Monzel 1, Bloggers 0

The flap over GOP Councilman Chris Monzel's $702 taxpayer-paid Reds schedule made it to the Cincinnati Elections Commission Thursday, thanks to a complaint from Kennedy Heights blogger Jason Haap.

Haap's novel argument: That Monzel's schedule violated a 2002 charter amendment -- championed by Monzel himself -- that prohibits the use of taxpayer money on campaigns. The amendment was intended to strike down provisions of a 2001 amendment that allowed some council candidates to receive matching funds from the city treasury.

"This is probably the most interesting matter that's been brought before the commission, at least in my experience," said the city's chief general counsel, Roshani Hardin.

The commission took the matter "under advisement," but seemed unwilling to find a campaign violation.

"All the sudden because it has Chris Monzel's name on it, it's campaign material? I don't buy it," said vice chairwoman Jill Meyer Vollman, a Republican and a lawyer. At the time the schedule was printed, Monzel hadn't even declared his candidacy, she noted.


Democrat Shirley Frazier-Evans said that without the magic words -- "elect" or "re-elect" -- it was hard to see the piece as campaign literature. "I don't think it's a big deal, but that's my personal opinion," she said.

And then another blogger, the former talk show host and boycott activist Nate Livingston Jr., showed up at the commission's meeting. "I don't know what this commission is doing. It seems like candidates are disregarding these rules, and this commission is allowing it to go on," he complained.

Commission members are bracing themselves for a long campaign season, with a seven-way mayor's race and a competitive council race -- and an emerging local blog scene to stir things up. "I think closer to the election, there will be more questioning," Frazier-Evans said.