Joe the Plumber Lawsuit Documents

Joe the Plumber or Joe the Gold Digger?

Joe the Plumber, vice president of Rush Limbaugh’s Republican Party, is suing former Ohio Department of Job and Family Services director Helen Jones-Kelley and others in federal court.

We all know that Kelley’s staff took a peek at Joe’s entries in their databases, but correct me if I’m wrong — isn’t that information public?  Granted, they didn’t go about it the right way — they could have called a journalist and asked them to do a public records request – but what’s Joe stand to gain?

Oh, that’s right, money.  There he is, one of  Republicanland’s standard bearers engaging in frivolously lawsuiting.  Didn’t Joe get the Republican talking points on use of the legal system?  The legal system is only for large, multi-national corporations wishing to avoid paying taxes.  It’s not for regular Joes.

Here’s what the AP reported:

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — “Joe the Plumber” is suing three former state officials in Ohio, saying they violated his privacy when they gathered his personal information in a records search.

Samuel J. Wurzelbacher says in the federal lawsuit filed Thursday that he suffered emotional distress, harassment, humiliation and embarrassment as a result of their actions. He’s seeking unspecified punitive damages.

The lawsuit names Helen Jones-Kelley, who resigned in December as director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, and two assistants.

Ohio’s inspector general found that Jones-Kelley improperly used state computers to find personal information on Wurzelbacher, a Toledo-area man who rose to fame during the presidential campaign after asking Barack Obama about his tax plan.

ODJFS Director Jones-Kelley Resigns

• Helen Jones-Kelley Resigns from state job – Dayton Daily News
• Jones-Kelley resigns - The Plain Dealer
• State official resigns over the ‘Joe the Plumber’ Affair – Columbus Dispatch

The Plain Dealer No Better at the Math Than Ohio Legislature

A really crummy piece of legislation known as the ‘Joe the Plumber’ Bill was made worse on Monday by the the Cleveland Plain Dealer letting its snarkiness get ahead of the facts in an editorial. Read more

Full Report: Ohio Inspector General Finds Fault With ‘Joe the Plumber’ Records Search by State Agency

Click here for full report from State of Ohio Inspector General, Re: Joe the Plumber Record Search.

Obama Transition: Obama Team Taking a Page From Strickland Playbook

Here in Ohio, Governor Ted Strickland made a statement in the opening hours of his term in January 2007. 

His first official act was not an executive order undoing some GOP policy an interest group was clamoring for; his first act was to make good on a promise made during the campaign to change the culture on Capitol Square.  President-elect Barack Obama’s transition is sounding a similar note this week in Chicago.

On January 8, 2007 – just hours after taking office – Strickland signed his first executive order which tightened ethics rules on his own administration.  Strickland had run a campaign to “Turnaround Ohio.” Part of that turn around was to run an administration which was grounded in service and the public’s interest.  This meant taking measures to set the tone to avoid the ethics issues and scandals of past state governments.  His rules are the tightest of any other Ohio governor and cover areas such as the ‘revolving door’ and gifts.

Two articles caught my eye this morning and had me thinking about those initial actions taken by Strickland. From the Washington Post is a piece about Obama’s efforts to control the influence of lobbyists during the transition. And Lynn Sweet of the Chicago Tribune focuses on the issue of transparency in how the Obama team will fund the transition. Read more

Ohio Agency Director Put on Leave & Other News from the Buckeye State

Helen Jones-Kelley Coverage

• Emails get state leader in trouble – Columbus Dispatch
• Jones-Kelley on paid leave pending investigation - The Plain Dealer
• Stivers event among topics of emails under investigation - Dayton Daily News
• Governor places family services director on leave – Dayton Daily News
• Agency chief put on leave -Toledo Blade
  

Politics & Elections News

• GOP’s grip on County’s suburbs slipping – Columbus Dispatch
• Editorial: GOP must make honest appraisal of its defeat – The Plain Dealer
• Obama’s victory in Cuyahoga was overwhelming – The Plain Dealer
• Obama won – so did shirt sellers – Columbus Dispatch
• Maureen O’Connor’s huge totals may lead to something else – The Plain Dealer
• Brunner calls summit on vote –Columbus Dispatch
• Ohio GOP to work on ‘identity crisis’ – Columbus Dispatch
• Dolan out of Minority Leader race – The Plain Dealer
• The new Ohio Senate and House – Columbus Dispatch
• Timing of Cordray’s start as AG uncertain – Columbus Dispatch
• Total state approach aided Obama – Columbus Dispatch
• No Treasurer replacement yet – The Plain Dealer
• Editorial: House Democrats in charge – Akron Beacon Journal

Other News

• Jobless rate highest in 14 years – Columbus Dispatch
• Hard recovery seen for Ohio – Associated Press
• Wilmington worried about pending DHL announcement – Dayton Daily News
• Glowing review earns Gee possibly $2 million – Columbus Dispatch

2 ½ Days: News Coverage of the Election from Ohio | November 1

Columbus Dispatch

• Long lines – yes; longer hours – maybe
  
• GOP gets earful for answers on survey
  
• Mailers are making the TV ads look lame
  
• Boehner demands monitors at polls
  
• GOP volunteers steer up votes
  
• Paper ballot must be offered if poll is busy
  
• Biden, Clinton visit Southern Ohio
  
• Governator stumps for McCain
  
• Worker who checked on ‘Joe’ speaks
  

The Plain Dealer

• McCain predicts comeback victory; Obama advisers skeptical
  
• Multiple absentee ballots sent to some Ohio voters
  
• Op-Ed, Joe Frolik: Election Day Primer
  
• Op-Ed, Kevin O’Brien: Obama a Socialist
  

(Editor’s Note: Op-Ed, Pelikan: Kevin O’Brien is a douche bag)

Youngstown Vindicator

• Most at YSU couldn’t see or hear McCain
  

Dayton Daily News

• Biden derides McCain in Kettering
  
• Boehner’s name-calling desperate: Obama Aide
  
• McCain keeps up attacks on Obama
  

Akron Beacon Journal

• Race to finish in search of votes
• Voters make up minds to try something new
• Editorial: Plumbing for Answers
• Editorial: Lying about his record
• Op-Ed, Steve Hoffman: Why wait for Tuesday? Here’s the deal …

Cincinnati Enquirer

• CT man voted here
  
• Political fliers at churches slammed
  
• Down to the wire, Obama, Palin coming
  

Toledo Blade

• MI woman heads south to door knock
  
• Bus tour rolls into Bowling Green
  
• Boehner appears in Perrysburg
  
• ‘Terminator’ Rallies McCain Faithful
  
• Biden denounces Bush legacy in Lima
  
• Op-Ed, Reg Henry: We’re all runners in this race