Ohio State Representative Tom Brinkman (R-Cincinnati) is being tied to a petition fraud case, petitions that were circulated were to overturn an equal rights ordinance. Petition circulators falsified signatures in order to meet the qualifying number necessary.

From 365gay.com:

A Republican lawmaker behind an unsuccessful bid to repeal Cincinnati's ordinance protecting gays from discrimination has been accused of knowing names to get the issue onto the ballot in 2006 were fraudulent.

"It's terrible," said Judge Robert Ruehlman from the bench. "It takes away the right to democracy. It takes away the right for people to decide issues when you cheat like that."

Brinkman denies any wrongdoing.
"I personally did not touch a single address or date or signature or name or anything," he told the Associated Press.

Mingo and Ward, who worked for an outside firm hired to collect the signatures, were charged following a seven-month investigation.

Equal Rights Not Special Rights had collected thousands of names on petitions to have a repeal measure put to voters last November. But when it emerged that many of the signatures were fake the group voluntarily withdrew the measure.

More than 7,600 signatures that were validated by the Hamilton County Board of Elections but the phony names were discovered during a second check before a challenge from Restore Fairness, a pro-gay rights group, was to begin before the Board of Elections.

Among the phony signatures were "Fidel Castro" and Cincinnati Reds owner "Bob Castellini."

Labels: anti gay, ohio, republican

This entry was posted on Saturday, July 21, 2007 at 2:54 PM. Want to discuss? Leave a comment below.