We’ve been discussing for weeks the hypocrisy currently flowing out of the Ohio Democratic Party regarding the controversy surrounding a Facebook post from Ohio School Board President Debe Terhar.
ODP Chairman Chris Redfern and Communications Director Jerid Kurtz have used Terhar’s inappropriate posting as a political opportunity to grandstand and bash Governor John Kasich, who they claim should fire Terhar, who was elected to her position both by voters and her fellow board members.
The hypocrisy comes in when you look at Senator Sherrod Brown’s speech on the Senate floor two years ago, where he publicly compared Kasich and other GOP governors to Hitler and Stalin. We didn’t hear a single word about those offensive comments from the ODP, even though they were uttered on the Senate Floor and broadcast on C-SPAN for all to hear.
We also criticized the ODP for actually using this issue as a fundraiser. Not only are they making a mountain out of a molehill, they’ve been blasting out emails for weeks, asking supporters to donate money to the party based on Terhar’s post.
Today at a meeting of the school board, the issue was discussed at length, and Kurtz addressed the board demanding that they remove Terhar from her position as president. Board member Todd Jones addressed Kurtz and expressed dismay that the ODP used the issue to shill for money. He then suggested that the ODP donate the money they raised off of their emails to the Anti Defamation League.
Unbelievably, Kurtz denies any knowledge of the ODP using the issue to raise money. He is their communications director. No emails leave the ODP without his knowledge and approval. Thanks to Ohio Capital Blog‘s Marc Kovac, we have video of the exchange.
Video courtesy Ohio Capital Blog
Kurtz stood in front of the board and lied through his teeth. Posted below are just two of the emails sent out from the Ohio Democratic Party. The sole purpose of these emails was to ask for money.
Kurtz has reached a new level of hypocrisy and dishonesty. After remaining silent on Sherrod Brown and Clayton Luckie, and his outburst yesterday that appeared to hold Kasich and Republicans responsible for the Chardon High School shooting tragedy, Jerid Kurtz has no business criticizing anybody for inflammatory rhetoric. And now he’s lying about taking advantage of the issue to raise money?
Truly shameless. Kurtz’s total meltdown in the past 48 hours will become his legacy. One wonders how much longer he will remain the spokesman for Ohio’s Democrats.