Can it be that Sen. Pres. White only made these statements to this one newspaper, or is it perhaps much more likely that the larger Ohio dailies, in collusion with Taft on opposing concealed carry, simply refused to print this major news?

He's no straight shooter
How the guv makes lawmakers crazy

by Dan Williamson
The Other Paper, Nov. 27 - Dec. 3, 2003
Columbus

The governor clearly and unmistakably stated his opposition to the state legislature's concealed-weapons bill last week.

"Under this bill, hunting and fishing licenses would be public information, but permits to carry lethal weapons into shopping malls would be kept secret," he said.

"And it's even more absurd that the bill limits access to information by the police. Before approaching a car on a routine traffic stop, officers will have access to a person's driving record, but not whether that person has a concealed weapon. It's just wrong to put our officers in danger like that."

That wasn't our governor, of course. That was Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle, explaining his veto of that state's conealed-carry legislation.

You might disagree with Doyle's position, but it's been consistent. Wisconsin lawmakers weren't happy that he vetoed their bill. They weren't surprised, either.

But here in Ohio, we've got Bob Taft.

Nobody truly knows Gov. Taft's position on this divisive issue, perhaps including Taft himself.

Senate President Doug White said Monday his best guess is that Taft just doesn't want to sign a concealed-carry bill.

But for whatever reason, Taft won't come out and say that. Instead, he's spent the past six years sending mixed signals.

Click on the "Read More..." link below for more.

November 26, 2003
Cincinnati Enquirer

Earlier this month my wife and I traveled to Fort Benning, Ga., to witness
our son Tony, a 25-year-old Georgetown University graduate, graduate from
infantry basic training. At the time, he told us his decision to join the
Army. I was pleased that he had made that decision. His reasoning was that
he had to get out of his safety zone. He prefers cities to trees, does not
like physical challenges or contact, and could spend his life reading about
anything.

The graduation ceremony included a demonstration of how soldiers enter a
combat situation. There were two armored personal carriers that shot colored
smoke as the soldiers embarked in their camouflaged uniforms carrying a
variety of intimidating weaponry. I recalled my initial reaction to his
joining the Army and had second thoughts about him putting himself in harm's
way.

My son Nick graduated in the fall from Ohio State University and immediately
started a job as a "Velcro aide" to an autistic child in the public schools
in Cincinnati. The child is in the school for reasons of inclusion. This
child has frequently hit and scratched my son to the point of drawing blood.

I later learned while he was working at a gas station in Columbus, Nick was
robbed and handcuffed. He said it was his fault because he was about to
close and was nice to the robber when he should have been more cautious.

Later, I reflected on my two sons' situations and wondered: Is it Tony or
Nick in harm's way?

Stephen A. Fischer
Mount Lookout

Commentary:
As Ohio crimes continue to rise, while CCW states like Michigan's fall, we think Mr. Fischer's question is a very, very good one.

Click here to read the letter in the Cincinnati Enquirer.

December 03, 2003
Columbus Dispatch

As I read the "Capital notes" column Nov. 25, regarding a protest march over the long delay of passage of a concealed-carry bill caused by our governor, I was struck by the irony of the closing paragraph, that the "protesters pose no problem" and the governor is "very well-protected."

Too bad Gov. Bob Taft doesn’t think those who elected him deserve the same level of protection! The concealed carry of handguns has posed no problem in the 45 states that currently permit it, either.

CHARLES MASSIE
Columbus

Click here to read the letter in the Columbus Dispatch.

Related Story:
Governor's Mansion Defense Walk: ''No Wonder He Doesn't Care"

According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, a Nov. 26 letter from Attorney General Jim Petro, one of three Republicans vying to be governor in 2006, told 400 party leaders "I fear we are losing sight of our immediate goals and committing a mistake that could cost us everything during the next three years."

In the same letter, Petro announced that he would suspend major fundraising activities until after 2004, and called on two gubernatorial rivals, Secretary of State Ken Blackwell and State Auditor Betty Montgomery, to do the same.

The move raised immediate questions about Petro's motives, since some point out that Petro has likely raised far more that his rivals, and thus can more easily afford taking a year off. Petro will not reveal the size of his campaign kitty until he is required to do so in January.

"I'm not doing this because I've raised a sufficient amount," Petro said. "This is for the good of the party."

Although Ohio is expected to be pivotal in next year's presidential race, intra-party feuding among those interested in the 2006 governor's contest has dominated the political landscape.

In late October, Montgomery accused Petro's fund-raiser of threatening contributors with the loss of state business unless they raise or donate acceptable amounts to his campaign.

Gongwer News Service
Tuesday, December 2, 2003

LEGISLATURE FORCES VETO SHOWDOWN OVER LONG-DELAYED MR/DD VICTIMS OF CRIME BILL

The first legislative override of a veto by Governor Bob Taft moved closer
to reality Tuesday with the General Assembly's attempt to impose an outside
review on the executive branch authority to shutter state developmental
centers.

Itself a victim of political maneuvering that has already led to a five-month delay in its passage, a measure originally designed just to increase legal protections for the mentally retarded and developmentally
disabled (SB 4) cleared the Legislature complete with the language offensive
to Mr. Taft, or at least a reasonable facsimile. The bill was amended in a
joint Senate-House conference committee, but the provision calling for
independent, prior review of a governor's proposed MR/DD institutional
closures remained largely intact.

Governor Taft told lawmakers in a letter that he planned to veto the entire
bill if the provision wasn't stripped - his hand would be forced because
only budget bills can incur line-item vetoes. Supporters, including members
that have MR/DD facilities in their districts, said they have the votes in
both chambers to override the veto.

Click on the "Read More..." link below for more.

Twin Cities Pioneer Press
November 1, 2003

A computer network used to share police files among more than 175 law enforcement departments in Minnesota has been closed after a state lawmaker learned "beyond a shadow of a doubt" someone had hacked into the system to demonstrate its vulnerability.

"A security breach was alleged. We take that extremely seriously. We've taken the system off line in this particular case," Bob Johnson, director of the state's CriMNet program, said Friday.

He said he does not know how long the file sharing system — known as the Multiple Jurisdictional Network Organization — will be down.

Johnson said an investigation is under way to confirm whether and how MJNO was breached. He stressed that any breach did not compromise parts of CriMNet, the umbrella term describing various efforts to link different criminal justice data systems in the state.

Johnson announced the possible breach at a criminal justice information task force meeting Friday morning after state Rep. Mary Liz Holberg, a Republican from Lakeville, first made the allegation.

Holberg, who already planned to hold hearings on MJNO, said in an interview she was approached by a person who is not supposed to have access to the network and who showed her information the system had on her.

"It was proven to me that an individual that was not law enforcement, beyond a shadow of a doubt, had access to the system," she said.

She said she contacted Gov. Tim Pawlenty's office about the flaw and subsequently verified the information was from the system by seeking a copy of her own MJNO file from a local police agency.

Police agencies who participate in the system use a password-protected Internet site to access more than 8 million police records, including the names of suspects, witnesses and people who have sought handgun permits in addition to the names of people who have been arrested or convicted of a crime.

Click on the "Read More..." link below for more.