CHARTER SCHOOL MAGNATE & ANTI-OBAMA-HEALTHCARE GROUP AS WELL AS STARK CO REPUBLICAN HEAVY HITTER W.R. TIMKEN, JR ARE MAIN SPONSORS OF OHIO YOUNG REPUBLICAN CONVENTIION TO BE HOSTED BY STARK YOUNG REPUBLICAN CLUB THIS WEEKEND

The SCPR has known for some time that the Stark County Young Republican Club (which has an annual membership of 50) would be hosting the Ohio Young Republicans at their annual convention this summer.  

Of course, it cost money to host something like the convention of the Ohio Young Republicans.  Within the past few days the SCPR has obtained campaign finance reports filed by candidates and political action committees (PACs) for the post primary period which ended for reporting purposes on June 4, 2010.

As The Report scanned through the Stark County Young Republican Club's (SCYRs) report, it became abundantly clear that something was up with the SCYRs.  For the organization started the reporting period with $454.31, raised $8,210.00 and, after paying a few bills, ended up with $8,027.55.

So what might be up?

Eureka!

Ah yes, there was an infusion of money to offset the costs of hosting the convention.

In fact, Monique Cox-Moore, a Stark County Young Republican Club official; has confirmed to The Report that the contributions are for the expense of hosting the convention.  A highlight about Ms. Cox-Moore is that she is National Young Republican Committee
Republican of the Year 2009-2010 for 20 and under 40 age group - young professional.

Did the convention funding bring out some interesting contributors?

Indeed, it did.

Here is the list that the SCPR believes constitute the prime underwriters of the convention:

Of course, anyone in politics knows who is the prime man at White Hat Management, LLC.  It is none other than David Brennan who has gotten many millions of Ohio (taxpayer) money for his charter schools.

Brennan has relied on Republican office holders who hold court in Columbus to see to it that taxpayer money flows freely to the charter school movement.

Brennan is a huge financier (contributing lots and lots and lots and lots of money) of Republican causes and politicians in Ohio.

Even if a specific Republican politician has not received a direct contribution from Brennan or White Hat Management LLC,  such does not mean that the politician has not indirectly gotten Brennan money.  It only means that the Brennan money has worked its way to the politician through one of the Republican organizations or activities that Brennan or his company funds.

A second prime contributor is the U.S. Citizens Association.  This organization gave the Stark Young Republicans $3,000.00.  A self-descriptor of the type of causes U.S. Citizens supports is embodied in the following:

The U.S. Citizens Association, an Ohio-based conservative organization, with over 23,000 members, has filed a lawsuit in Federal District Court in Akron, Ohio, to repeal the healthcare bill signed into law in March [2010].

Another prime contributor is W.R. Timken, Jr., who is chairman of the board of the Timken Company which funnels political contributions to political candidates through the Timken Company Good Government Fund (TCGGF).  Apparently, Republicans have a leg up on "good government" as the overwhelming majority of recipients are Republicans.  Here is a sampling of a recent filing by Timken and the TCGGF which lists only Republicans as candidates receiving contributions:

Well known Cantonians and Stark Countians who also contributed include:

• Scott Hawes (Plain Township trustee - $35), 
• H. Doyle Smith (candidate in May for 16th congressional seat - $50), 
• Janet Creighton (commissioner candidate [Creighton 2010] v. Steve Meeks - $150),  
• Alan Harold (auditor candidate v. Kim Perez - $50), 
• Sheila Farmer (judge/5th District Court of Appeals - $150), 
• Julie Edwards (judge/5th District Court of Appeals - $100), Charles Brown (judge/Stark County Court of Common Pleas - $130), 
• Dixie Park (judge/Stark Probate Court - $100) 
• Regula for Congress ($100) and Mark Butterworth (Canton councilman - $75).

The SCPR received this interesting communique from Cox-Moore:

Fyi-Josh Mandel [Republican candidate for Ohio treasurer] will walk in ward 8 in canton at 10:30-11:30 Saturday (sic) June 26 with all of our local candidates:

Janet Weir Creighton
Jamie Walters
Todd Snitchler,
Alan Harold

Please feel free to contact me for any additional information.‬‪ ‬‪ ‬‪

Thank you,‬‪

Monique Cox-Moore‬‪

 Interesting?

Yes, at least to Democrat Todd Bosley's campaign for the 50th Ohio House district.

Why so?

Todd Snitchler (Ohio House - 50th) will be participating in a door-to-door in Canton's 8th Ward (which happens to be the most Republican friendly ward in Canton), but, more importantly for the Bosley campaign, has Snitchler campaigning outside the 50th.  Apparently, to help Mandel?  And Bosley?

Mandel will be addressing the convention at a Saturday luncheon session. 

A partial Mandel biography from the Ohio House of Representatives website:

Josh Mandel is a Marine veteran who served two tours in the Iraq War and currently serves as State Representative from the 17th Ohio House District. He was first elected State Representative in 2006, knocking on 19,679 doors and wearing out three pairs of shoes. In 2008 he was re-elected to a second term. He currently serves as the Ranking Member of the Financial Institutions, Real Estate and Securities Committee.

A curiosity to the SCPR is why the YRs would have 27th Ohio Senate candidate Frank LaRose as their Keynote speaker?

Another strange twist is that the press is not welcome at this event.

Initially, the SCPR received this apparent invite from Cox-Moore, after having inquired about press access to the convention, to wit:

We welcome you to cover any and all events during the convention. For a complete schedule of events, times, and locations please visit our website here ... . ‬‪The convention is open to the public and there is still time to register, visit our website here for registration info:  ... .

But, it seems, that once Republican pols got their heads together, they decided to withdraw the invite.

Witness this later e-mail from Cox-Moore to the SCPR:

Apparently, the "stay-away" is designed to keep the "analytical" press away a la the Stark County Political Report.  Undoubtedly, the YRs will find a way to include the "public relations" press a la The Repository.

Hmm?