Dems hammer Portman for COASTing

[ccharles000]

Ohio Democrats today are making an issue of Rob Portman’s planned speech tonight at a fundraiser for COAST, the local anti-tax group.

The Democrats’ beef: COAST refers to the General Assembly as “Nazis.” And Portman, a Terrace Park Republican running for Senate, is helping raise money for the group. (You have to scroll down pretty far to see the “Nazi” reference.)

Portman spokeswoman Jessica Towhey calls today’s 1 p.m. press conference on the matter “another cheap stunt,” though she says Portman disagrees with the “Nazi” analogy.

“This is another cheap political stunt to distract voters from the failed Strickland-Fisher economy and the key issue in this campaign, which is how to how to turn around the status quo in Washington and Columbus and bring jobs and opportunity back to Ohio. The people of Ohio would be much better served if the Democrat attack machine would hold a press conference today renouncing the failed economic agenda of Washington and Columbus and laying out how they plan to put Ohioans back to work. We call on the Democrats to do that. Of course, Rob Portman doesn’t agree with these inappropriate statements.”

We’re seeking a response from COAST as well.

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/politics/2010/03/01/dems-hammer-portman-for-coasting/