McCain Gained Ohio Ballot Access Because of Matching Funds Program

in order to be "eligible"?

-------------------
George Dance
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Dance_(Ontario_politician)

If so, why did we have to jump through those hoops and McCain didn't?

From: Hindenlang, Dean
Date: Tue, Feb 26, 2008 at 10:28 AM
Subject: Ballot Access in Ohio.
To:

Mr. Name Withheld

Your email was forwarded to me for a response.

Ohio Revised Code section 3513.121 provides ballot access to presidential candidates in Ohio who are "eligible to receive" federal matching funds. When John McCain filed his presidential paperwork, he provided written confirmation from the Federal Elections Commission that he was eligible to receive matching funds payments. Thus, he was certified to the Ohio Republican Primary Election ballot.

However, the plain language of the statute does not require that the candidate must actually receive federal matching funds. See the language of the statute below. Additionally, the deadline to file a protest against his candidacy under Ohio law was January 15, 2008. Thus, it is too late to take any action against his candidacy, even if the statute were interpreted differently.

I hope that this email answers your questions.

Dean M. Hindenlang

Ohio Revised Code Section 3513.121 Delegates to national party convention alternative procedures.

(A) Any candidate for the presidency of the United States who is eligible to receive payments under the "Presidential Primary Matching Payment Account Act," 88 Stat. 1297 (1974), 26 U.S.C.A. 9031, et seq., as amended, may file with the secretary of state a declaration of candidacy not later than four p.m. of the sixtieth day before the presidential primary election held in the same year the candidate is eligible to receive such payments. The candidate shall indicate on his declaration of candidacy the congressional districts in this state where his candidacy is to be submitted to the electors. Any candidate who files a declaration of candidacy pursuant to this division shall also file, or shall cause to be filed by a person authorized in writing to represent him, not later than four p.m. of the sixtieth day before the same primary election, a list of candidates for district delegate and alternate to the national convention of his political party who have been selected in accordance with rules adopted by the state central committee of his political party. The candidates for district delegate and alternate whose names appear on this list shall be represented on the ballot in accordance with section 3513.151 of the Revised Code in every congressional district that the presidential candidate named in his declaration of candidacy, provided that such candidates meet the other requirements of this section.

(B) Candidates for delegate at large and alternate at large to the national convention of a political party for a presidential candidate who submits a declaration of candidacy in accordance with division (A) of this section shall be selected in accordance with rules adopted by the state central committee of the presidential candidate's political party.

(C) Each candidate for district delegate and alternate to the national convention of a political party selected pursuant to division (A) of this section shall file or shall cause to be filed with the secretary of state, not later than four p.m. of the sixtieth day before the presidential primary election in which he is a candidate, both of the following:

(1) A declaration of candidacy in the form prescribed in section 3513.07 of the Revised Code, but not the petition prescribed in that section;

(2) A statement in writing signed by the candidate in which he states his first and second choices for nomination as the candidate of his party for the presidency of the United States.

(D) A declaration of candidacy filed pursuant to division (A) of this section shall be in substantially the form prescribed in section 3513.07 of the Revised Code except that the secretary of state shall modify that form to include spaces for a presidential candidate to indicate in which congressional districts he wishes his candidacy to be submitted to the electors and shall modify it in any other ways necessary to adapt it to use by presidential candidates. A candidate who files a declaration of candidacy pursuant to division (A) of this section shall not file the petition prescribed in section 3513.07 of the Revised Code.

(E) Section 3513.151 of the Revised Code applies in regard to candidates for delegate and alternate to the national convention of a political party selected pursuant to this section. The state central committee of the political party of any presidential candidate who files a declaration of candidacy pursuant to division (A) of this section shall file with the secretary of state the rules of its political party in accordance with division (E) of section 3513.151 of the Revised Code.

(F) The procedures for the selection of candidates for delegate and alternate to the national convention of a political party set forth in this section and in section 3513.12 of the Revised Code are alternative procedures, and if the procedures of this section are followed, the procedures of section 3513.12 of the Revised Code need not be followed.

Effective Date: 12-29-1993

Dean M. Hindenlang

Executive Assistant

Voting Rights Institute

Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner

180 East Broad Street, 15th Floor

Columbus, OH 43215

(614) 995-1619 - Phone

(614) 485-7507 - Fax

www.myvoteohio.com

Dear Sir or Madam,

Hello. I am writing to request that coverage be made available to all of Ohio's citizens so we can understand how it is possible that John McCain is on the ballot in Ohio without collecting the required signatures - a benefit afforded only to candidates participating in the matching funds program of which he has withdrawn. If election laws are not enforced, what is the point of the election? I am very concerned about this and I want to encourage your organization to investigate the matter more thoroughly and report the truth of your findings. It is my understanding the DNC has filed an official federal complaint, but the people of Ohio deserve to understand the nature of this complaint and the implications of Mr. McCain's alleged unethical campaign practices.

There are people who worked tirelessly under extreme conditions to collect needed signatures for Ron Paul, acquiring ballot access legally. It is an outrage that Mr. McCain would presume to abuse the system and benefit from a program he has withdrawn from. Simply put, it is criminal to enforce the law inequitably. Under these conditions, there is in fact no law at all. We demand that John McCain be required to collect the necessary signatures and gain ballot access legally or be removed from it immediately. I respectfully remind you of your responsibility to the citizens of Ohio: to tell them the truth. Thank you for your time and deliberate consideration.

Sincerely,

MY NAME

It's because the campaign staff pursued and embellished an "adversarial" relationship with the press in order to whip up a "fervor" among the supporters.

And in doing so, "burned" whatever scant bridges or positive attitudes and associations (however minor) they might have had within the media.

Federal Election Commission, 999 E Street, NW, Washington, DC 20463 (800) 424-9530 In Washington (202) 694-1000

The more calls and emails the better. There are other states that I think have the same ballot access rules.

You don't have to be in Ohio to point out the wrong doings of McCain. Everyone in the nation can and should write IMMEDIATELY. This man is a crook. Ron Paul's campaign of VOLUNTEERS, not paid campaign workers, made Ron Paul's ballot access in EVERY state possible.

Just use google to our advantage.

Here are some other Cleveland news channels that we can write to. The more people we have write, the more the message will be heard.

www.newsnet5.com
www.myfoxcleveland.com

Here is a link to EVERY Ohio based Newspaper - http://www.usnpl.com/ohne...

Here is an email address for one of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reporters. - SEATON@plaind.com

Here are email addresses for WKYC In Cleveland -

abbyham@wkyc.com, barbaragauthier@wkyc.com, barbaragauthier@wkyc.com, billsafos@wkyc.com, ctye@wkyc.gannett.com, davesummers@wkyc.com, deldonahoo@wkyc.com, dickruss@wkyc.com, ericmansfield@wkyc.com, jeffmaynor@wkyc.com, jennifermurphy@wkyc.com, kimwheeler@wkyc.com, kristinanderson@wkyc.com, lydiaesparra@wkyc.com, Matt.Mitchell@ohr.state.oh.us, maureenkyle@wkyc.com, mikeomara@wkyc.com, monicarobins@wkyc.com, feedback5@newsnet5.com, 5tips@newsnet5.com, obieshelton@wkyc.com, paulthomas@wkyc.com, , romonarobinson@wkyc.com, scottnewell@wkyc.com, timwhite@wkyc.com, tomberes@wkyc.com, tommeyer@wkyc.com, vgideon@wkyc.com

Here is Geraldo Rivera's email address - Atlarge@foxnews.com

Here is a list of every Ohio TV news station - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_television_stations_in_Ohio_(by_channel_number)

Write, write, write, to everyone you can about this improper procedure of McCain. If we could get him on a technicality, that would be great. I am tired of being pushed around.