Ohio Republicans are working on a list of candidates to replace Ohio Supreme Court Justice Deborah Cook, whose nomination to the federal appeals court will be taken up Jan. 14 by the Senate Judiciary Court.

Once Justice Cook is confirmed, Gov. Bob Taft will choose a replacement.

The governor has decided not to follow the recommendation of Chief Justice Thomas J. Moyer, who asked him to set up a bipartisan panel of legal experts and non-lawyers to choose two to three people who'd be worthy supreme court justices. Mr. Taft could then pick from among the panel's finalists.

"It's a very long first step in taking some of the special interest politics out of the selection of supreme court justices," Justice Moyer said.

President George W. Bush nominated Justice Cook to the Cincinnati-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit in May 2001. Her confirmation was held up by Senate Democrats.

Click here to read the entire Cincinnati Enquirer story.

An announcement has been made that has potential and unknown implications for the Hamilton County lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Ohio's concealed carry ban.

Justice Deborah Cook will not take part in any cases argued before the Ohio Supreme Court as the U.S. Senate takes up her nomination to a seat on the federal court of appeals in Cincinnati.

In a letter yesterday, Cook agreed to a recommendation by Chief Justice Thomas J. Moyer that she recuse herself from hearing cases until the Senate holds a floor vote. Moyer said that he would assign state judges to replace Cook during oral arguments.

Click here to read the entire Columbus Dispatch story (subscription site - paid access only), or click on the "Read More..." link below for an archived version of the story.

Concealed Carry Reform continues to have plenty of support heading into 2003.

A Columbus Business First article notes that HB274 had the backing from the Columbus-based Ohio Association of Convenience Stores.

"The group is represented by the 3,300-member Ohio Council of Retail Merchants, and Josh Sanders, legislative affairs director for the group, said mom-and-pop owners like the idea of being able to conceal a weapon.

'They would like to see it pass and feel it would give those coming into stores with bad intentions some major thought,' Sanders said."

Click here to visit the Ohio Association of Convenience Stores website.

The Marion Star has published an article about expectations for the 125th General Assembly, and provides a look back at Larry Householder's first two years as Speaker, which were filled with challenges dealing with difficult budgets, caucus critics, and repeated spats with Senate leaders and Taft.

In the end, Householder emerged golden, winning three additional House seats, approving a majority of his priorities, and getting unanimous support to lead the House again.

But next session won't provide any relief. Among other prickly issues facing the Assembly, Householder discussed the concealed carry issue and his plans for the Spring.

Click here to read the entire Marion Journal story, or click on the "Read More..." link below for an archived version of the story, edited down to just the portion of the article which pertains to the Concealed Carry Reform issue.

Priscilla Mead of the Columbus suburb of Upper Arlington, has resigned from her Senate seat, which represents the 16th Senate District (including north Columbus and the city's northern and western suburbs). She was elected to the Senate in 2001 after term limits forced her out of the House seat she held for eight years. Her resignation is effective January Sixth.

As OFCC PAC reported on December 14, four days before her resignation, Republican Priscilla Mead was no friend of Concealed Carry Reform supporters. In opposing testimony on the floor of the Senate, Priscilla Mead (R-16), said the majority of her constituents in western Franklin and Pickering counties don't support concealed carry. She voted no on Sub. HB274.

Franklin County Republicans must now go about the task of selecting a replacement to serve the 16th District.

To encourage the selection of someone that supports true concealed carry reform, call the Franklin County Republican Headquarters at (614) 224-3939. Ask for the names and contact information for each of the Republican Central Committee members. It is these persons who will ultimately vote on the replacement.

Click here to read the entire story from the Ohio News Network.

Although OFCC PAC's focus remains solely on Concealed Carry Reform, we've been asked to pass this information on by a very dedicated supporter.

If you live anywhere near Youngstown, you may wish to make sure your voice is heard. Please click on the "Read More..." link below for details on the latest attempts to ban "assault weapons" in that city.

The Toledo Blade has printed an excellent pro-CCW letter to the editor:

"While hunting in Africa I learned a lesson in animal behavior. Predators never tangle with a prospective dinner if it believes it might be injured in the process. A leopard hunting a small Thompson gazelle looks for another meal when the Thompson turns on a dime and lowers its head, prepared to fight with 8-inch spike horns. It’s easier to attack a hornless Thompson.

Concealed carry gives us Thompsons a chance against the local predators.

Why does The Blade believe that the citizens of Ohio are less responsible than those of 40-plus states that have concealed carry?"

Click here to read the entire letter in the Toledo Blade.

Buried in a Mansfield News Journal story covering the outlook on challenges facing state government in 2003 is a small but revealing segment about Concealed Carry Reform.

In it, Governor Taft is quoted as saying that he will join the Ohio State Patrol in opposing any bill that allows permit holders to carry their weapon in their vehicle.

This past year was a disappointment for Concealed Carry Reform supporters, but there is a silver lining, for which we owe Senators Finan, Jacobson, and Governor Taft an odd sort of thanks.

Thanks to their efforts to destroy HB274, we now know that in order to necessary to pass true reform, the General Assembly can forget about winning the Governor's support altogether, pass a strong law with a veto-proof majority, and then override the inevitable veto.

There is no reason even to consult with the Governor's office on new versions of the bill - Gov. Taft has made it clear he is not willing to support a concealed carry reform bill that contains even the smallest amount of reform.

Click here to read the entire Mansfield News Journal story, or click on the "Read More..." link below for an archived version of the story, edited down to just the portion of the article which pertains to the Concealed Carry Reform issue.

Upon it's formation in the summer of 2002, the first action OFCC PAC took was to evaluate and endorse candidates for Ohio Supreme Court. We recognized early in the the 2002 campaign season that the only hope for the Hamilton County suit challenging the constitutionality of Ohio's ban on carrying concealed weapons was to elect two conservative justices; to create a shift in the court to a Constitutionalist majority.

Thanks in large part to the efforts of volunteers and supporters of OFCC PAC, Ohioans succeeded in electing a new conservative majority on the court last November.

The Cincinnati Enquirer has printed a story which attempts to survey how this change may effect the Hamilton County case, among other key Ohio cases.

"A look at the Supreme Court's upcoming term shows a few cases that could show how the court's balance of power has changed.

The concealed weapons suit will offer an interesting test.

Filing two years ago in a Hamilton County Common Pleas court, plaintiffs convinced Judge Robert Ruehlman to throw out laws banning concealed weapons as unconstitutional. [A four judge appeals court unanimously agreed.]

The high court suspended that [appeals court] order and is expected to hear oral arguments sometime next year."

Click here to read the entire story in the Cincinnati Enquirer.

The Zanesville Times-Recorder recently published an opinion column written by Jim Siegel. In the op-ed, Siegel points out some of the more ironic aspects of the amendments the Senate passed while spoiling HB274.

Click here to read the entire op-ed.