Opponent of Iraqi War Hero in Ohio Race Said to Be Tainted by GOP Political Sleaze

Update: Crooks & Liars has a clip of Jean Schmidt’s interview with David Gregory on MSNBC. What a nut job!

Earlier this week, we wrote about the upcoming special election for a House seat in Ohio’s predominantly Republican 2nd District next week. The Democratic candidate is Paul Hackett, an Iraqi War vet.

Now we learn that Hackett’s opponent, Jean Schmidt, a rightwing political hack who once served in the state assembly, has played a role in one of the many Republican political scandals roiling Columbus these days.

In 2001, Roger Ach II, the CEO of Ohio-based Games Inc., developed a system for operating the state’s lottery on the Internet. What is key here is that Ach had undertaken this project on his own initiative. The state had not ordered a web lottery system. In fact, selling lottery tickets online was illegal in Ohio.

Coincidentally (or not), Games Inc. found itself in some financial difficulty, and Ach became desperate for face time with Gov. Robert Taft in order to lobby him about the Games Inc. Internet lottery system. To grease the way into the governor’s offiice, Ach slipped cash to GOP operatives and politicians in the form of stock in Games Inc. and donations to campaigns.

Schmidt, who was then a state legislator, was one of the GOP pols who took a donation from Ach. And now we have a record of the fact that she lobbied the governor on Ach’s behalf. From the Toledo Blade:

Jean Schmidt … also appealed to the governor’s office on behalf of a Web-based lottery… In a November, 2001, e-mail, Jon Allison, a staff member for Governor Taft, complained that Ms. Schmidt “continues to bug me on Internet lottery.”

One year later, her state representative re-election campaign garnered a $1,000 donation from Mr. Ach.

Ms. Schmidt said [she doesn’t recall the incident].

“The documents indicate that she is lobbying the governor on behalf of Roger Ach,” said her opponent, Mr. Hackett. “After doing their bidding, she takes a $1,000 donation. That is the culture of corruption – documented.”

When Ach finally did get into see the governor, Taft took a pass on the web lottery system.

It is notable that Schmidt obviously places little value on her own virtue. Or maybe she thinks a thousand bucks for a few lousy phone calls is a pretty good day’s work.

Finally, this scandal also has a dash of liberal Hollywood glitz: One of the investors in Games Inc. is a notable Democrat, Jerry Springer.

Wonkette Accused of Demoralizing Troops Because She Said Bush Is Gay

An Unsmart American, writing after Wonkette pointed out the President Bush’s hand gestures are often very nelly, suggested that la pundette’s musings might sap homophobic servicemembers of their will to fight:

It is JUST like the one time when That Wonkete accused Our President George W. Bush of being a homosexual because of the way he was holding his hand in a “nelly” way…what if Our Soldiers who are fighting so bravely out there find out what Wonkette is saying and think that is true!!? Well what if they believed her and stopped following orders from Our President because he is a gay!? If even one service man (or woman just so you know I’m not so called SEXIST!!) dies because of those things that Wonkette and dems have been saying then that is ONE TOO MANY.

In response, the always decorous Wonkette writes:

First of all, we think the brave men (and women!) of the armed forces would probably still fight even if the President were gay. (Some of them might even fight a little harder.) Second: We didn’t accuse George Bush of being gay because he holds his hand in a “nelly way.”

We accused him of being gay because he likes *%#k.