By Ken Hanson

October 26, 2006 was the deadline to file the pre-General Election campaign finance reports in Ohio. A review of these initial reports reveals a few substantial surprises if you are a GOP office holder. Adding to what certainly will be a tumultuous shakeup of the Ohio GOP party leadership after this election is the fact that the police PACs have decided to throw their money strongly to Ohio Democrats.

For a decade or more the GOP Senate leadership and Governor have doted on law enforcement. If it can be said that Senate GOP leadership and the GOP Governor have had a cozy, accommodating relationship with law enforcement, then the disclosure of these campaign donations is the equivalent of the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) and the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) leaving a voicemail breaking off the affair, and they want their class ring and letter jacket back.

You’re the only one for me, baby.
Readers of this website are no stranger to the fact that the GOP Senate and Gubernatorial leadership in Ohio has for years, nay, at least a decade, handed the police lobby a de facto veto of legislation. Most familiar to our donors, Senate GOP leadership and the Governor have repeatedly stated that no firearm reform laws will pass without the support of law enforcement. This is what resulted in Ohio having the worst “shall issue” law in the nation.