George Voinovich

Cuyahoga County Republican stalwart Dick Pogue is latching on to Ohio's top Republican hope, state Auditor Mary Taylor.

In a letter to party members, Pogue, the county party's finance chairman, touts Taylor for, well, acting like an auditor.

"Mary Taylor is fulfilling her promise to hold government accountable and to root out fraud, waste, and abuse of taxpayer dollars," he writes, noting her Medicaid performance audit that identified $300 million in potential savings.

He also boasts that Taylor identified $1 million in potential savings in the county recorder's office most recently headed by Patrick O'Malley, who was forced to resign over an obscenity charge.

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U.S. Sens. George Voinovich (center) and Sherrod Brown (far right)

U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-Lorain) and George Voinovich (R-Cleveland) expressed disappointment late Thursday following the failure to break the Republican filibuster of legislation to provide bridge loans to the U.S. auto industry.

"It's unfathomable to me that Senate Republicans would turn their backs on millions of American families," Brown said. "During the recent campaign we heard a lot from Republicans about the people that make up the real America and even the Carhartts they wear. I guess that was then."

Voinovich said that Congress had failed to do its job and provide bridge loans to the industry.

"There are millions of hard-working Americans tonight who are worried about their jobs and providing for their families," Voinovich said. "And tonight, Congress failed them."

U.S. Reps. Jean Schmidt (R-Loveland) and Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green) gave their reasons for voting against legislation passed in the U.S. House Wednesday that seeks to give $14 billion in bridge loans to companies of the American auto industry.

 "The auto industry is a critical segment of our nation's economy, especially in Ohio," Latta said. "During the testimony from the ‘Detroit 3' and the drafting of this legislation, important questions remain unanswered that put the American taxpayer at serious risk."

Latta said Congress was putting one person in charge of an entire area of the economy and that he could not in good faith give one person management power over the car companies.

U.S. Senator George V. Voinovich (R-Cleveland) released a statement Wednesday upon word that the Senate has finalized a bill to bring bridge loans to the American auto industry.

"My understanding is that we're one step closer to giving a lifeline to millions of hard-working Americans who are worried about their jobs and providing for their families," Voinovich said. "While I am still studying the legislation, it appears that my Senate colleagues agree with my concerns regarding crippling environmental standards as well as providing strong protections for taxpayers and have moved to address those concerns." 

Voinovich serves as co-chair of the Senate Auto Caucus and said that the relief is in the form of bridge loans that have to be paid back.

U.S. Sen. George Voinovich (R-Cleveland) has a healthy approval rating but has other weaknesses in a new poll released Wednesday.

Voinovich's approval rating stands at 51 percent, according a poll from the Quinnipiac Polling Institute. This and his August approval rating (51 percent) are the highest since March 2007.

As Congress continued to discuss providing bridge loans to the auto industry, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Lorain) released a statement Tuesday conveying his support for the measures.

"Aid for the auto industry is an investment in our nation's middle class and I'm glad the White House is now at the table," Brown said. "Millions of American jobs are at stake. The auto industry has agreed to strict oversight measures and has provided plans on how they'll use taxpayer funds."
 
Brown said it was time to pass a bill that "invests in our nation's workers and manufacturing base."
 
"Every day of inaction increases the risks to Ohio jobs," Brown said.

U.S. Senator George V. Voinovich (R-Cleveland) issued a statement Tuesday concerning expected action by the U.S. Congress on a federal stimulus package to the auto industry. 

Voinovich acts as co-chairman of the Senate Auto Caucus on the compromise auto industry bill and said he will continue to fight for the industry by providing a bridge loan that they would have to pay back.

"I am pleased that the Democratic leadership backed away from its opposition to using previously appropriated funds and adopted the bipartisan Levin-Voinovich proposal to use funding already authorized," Voinovich said. "However, I have concerns about the Democratic draft of the compromise legislation."

brown.senate.gov

Sen. Brown

During a break from the Senate Banking Committee’s hearing on aid to domestic automakers, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Lorain) alleged hypocrisy behind approving loans to financial institutions with no strings attached but not for auto manufacturers.

Thursday the heads of GM, Ford, Chrysler and the United Auto Workers testified in front of the banking committee that Brown sits on. Brown said if senators and representatives can authorize $350 billion in support for financial institutions without requiring plans on how they’
ll spend taxpayer money, they can support giving $34 billion in loans to General Motors, Ford and Chrysler after the companies have presented viability plans, slashed executive compensation and pledge to repay the loans.

U.S. Sen. George Voinovich says "time is running out" for Congress to act on giving loans to U.S. automakers.

The heads of General Motors, Ford and Chrysler are on Capitol Hill asking Congress for as much as $34 billion in federal aid for their companies that are in danger of running out of money.

U.S. Sen. George Voinovich wrote Democratic U.S. Senate and House leaders asking them to support government loans to U.S. automobile manufacturers, calling the assistance "critical" to protecting hundreds of thousands of jobs.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi requested more from the automakers on how Ford, General Motors and Chrysler would use the money to make their companies viable. The Bush administration echoed the same point.

Voinovich (R-Cleveland) said legislation that he, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Lorain) and others deserved consideration before Thanksgiving.