Schmidt endorsement UPDATE

The Coalition Opposed to Additional Spending and Taxes (COAST) just announced in an e-mail to reporters that it plans to file a formal complaint with the Ohio Elections Commission against Rep. Jean Schmidt for claiming on her Web site that Republican Reps. Steve Chabot of Westwood and Tom Tancredo of Colorado had endorsed her.

Spokesmen from both offices told the Enquirer yesterday that while they support Schmidt, they have not endorsed her for re-election. Both the Tancredo endorsement and Chabot's name have since been taken off the Schmdit campaign site. Schmidt campaign manager Allen Freeman reiterated today that both instances were due to a miscommunication.

"What I don't understand is why this rises to the level of a complaint, especially since Chabot still supports her?" Freeman said.

COAST disagrees.

"Jean Schmidt obviously has a problem with the truth," said COAST Chairman Jim Urling. "First she did not tell the truth about being against higher taxes, then she fibbed about her conversation with Representative Buhp. And now she completely fabricates endorsements. She must be held to account for her persistent prevarication's."

The refrence to Bubp (misspelled in the COAST release) refers to when Schmidt told Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., a decorated Marine veteran, that Ohio state Rep. Danny Bubp, R-West Union, asked her to tell him that "Cowards cut and run, Marines never do." Bubp later said he did not mention Murtha by name when he spoke to Schmidt about a resolution to pull U.S. troops out of Iraq.

Incidentally, Bubp's name is NOT listed on Schmidt's endorsement page, although he had supported her in last year's special election.

So who HAS endorsed Schmidt? Former Rep. Rob Portman, who is now the U.S. trade representative, told the Enquirer that he's backing Schmidt because she's the incumbent. And so are other GOP leaders in Washington, according to this news release from the Schmidt campaign that was e-mailed to reporters today:

Second District — Leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives is lining up in support of Congresswoman Jean Schmidt. The following leading, conservative Republicans will be special guests at major fundraising events in the Ohio 2nd Congressional District over the next four weeks:

*Rep. Dennis Hastert – Speaker of the House
*Rep. John Boehner – House Majority Leader
*Rep. Eric Cantor – House Deputy Majority Whip

"It is very exciting to see this level of support from House leadership," said campaign manager Allen Freeman. "In the coming weeks the District will have the opportunity to host the number one, two and four top Republican leaders in the House of Representatives — this is outstanding."

*The Schmidt campaign will release final details of these events as well as times and locations soon.

Full disclosure: The Enquirer also is listed as a Schmidt endorser because the paper's editorial board endorsed her in last year's special election. The paper has not issued endorsements for this year's elections.