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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Mitchel calls for Steve
Austria to withdraw from congressional race
Monday, March 15, 2010,
Beavercreek, Ohio: Today former Air Force
Lieutenant Colonel John Mitchel, who is opposing Steve Austria
in the May 4th Republican primary, called for Steve
Austria to withdraw from the race. Mitchel
says he is merely following guidelines established by State GOP
Chairman Kevin DeWine. According to Mitchel,
in January 2009, Kevin DeWine put together a 10-point plan to
rehabilitate the Ohio Republican Party torn apart by Coingate
and other scandals. Mitchel says one of those
points is to “Enforce a zero-tolerance policy for
misconduct.” He lists the following
examples of what he believes to be misconduct by Steve Austria
and his spouse, Eileen, who for almost two decades was District
Director for former Congressman Dave Hobson.
1. Nepotism:
Steve Austria’s influence with campaign contributors
associated with the Turner Foundation led to a job for Mrs.
Austria at non-profit Nextedge Development Corporation, a wholly
owned subsidiary of the Turner Foundation, another non-profit
corporation based in Springfield .
2. Failure to
disclose Mrs. Austria ’s employment with Nextedge:
Steve Austria attempted to conceal on his federal Financial
Disclosure Statement Mrs. Austria ’s employment with Nextedge.
The Federal Election Commission (FEC) is investigating. (FEC
Matter Under Review ( MUR ) 6240)
3. Failure to
disclose on his Financial Disclosure Statement Mr. and Mrs.
Austria’s membership on the Dayton Development Coalition’s
Wright Patt 2010 Committee from 2003 to 2007: As members
of the Committee, Mr. and Mrs. Austria helped steer no-bid
contracts financed by Greene County taxpayers to the PMA Group,
a Washington lobbying firm raided by the FBI in November 2008
and now under investigation for illegal campaign contributions
in exchange for earmarks, including contributions to Steve
Austria and Dave Hobson. (Source: Center for Public Integrity,
September 2009) Greene County Commissioners
Anderson, Perales and Reid can confirm that the FBI has taken
custody of 26 boxes of related documents from the Dayton
Development Coalition with cooperation from the Greene County
Prosecutor’s office.
4. Mrs.
Austria’s illegal use of Dave Hobson’s Member
Representational Account (MRA) in the last two months of her
employment as Dave Hobson’s District Director:
The Federal Election Commission is investigating
allegations that while Mrs. Austria was still working as Dave
Hobson’s District Director, she abused that position to raise
over $221,000 for her husband’s congressional campaign from
246 donors from October 27, 2007 to December 31, 2007. (FEC
Matter Under Review (MUR) 6240)
Mitchel commented,
“Our campaign is in full agreement with Kevin DeWine in that
the Ohio Republican Party should enforce a zero-tolerance policy
for misconduct by its elected officials and candidates.
Now it’s time to hold Kevin DeWine accountable and
demand that whether or not Steve Austria withdraws from the May
4th primary, the Republican Party will aggressively
cooperate with the ongoing investigation. To
do otherwise will further undermine the credibility of Ohio
Republican Party leadership and could bring the entire ticket
down in November.”
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