Reality Check: Strickland's Double Standard on Budget Deliberations

Claim:

Gov. Ted Strickland: "I think it would be unseemly for the legislature to leave this town with this matter unresolved. I understand next week is a holiday period of time. I certainly think this is important enough that all of us should be willing to work as long as we need to work to get it done." (The Columbus Dispatch, 11/19/09)

Reality Check:

Strickland told lawmakers in July to skip holiday festivities and work toward a budget deal:

"Working on this budget is more important than participating in a parade or eating hot dogs at an outdoor cookout," said Strickland. (Dayton Daily News, 6/29/09)

He then skipped town to participate in holiday festivities:

"Finally tonight in 'Hannity's America,' Ohio governor Ted Strickland. He criticized lawmakers in his state for being too casual about budget deliberations. He said they should skip July 4th celebrations in order to work out a deal. It turns out the governor, well, he isn't practicing what he preaches because this is what he was doing on July 4th. Participating in a Jell-O eating contest. [Sean Hannity, Hannity's America, Fox News, 7/7/09]

The Bottom Line

"If there's a standard left in the Strickland administration, it's the double standard," said Ohio Republican Party Chairman Kevin DeWine. "He tells lawmakers to work on the budget and then goes to a Jell-O eating contest. He says gambling isn't a solution to Ohio's economic problems and then tries to expand it. He said higher taxes would hurt economic recovery and then wants Ohioans to pay nearly a billion dollars more. He promised to turn around Ohio's economy and then lost 330,000 jobs. The only thing Gov. Strickland's good at these days is saying one thing and doing another."