Kilroy, Stivers trade blows on oil drilling

The campaigns of Franklin Co. Commissioner Mary Jo Kilroy (D-Columbus) and state Sen. Steve Stivers (R-Columbus) fought over Kilroy's position on oil drilling after her second TV ad today on energy.

In the ad, Kilroy said she supports domestic driling and alternative fuels. Kilroy has stated that her energy plan supports drilling on federal lands currently leased by oil companies.

Stivers campaign manager Mike Hartley said Kilroy's support of drilling on already-leased federal land doesn't constitute increased oil production because the land has little, if any, oil. Hartley points to a Washington Post editorial that lambasted the notion that oil companies are sitting on leased land that has oil.

"Kilroy needs to explain specifically where she plans to increase drilling. Would she vote to lift the moratorium on off-shore drilling? Would she allow drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge? Is she for drilling in the Rocky Mountains, or any other federal lands? Or is Kilroy deceiving voters by suggesting that the “use-it-or-lose-it” concept constitutes increased drilling?" Hartley said.

Kilroy communications director Brad Bauman said Kilroy supports drilling in areas that are not being drilled, including offshore.

"She’s for environmentally responsible new drilling whether it would be offshore or on-shore," he said. 

Bauman said Kilroy hasn't taken a position on lifting the moratorium on offshore drilling but supports drilling that's environmentally safe.

Bauman said all Stivers wants is a new bureaucracy in Washington to lead drilling efforts, and that Stivers' oil-company contributions puts him at odds with voters.

"The only people who are trying to deceive are steve stivers who bills himself as having a comprehensive energy plan but takes money from Halliburton and Exxon. The people of the 15th district knows whos side he’s actually on," he said.