Columbus –State Senator Nina Turner (D-Cleveland) expressed great disappointment today that a Republican Senator has acknowledged campaign politics were involved in the Senate’s rejection of Cathy Collins-Taylor as Director of the Ohio Department of Public Safety. Last May the Senate voted not to confirm Collins-Taylor after an unfavorable recommendation from the Judiciary-Criminal Justice Committee. All the members of the Senate Democratic Caucus supported her confirmation.
The chairman of the Criminal Justice Committee, Senator Tim Grendell (R-Chesterland), said in a letter this week that he “…worked hard to facilitate John Kasich’s election,” and “…[the investigation] had a detrimental impact on Governor Strickland’s re-election effort.” The hearings were supposed to gather information about a drug sting operation at the Governor’s mansion but turned into an attack on the administration and on Collins-Taylor’s honesty and integrity.
“It’s scary to think someone’s outstanding law enforcement career would be destroyed for purely political reasons,” said Senator Nina Turner (D-Cleveland), the ranking member of the Criminal Justice Committee. “We said all along that Cathy Collins-Taylor did not get a fair hearing and this confirms it. This entire episode was shameful and not in the best interest of the people of Ohio. ”
Witnesses who would have supported Collins-Taylor were never called to testify and very little time was spent discussing her qualifications for the job. The following statement is part of an official journal protest filed by Senate Democrats on May 25, 2010 (page 2739):
“…we want to protest what we perceive as the politicizing of the confirmation process. We believe that the public perception will be that the Ohio Senate has wasted time and taxpayer dollars at the tail end of this Great Recession to focus on what resembles to be a political smear campaign…”
“As the Senate prepares to hold more confirmation votes on Governor Strickland’s latest appointments, it is my hope that no more highly qualified candidates are rejected for political reasons,” said Senator Turner. “Ohioans are tired of political maneuvering. It is time for us to cease and desist and focus on dealing with the challenges our state faces.”
The chairman of the Criminal Justice Committee, Senator Tim Grendell (R-Chesterland), said in a letter this week that he “…worked hard to facilitate John Kasich’s election,” and “…[the investigation] had a detrimental impact on Governor Strickland’s re-election effort.” The hearings were supposed to gather information about a drug sting operation at the Governor’s mansion but turned into an attack on the administration and on Collins-Taylor’s honesty and integrity.
“It’s scary to think someone’s outstanding law enforcement career would be destroyed for purely political reasons,” said Senator Nina Turner (D-Cleveland), the ranking member of the Criminal Justice Committee. “We said all along that Cathy Collins-Taylor did not get a fair hearing and this confirms it. This entire episode was shameful and not in the best interest of the people of Ohio. ”
Witnesses who would have supported Collins-Taylor were never called to testify and very little time was spent discussing her qualifications for the job. The following statement is part of an official journal protest filed by Senate Democrats on May 25, 2010 (page 2739):
“…we want to protest what we perceive as the politicizing of the confirmation process. We believe that the public perception will be that the Ohio Senate has wasted time and taxpayer dollars at the tail end of this Great Recession to focus on what resembles to be a political smear campaign…”
“As the Senate prepares to hold more confirmation votes on Governor Strickland’s latest appointments, it is my hope that no more highly qualified candidates are rejected for political reasons,” said Senator Turner. “Ohioans are tired of political maneuvering. It is time for us to cease and desist and focus on dealing with the challenges our state faces.”
