JOSH CLAIMS:  Sherrod treats business as guilty until proven innocent.

THE TRUTH:  Sherrod has worked closely with Ohio’s business community to make sure businesses small and large have an environment in which they can grow and hire more workers.

1. Sherrod has worked to help Ohio Aerospace companies win contracts with major industry players. [Cleveland Plain Dealer, 01/23/12]

2. Sherrod was described as a champion for Ohio’s business community by a group of CEOs, Chairpersons and Presidents. [Cleveland Plain Dealer, 02/29/12]

3. The head of the Youngstown-Warren Chamber of Commerce said Sherrod has been “very responsive to the business community in the Valley.” [Cleveland Plain Dealer, ellipses added, 01/23/12]

4. A former GOP politician and current Ohio business leader praised Sherrod’s approach to engaging with the business community. [Real Clear Politics, 2/24/11]

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, ellipses added, 01/23/12]

Brown Organized Conferences To Help Ohio Aerospace Contractors Win Business With Airbus Americas, GE Aviation, And Other Industry Giants.  In January 2012, The Cleveland Plain Dealer wrote “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 organized contracting conferences to help Ohio aerospace contractors win business with Airbus Americas, GE Aviation and other industry giants. He convened meetings of college presidents to hear ideas on education and training. All of this has led to job creation, he says.”  [Cleveland Plain Dealer, 01/23/12]

Brown Supporters – Including Businesses – Are Saying He Is On The Side Of Ohio Employers.  In February 2012, The National Journal wrote “Is Sen. Sherrod Brown (D) ‘a job-destroying, over-regulating foe of business? That’s what the U.S. Chamber of Commerce suggests with its television ads, first accusing’ him ‘of hiding from his record and now saying he was a deciding vote for ‘Obamacare,’ which the big-business lobby says will kill jobs.’  ‘But while the chamber asks in its ads, ‘Sherrod, what planet are you on,’ Brown supporters — including businesses — are saying today that he was (and is) on the side’ of OH employers.’”  [Cleveland Plain Dealer, 02/29/12]

Ohio Business Leaders Described Sen. Brown As “A Champion Of Ohio’s Business Community.”  In February 2012, The Cleveland Plain Dealer reported “In a statement released today by Brown’s campaign, 18 Ohio-based corporate CEOs, chairmen or presidents called Brown ‘a champion of Ohio’s business community.’” [Cleveland Plain Dealer, 02/29/12]

Brown Has Won “Plaudits” From The Business Community In Ohio.  In February 2011, Real Clear Politics wrote “Dover’s influence and Brown’s economic development focus have won the senator plaudits from the business community in Ohio, including from business leaders like Alex Fischer, the president and CEO of the Columbus Partnership. The organization, which formed in 2002, is a coalition of central Ohio’s key business leaders.”  [Real Clear Politics, 2/24/11]

Former GOP And Politician Praised Brown’s Approach To Engaging The Business Community.  In February 2011, Real Clear Politics wrote “Fischer said that while he did serve Tennessee as a Republican when he was deputy governor, he doesn’t let partisanship seep into his business efforts in Ohio. Nevertheless, the former GOP politician and current Ohio business leader did praise Brown in a phone interview with RealClearPolitics on Wednesday even though he said he can’t support his campaign.  ‘I’ve been very complimentary of the senator’s approach to engaging with the business community on the topic of economic development,’ Fischer said. ‘He’s actively engaged on a very regular basis on economic issues in our community, and although there are many issues that many members of our business community don’t agree with him on, economic development is one that I believe should be bipartisan. Senator Brown has done an outstanding job of engaging on those issues.’”  [Real Clear Politics, 2/24/11]