Complaint filed against Strickland campaign

Columbus Dispatch

COLUMBUS

The campaign of Gov. Ted Strickland falsely stated that GOP opponent John Kasich has an “F” rating from the National Rifle Association, according to an elections complaint filed Monday.

Kasich got an “F” in the mid-1990s after favoring a congressional ban on assault weapons, but his current rating is “B.” The Strickland campaign often has referred to the old rating, but is now accused of going over the line in a press advisory late last week.

The Strickland advisory about several campaign events over the weekend said: “At each stop, Strickland will contrast his record of creating jobs and protecting the rights of sportsmen and gun owners with Congressman John Kasich’s record of supporting outsourcing and his ‘F’ rating from the National Rifle Association.”

Strickland campaign officials “either knew that John Kasich has a ‘B’ rating from the NRA or have recklessly refused to check his true rating. Nonetheless, respondents have chosen to falsely represent that John Kasich has an ‘F’ rating,” says the complaint, filed by state Rep. Danny Bubp, a Republican from West Union, a life NRA member with an A+ rating.

“As a proud NRA member, I am outraged that Ted Strickland is lying about John Kasich’s NRA rating,” Bubp said in the complaint.

In a statement accompanying the complaint, Bubp added: “John Kasich is the most long-suffering man I know because he’s risen above more smears and attacks during this campaign than probably anybody in recent political history. I shared my frustration with him last week over the Strickland campaign’s lies about his gun record, so when the campaign asked me to file this complaint on its behalf I did not hesitate.”