http://www.whiotv.com/news/news/local/husted-fires-democratic-mont-co-board-members/nRMBp/

COLUMBUS —

The two Democratic members of the Montgomery County Board of Elections ( Dayton Ohio) have been fired, Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted said in a letter released Tuesday afternoon.

“After reviewing the report of the hearing officer following the Aug. 20 … hearing, I can draw no other conclusion: You knowingly and willfully violated Ohio election law,” Husted said in his letter to Thomas Ritchie Sr. of Dayton and Dennis Lieberman of Clayton...( my neighborhood)...

Husted said in his letter that board members are free to express their discontent with any directive or advisory issued, “but they cannot disobey them. Your dismissal is not about differing views; it is about you violating the law…. You were given subsequent chances to comply and refused to take corrective action.”

The move by Husted, the state’s chief elections official, was the latest in a series of flare ups over when Ohioans can cast an early ballot in person in the presidential battleground state. The issue essentially broke down along political party lines. Ohio is one of 32 states, plus the District of Columbia, that allow voters to cast an early ballot by mail or in person without having to give a reason.

Husted last week ordered all 88 county election boards to have the same early voting hours on weekdays and to close on weekends, once early voting starts Oct. 2.

a video link....

http://www.whiotv.com/videos/news/dayton-husted-fires-democratic-mont-co-election/vddrM/

http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/news/national-govt-politics/husted-given-ok-to-fire-democrats/nRLZ3/


COLUMBUS —
Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted could decide as early as today to remove two Democratic Montgomery County election officials.

Husted suspended Democrats Dennis Lieberman and Tom Ritchie, Sr., on Aug. 17 after they refused to withdraw their votes for weekend voting hours at the Montgomery County Board of Elections.

Husted, a Republican, said the votes violated his directive setting statewide early voting hours and Ohio law requiring board members to enforce directives from the secretary of state. Ritchie and Lieberman testified they adopted the weekday hours outlined in Husted’s directive but also voted to add weekend hours the board approved in December 2011.

Attorney Jon Allison, who was chief of staff for former Republican Gov. Bob Taft, heard both sides of the case and recommended Monday that Husted remove the two board members. In his report, Allison said the background portion of Husted’s directive and a proceeding letter from the state elections director rule out any ambiguity of the listed hours.

Here is the link of Dennis Lieberman and Tom Ritchie on MSNBC Monday night. I'm proud to know and support them.

http://www.google.com/url?q=http://video.msnbc.msn.com/the-rachel-maddow-show/48732736&sa=X&ei=XOAzUNzKLuXmiwLplYHABA&ved=0CFAQuAIwBQ&usg=AFQjCNFveFvweUCio9CfIVICk_mmBVOCUQ

Monday, Aug. 20, 2012, 8:00 AM

180 E. Broad Street Columbus, Ohio

Oustide the Secretary of State's Office


Secretary of State Jon Husted has summoned two members of the Montgomery County Board of Elections to his office Monday morning to be fired.Their crime?

Voting to open early in person access to the polls on weekends before election day. Nearly 28,000 people voted early in Montgomery County in 2008, but now Husted is determined to limit access. Stand up with us to let Husted know he's wrong.

sign up here at this link:

http://action.ohiodems.org/page/s/hustedMont

http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/news/local-govt-politics/husted-suspends-democrats-on-montgomery-county-boa/nRDx5/

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DAYTON —

The two Democrats on the Montgomery County Board of Elections were suspended by Republican Secretary of State Jon Husted on Friday after they refused to back down in a standoff over extending in-person early voting hours for the upcoming election.

Dennis Lieberman and Tom Ritchie Sr. must appear at a hearing at 9 a.m. Monday in Columbus to decide whether they will be removed from office.

“You leave me no choice but to begin the process necessary to remove you as members of the Montgomery County Board of Elections,” Husted’s letter to the pair said.

Ohioans start voting Oct. 2 and the debate over hours for in-person absentee voting (commonly called early voting) has been gaining steam for weeks in county boards of election across the state, all of which are made up of two Democrats and two Republicans.

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Dennis Lieberman is a well known defense lawyer, former chairman of Montgomery County Democratic Party and is the husband of County Commissioner Debbie Lieberman.

Dennis is a good man.... Husted is also from the Dayton area....He appears to be trying to surpass the crimes and misdemeanors of his mentor and former SOS Ken Blackwell.

http://www.whiotv.com/news/news/strahorn-to-replace-luckie-on-ballot/nQ8fD/

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The Montgomery County Democratic Party selected former state senator Fred Strahorn to replace Rep. Clayton Luckie on the November ballot.


Luckie dropped out of the race a day after the Franklin County prosecutor said Luckie was under investigation. The prosecutor has said little other than that the probe doesn’t involve bribery.

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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/05/kirk-urso-dies-columbus-crew-mls_n_1743645.html

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Columbus Crew midfielder Kirk Urso died Sunday morning at a central Ohio hospital, and no cause of death has been determined, a county coroner said.

Urso, 22, was pronounced dead at 1:50 a.m. at Grant Medical Center in Columbus, Franklin County Coroner Dr. Jan Gorniak said. An autopsy is scheduled for Monday.

Urso played in six games this season and was sidelined by groin surgery in May. Urso was not with the team Saturday for its 1-0 loss to D.C. United in Washington, team spokesman Marco Rosa said.

The team withheld detailed comment, and the hospital said privacy laws ruled out any comment.

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