Now that Josh Mandel’s earned Politifact Ohio’s “Pants on Fire crown,”  the Sherrod Brown campaign will be holding Mandel’s feet to the fire every time he repeats his false claims. Stay tuned for many more installments of the “Josh Watch” as Mandel continues to peddle his lies all across Ohio.

JOSH CLAIMS: He is beholden to no one, including officials in his own political party.

• Mandel Claimed He Is Beholden To No One, Including Republican Party Bosses.  In August 2012, The Youngstown Vindicator reported “Mandel says he is beholden to no one, including officials in his own political party.”  [Youngstown Vindicator, 8/4/12]

THE TRUTH: Nothing in Josh Mandel’s political past suggests that he’d be less than a rubber stamp for Republican Party bosses in Washington. In the Ohio House he voted with Republicans more than 95 percent of the time.

• Despite Voting With Republicans 95.5% Of The Time During His Four Years In The Ohio House, Mandel Promises To Stand Up To Republicans If Elected To The U.S. Senate. In July 2012, The Dayton Daily News reported “On the campaign trail, Republican Josh Mandel repeatedly assures supporters that in addition to standing up to Democrats and special interests in Washington, he’ll buck his own party when necessary while in the U.S. Senate.  But a Dayton Daily News investigation shows Mandel rarely opposed his party during his four years in the Ohio House, voting against the GOP on just 29 occasions during 654 votes, or about 4.5 percent of the time.”  [Dayton Daily News, 7/7/12]
• Mandel Voted With Republicans 97.2% Of The Time His First Term In The State House And 94.2% The Second — Few Of The Departures Involved Controversial Issues.  In July 2012, The Dayton Daily News wrote “In his first two-year term, when the GOP controlled the Ohio House, Mandel voted with Republicans 97.2 percent of the time, according to the House clerk’s office. In his second term, when the Democrats were in charge, Mandel joined Republicans on 94.2 percent of the votes.  Few of the departures involved controversial issues. [Dayton Daily News, 7/7/12]
• 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]