Congress," said COAST Chairman Jason Gloyd.  "Driehaus is clearly a willing participant in the big-money culture of corruption in politics."  Gloyd continued, "The shameful pay to play atmosphere that Driehaus has gladly wallowed in is exactly what's wrong with our representatives in Washington."

David Yost will be great State Auditor

Seven reasons to vote for Yost

David Yost is COAST-endorsed candidate for State Auditor

COAST provides you with these seven reasons to support David Yost for State Auditor:

1. Yost is COAST-endorsed, the seal of approval for advocates for limited government.  Read all the COAST endorsements here.
2. Yost also has been endorsed by the Ohio Society of Certified Professional Accountants for this important role "in large part due to his past experience and future priorities."
3. Yost is a former County Auditor and County prosecutor, with real experience in rooting out corruption and inefficency in government.  He has exposed corruption by a coronor, a sheriff and a clerk of courts. 
4. Yost has taken the ATR pledge against raising taxes.  His opponent refuses to take the pledge.
5. The State Auditor seat is one of the State's "Apportionment Board" seats, meaning that the winner of this contest will play an important role in re-drawing legislative districts.  That's why labor unions have poured more than $500,000 into the campaign of his liberal democrat opponent -- they want to control that process!
6. Yost won the Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting four times from the Government Finance Officers Association.
7. And, most importantly, Yost is running for State Auditor against big-spending democrat David Pepper who recklessly has tried to raise taxes and fees repeatedly on Hamilton County residents. 

Help us to restore integrity to Ohio government.  Please vote David Yost for State Auditor. 

Read all of COAST's fall 2010 endorsements here.

Sunday Voting Effort Needs Your Help!

Stop Liberal Democrats From Stealing the Election
 

COASTers should be afraid.  Very afraid.  Liberal Democrat Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner has pushed through a plan by big-city Democrats to expand Ohio's voting hours at the Boards of Elections in select Democrat controlled Counties.  Hamilton County is one of those locations. 

Beginning this week, the Hamilton County Board of Elections will be open for early voting on Sunday, thanks to an unprecedented partisan ruling by Jennifer Brunner.  The Democrats in Ohio are obviously trying to recreate the havoc of the 2008 elections, where accusations of voter fraud due to early voting ran rampant.

To counter this bald-faced attempt to influence our elections, Hamilton County Republicans are holding a Sunday voting rally downtown.  Conservative voters from across the County are being asked to join Steve Chabot at 11:00 am on Sunday morning for a rally and a march to the Board of Elections.  Those interested in protecting the integrity of our election system and promoting Conservative values can join together at the Verdin Bell Center (444 Reading Road) at 11:00 am Sunday morning.  Please rsvp by contacting the Chabot for Congress office at (513)481-9998. 

Read all of COAST's fall 2010 endorsements here.

2010-10-14 10:11am UPDATE:
One COASTER wrote in with a very good question that bears repeating.
Q. Please tell me how expanding voting hours influences the election? How does it hijack the election?  I don't sense many Democrats will be coming out to vote this cycle.
A. The answer is that this is not being done evenly in every county. Only counties with high concentrations of Democrat voters are expanding voting hours. More opportunities for Democrats to vote than for Republicans can sway the election.

Portman makes COAST "Hometown Proud"

Southwest Ohio should come through for Cincinnati talent

Rob Portman has won over Ohio as he did Ohio's 2nd Congressional District

COAST was lucky to have had Congressman Rob Portman as its featured speaker for its 2010 fundraiser, because it seems that he is going to be mighty busy from here out.

Sunday, Washington Post columnist David Broder named Rob Portman "a man to watch" and "conceivably ... the Republican presidential nominee in 2016. "

Eastern Hamilton County, and Warren and Clermont Counties were fortunate to have a Representative such as Portman for 12 years, before that seat was assumed by the disgraceful Jean Schmidt.

COAST wrote earlier this year about Portman's conservative bona fides, especialy on the tax and spending front. Suffice it to say that he distinguished himself at a time when Congress and the White House were doing precisely the opposite.

Thus, COAST has enthusiastically endorsed Portman in his Senate race against Democrat Lee Fischer, a conspirator of the failed vangard of old-line labor-democrat leaders in Ohio. It's not even a close call.

Fortunately, it looks like the voters share that perspective, with the latest polls giving Portman a 14- to 19-point advantage. Now, we just need to bring that win home on November 2.

The COAST endorsement is made with the greatest hope that Portman will go to Washington committed to fundamental change America needs -- and employ his impressive skills of persuasion to win over his recalictrant Republicans to that cause.

Best wishes, Rob!

Read all of COAST's fall 2010 endorsements here.

HuffPo chooses bus over rail

Liberals love to spend YOUR money on trains, but when it comes time to spend their own money, they invariably choose buses instead.

Liberal columnist Arianna Huffington didn't want Jon Stewart to embarass himself with an empty "Rally to Restore Sanity." So she offered to transport participants from New York City to Washington, DC.

So far she has arranged 100 motor coaches at a cost of about $250,000. Each bus seats an average of 50 people, making the complimentary round trip fare worth about $50 a head.

Rail service is plentiful between NYC and DC. The northeast corridor carries 1/3 of all rail passengers in the whole country. Why not take the train? For a round trip bewtween Penn Station & Union Station departing 10/29/10 and retunring 10/31/10, Amtrak's cheapest fare is about $100. That's regular snail rail, which takes about 3-1/2 hours each way, not the 80MPH (average speed) Acela, which is $270 round trip.

But the important thing to remember is that, at those fares, the bus company is MAKING money, while Amtrak is LOSING money.

When planning your travel, make the the fiscally responsible choice, like Arianna did. Ditch the rail and look for a bus. Or if you're fortunate enough to still have a job, and can't spare the time away for a travel day, drive.

Mike Wilson - A Taxpayer Hero

Mike Wilson is a taxpayer hero

Founder of Tea Party in Cincinnati and Ohio, spurred national movement

Mike Wilson -- founder of the movement

COAST has endorsed Mike Wilson for State Representative, but this is no ordinary endorsement and Wilson is no ordinary candidate.

Roll the clock back to March of 2009.  The Obama agenda of the Stimulus bill, TARP II, Cap and Trade, and ObamaCare were marching forward with almost no opposition in Washington.

Mike Wilson and a band of ragtag local activists noted a smattering of grass-roots protests in western states have attracted more support than expected.  He makes the decision to take personal action against the socialization of America. 

And the Cincinnati Tea Party was born with more than 5,000 persons at a March 15 rally on Fountain Square.  That was followed by an even bigger rally and march to City Hall on April 15.  We all knew something very important was happening.

Ummm, conservatives were not supposed to hold protest rallies.  What was this?  A slow and skeptical media took a while to catch on, but a national movement had been born.

Then, and since that time, Mike Wilson has proven to be an articulate and principled spokesperson for the Tea Party movement that has become the target of Obama, Pelosi and Reed, the national media, labor unions and other constituents of the national socialist power structure.  Enemies have laid traps of claimed racism, extremism and naivety, all of which Wilson skillfully avoided, confronted and rebutted.

This year, Wilson steped down from head of the local and State Tea Parties to run for State Representative against lock-step liberal democrat Connie Pillich and we are better for his sacifice.

There are thousands of reasons why Wilson is the COAST-endorsed candidate for this job.  Suffice it to say that he is a transcendent figure that COAST hopes has an important role in shaping government policy for many, many years to come.  Read of his many endorsements here.

Please vote for Mike Wilson if you are in the 28th Ohio House District, which includes Reading, Evendale, Sharonville, Glendale, Wyoming, Forest Park, Lincoln Heights, Lockland, Blue Ash, Montgomery, Arlington Heights, and parts of Symmes and Springfield Townships and Springdale.

Read all of COAST's fall 2010 endorsements here.

Auditor Candidate David Yost produces fantastic ad and web site exposing David Pepper's record of raising taxes

COAST yesterday saw this fantastic video and web site exposing the tax-raising history of liberal democrat David Pepper.

Since his election to the Hamilton County Commission, Pepper has had a history of trying to raise taxes, going so far as supporting a tax-raising plan that he himself called a "deeply illegitimate act." Yost has said it all better than we could have.

We encourage you to watch the Yost video, and forward the link or this e-mail to your family, friends, and co-workers. See the ad and the new web site here.

David Yost has exposed the tax-raising record of liberal democrat David Pepper

COAST 2010 Sample Ballot

COAST hereby issues its 2010 candidates and issue endorsements. Please remember that the early voting period in Ohio began 09/28. You can vote at your County's Board of Elections from 8:00 am - 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday. We encourage you to take advantage of the early voting option.

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US Senator - Rob Portman
US Congress, 1st District - Steve Chabot (New ad linked here)
US Congress, 2nd District - Marc Johnston
Ohio Governor - John Kasich
Ohio Attorney General - Mike DeWine (New ad linked here)
Ohio Auditor - Dave Yost
Ohio Secretary of State - Charlie Earl
Ohio Treasurer - Josh Mandel
Ohio 7th Senate District - Shannon Jones
Ohio 28th House District - Mike Wilson
Ohio 30th House District - Bob Mecklenborg
Ohio 31st House District - Mike Robison
Ohio 32nd House District - Erik Nebergall
Ohio 33rd House District - Jim Stith
Ohio 35th House District - Ron Maag
Ohio 54th House District - Arnold Engel
Ohio Board of Education, District 3 - Mark Haverkos
Ohio Board of Education, District 4 - Debe Terhar
Hamilton County Commissioner - Chris Monzel
Hamilton County Auditor - Tom Brinkman
Oppose Sycamore School Tax

Absentee Ballot Requests Available Online!
If you live in Hamilton County, CLICK HERE  or call 513-632-7039.
If you live in Clermont County, CLICK HERE or call 513-732-7375
If you live in Butler County, CLICK HERE or call 513-887-3700.

Please take a few moments to fill this out and send it to the Board of Elections. Mailing instructions are on the application.

Or vote in person at your polling place on Tuesday, November 2nd!