FLASHBACK: Senate President Doug White (R – 14th District) speaking at a March 2003 US Sportsmen Alliance legislative reception said:

"I am a strong proponent of the right to carry. I do not own a gun. I served in Uncle Sam’s Army where I used a sidearm and the M-14. I understand the proper use of a firearm and the power of a firearm. I absolutely and totally, to the bottom of my soul, understand the rights of law-abiding citizens. I do not care how big a gun is or how fast it will fire; if it is in the hands of a law-abiding citizen it does not intimidate me. I cannot understand those in our society who are intimidated by law-abiding citizens."

TODAY: Senator White's statements on a potential veto override in the Senate have been quite varied in the past few weeks.

On November 27, Senate President Doug White told Dan Williamson of Columbus' The Other Paper "his most recent survey of senators revealed 'a very, very thin ability to override a veto on the bill.'"

On December 10, in the hours before the final House and Senate vote, White told the Lee Leonard of the Columbus Dispatch he "absolutely does not have enough override votes."

On December 12, White was quoted as saying he was unsure if the votes are there, because he had not ever officially polled the Republican Caucus on the matter.

On December 27, according to the Columbus Dispatch, White was back to saying he has the votes to override a veto on the Conference Committee version of the bill, seemingly negating any reason for further negotiations with Gov. Taft on a compromises to avoid a veto.

The Ohio General Assembly is scheduled to return to session next week.

If the Dispatch quote is correct in saying White has confirmed (again) having enough votes to override, President White should firmly announce his chamber's intention to override a veto to the media, to Governor Taft and Speaker Householder, and call for the end of considerations of further compromise to avoid a veto.

Click on the "Read More..." link below for the January session schedule.

Trotwood man shot, killed in robbery

DAYTON | A 46-year-old Trotwood man was shot and killed during a robbery as the man closed up his Dayton business on New Year's Eve, according to Dayton police.

The man and his adult son were closing Gina's Party Store, 3025 Salem Ave., around 10:50 p.m. when the man was accosted in the parking lot by a male wearing a blue stocking cap, according to Dayton Police Lt. John Bardun. The victim was shot several times with a handgun. Police were unsure if the assailant stole any money from him before fleeing.

The shooter apparently headed on foot north, around the back of the building, toward Hillcrest Avenue, Bardun said. Dayton police crews searched that neighborhood in the early hours of the New Year.

The victim was found lying in the parking lot of his business near his a white, late-model Lexus SUV. Both the front and rear driver's side doors of the vehicle were open.

The man's adult son was apparently not injured in the attack. Police were interviewing him after the robbery. The victim died at the scene.

UPDATE: "No wonder why all of these stores keep going out of business. They get robbed every other day."

Meanwhile, in a state that allows its law-abiding citizens to carry a
concealed handgun for self-defense, a different outcome resulted when this store owner was attacked by two criminals during a holdup: (click on the "Read More..." link below)

The following was submitted by OFCC Supporter Paul Barnett.

(In Lee Leonard's recent Columbus Dispatch story on the delay of Ohio CCW, Governor Taft's spokesperson, Orest) Holubec said records show that more than 400 felons received permits in Texas. "We want to avoid that in Ohio," he said, "and the easiest way to avoid it is to allow the sun to shine on the records."

I'm getting tired of this statistic being spread around in the mainstream media, without any context. The complete story is this:

Click on the "Read More..." link below for more.