DOUBLE-CROSS: TAFT RAISES THE BAR TO INVADE PRIVACY, REGISTER GUNS

by Chad D. Baus

10:03am Thursday, November 20, 2003

All in the name of Republican party solidarity?

Both branches of the General Assembly passed HB12 with enough votes to override a veto last spring. Because there were differing versions, a conference committee was necessary to find a compromise. Senator Doug White avoided appointing HB12 conferees for months, stating that since the Senate had a bill the Governor would sign, he saw no reason for such a committee. Several Republican Senators expressed reluctance to committing to a veto override, citing the need to maintain "Party solidarity".

Judging by Bob Taft's latest actions, it is obvious he cares nothing for solidarity with these legislators, and cares nothing for how he is weakening the GOP. After committing to sign the Senate's version of HB12, Bob Taft has again gone back on his word, and raised the bar for what HB12 would have to contain to avoid his veto.

After convincing Senators to support provisions in the bill for which many voiced reluctance (on a false promise that he would sign their version) Taft has now pulled out of their deal, leaving these Senators trying to explain their vote to frustrated constituents.

Sen. Pres. White and these 'reluctant' Republican Senate leaders are now realizing that they have been lied to by Taft, just as Ohio citizens have been lied to by Taft so many times in the past, on issues ranging from tax increases to concealed carry reform.

Taft is now demanding that a privacy-invading, de facto gun registration scheme be added by conferees to avoid his veto. Incredulously, he admits to consulting with several Ohio newspaper editorial boards in determining his new position (more on this to follow in a future story).

"It's frustrating that the Governor seems to keep moving the cheese," Senator Marc Dann (D) remarked to OFCC today. "It doesn't seem to indicate good faith toward reaching a solution, but we are going to keep trying." Dann is a member of the HB12 Conference Committee.

In this latest instance of going back on a promise, Taft has double-crossed and jeopardized many Senate Republicans, who are now on record as having voted for dangerous and objectionable language, such as the carjacker protection provision. These same Republican Senators delayed progress on HB12 for months, stating that they were reluctant to commit to a veto override due to "Party solidarity." They seemingly never asked themselves why it was that their Governor was so willing to threaten Party solidarity by threatening a veto in the first place.

In the first conference committee meeting on November 18, Rep. Jim Aslanides outlined Article 19 of the committee rules, which governs what the committee may address, and what it may not address. He reminded conferees that the rules state the committee may only address differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill. Finally, Aslanides asked for and received public acknowledgement of this rule from each member, including Senate President Doug White.

The committee is simply not permitted, under the rules, to address Taft's latest moving target. Sen. Pres. Pro Tempore Randy Gardner (R) told OFCC today that the "open records...public records provision is not a matter of difference, therefore is not something that the Conference Committee is likely to or should address. I support a process by which the Senate works to move a bill out of the Conference Committee irrespective of Governor Taft's new position on the public records questions. I am for moving forward on HB 12."

Taft has essentially demanded that to avoid his veto, committee members must break legislative rules and write a gun registration scheme into the bill.

Sen. Maj. Whip Jeff Jacobson (R) told OFCC today that there is "no support among those who support concealed carry on this so-called public records issue."

Bob Taft was elected in 1998 on a promise that he would support a concealed carry bill. The subject was at issue because former Gov. Voinovich, also a Republican, had stood in the way for years. Ohioans didn't want another Voinovich, and Taft knew it. So he lied. Once in office, Taft began raising the bar on what he meant by support. It has to have law enforcement backing, said Taft. When the state's highest-ranking law enforcement organization (Buckeye State Sheriff's Association) signed on, Taft said he needed the Fraternal Order of Police. When the FOP stopped opposing HB274 late last year, Taft said he needed the Ohio State Highway Patrol. And now even the OSHP doesn't matter to him.

Ohioans For Concealed Carry has long-held that the executive branch has no place in legislative debate. We continue to call upon the committee to follow the rules, to pass the best possible bill (measured as the one that will have the most impact on crime), and send the bill to Taft's desk.

The gauntlet has been laid down. If Taft vetos the bill (as other liberal governors have done in Missouri and Wisconsin) over lack of gun registration, many of the 'reluctant' Senate Republicans, who claim to be "life-long" supporters of the Second Amendment and who brag about their NRA endorsements, will no longer be able to avoid committing to voting for an override.

Those who continue to protect this anti-gun, anti-freedom Governor, who cannot keep his word, will be held to account.

Governor Taft's phone number is 614-466-3555.

Click here to get your Senator's phone number.

Media coverage of Taft's latest broken promise:

Associated Press: Governor Wants State To Disclose Names Of Those Issued Permits

Cleveland Plain Dealer: Taft plans to veto bill on hidden weapons

Dayton Daily News: Access-to-info issue could sink concealed-carry

Ohio News Network: Taft Threatens Concealed Carry Veto

Ohio Public Radio: Taft Has New Objection to Concealed Weapons Bill

WHIOTV: Taft Threatens To Veto Concealed Carry Bill

Taft's willing media accomplices at it again

Op-Ed: (Another) Taft holds Ohio GOP on the brink