Redfern Challenges Blackwell to Require Common Sense to Reveal Secret Donors

Citing the lurid secrecy of Common Sense Ohio's attack on Ted Strickland, Ohio Democratic Party Chair Chris Redfern called on Ken Blackwell today to implement Ohio law in requiring the group to disclose its donors.

"Ohio needs change and that means an end to the backroom secrecy that has led to the type of culture of corruption in this state," said Redfern.  "This is simply another attempt at secrecy that allows a play-to-play culture to continue in Ohio.  It is Ken Blackwell's consititutional duty to enforce Ohio law and require Common Sense to disclose their secret donors."

Common Sense Ohio and Common Sense 2006 are one and the same enterprise according to public records.  "These entitites are engaging in a shell game to hide the identities of donors who have contributed more than $1.5 million to Common Sense Ohio, which in turn has donated more than $1 million of this money to Common Sense 2006, which in turn is running attack ads against Ted Strickland," said Redfern.

The Ohio Democratic Party sent a letter to Secretary of State Blackwell that asks him to take appropriate action and force Common Sense Ohio  and Common Sense 2006 to disclose actual contributions.  If they refuse, Blackwell would be obligated by Ohio law to immediately file an elections complaint against Common Sense 2006 and Common Sense Ohio under recently-enacted campaign laws.