Senate candidate misses financial filing deadline

6/20/2011

Republican Ohio state Treasurer Josh Mandel has missed a deadline by more than 30 days in which to file his personal financial disclosure statement as a candidate for the U.S. Senate.

The Ohio Democratic Party on Monday pointed out that Mr. Mandel was required to file the disclosure by May 15 since he has established a campaign committee with the Federal Elections Commission.

“Josh Mandel has abused Ohioans’ hard-earned tax dollars by campaigning for the Senate out of the Treasurer’s office, he’s refused to take positions on numerous pressing issues facing our state, and he’s thumbed his nose at voters and members of the press when asked to explain himself. This latest violation is more proof that Josh Mandel believes the rules don’t apply to him,” said Ohio Democratic Party spokesman Justin Barasky.

Alternatively, he said Mr. Mandel might not have known about the deadline, which he said raises questions of competence.

Mr. Mandel has been raising money for a possible run against Democratic incumbent U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown in 2012, though he remains officially undecided about running.

Mandel spokesman Anthony Conchel did not dispute that the campaign had missed the deadline. He said Mr. Mandel was still accumulating information and would pay the $200 late penalty when he files.

“We plan on filing the report very soon and paying the fee as laid out in the instructions. Due to a delay in gathering some of the required information, we thought it best to hold off filing in order to submit a full and accurate report,” Mr. Conchel said.

He blasted the Democratic Party as motivated by fear for Mr. Brown’s re-election chances.

“Given the frequency of the Democratic Party’s attacks against Josh Mandel, it is obvious they are very worried about Sherrod Brown’s prospects of re-election, as they should be. You can’t be voted the “Most Liberal” Senator in the United States two years in a row and think that Ohioans are going to allow you to continue spending away their hard-earned dollars,” Mr. Conchel said.

Senator Brown and Kevin Coughlin, a former Republican state senator from Summit County who has also formed a federal campaign committee for the Senate seat, both filed their personal financial disclosure statements by the deadline.

Two weeks ago the Democratic Party filed a complaint with the Federal Elections Commission that Mr. Mandel had illegally used material produced by the Treasurer’s office and paid for by Ohio taxpayers in his Senate campaign. Mr. Mandel has not responded to that complaint.

Contract Tom Troy at:
tomtroy@theblade.com
or 419-724-6058.