Positions Himself To The Right Of Rob Portman, John McCain And Others Who Supported The Violence Against Women Act

COLUMBUS, OHIO – As the Senate passed S. 1925 last week, a bipartisan reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), with the unequivocal support of Sherrod Brown, Josh Mandel twice refused to lend his support to the bill, which updates the most important federal law to protect women and families from domestic and partner violence.

In Ohio last year, there were more than 38,000 reported incidents of domestic violence. Despite that staggering statistic, Josh Mandel’s position makes it clear he would have voted no on this important bill. Mandel’s refusal to support VAWA throws him to the right of solid conservatives such as Ohio’s Senator Rob Portman and former Republican Presidential candidate Senator John McCain, both of who supported this bill.

According to the PD “Rob Portman voted yes in the end, saying the matter was important enough to put aside differences.”

And “John McCain said it was time to get past what he considered to be phony gender politics.”

But Josh Mandel?

Ridiculously, Mandel’s press secretary tried to claim that “…Josh Mandel will work with both Republicans and Democrats to protect women and children from harm…” Why, then, does Mandel oppose a bill to “protect women and children from harm” that was crafted by Republicans and Democrats and passed the Senate on a bipartisan basis?

“Josh Mandel is trying to have it both ways – he is trying to pull a fast one on Ohio women and still follow orders from the extremist Republicans in Washington who actually voted against reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act,” said Sadie Weiner, spokesperson for Friends of Sherrod Brown. “Josh’s insistence on appealing to the most fringe elements of his party would leave Ohio women and families without important domestic violence protections that save lives, and his pandering proves once again that he simply can’t be trusted.”

BACKGROUND

Mandel Would Not Offer His Support For Bipartisan Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization That Passed The Senate. In April 2012, The Cleveland Plain Dealer wrote “Among the matters that had people chattering in Washington this week, two of them may actually be finalized by summer. One is reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, important because it would continue funding for protection programs and domestic-violence shelters. The other is the attempt to block an increase in the interest rate for federally subsidized Stafford student loans.”  The Plain Dealer continued, “What does Josh Mandel, the Ohio treasurer who’s running for U.S. Senate, think of the proposed bills that would deal with both these problems? Mandel has taken flak for not answering press questions on specific bills. The answer on these, it turns out, is still unclear.”  [Cleveland Plain Dealer, 4/28/12]

The Violence Against Women Act Passed In The Senate With Support From Republicans, Including Rob Portman.  In April 2012, The Cleveland Plain Dealer wrote “Democrats who control the Senate passed the Violence Against Women Act. The vote was 68-31, with support from Republicans, despite their concerns about the bill. Republicans such as Ohio’s Rob Portman voted yes in the end, saying the matter was important enough to put aside differences, and Arizona Republican John McCain said it was time to get past what he considered to be phony gender politics.”  [Cleveland Plain Dealer, 4/28/12]

• When Asked How Mandel Would Have Voted, The Campaign “Did Not Answer Directly.”  In April 2012, The Cleveland Plain Dealer reported “Asked a day after the vote what Mandel would have done, Sizemore did not answer directly.”  [Cleveland Plain Dealer, 4/28/12]

 

###

Paid for by Friends of Sherrod Brown