CLAIMS

FACTS

Announcer: “Sherrod Brown – caught not paying his taxes.”

Newscaster: “According to The Cleveland Plain Dealer, Senator Brown was also delinquent in 2006 and 2007.” WCMH, 2/16/12

On Screen: Sherrod Brown Caught Not Paying His TaxesAP, 2/15/12

Sen. Brown Misplaced The Bill And Paid It Immediately.  In February 2012, The Bucyrus Telegraph Forum reported “Spokeswoman Meghan Dubyak said Wednesday the senator misplaced the bill and paid it as soon as he found it. She says he’s determined not to let it happen again.”  [Cincinnati Enquirer, 2/15/12]

Cleveland Plain Dealer Jeered The Ohio Republican Party For “Trying To Make A Mountain Out Of A Molehill” On Taxes.  In a feature titled “Cheers & Jeers,” The Cleveland Plain Dealer jeered the Ohio Republican Party “for trying to make a mountain out of Brown’s molehill. ‘It’s shameful that Sherrod Brown is intent on increasing taxes upon small-business owners and families in Ohio, while he evades them in Washington.’ Come on. There might be a case for ‘ironic’ rather than ‘shameful,’ and for ‘forgets’ instead of ‘evades.’ But in campaign season, everything is cause for calling down thunder from the heavens.”  [Cleveland Plain Dealer,02/16/12]

Columbus Dispatch: Sherrod Brown Sets Aside 10 Percent Of His Salary – Does Anybody Really Believe He’s A Tax Cheat?  In February 2012, The Columbus Dispatch wrote “does anybody really believe that Sherrod Brown is a tax cheat? This is a guy who very quietly sets aside 10 percent of his salary every year for charities, such as food banks and free clinics.”  [Columbus Dispatch, 02/20/12]

Announcer:  “But Brown had no problem raising our taxes…”

On Screen:  Sherrod Brown Raising Our Taxes S. 3412

Mandel Ad Cites Bill That Cut Taxes For Nearly All Ohioans.  [S. 3412, The Middle Class Tax Cut Act]

Senator Brown Voted To Extend Tax Cuts For Most Ohioans.  In July 2012, Senator Brown voted for the passage of the bill that would extend the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts for one year on taxable income of up to $200,000 for single filers or up to $250,000 for joint filers.” [CQ; Vote 184, 7/25/12]

Associated Press: Tax Plan From Senate Democrats Would Mean Tax Cuts Stay In Place For 98% Of American Households.  In July 2012, the Associated Press reported that the tax plan from Senate Democrats “would continue the expiring tax cuts next year for everyone but individuals making $200,000 a year and couples earning $250,000, who would see their taxes rise. That would mean higher levies next year for 2.5 million households — just 2 percent of the 140.5 million returns the Internal Revenue Service receives, according to 2009 figures.” [Associated Press, 7/24/12]

Announcer: “… and voted 6 times to raise his own pay.”

On Screen: Sherrod Brown Raised His Own Pay H.R. 3756; H.R. 2378; H.R. 4104; H. Res. 560; H.R. 5120; S.1813

Sen. Brown Has Voted Against Pay Increases At Least 7 Times. [Vote 317,7/16/96; Vote 300, 7/15/99; Vote 267, 7/25/01; Vote 463, 9/5/03; Vote 451, 9/14/04; Vote 327, 6/28/05; Vote 261, 6/13/06]

Columbus Dispatch Ad Watch – Mandel’s Previous Ad That Made Same Pay Raise Claim “Might Be The Most Audaciously Over-The-Top Ad To Run So Far.”  In a September 2012 ad watch on Mandel’s ad titled “Different Set of Rules,”The Columbus Dispatch wrote “This might be the most audaciously over-the-top ad to run so far in the expensive and bitter race for the U.S. Senate. Republican Mandel, the state treasurer, borrows a tactic from GOP campaign guru Karl Rove’s playbook: Identify your own weakness and find a way to assign it to your opponent to confuse voters.”  [Columbus Dispatch, 9/14/12]

Announcer: “Sherrod Brown, making Washington work for himself.”

Brown Authored And Voted For Bill To Combat Chinese Currency Manipulation.  In October 2011, Senator Brown voted for passage of the bipartisan bill he authored that would allow sanctions if the Treasury Department determined that a trading partner’s currency is “misaligned” based on a set of economic indicators. It would establish new reporting requirements for Treasury to identify misaligned currencies in two different categories, differentiating currencies that a foreign government has intentionally manipulated from those that change because of market forces. [CQ; Vote 159, 10/11/11]

Brown Voted To Proceed To Emergency Loan Package For Domestic Automakers.  In December 2008, Senator Brown voted for a motion to invoke cloture (thus limiting debate) on the motion to proceed to the bill on the alternative minimum tax, which would serve as the vehicle for an emergency loan package for domestic automakers. [CQ; Vote 215, 12/11/08]

Columbus Dispatch:  Sen. Brown “Knows How To Get Things Done.”  In December 2007, The Columbus Dispatch wrote “Brown remains a fiercely partisan liberal — he prefers the word progressive — who is impassioned about getting out of Iraq, reversing free-trade agreements he believes steal Ohio jobs and overturning tax cuts for the affluent that he maintains are unfair to middle-class workers.  But the guy knows how to get things done, not just how to make fiery partisan speeches.” [Columbus Dispatch, 12/23/07]

In His First Year As Senator, Brown “Cut A Broad Swath Legislatively.”  In December 2007, The Dayton Daily News reported “During his first year in office, Brown, a progressive Democrat, has cut a broad swath legislatively, introducing bills that would address the nation’s foreclosure crisis, reform the Consumer Product Safety Commission, give farmers a new way to receive subsidies, better report staph infections, provide more funding for diabetes and increase bus safety.”  [Dayton Daily News, 12/24/07]

In First Year Of His Term, Sen. Brown Introduced Legislation That Would Make College More Affordable, Help Businesses Launch New Products, And Provide Tax Credits To Companies That Create U.S. Jobs.  In December 2007,The Bucyrus Telegraph Forum reported “In the first year of his term, Brown said he has worked to strengthen Ohio’s middle class.  He introduced the Patriot Employer Act of 2007, which would provide a tax credit to companies that create U.S. jobs. He is working to ensure the health of Ohio children by actively supporting the Children’s Health Insurance Program reauthorization legislation, which would provide health insurance to tens of thousands of Ohio children.  Fighting for Ohio students, he introduced the Federal Supplemental Loan Program to help students afford college while avoiding exorbitant interest rates. He also authored a bill to help small businesses launch new products and services, and an initiative included in the Senate energy bill to help commercialize innovative alternative energy technologies.”  [Bucyrus Telegraph Forum, 01/04/08]

Akron Beacon Journal: “Applaud” Sen. Brown For American Auto Rescue Package.  In a November 2008 editorial, The Akron Beacon Journal opined “Applaud George Voinovich and Sherrod Brown for joining the bipartisan effort in the Senate to rescue the rescue package for the ailing American auto industry. The Ohio senators and their colleagues put together a framework for routing desperately needed cash to automakers.”  [Akron Beacon Journal, Editorial, 11/21/08]

President And CEO Of Youngstown-Warren Chamber Of Commerce:  Sen. Brown Has “Been Very Responsive To The Business Community In The Valley.”  “Brown, a House member for 14 years before his Senate election, says he quickly reached out to Ohio businesses upon taking office in January 2007 and appointed a senior staff member to be his Ohio-based liaison with the private sector … ‘He’s been very responsive to the business community in the valley,’ says Thomas Humphries, president and chief executive officer of the Youngstown-Warren Chamber of Commerce, in Ohio’s Mahoning Valley.” [Cleveland Plain Dealer,01/23/12]

Youngstown Vindicator:  Lawmakers Should Listen To “Truly Respectable American Leaders” Like Sherrod Brown.  In a May 2012 editorial, The Youngstown Vindicator opined “our federal lawmakers would do well to listen to the voices of reason from several truly respectable American leaders. They should listen to U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, for example.”  [Youngstown Vindicator, Editorial,5/10/12]

Youngstown Vindicator:  Sen. Brown “Stands Out As One Strong Source Of Maturity Amid Two Chambers Of Childish Shenanigans.”  In a May 2012 editorial, The Youngstown Vindicator wrote “our federal lawmakers would do well to listen to the voices of reason from several truly respectable American leaders. They should listen to U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, for example. The senior senator from Ohio stands out as one strong source of maturity amid two chambers of childish shenanigans.”  [Youngstown Vindicator, Editorial, 5/10/12]

Announcer:  “Marine Veteran, Josh Mandel, has a plan to bring jobs to Ohio, and change to Washington.”

Mandel Favored Cut, Cap And Balance Even Though It Couldn’t Pass The Senate.  In August 2011, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported “Mandel, a Republican, favored an approach called Cut, Cap and Balance — which could not pass in the Democrat-controlled Senate.” [Plain Dealer, 8/2/2011]

Center for Budget and Policy Priorities: Cut, Cap and Balance Would “Inexorably Subject Social Security and Medicare to Deep Reductions.”  In July 2011, the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities wrote “Talking points that the legislation’s proponents circulated on July 15 seek to foster an impression that the measure would protect Social Security and Medicare.  Such an impression would not be accurate.  The legislation would inexorably subject Social Security and Medicare to deep reductions.” [Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 7/16/11]

Columbus Dispatch:  Mandel Launched A “Lengthy, Detailed Assault” On The Auto Rescue.  In August 2012, The Columbus Dispatch wrote “Mandel often relied on buzzwords and phrases such as liberal, immoral and out of touch in bashing Brown and his policies, but his ‘un-American’ charge stood out in what was a lengthy, detailed assault on the $80 billion in federal money loaned to General Motors and Chrysler in 2008 and 2009.”  [Columbus Dispatch, 8/27/12]

Mandel Offered “An Impassioned Critique” Of The Auto Rescue, Calling It “Outrageous,” Claiming It “Didn’t Work,” And That It Was Responsible For Plants Shutting Down.  “Mandel also said the cost of the loans was ‘outrageous,’ that Honda and Ford plants still would be open in Ohio, and that Brown’s arguing the bailout saved 850,000 Ohio jobs is a “ridiculous argument.” He issued an impassioned critique of the bailout, saying evidence showing it ‘didn’t work’ was the Mansfield-Ontario stamping plant’s shutting down in 2009. He said Brown’s vote closed the plant.”  [Columbus Dispatch, 8/27/12]

Mandel Indicated He Would Not Support Bill To Crack Down On Chinese Currency Manipulation.  In August 2012, The Cleveland Plain Dealer wrote “Mandel also shared his thoughts on foreign trade. He said he believes China manipulates its currency and that Democrats led by Obama have not done enough to stop the practice, which accusers say weakens American manufacturers’ ability to compete.  Mandel indicated that he would not have supported a stalled bill to clarify the right to seek punitive duties if a country like China manipulated its currency.  ‘We must be vigilant in taking them on and making sure they play by the rules. At the same time, my approach would be a diplomatic approach, not a legislative approach.’”  [Cleveland Plain Dealer, 8/26/12]

Mandel:  “The only way to change Washington, is to change the people we send there.”

Mandel’s Refusal To Answer Questions About His Positions Makes It Difficult To Gauge How He Would Vote As Senator.  In July 2012, The Dayton Daily News wrote “Mandel routinely refuses to answer media questions about his positions on pending bills before Congress, making it difficult to gauge how he might vote as a U.S. senator.”  [Dayton Daily News, 7/7/12]

Headline: “Campaign Attacks Give Josh Mandel Pants on Fire Crown.”[Cleveland Plain Dealer, 7/29/12]

Mandel’s Free-Swinging Strategy Has Made Him The “Pants On Fire” Leader Of PolitiFact Ohio.  In July 2012, In July 2012, The Cleveland Plain Dealerwrote “Mandel’s campaign said early on that it would mount a rigorous attack. He and several super PACs have lambasted Brown for being too liberal, too Washington and not right for Ohio. The free-swinging strategy has made Mandel the Pants on Fire leader of PolitiFact Ohio.”  [Cleveland Plain Dealer, 7/29/12]

Mandel Is Becoming Known “As The Candidate Of The Big Lie, Continually Making Statements And Airing Ads That Stretch The Truth Or Are Patently Untrue.”  In an August 2012 op-ed published in The Columbus Dispatch, senior editor Joe Hallet invited Josh Mandel on a fishing excursion and wrote, “you have self-inflicted wounds during this campaign that are hurting your reputation long term, win or lose. You are becoming known as the candidate of the big lie, continually making statements and airing ads that stretch the truth or are patently untrue. PolitiFact Ohio, The Plain Dealer’s respected campaign truth-o-meter, has given you more “Pants on Fire” ratings for false claims than any other candidate by far.”  [Columbus Dispatch, 8/19/12]

Josh Mandel Did Not Attend A Single Meeting Of The State Board Of Deposit His First Year As Treasurer.  [State Board of Deposit official minutes, 12/22/11; State Board of Deposit official minutes, 11/29/11; State Board of Deposit official minutes, 10/27/11;  State Board of Deposit official minutes, 9/29/11;  State Board of Deposit official minutes, 8/25/11; State Board of Deposit official minutes, 7/28/11; State Board of Deposit official minutes, 6/23/11; State Board of Deposit official minutes, 5/26/11; State Board of Deposit official minutes, 4/27/11; State Board of Deposit official minutes, 3/24/11; State Board of Deposit official minutes, 2/24/11; State Board of Deposit official minutes, 1/27/11]

Josh Mandel Hired Inexperienced Campaign Staffers Into High-Ranking Jobs In The State’s Treasurer Office.  In March 2012, The Dayton Daily News reported “Republican Josh Mandel hired young, relatively inexperienced staffers from his 2010 campaign and gave them high-ranking jobs in the state treasurer’s office, a Dayton Daily News examination found.”  [Dayton Daily News, 03/31/12]