JOSH CLAIMS: He won the “Watchdog of the Treasury award” for fiscal discipline and improved Ohio’s investment fund credit rating.

THE TRUTH: He was given the award by a practically-defunct right-wing group before he was treasurer and he has not improved Ohio’s investment fund credit rating. 

1. Josh Mandel earned the “Watchdog of the Treasury” award from the United Conservatives of Ohio when he was a state Rep., not when he was treasurer.  [Talking Points Memo, 8/7/12]

2. The United Conservatives of Ohio is a practically-defunct, right wing group that exists only to dole out meaningless awards to Republican candidates.  [Talking Points Memo, 8/7/12]

3. STAR Ohio has held the credit rating Josh Mandel is bragging about for 17 years. [Factcheck.org, 5/29/12]

Mandel Touted “Watchdog Of The Treasury” Award From Conservative Group Given To Him Before He Was Treasurer.  According to his own ad, Mandel was named “Watchdog of the Treasury” by a conservative group, United Conservatives of Ohio, while he was a State Rep. from 2007-2010 and before he even took office as Treasurer in 2011.

• 2010: Mandel Is “Far From The Only” Official To Win Watchdog of the Treasury Award – It’s Given To Many Public Officials By The United Conservatives of Ohio.  In a September 2010 ad watch, the Columbus Dispatch noted “Mandel is far from the only one to win the watchdog of the treasury award; it’s given to many public officials by the United Conservatives of Ohio.” [Columbus Dispatch, 9/24/10]

• Headline: “Josh Mandel Ad Touts Award From Elusive Conservative Group” [Talking Points Memo, 8/7/12]

FactCheck.org: Mandel Ad Gave Viewers The Impression That He Improved The State’s Credit Rating – “That Is Not The Case.”  In a piece titled “Mandel’s Deceptive Defense Against Sen. Brown,” the non-partisan FactCheck.org wrote “The ad then goes on to tout some of Mandel’s accomplishments as state treasurer, saying, for example, that he ‘earned the highest possible credit ratings as state treasurer.’ That could give viewers the impression that Mandel improved the state’s credit ratings, but that is not the case. Under Mandel, the state’s STAR Ohio investment fund has maintained its ‘AAA’ rating from Standard & Poor’s. But even the state treasurer’s office acknowledges that the fund has had that same rating since 1995.” [Factcheck.org, 5/29/12]