[Promoted from the diaries by DavidNYC. I've been interested in the special election in Ohio's second district ever since the seat was vacated. This is an excellent diary about that race, and tells us quite a lot about the two candidates. The juxtaposition is terrific.]
On the last play from scrimmage in the 3rd quarter, Cincinnati Bengals running back Rudi Johnson took the handoff from Carson Palmer and scampered 36 yards to the end zone giving the team a comfortable 20-10 lead. The Bengals would not look back, presumably to the delight of Jean Schmidt and the 65,806 fans at Paul Brown Stadium watching Cincinnati's first Monday Night Football game at home in a decade a half.
In Iraq, Marine Corps Major Paul Hackett and the men in his unit were en route by military transport helicopter from Ramadi to Fallujah where they served as gatekeepers for supplies coming in and out of the city notorious for some of the worst violence seen in the war.
October 25, 2004 was a defining day in the lives of the two candidates running for election in Ohio's 2nd Congressional District. For Major Paul Hackett, the Democratic candidate in the special election, the day began his critical work in stopping any untoward supplies from entering the city, keeping the military and Iraqi civillians from further harms way.
For Jean Schmidt, the Republican candidate, her evening about town is now the focus of a Ohio ethics investigation for her failure to disclose gifts accepted from a global bio-tech lobbyist.
More after the jump.
The evening started out nice enough for Representative Jean Schmidt. She and several Ohio Republican lawmakers, along with a Columbus lobbyist, ate a nice dinner at Nicola's Ristorante in Cincinnati. The food and drink was paid for by a representative from Chrion, a company whose dirty flu vaccine was banned by the British government.
By all accounts, Nicola's is a tremendous restaurant with wonderful food and atmosphere:
Start with bruschetta e crostini--toasted bread crowned with a delicious assortment of toppings, like salmon, capers and onions, tomato tartare with Gorgonzola and olive tapenade. Cannelloni a modo mio is Nicola's signature version of Italian crepes, with ground veal, Bolognese and alfredo sauces. [...]
Amazing everytime. Nicolas features a seasonal menu that re-invents itself every 3 months. The menu is a bit pricey but worth every dime.
You won't find anything Major Paul Hackett ate that evening on the menu of Nicola's, nor was the atmosphere quite as friendly. But as any Marine will tell you, the age-old "Meal Ready to Eat" (MRE) does a great job of filling you up--and stopping you up. And while you will never find a review of MREs in Cincinnati's fine dining guides, here is what one veteran has to say about the MRE pictured to the right.
Grilled Beefsteak with mushroom gravy MRE Entree YUM, YUM, YUM!
Back to Cincinnati...
Dinner was just the start of the evening for Jean Schmidt. After a fine meal, her and her colleagues traveled to Paul Brown stadium to watch the Cincinnati Bengals take on the Denver Broncos--entertained in the prestigious luxury box seats, again, paid for by Chiron.
[E]verything about a Private Suite is designed to make your clients and friends feel truly valued. Your Suite Ambassador ensures that all your needs are met and your every wish is satisfied. The Private Suite is customized for those who entertain at the highest levels.
There is simply no better way to entertain--and yes, impress special clients than the Private Suite experience
Unfortunately for Schmidt, Ohio law calls for legislators to disclose gifts accepted from lobbyists in excess of $75. Schmidt, did not; her campaign aides claimed that she didn't know the seats (her daughter was also a beneficiary of Chrion's largesse) were valued at more than the allowed amount. Ebay lists the private suites at $549 dollars for a pair.
Meanwhile, back in Iraq, Paul Hackett sat in a helicopter, thousands of miles away from his family, not knowing for sure whether or not he would ever get to see them again--fighting a war that Hackett volunteered to serve in, despite his belief that the invasion was "a misuse of our military that damaged our credibility throughout the world and squandered our political capital." If elected, Paul Hackett would become the first Iraq War veteran to serve in the United States House of Representatives. If elected, Jean Schmidt would join the growing list of sitting legislators part of the Republican "Culture of Corruption" in Ohio. There are quite a few differences between the two candidates running for Congress in Ohio's 2nd Congressional District; October 25, 2004 simply encapsulates them.
The lobbying group for the global biotech corporation that paid for Schmidt's evening on the town "stressed the importance" of Senate Bill 250.
Jean Schmidt ultimately co-sponsored the bill.
(Photo Credits: Nicola's Ristorante, The Cincinnati Bengals, Hackett for Congress, and www99.big.or.jp)
(Cross-posted from Grow Ohio.)