Grassroots conservative, my eye!

Press Release - For immediate Release



Grassroots conservative, my eye!



Ohio Ken Blackwell has been purporting himself as the fiscally conservative, grassroots, outsider candidate throughout the current campaign for the Ohio Governors seat. He does a pretty good job of making that pitch. So good, that even some of the more seasoned people in the media are duped by his efforts.



In a recent edition of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, it appears that one particular columnist had swallowed Blackwells propaganda hook, line and sinker when he all but declared Blackwell the winner of an election that is 8 months away.



Although a simple check of readily available facts exposes some unsettling truths about Blackwell.



Blackwell claims that he is fiscally conservative yet his campaign expense reports reveal that in the first half of this year he had spent $425.00 and $1,320.76 on two separate occasions for stays at the Cleveland Ritz-Carlton Hotel. Two nights at the Holiday Inn cost him $941.60. He spent $620.58 for a stay in Virginia and $1,099.12 for a stay at a Florida Resort.



Speaking of out-of-state hotel expenses leads us to another revelation. It appears that Blackwell has been spending quite a bit on airfare for a statewide campaign. His campaign report for just the first half of 2005 shows 22 separate expenses listed for airfare totaling $11,386.77 which includes one single expense of $3,990.56 to Ladd Air. In comparison, Montgomery shows 5 such expenses totaling $1,405.81 while Petro and Draganic show none.



Of the four republican gubernatorial candidates, Blackwell has raised the third most money, exceeding only Draganic, who is the true grassroots candidate in this race. In light of his financial shortcomings, Blackwell does seem to enjoy living large at the expense of others, which is not a trait that demonstrates grassroots and especially not one that we need in our next Governor.



What these facts state most prominently is that just because a candidate says he is a grassroots conservative, it doesnt make him so. Candidates like Blackwell prey on the apathy of voters, hoping that most will not dig for the truth. They go after what they think will appeal to the voters best, without regard for honesty and the greater good.



Most of all this is a matter of character and Blackwell, quite frankly, isnt showing much in that department.





Contact:

Pete Draganic for Governor

P.O. Box 31415

Independence, Ohio 44131



216-328-1351 ph

216-642-0700 fax