DISCUSSION: DOES THE SNITCHLER CAMPAIGN THINK ITS ABOVE SCRUTINY?

Not long ago the STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) caught Todd Snitchler (Republican candidate for the Ohio House - 50th) on video waffling on his connection with area chamber of commerces and, of course, the Ohio Chamber of Commerce.

The Report has long held the position that chambers of commerce are way overrated on their effectiveness in bringing about economic development in Stark County and in the state of Ohio as a whole.

Snitchler, aware he was being video taped, and knowing the actual, factual dismal record of chambers of commerce in turning around Stark County and the state of Ohio did what most politicians will do - look for the nearest escape exit.

Snitchler's own effort at economic development in Lake Township is anemic by his own words. Do a search under the name Snitchler on this blog and take a look at this brief video.

Snitchler's response to the video taping? He went back to the Uniontown Business Association (UBA) to complain about the video taping of his remarks in his "non-political appearance." Dutifully, the president of UBA admonished The Report for publishing the tape.

The Report stands by its action. A person has to be incredibly naive to think Snitchler's sudden rash of appearances in the 50th about his Lake Development Corporation with the onset of his declared candidacy is non-political.

Snitchler remains uncured of his "cognitive dissonance." The Report spoke to Snitchler person-to-person at the recently concluded Stark County Fair. With a straight face, he repeated that "local" chambers of commerce are non-political. Who believes that?

The more disturbing factor about the one-on-one with Snitchler is that The Report came away convinced that Snitcher is into "doing the same old thing and coming up with the same result." When asked by The Report who other than the "failed" Ohio Chamber of Commerce would Snitchler look to in order to help Governor Ted Strickland to "turnaround Ohio?"

Snitchler just had a blank expression on his face and went off into the "evasive" mode that the general public senses is the first and most basic political skill that politicians master. Snitcher is no exception.

Additionally, The Report has learned that the Snitchler campaign has refused to accept help from a 50th District citizen because of the person's connection with The Report.

The Report takes this as a compliment and gauges this as a "cut your nose off to spite your face" type strategy. The disturbing aspect of this is that it may translate into: "I can't work with legislator "X" because he is somehow connected to "Y" or political party "Z."

His opponent, Democrat Celeste DeHoff, in The Report's view, has very little chance to defeat Snitchler in November.

However?

Maybe, just maybe Snitchler is up to proving that he is a candidate can snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

If Snitchler does get elected, as The Report expects he will, he will be under the continuing scrutiny of The Report. Can we expect more crying and selectivity?

Maybe it's something in the water among Republican candidates in the 50th (sounds eerily similar to current representative John Hagan's modus operandi).

Why doesn't Snitchler just stick to campaigning on the issues and forget this "non-political" bellyaching nonsense and "I can only work with certain people"modality?