CLAIM

TRUTH

Ohio’s Unemployment Rate Is Lower Than The National Average, The Auto Industry Has Made A Resurgence, And The Recovery Appears To Be Happening Faster In Ohio Than The Rest Of The Country.  In August 2012, The Dayton Daily News wrote “Ohio’s unemployment rate, at 7.2 percent, is lower than the 8.2 percent national unemployment rate. The auto industry, which appeared on the verge of calamity a few years ago, has made a resurgence. Recovery appears to be happening faster in Ohio than it is in the rest of the country.”  [Dayton Daily News, 8/18/12]

“Economists Say That The State’s Economy Is Undoubtedly Better Than The Rest Of The Country.”  In August 2012, The Dayton Daily News wrote “Economists say that the state’s economy is undoubtedly better than the rest of the country.”  [Dayton Daily News, 8/18/12]

Between 2010 And 2012 Ohio Gained 80,915 Jobs.  In August 2012, The Dayton Daily News reported that January 2010 and January 2012 Ohio gained 80,915 jobs and noted “Some 30 percent of economic growth occurred in manufacturing, according to Mark Schweitzer, research director of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.”  [Dayton Daily News, 8/18/12]

AP:  “In Ohio, The Economy Is On The Upswing.”  In October 2012, The Associated Press wrote “In Ohio, the economy is on the upswing, with the 2009 federal bailout of Chrysler and General Motors crucial in a state where 850,000 are working due to the auto industry. Unemployment in August in the state was 7.2 percent, below the national average that month of 8.1 percent.”  [Associated Press, 10/9/12]

The Tax On Medical Devices Does Not Apply To Items Generally Purchased By The General Public And Applies To Imported Devices As Well As Those Made Domestically.  In August 2012, PolitiFact reported “Crossroads GPS cites that as the ‘new tax on Ohio manufacturers,’ and notes that the Joint Committee on Taxation says it will generate $20 billion in revenue by 2020. The tax does not apply to devices made for export, or to eyeglasses, contact lenses, hearing aids or other medical device ‘generally purchased by the general public at retail for individual use,’ the law states. It applies to imported devices as well as those made domestically.” [PolitiFact,8/30/12]

Claim On Health Care Taxes Cites A Study That “Is Not Credible.”  In August 2012, PolitiFact reported “In responding to our query, Crossroads GPS also pointed to a 2011 study financed by the Advanced Medical Technology Association, or AdvaMed. It said that the excise tax would cause 10 percent of device manufacturing to move offshore, leading to the loss of 43,000 U.S. jobs. An analysis by the research service Bloomberg Government, however, found that the trade group’s study ‘is not credible.’ Bloomberg concluded that its assumptions conflict with economic research, overstate companies’ incentives to move jobs offshore, and ignore the positive effect of new demand created by the healthcare law.” [PolitiFact, 8/30/12]

President Of Group That Conducted Study Cited By Bloomberg As “Not Credible” Could Not Cite A Single Example Of An Ohio Company That Had Cut Jobs Because Of Medical Device Tax.  In May 2012, theColumbus Dispatch reported “Stephen Ubl, president and CEO of AdvaMed, the largest trade group representing medical-technology companies, said the tax could ultimately cost the United States tens of thousands of jobs. But he and other industry officials could not cite an example in Ohio of a company that has cut jobs or put growth plans on hold in anticipation of the tax. [Columbus Dispatch, 5/15/12]

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]

Brown Introduced Legislation To Tax Wall Street Bonuses To Firms Receiving TARP Funds And Use Revenue To Support Small Business Loans.  In February 2010, The Hill reported “Brown wants to impose a 50 percent tax on executive bonuses at firms that received aid under the $700 billion financial bailout package. The tax would fall on bonuses in excess of $25,000. Brown’s legislation would use the revenue to support loans from the Small Business Administration (SBA).” [The Hill, 2/11/10; S. 3007, 2/11/10]

Factcheck.org: Mandel Ad’s Claim That Sen. Brown Sent Billions Of Tax Dollars To Foreign Countries Is “Highly Misleading.”  In May 2012, Factcheck.org wrote “it’s highly misleading to claim that Brown ‘sent billions of our tax dollars to foreign countries.’”  [Factcheck.org, 5/29/12]

Columbus Dispatch: Brown Had “No Role” In Sending Money To Foreign Companies.  In a May 2012 op-ed published in The Columbus Dispatch, Jack Torry wrote “Mandel charged that Brown ‘gave huge bonuses to executives’ and ‘sent billions of our tax dollars’ to foreign countries. They noted that Brown voted in 2008 for the financial rescue package and in 2009 for the $787 billion economic-stimulus package.  Executives at American International Group, which received bailout money from the government, awarded $165 million in bonuses to some of its top people. And 11 wind farms used stimulus money to buy wind turbines from foreign companies.  But, Brown had no role in either awarding the bonuses or buying the wind turbines. And when the bonuses and wind turbines became public knowledge, Brown criticized both actions.”  [Columbus Dispatch, op-ed, 5/28/12]

Describing Health Care Reform As A “Government Takeover” Was The 2010 “Lie Of The Year” And Had Been Described As A “Whopper” And “Nonsensical.”  In May 2012, Politifact wrote “Mandel’s ad refers to the health care act as ‘the government takeover of health care’? Mandel’s ad repeats a claim that has been reviewed numerous times by PolitiFact and rated False or Pants on Fire.  PolitiFact national recognized it as the 2010 ‘Lie of the Year.’ FactCheck.org called it ‘nonsensical’ and a ‘whopper,’ saying the reform plan is neither ‘government-run’ nor a ‘government takeover.’ The Washington Post Fact Checker classified it as myth.”  [Politifact, 5/30/12]

Cleveland Plain Dealer:  Electing Josh Mandel “Would Reward One Of The Nastiest Campaigns Ever Waged In This State.”  In their October 2012 endorsement of Sherrod Brown for U.S. Senate, The Cleveland Plain Dealer wrote “There’s another powerful reason to vote for Brown — a negative one: Electing his Republican opponent, Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel, would reward one of the nastiest campaigns ever waged in this state. It would reward a candidate who hasn’t moved beyond partisan slogans and careful sound bites. It would reward ambition untethered to substance.”  [Cleveland Plain Dealer, editorial, 10/6/12]

Mandel Barely Had His Name On The Treasurer’s Office Door Before He Started Putting Together His Senatorial Campaign.  In their October 2012 endorsement of Sherrod Brown for the U.S. Senate, The Youngstown Vindicator wrote “Mandel served two years on Lyndhurst City Council and a term and a half as state representative from the 17th District before being swept into office in the GOP rout of 2010. He barely had his name on the door before he started putting together his senatorial campaign.”  [Youngstown Vindicator, editorial, 10/8/12]

Lima News: “Mandel Is Trying To Buy The Election With A Well-Oiled Campaign That Offers No Details.”  In their October 2012 endorsement of Sherrod Brown for the U.S. Senate, The Lima Newswrote “Buoyed by $18 million of special interest money, Mandel is trying to buy the election with a well-oiled campaign that offers no details, just carefully crafted sound bites and partisan slogans. It is also long on attack ads.”  [Lima News, editorial, 10/22/12]