Bruce Johnson
Encyclopedia
Bruce Edward Johnson is an American lawyer and Republican
politician who was appointed the State of Ohio
's 63rd Lieutenant Governor
on January 5, 2005, to complete an unexpired term. Johnson concurrently served as Director of the Ohio Department of Development.
Johnson's rise in Ohio was swift. He entered politics in Columbus
, becoming Greg Lashutka's
chief of staff after he managed Lashutka's successful 1991 campaign for mayor of Columbus. Johnson left that post when he was appointed to the Ohio Senate
in 1994. After being elected to two terms and rising to the second highest post in the Senate, Governor Bob Taft
in 2001 asked Johnson to join his cabinet
as Director of the Ohio Department of Development. In 2005, Taft appointed him lieutenant governor. Johnson in December 2006 resigned a month before his term ended.
in Bowling Green, Ohio
, with a bachelor of arts degree in economics before attending law school at Capital University
in Columbus
, where he received his Juris Doctor
degree in 1985. He was admitted to the Ohio bar on November 4, 1985. After a year as an assistant city prosecutor in Columbus, he joined the firm of Chester, Willcox, and Saxbe in Columbus, working there from until 2001. In 1991, Johnson was the campaign manager for Greg Lashutka's successful mayoral run in Columbus and became his chief of staff when Lashutka was sworn in. Johnson served in City Hall from 1992 to 1994, where he was responsible for supervising ten department directors. He helped abolish the city's Human Services Department and reorganize the city's operations. Upon his resignation to enter the Ohio Senate
, The Columbus Dispatch
said Johnson:
He is presently a resident of the Columbus suburb of Westerville
. He and his wife, Kelley, have four children: Shane (born circa 1988), Meagan (born circa 1989), Connor (born circa 1993), and Morgan Christine (born 1995).
seat in the 120th General Assembly
effective March 1, 1994, replacing Theodore W. Gray, a Republican of Upper Arlington
, who resigned after forty-three years in the Senate. The seat represented the eastern third of Franklin County
, the suburbs of Columbus
, the state capital. The district included all of the municipalities of Bexley
, Canal Winchester
, Obetz
, New Albany
, Whitehall
, Gahanna
, Reynoldsburg
and Westerville
, part of Worthington
and a sliver of the northern edge of the county. Johnson took the oath from Ohio Chief Justice Thomas J. Moyer
.
Johnson ran for a full term that year and was unopposed in the May 3 primary, after Linda S. Reidelbach, an unsuccessful independent candidate for Congress in the 15th District in 1992 who also failed to win appointment to Gray's seat, withdrew from the race despite filing nominating petitions. Johnson received 15,271 votes in the primary. On November 8, he faced Democratic nominee Christina L. Cox, a 38-year-old township trustee in Blendon Township
. Cox had also been unopposed in her primary. Cox filed a complaint with the Ohio Elections Commission because Johnson ran television advertisements calling for voters to "re-elect" him. "A key issue in this campaign is the fact that Bruce Johnson has never been elected to anything," Cox told The Columbus Dispatch. "He was appointed by the Downtown influence peddlers, but he's trying to make the people think they elected him." Johnson won the endorsement of The Columbus Dispatch, which described him as "a longtime political activist within the Republican Party" with "a firm grasp of legal, tax and job-development issues." Johnson won the general election, 53,290 (61.78%) to 38,974 (38.22%).
Johnson in 1996 chaired a special committee examining tort reform
. The resulting bill, which passed the Senate, would, in the words of The Columbus Dispatch, "cap noneconomic and punitive damages
, impose additional time limits for filing lawsuits and protect defendants in multidefendant cases from being liable for unpaid portions of a judgment." The minority party was unhappy, the paper reported, "Democrats blasted Republicans, saying they were catering to business at the expense of the victims of their negligence." Senator Jeffrey D. Johnson, a Cleveland Democrat, said "Somewhere along the way we have shifted away from concern for the victim to concern for business," but Johnson defended the legislation. "What we've done is tried to strike a balance. Lawsuit abuse threatens to close the doors of many small businesses in our state."
To make it easier for cities to take property owners to court for violations of zoning and building codes, Johnson in 1997 introduced legislation to let zoning officers issue tickets similar to traffic tickets from the police. "We need to protect neighborhoods against landlords and people who don't keep up their property," he told The Columbus Dispatch. The City of Columbus had requested help because it claimed the existing process of going to criminal court was too slow.
In the 1996 presidential primaries, Johnson supported former Tennessee
governor Lamar Alexander
.
In the Senate Johnson became chairman of the Judiciary Committee in July 1995 after only sixteen months in the chamber when the committee's chairman, Senator Barry Levey, a Republican of Middletown
, retired. Johnson was the youngest-ever chairman of the Judiciary Committee. In the 122nd General Assembly (the 1997–1998 session), he chose to retain that post after dropping out of the race for majority whip, the fourth ranking post in the Republican leadership. He also was chairman of the Ways and Means Committee before entering the Senate leadership in 1999 and had been a member of the Legislative Ethics Committee.
Johnson ran what The Dispatch characterized as an "aggressive" campaign on television and in debates. Among Johnson's concerns was that Jackson had been settling civil suits against the city too readily and for too much money and that she had been lax in prosecuting parents who failed to make child support payments. "I would be a deadbeat parent's worst nightmare," Johnson bragged. However, Jackson noted that no child support cases had been filed with her office and she could not be blamed for failing to hold parents accountable.
The Dispatch described one ad: "a man is shown attacking a woman in a kitchen as an announcer cites domestic violence
statistics from Jackson's office" that she had dismissed or plea bargained 96 per cent of domestic violence cases. Jackson said the of commercial "It's base," she said. "It was meant to elicit a reaction," but Johnson countered "What she's afraid about is that people will find out that an outrageous number of domestic violence cases are dismissed or plea bargained. The outrage is the facts, not me bringing them up." The Dispatch called Johnson a "worthy opponent" to Jackson, but endorsed her, citing her experience and her "commitment to professionalism and nonpartisanship." Despite spending $265,900 on his campaign, Johnson lost the November 4 election, winning 41 per cent to Jackson's 59 per cent.
Jackson was disappointed with her opponent, telling The Dispatch after her victory "the senator and I talked early about running positive campaigns. Unfortunately, his campaign ended up being about half-truths and half-statements."
In 1998, he sought re-election to his Senate seat. He was again unopposed in the Republican primary, held on May 5, in which he received 20,130 votes. The Columbus Dispatch endorsed him in the fall, editorializing:
In the general election on November 3, he faced Democrat Debra A. Payne, a small businesswoman who owned a data-processing firm and was a three-term councilwoman in Gahanna
. Payne told The Columbus Dispatch "I went door to door and asked, 'Do you know who your state senator is?' They said, 'I have no idea,' and I said, 'That's why you need me.' " Johnson defeated her by a vote of 53,074 (54.79%) to 43,796 (45.21%), a decreased margin of seven percent from 1994. After his reelection, the Senate Republican caucus elected him assistant president pro tempore, the third ranking post in the GOP leadership, defeating fellow a Franklin County senator, Eugene Watts of Dublin
, who sought another term in that post.
In December 1998, Columbus Mayor Greg Latshukta announced he would not seek a third term in 1999. Johnson briefly considered a run for the seat, but decided against it. The same month, Johnson told The Columbus Dispatch he was investigating overturning the city council's vote to grant benefits to domestic partners of city employers, according them the same treatment as spouses. Johnson objected to the idea itself, the cost, and the manner in which the question was rushed through the council without any public notice or debate. "No matter what you think of the merits, the process on an issue they knew could raise serious questions from the public was circumvented," said Johnson.
. In 2000, he sponsored legislation allowing mothers to leave a newborn baby at a hospital, police station, and like public facilities without fear of criminal charges. "I believe this bill is pro-life because it protects the life of a child regardless of the actions of its parents. I only wish we could protect babies earlier," he told The Plain Dealer.
In 2000, Johnson sponsored legislation that would require background check
s for volunteers working in private groups, claiming "This turns the spotlight on the leeches of our society who are preying on our children." The proposal met stiff opposition, being labeled an "inquisition" by The Toledo Blade and was denounced by The Plain Dealer "as a tool for harassment, and would be a disincentive to thousands of civic-minded, morally upright Ohioans who volunteer to work with children." "This bill can impose a life sentence prohibiting service to the youth of our community resulting from discovery of a listed felony conviction at any time in a person's life," Christine Nardecchia, president of the Volunteer Administrators' Network of Central Ohio, told The Toledo Blade. Johnson was also concerned with children's health, introducing legislation in 2000 to require all children twelve and under to be vaccinated
against chicken pox. Johnson sponsored legislation to allow mothers to breast feed their children in public.
, were named co-chairmen of the General Assembly's Joint Committee on Electric Utility Deregulation.
Johnson was the chief sponsor of the proposal and worked hard to shepherd it through the legislature. The plan faced an uphill fight against the utility industry and advocates for consumers. "The proposed legislation provides utilities adequate revenue to make the transition to a competitive market. It will not result in any consumers' paying more for electricity," he promised his colleagues in the General Assembly, worried about increasing their constituents' bills. Johnson called his plan "a reasonable and fair approach" and ultimately prevailing, Johnson successfully passing the legislation into law in 1999.
William L. Phillis, executive director of the Coalition for Equity and Adequacy, a group of public schools suing the State of Ohio for more funding, told the newspaper "This is not something you expect in a democracy. You might expect this kind of behavior from a third-world dictator, one that would want to hide wrongdoing by making a decree that makes it right." Johnson told The Dispatch "I need unlimited, unfettered discretion to seek every fact I can find in order to come to a decent conclusion. What we want to do is make sure the senators and representatives are competently representing the will of the people." The senator also claimed Seventeenth century English common law
justified his plan.
Thomas C. Drabick Jr. of Blacklick
said in a letter to the editor published in The Dispatch "He has unlimited and unfettered arrogance. Who does he think he works for? Clearly, he does not believe that he is responsible to the people of Ohio; otherwise, he would not seek to keep secrets from us." The Dispatch agreed, editorializing that "Government decisions made in secret aren't necessarily better decisions, they're just secret decisions. Unfortunately, too many of Ohio's legislative leaders seem sold on the idea that keeping things hush-hush is good." Nevertheless, the Senate passed Johnson's proposal, part of the state budget, over attempts by the Democratic minority to remove the language from the bill.
's efforts to force states, under penalty of losing federal highway money, to lower the blood alcohol level considered driving under the influence
. Johnson suggested that at the new lower limit, "We could give that level a $100 fine, or call it driving under federal blackmail." He also sponsored legislation to increase the hours of driving sixteen year-olds needed to obtain a driver's license
and saw it enacted into law.
Johnson opposed efforts to locate state offices outside of Columbus, defeating a bill in committee in 1998. Johnson declared of the defeat "the people of the state are the winners, not Toledo
, not Marietta
, not Columbus." In 1999, he obtained Senate passage of a resolution commending "Neighbors Day". As part of the debate, he sang the theme song to Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
on the Senate floor. That year he also sponsored legislation to declare the northern largemouth bass
the official state fish. The Columbus Dispatch after his resignation referred to his "blunt, opinionated style."
Johnson also served as President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the second ranking position in the body, which he held when he left to enter Governor Taft's cabinet. He was chairman of the Finance and Financial Institutions Committee until his resignation.
in Ohio, attracting new industry, and promoting tourism in the state. Johnson resigned from his Senate seat on September 17 and David Goodman, a 34-year-old member of the Ohio House, was appointed by the Senate Republican caucus in Johnson's place. Upon his departure, Johnson told his colleagues "I hope to make you proud, and I hope to pick your pocket."
Johnson's hometown paper, The Columbus Dispatch, hailed the choice saying "Taft picked a pro in Bruce E. Johnson" but Cleveland's The Plain Dealer, Ohio's largest newspaper, editorialized that Johnson was an "uninspired choice" with "no discernible experience in job creation." The Toledo Blade also was skeptical, writing in an editorial "he brings gusto to a job that requires verve, imagination, and the ability to turn visions into reality. He has the first. For the rest we must wait and see." The Blade also criticized Johnson's efforts to keep state offices in Columbus and opposed his ideas for spending state development funds: "Mr. Johnson's plan to target technology and biotechnology jobs suggests the same old advantage will go to the cities that get them now: Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati" at the expense of other neglected areas of the state. The Columbus Dispatch wrote Johnson "would seem to have little to commend him for the job, except perhaps for his degree in economics from Bowling Green State University," but he told the paper "I have the confidence of the governor."
Almost immediately there was speculation of his being promoted to the post of lieutenant governor. In November 2001, the Dayton Daily News
reported there were rumors Governor Taft would name Johnson his running mate to replace Maureen O'Connor
as lieutenant governor, who had announced she would run for the Ohio Supreme Court in 2002. Taft, however, chose Jennette Bradley
, a councilwoman from Columbus.
Johnson led the campaign advocating the Third Frontier program, a large state bond issue to finance industrial research and development, which Governor Taft had championed. Critics such as Representative Tom Brinkman
, a Republican of Cincinnati, called it "corporate welfare". Johnson after its defeat by the voters in November 2003 told The Plain Dealer the plan was not dead. "There will definitely be continuing efforts to fund this strategy, because it’s the right strategy. So you don’t drop it. You continue to encourage state funding. But it’s certainly more challenging," he said, after the failure." Johnson turned out to be right. In 2005, Johnson was the point man on the Third Frontier campaign again, but this time voters in Ohio approved State Issue One which allocated dollars to support technology and innovation. Johnson served as the Chairman of the Third Frontier Commission. In May, 2010 the voters renewed the Third Frontier once again.
As director of the Department of Development, Johnson was frequently in attendance at announcements of factory openings and expansions and was often quoted in Ohio newspapers in connection with any new employment in the state.
Prosecuting Attorney Michael K. Allen withdrew his name as a candidate for reelection after a sex scandal. Allen's predecessor, Ohio State Treasurer
Joseph T. Deters, agreed to run as a write in candidate for his old job as scandal clouded Deters's prospects–two of his aides had been indicted. When Deters was elected, he resigned as treasurer and Governor Bob Taft
then appointed Lieutenant Governor Jennette B. Bradley to Deters's post. Taft announced he would appoint Johnson to Bradley's former post on December 21, 2004, and that Johnson would continue to serve as head of the Department of Development. (Johnson announced he would not take the lieutenant governor's salary, which was about half the Development director's pay of $125,000 per annum.)
The Akron Beacon-Journal declared "the lieutenant governor's role in Columbus is typically about as exciting as drywall
," as the lieutenant governor's job carries no duties except what the Governor assigns, the chief function of the office now being to provide a successor to the Governor. The Cincinnati Enquirer
, a Republican paper, editorialized "Johnson and Bradley seem to be good choices for these jobs. However, the way they got the posts points out again that Ohio is clearly dominated by one political party, a situation we do not think is healthy for the state, no matter which party is in control."
When Johnson's name came before the Republican controlled General Assembly
on January 4, 2005, the day after Bradley's resignation, it was the first time a governor had appointed a new lieutenant governor and consequently the legislature had no experience with such a nomination. The nomination was swiftly approved over the objections of the Democratic minority, who protested there was not sufficient opportunity to debate the question. Senator Eric Fingerhut
, a Democrat from Cleveland, noted "He's a heartbeat away, a peanut away from being the governor of the state of Ohio. No, he was not elected by the people." Senate Democratic leader C. J. Prentiss
of Cleveland was quoted by The Columbus Dispatch on January 5: "In essence, voters are being denied their franchise of public participation and are not having a voice in this process. This is the severity of what can happen with one-party rule, and we want to protect their interest by objecting to this charade of an unelected public official."
"We need to have a discussion and not just appoint him in ten minutes or less," said Senator Dan Brady, a Democrat from Cleveland. Brady said on the Senate floor "The majority party is playing musical chairs
with statewide offices in this state. We have to have some type of process." The Beacon-Journal was also skeptical of "the latest round of musical chairs among Republican officeholders in Columbus." Nevertheless, the General Assembly passed House Joint Resolution 1, which confirmed Johnson, on January 4, 2005, by 97–0 in the House and 22-11 in the Senate. Taft told the crowd at the swearing on January 5, "Bruce has been actively engaged in designing our program for jobs creation, tax reform and economic development. It is primarily because of his leadership on the economy that I have chosen Bruce."
that "Ohio's outdated tax system hinders our ability to attract new business and employment opportunities in our communities" and "What we're doing now doesn't make sense. We take the things that business people utilize and give it the highest tax rate in the nation." Michael Douglas, a writer for the Akron Beacon-Journal quoted Johnson's claim that the new business activity tax was "one of the most fair and innovative in the nation," but was highly skeptical. Douglas said "Ohio [is] fashioning its own version of a tax applied by a mere handful of states. Might Ohioans be concerned that all of this has been championed by a governor and team that botched the mandated reporting of his golf dates?"
Johnson was head of the committee promoting Taft's $2 billion dollar state bond issue for industrial research and development and road construction on the November 2005 ballot, similar to the failed Third Frontier. Critics of the proposal called the plans "pork" and "corporate welfare" but Johnson told The Plain Dealer "World-class research creates jobs" and "We believe this issue will be victorious, mostly because it makes sense to Ohioans to have Ohio spending money to ensure that all the infrastructure in the state is preparing for the jobs of the century." The multi-billion dollar bond issue was passed by voters 1,512,669 (54.12%) to 1,282,571 (45.88%).
was convicted of four counts of failing to file accurate financial disclosure statements but said he would not resign his office despite the conviction, which grew out of the Coingate scandal exposed by The Toledo Blade. Johnson, who would become governor if Taft resigned, told The Plain Dealer "You don't take this appointment and go through the confirmation process without knowing that you're prepared. But I don't expect it" and said he had not spoken to Taft about becoming governor. Johnson was by The Columbus Dispatch that "It's not gonna happen. The governor is going to serve out his term. But if something were to happen, I'm prepared to serve as governor."
Representative Chris Redfern
, a Democrat from Catawba Island and House minority leader, told The Toledo Blade he welcomed Johnson as governor. "If Bruce Johnson were to ascend, he could offer real reform."
The Dayton Daily News
was dismayed with the prospect of Johnson becoming governor.
and J. Kenneth Blackwell, might pick as their running mate and was not tapped by either to continue in office. Johnson's term as lieutenant governor would have expired on January 7, 2007, but he announced on December 1, 2006, he would resign on December 8. Governor Bob Taft did not appoint a replacement for the remaining month of the term before Lee Fisher
, elected as Ted Strickland
's running mate in November, took office.
Johnson currently works as the President of the Inter-University Council of Ohio.
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
politician who was appointed the State of Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
's 63rd Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant Governor of Ohio
The position of lieutenant governor of Ohio was established in 1852. The lieutenant governor becomes governor if the governor resigns, dies in office or is removed by impeachment. Before 1852, the president of the Ohio State Senate would serve as acting governor if a vacancy in the governorship...
on January 5, 2005, to complete an unexpired term. Johnson concurrently served as Director of the Ohio Department of Development.
Johnson's rise in Ohio was swift. He entered politics in Columbus
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, becoming Greg Lashutka's
Greg Lashutka
Gregory S. Lashutka is a lawyer, who served as the 51st mayor of Columbus, Ohio, from 1992 to 2000. He is an Eagle Scout and had earlier been an American football player.-College Athletics:...
chief of staff after he managed Lashutka's successful 1991 campaign for mayor of Columbus. Johnson left that post when he was appointed to the Ohio Senate
Ohio Senate
The Ohio State Senate is the upper house of the Ohio General Assembly, the legislative body for the U.S. state of Ohio. There are 33 State Senators. The state legislature meets in the state capital, Columbus. The President of the Senate presides over the body when in session, and is currently Tom...
in 1994. After being elected to two terms and rising to the second highest post in the Senate, Governor Bob Taft
Bob Taft
Robert Alphonso "Bob" Taft II is an Ohio Republican Party politician. He was elected to two terms of office as the 67th Governor of the U.S. state of Ohio between 1999-2007. After leaving office, Taft started working for the University of Dayton beginning August 15, 2007.-Personal background:Taft...
in 2001 asked Johnson to join his cabinet
Cabinet of the Governor of Ohio
The statutes of the State of Ohio have established 26 departments of government which are responsible to the Governor. These departments are led by the Director, or in some cases the Commissioner, who must inform and assist the governor in the operation of the state...
as Director of the Ohio Department of Development. In 2005, Taft appointed him lieutenant governor. Johnson in December 2006 resigned a month before his term ended.
Background
Johnson graduated from Bowling Green State UniversityBowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University, often referred to as Bowling Green or BGSU, is a public, coeducational research university located in Bowling Green, Ohio, United States. The institution was granted a charter in 1910 by the State of Ohio as part of the Lowry Bill, which also established Kent State...
in Bowling Green, Ohio
Bowling Green, Ohio
Bowling Green is the county seat of Wood County in the U.S. state of Ohio. At the time of the 2010 census, the population of Bowling Green was 30,028. It is part of the Toledo, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area. Bowling Green is the home of Bowling Green State University...
, with a bachelor of arts degree in economics before attending law school at Capital University
Capital University
Capital University is a private liberal arts university of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America located in Bexley, Ohio, founded in 1830. In addition to its rigorous liberal arts program, the university also offers a reputable adult degree program in Columbus, Ohio. It is one of the oldest...
in Columbus
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, where he received his Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
degree in 1985. He was admitted to the Ohio bar on November 4, 1985. After a year as an assistant city prosecutor in Columbus, he joined the firm of Chester, Willcox, and Saxbe in Columbus, working there from until 2001. In 1991, Johnson was the campaign manager for Greg Lashutka's successful mayoral run in Columbus and became his chief of staff when Lashutka was sworn in. Johnson served in City Hall from 1992 to 1994, where he was responsible for supervising ten department directors. He helped abolish the city's Human Services Department and reorganize the city's operations. Upon his resignation to enter the Ohio Senate
Ohio Senate
The Ohio State Senate is the upper house of the Ohio General Assembly, the legislative body for the U.S. state of Ohio. There are 33 State Senators. The state legislature meets in the state capital, Columbus. The President of the Senate presides over the body when in session, and is currently Tom...
, The Columbus Dispatch
The Columbus Dispatch
The Columbus Dispatch is a daily newspaper based in Columbus, Ohio. Its first issue was published on July 1, 1871, and has been the only mainstream daily newspaper in the city since The Columbus Citizen-Journal stopped printing in 1985....
said Johnson:
He is presently a resident of the Columbus suburb of Westerville
Westerville, Ohio
Westerville, once known as "The Dry Capital of the World", is a city in Franklin and Delaware counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 35,318 at the 2000 census.-Early history:...
. He and his wife, Kelley, have four children: Shane (born circa 1988), Meagan (born circa 1989), Connor (born circa 1993), and Morgan Christine (born 1995).
Enters the Ohio Senate
Johnson was appointed by the Senate Republican caucus to the Third District Ohio SenateOhio Senate
The Ohio State Senate is the upper house of the Ohio General Assembly, the legislative body for the U.S. state of Ohio. There are 33 State Senators. The state legislature meets in the state capital, Columbus. The President of the Senate presides over the body when in session, and is currently Tom...
seat in the 120th General Assembly
Ohio General Assembly
The Ohio General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio. It consists of the 99-member Ohio House of Representatives and the 33-member Ohio Senate...
effective March 1, 1994, replacing Theodore W. Gray, a Republican of Upper Arlington
Upper Arlington, Ohio
Upper Arlington is a suburban city in Franklin County, Ohio, United States, on the northwest side of the Columbus metropolitan area. The population was 33,686 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
, who resigned after forty-three years in the Senate. The seat represented the eastern third of Franklin County
Franklin County, Ohio
Franklin County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. In 2010 the population was 1,163,414, making it the second largest county in Ohio and the 34th largest county in population in the United States. Franklin County is also the largest in the eight-county Columbus, Ohio...
, the suburbs of Columbus
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, the state capital. The district included all of the municipalities of Bexley
Bexley, Ohio
Bexley is an affluent suburban city in Franklin County, Ohio. Founded as a village over a hundred years ago, the City of Bexley is an old, tree-lined suburb of Columbus, the state capital of Ohio, situated on the banks of Alum Creek next to Driving Park and Wolfe Park, just east of the Franklin...
, Canal Winchester
Canal Winchester, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 4,478 people, 1,664 households, and 1,264 families residing in the village. The 2004 census estimates that there are now 5,381 people residing in the village, and Canal Winchester may become a city within the next year or two. The population density was 702.9...
, Obetz
Obetz, Ohio
Obetz is a village in Franklin County, Ohio, United States. The population was 3,977 at the 2000 census, and estimated to be 4,079 as of 2005. The community was formed in 1838 as a railroad junction, and incorporated in 1928.-Geography:...
, New Albany
New Albany, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,711 people, 1,263 households, and 1,030 families residing in the village. The population density was 415.7 people per square mile . There were 1,424 housing units at an average density of 159.5 per square mile...
, Whitehall
Whitehall, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 19,201 people, 8,343 households, and 4,930 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,681.9 people per square mile . There were 8,997 housing units at an average density of 1,725.2 per square mile...
, Gahanna
Gahanna, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 32,636 people, 11,990 households, and 8,932 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,632.8 people per square mile . There were 12,390 housing units at an average density of 999.5 per square mile...
, Reynoldsburg
Reynoldsburg, Ohio
Reynoldsburg is a city in Fairfield, Franklin, and Licking counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. It is a suburban community in the Columbus, Ohio metropolitan area...
and Westerville
Westerville, Ohio
Westerville, once known as "The Dry Capital of the World", is a city in Franklin and Delaware counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 35,318 at the 2000 census.-Early history:...
, part of Worthington
Worthington, Ohio
-Dissolution of the Company:By August 11, 1804 the plat maps were completed, payments or notes promising payments collected and deeds prepared for all sixteen thousand acres of the Scioto Company's purchase...
and a sliver of the northern edge of the county. Johnson took the oath from Ohio Chief Justice Thomas J. Moyer
Thomas J. Moyer
Thomas Joseph Moyer was an American jurist and the chief justice of the Ohio Supreme Court from 1987 to 2010. A member of the Republican Party, he died suddenly on April 2, 2010, at age 70.-Pre-Supreme Court:...
.
Johnson ran for a full term that year and was unopposed in the May 3 primary, after Linda S. Reidelbach, an unsuccessful independent candidate for Congress in the 15th District in 1992 who also failed to win appointment to Gray's seat, withdrew from the race despite filing nominating petitions. Johnson received 15,271 votes in the primary. On November 8, he faced Democratic nominee Christina L. Cox, a 38-year-old township trustee in Blendon Township
Blendon Township, Franklin County, Ohio
Blendon Township is one of the seventeen townships of Franklin County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 9,193 people in the township, 7,905 of whom lived in the unincorporated portions of the township.-Geography:...
. Cox had also been unopposed in her primary. Cox filed a complaint with the Ohio Elections Commission because Johnson ran television advertisements calling for voters to "re-elect" him. "A key issue in this campaign is the fact that Bruce Johnson has never been elected to anything," Cox told The Columbus Dispatch. "He was appointed by the Downtown influence peddlers, but he's trying to make the people think they elected him." Johnson won the endorsement of The Columbus Dispatch, which described him as "a longtime political activist within the Republican Party" with "a firm grasp of legal, tax and job-development issues." Johnson won the general election, 53,290 (61.78%) to 38,974 (38.22%).
First term work
Johnson in 1995 called for reform of tax incentives and financing for corporations, saying it was political and unfair. "Why do we want to subsidize one competitor over another?" he asked ... "I believe the market should dictate where the jobs will be," he told The Columbus Dispatch. He sponsored legislation that would limit prisoners given a sentence of death to a single appeal and to speed up the appellate process by eliminating review by the district courts of appeal. (The latter was authorized by a constitutional amendment approved by voters in 1994.) The legislation passed the Senate and House easily and was signed by Governor George V. Voinovich.Johnson in 1996 chaired a special committee examining tort reform
Tort reform
Tort reform refers to proposed changes in common law civil justice systems that would reduce tort litigation or damages. Tort actions are civil common law claims first created in the English commonwealth system as a non-legislative means for compensating wrongs and harm done by one party to...
. The resulting bill, which passed the Senate, would, in the words of The Columbus Dispatch, "cap noneconomic and punitive damages
Punitive damages
Punitive damages or exemplary damages are damages intended to reform or deter the defendant and others from engaging in conduct similar to that which formed the basis of the lawsuit...
, impose additional time limits for filing lawsuits and protect defendants in multidefendant cases from being liable for unpaid portions of a judgment." The minority party was unhappy, the paper reported, "Democrats blasted Republicans, saying they were catering to business at the expense of the victims of their negligence." Senator Jeffrey D. Johnson, a Cleveland Democrat, said "Somewhere along the way we have shifted away from concern for the victim to concern for business," but Johnson defended the legislation. "What we've done is tried to strike a balance. Lawsuit abuse threatens to close the doors of many small businesses in our state."
To make it easier for cities to take property owners to court for violations of zoning and building codes, Johnson in 1997 introduced legislation to let zoning officers issue tickets similar to traffic tickets from the police. "We need to protect neighborhoods against landlords and people who don't keep up their property," he told The Columbus Dispatch. The City of Columbus had requested help because it claimed the existing process of going to criminal court was too slow.
In the 1996 presidential primaries, Johnson supported former Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
governor Lamar Alexander
Lamar Alexander
Andrew Lamar Alexander is the senior United States Senator from Tennessee and Conference Chair of the Republican Party. He was previously the 45th Governor of Tennessee from 1979 to 1987, United States Secretary of Education from 1991 to 1993 under President George H. W...
.
In the Senate Johnson became chairman of the Judiciary Committee in July 1995 after only sixteen months in the chamber when the committee's chairman, Senator Barry Levey, a Republican of Middletown
Middletown, Ohio
Middletown is an All-America City located in Butler and Warren counties in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Ohio. Formerly in Lemon, Turtlecreek, and Franklin townships, Middletown was incorporated by the Ohio General Assembly on February 11, 1833, and became a city in 1886...
, retired. Johnson was the youngest-ever chairman of the Judiciary Committee. In the 122nd General Assembly (the 1997–1998 session), he chose to retain that post after dropping out of the race for majority whip, the fourth ranking post in the Republican leadership. He also was chairman of the Ways and Means Committee before entering the Senate leadership in 1999 and had been a member of the Legislative Ethics Committee.
Runs in Columbus
Johnson in 1997 sought election to a four-year term as Columbus city attorney, who prosecutes misdemeanors within the city limits, defends the city in civil cases, and acts as the city's chief legal advisor with a budget of about $7 million with 140 employees. Johnson was endorsed by the Franklin County Republican Party and, as no other Republican filed, did not face a primary election. "Of all the jobs that are out there, that's the one I'm most qualified for right now," he told The Columbus Dispatch in January. He faced Janet E. Jackson, a former municipal court judge appointed by the city council that month to complete the term of Ron O'Brien, who had been elected Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney.Johnson ran what The Dispatch characterized as an "aggressive" campaign on television and in debates. Among Johnson's concerns was that Jackson had been settling civil suits against the city too readily and for too much money and that she had been lax in prosecuting parents who failed to make child support payments. "I would be a deadbeat parent's worst nightmare," Johnson bragged. However, Jackson noted that no child support cases had been filed with her office and she could not be blamed for failing to hold parents accountable.
The Dispatch described one ad: "a man is shown attacking a woman in a kitchen as an announcer cites domestic violence
Domestic violence
Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
statistics from Jackson's office" that she had dismissed or plea bargained 96 per cent of domestic violence cases. Jackson said the of commercial "It's base," she said. "It was meant to elicit a reaction," but Johnson countered "What she's afraid about is that people will find out that an outrageous number of domestic violence cases are dismissed or plea bargained. The outrage is the facts, not me bringing them up." The Dispatch called Johnson a "worthy opponent" to Jackson, but endorsed her, citing her experience and her "commitment to professionalism and nonpartisanship." Despite spending $265,900 on his campaign, Johnson lost the November 4 election, winning 41 per cent to Jackson's 59 per cent.
Jackson was disappointed with her opponent, telling The Dispatch after her victory "the senator and I talked early about running positive campaigns. Unfortunately, his campaign ended up being about half-truths and half-statements."
Continues Senate service
- During the past four years, no senator was more active or as deeply involved in as many major issues as Johnson . . . . A legislative whirlwind, he personally sponsored numerous bills and shepherded others into law. . . . By any measure, this legislative record is substantive and valuable to central Ohio and the state. . . . Johnson is respected and trusted on both sides of the aisle. His accomplishments are remarkable for someone just 38 years old. He fully deserves another term.
In the general election on November 3, he faced Democrat Debra A. Payne, a small businesswoman who owned a data-processing firm and was a three-term councilwoman in Gahanna
Gahanna, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 32,636 people, 11,990 households, and 8,932 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,632.8 people per square mile . There were 12,390 housing units at an average density of 999.5 per square mile...
. Payne told The Columbus Dispatch "I went door to door and asked, 'Do you know who your state senator is?' They said, 'I have no idea,' and I said, 'That's why you need me.' " Johnson defeated her by a vote of 53,074 (54.79%) to 43,796 (45.21%), a decreased margin of seven percent from 1994. After his reelection, the Senate Republican caucus elected him assistant president pro tempore, the third ranking post in the GOP leadership, defeating fellow a Franklin County senator, Eugene Watts of Dublin
Dublin, Ohio
Dublin is a city in Franklin, Delaware, and Union counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 41,751 at the 2010 census. Dublin is a suburb of Columbus, Ohio. Approximately 57,000 people live within the Dublin school district....
, who sought another term in that post.
In December 1998, Columbus Mayor Greg Latshukta announced he would not seek a third term in 1999. Johnson briefly considered a run for the seat, but decided against it. The same month, Johnson told The Columbus Dispatch he was investigating overturning the city council's vote to grant benefits to domestic partners of city employers, according them the same treatment as spouses. Johnson objected to the idea itself, the cost, and the manner in which the question was rushed through the council without any public notice or debate. "No matter what you think of the merits, the process on an issue they knew could raise serious questions from the public was circumvented," said Johnson.
Concerned with protecting children
Johnson was strongly pro-lifePro-life
Opposition to the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-life, or anti-abortion, movement, a social and political movement opposing elective abortion on moral grounds and supporting its legal prohibition or restriction...
. In 2000, he sponsored legislation allowing mothers to leave a newborn baby at a hospital, police station, and like public facilities without fear of criminal charges. "I believe this bill is pro-life because it protects the life of a child regardless of the actions of its parents. I only wish we could protect babies earlier," he told The Plain Dealer.
In 2000, Johnson sponsored legislation that would require background check
Background check
A background check or background investigation is the process of looking up and compiling criminal records, commercial records and financial records of an individual....
s for volunteers working in private groups, claiming "This turns the spotlight on the leeches of our society who are preying on our children." The proposal met stiff opposition, being labeled an "inquisition" by The Toledo Blade and was denounced by The Plain Dealer "as a tool for harassment, and would be a disincentive to thousands of civic-minded, morally upright Ohioans who volunteer to work with children." "This bill can impose a life sentence prohibiting service to the youth of our community resulting from discovery of a listed felony conviction at any time in a person's life," Christine Nardecchia, president of the Volunteer Administrators' Network of Central Ohio, told The Toledo Blade. Johnson was also concerned with children's health, introducing legislation in 2000 to require all children twelve and under to be vaccinated
Vaccination
Vaccination is the administration of antigenic material to stimulate the immune system of an individual to develop adaptive immunity to a disease. Vaccines can prevent or ameliorate the effects of infection by many pathogens...
against chicken pox. Johnson sponsored legislation to allow mothers to breast feed their children in public.
Utility deregulation spearheaded
Electricity deregulation legislation occupied the General Assembly from 1997 to 1999. In early 1997 Johnson and Representative Priscilla D. Mead, a Republican from Upper ArlingtonUpper Arlington, Ohio
Upper Arlington is a suburban city in Franklin County, Ohio, United States, on the northwest side of the Columbus metropolitan area. The population was 33,686 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
, were named co-chairmen of the General Assembly's Joint Committee on Electric Utility Deregulation.
Johnson was the chief sponsor of the proposal and worked hard to shepherd it through the legislature. The plan faced an uphill fight against the utility industry and advocates for consumers. "The proposed legislation provides utilities adequate revenue to make the transition to a competitive market. It will not result in any consumers' paying more for electricity," he promised his colleagues in the General Assembly, worried about increasing their constituents' bills. Johnson called his plan "a reasonable and fair approach" and ultimately prevailing, Johnson successfully passing the legislation into law in 1999.
Sealing Senate records
Johnson was strongly criticized for his 2001 attempt to repeal the reach of Ohio's sunshine law that made state records available to the public, a proposal contained in the massive state budget bill. Darrell Rowland of The Columbus Dispatch described Johnson's idea: "The obscure proposal–two dozen lines in a 58,936-line bill–would prevent subpoenas of legislative staff members and their communications with legislators. The bill also would keep secret any legislative documents not deemed public records–a broad category because the General Assembly already concealed much of that material from public view two years ago."William L. Phillis, executive director of the Coalition for Equity and Adequacy, a group of public schools suing the State of Ohio for more funding, told the newspaper "This is not something you expect in a democracy. You might expect this kind of behavior from a third-world dictator, one that would want to hide wrongdoing by making a decree that makes it right." Johnson told The Dispatch "I need unlimited, unfettered discretion to seek every fact I can find in order to come to a decent conclusion. What we want to do is make sure the senators and representatives are competently representing the will of the people." The senator also claimed Seventeenth century English common law
Common law
Common law is law developed by judges through decisions of courts and similar tribunals rather than through legislative statutes or executive branch action...
justified his plan.
Thomas C. Drabick Jr. of Blacklick
Blacklick, Ohio
Blacklick is a small unincorporated community in southern Jefferson Township, Franklin County, Ohio, United States. Blacklick is also included in the Columbus Metropolitan area...
said in a letter to the editor published in The Dispatch "He has unlimited and unfettered arrogance. Who does he think he works for? Clearly, he does not believe that he is responsible to the people of Ohio; otherwise, he would not seek to keep secrets from us." The Dispatch agreed, editorializing that "Government decisions made in secret aren't necessarily better decisions, they're just secret decisions. Unfortunately, too many of Ohio's legislative leaders seem sold on the idea that keeping things hush-hush is good." Nevertheless, the Senate passed Johnson's proposal, part of the state budget, over attempts by the Democratic minority to remove the language from the bill.
Other legislative work
Johnson was a critic of the United States CongressUnited States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
's efforts to force states, under penalty of losing federal highway money, to lower the blood alcohol level considered driving under the influence
Driving under the influence
Driving under the influence is the act of driving a motor vehicle with blood levels of alcohol in excess of a legal limit...
. Johnson suggested that at the new lower limit, "We could give that level a $100 fine, or call it driving under federal blackmail." He also sponsored legislation to increase the hours of driving sixteen year-olds needed to obtain a driver's license
Driver's license
A driver's license/licence , or driving licence is an official document which states that a person may operate a motorized vehicle, such as a motorcycle, car, truck or a bus, on a public roadway. Most U.S...
and saw it enacted into law.
Johnson opposed efforts to locate state offices outside of Columbus, defeating a bill in committee in 1998. Johnson declared of the defeat "the people of the state are the winners, not Toledo
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
, not Marietta
Marietta, Ohio
Marietta is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Ohio, United States. During 1788, pioneers to the Ohio Country established Marietta as the first permanent American settlement of the new United States in the Northwest Territory. Marietta is located in southeastern Ohio at the mouth...
, not Columbus." In 1999, he obtained Senate passage of a resolution commending "Neighbors Day". As part of the debate, he sang the theme song to Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, also known as Mister Rogers, is an American children's television series that was created and hosted by Fred Rogers. The series is aimed primarily at preschool ages, 2-5, but has been stated by Public Broadcasting Service as "appropriate for all ages"...
on the Senate floor. That year he also sponsored legislation to declare the northern largemouth bass
Largemouth bass
The largemouth bass is a species of black bass in the sunfish family native to North America . It is also known as widemouth bass, bigmouth, black bass, bucketmouth, Potter's fish, Florida bass, Florida largemouth, green bass, green trout, linesides, Oswego bass, southern largemouth...
the official state fish. The Columbus Dispatch after his resignation referred to his "blunt, opinionated style."
Johnson also served as President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the second ranking position in the body, which he held when he left to enter Governor Taft's cabinet. He was chairman of the Finance and Financial Institutions Committee until his resignation.
Appointed Development Director
On August 28, 2001, Johnson being ineligible for a third term under Ohio's term limits law, Governor Taft appointed him director of the Ohio Department of Development to replace C. Lee Johnson, who had resigned the previous December. "His experience as a capable manager and knowledge of utility issues, tax policies, economic development, and the law make him an excellent choice" said Taft. The department, with a staff of five hundred and a half-billion dollar budget, is charged with promoting economic developmentEconomic development
Economic development generally refers to the sustained, concerted actions of policymakers and communities that promote the standard of living and economic health of a specific area...
in Ohio, attracting new industry, and promoting tourism in the state. Johnson resigned from his Senate seat on September 17 and David Goodman, a 34-year-old member of the Ohio House, was appointed by the Senate Republican caucus in Johnson's place. Upon his departure, Johnson told his colleagues "I hope to make you proud, and I hope to pick your pocket."
Johnson's hometown paper, The Columbus Dispatch, hailed the choice saying "Taft picked a pro in Bruce E. Johnson" but Cleveland's The Plain Dealer, Ohio's largest newspaper, editorialized that Johnson was an "uninspired choice" with "no discernible experience in job creation." The Toledo Blade also was skeptical, writing in an editorial "he brings gusto to a job that requires verve, imagination, and the ability to turn visions into reality. He has the first. For the rest we must wait and see." The Blade also criticized Johnson's efforts to keep state offices in Columbus and opposed his ideas for spending state development funds: "Mr. Johnson's plan to target technology and biotechnology jobs suggests the same old advantage will go to the cities that get them now: Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati" at the expense of other neglected areas of the state. The Columbus Dispatch wrote Johnson "would seem to have little to commend him for the job, except perhaps for his degree in economics from Bowling Green State University," but he told the paper "I have the confidence of the governor."
Almost immediately there was speculation of his being promoted to the post of lieutenant governor. In November 2001, the Dayton Daily News
Dayton Daily News
The Dayton Daily News is a daily newspaper published in Dayton, Ohio. It is owned by Cox Enterprises. In the 2010 Associated Press Society of Ohio newspaper competition that takes place every year, DaytonDailyNews.com was named "the best large-newspaper web site in Ohio".-History:On August 15,...
reported there were rumors Governor Taft would name Johnson his running mate to replace Maureen O'Connor
Maureen O'Connor
Maureen O'Connor is an American jurist and the Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court. Prior to this, O'Connor served as an Associate Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court and as Lieutenant Governor of Ohio under Gov. Bob Taft...
as lieutenant governor, who had announced she would run for the Ohio Supreme Court in 2002. Taft, however, chose Jennette Bradley
Jennette Bradley
-Personal life:Jennette Bradley , her family would settle in a neighborhood on Columbus' east side, after her father retired from the United States Army. Bradley graduated from East High School in 1970...
, a councilwoman from Columbus.
Johnson led the campaign advocating the Third Frontier program, a large state bond issue to finance industrial research and development, which Governor Taft had championed. Critics such as Representative Tom Brinkman
Tom Brinkman
Thomas E. Brinkman, Jr. is a Republican former member of the Ohio House of Representatives from Cincinnati. He is known for his opposition to higher taxes and public spending, and has been nicknamed "Dr...
, a Republican of Cincinnati, called it "corporate welfare". Johnson after its defeat by the voters in November 2003 told The Plain Dealer the plan was not dead. "There will definitely be continuing efforts to fund this strategy, because it’s the right strategy. So you don’t drop it. You continue to encourage state funding. But it’s certainly more challenging," he said, after the failure." Johnson turned out to be right. In 2005, Johnson was the point man on the Third Frontier campaign again, but this time voters in Ohio approved State Issue One which allocated dollars to support technology and innovation. Johnson served as the Chairman of the Third Frontier Commission. In May, 2010 the voters renewed the Third Frontier once again.
As director of the Department of Development, Johnson was frequently in attendance at announcements of factory openings and expansions and was often quoted in Ohio newspapers in connection with any new employment in the state.
Job swaps bring Johnson to office
Johnson became lieutenant governor through a series of job swaps in the Republican Party, routine in the party. Hamilton CountyHamilton County, Ohio
As of 2000, there were 845,303 people, 346,790 households, and 212,582 families residing in the county. The population density was 2,075 people per square mile . There were 373,393 housing units at an average density of 917 per square mile...
Prosecuting Attorney Michael K. Allen withdrew his name as a candidate for reelection after a sex scandal. Allen's predecessor, Ohio State Treasurer
Ohio State Treasurer
-List of Ohio State Treasurers:...
Joseph T. Deters, agreed to run as a write in candidate for his old job as scandal clouded Deters's prospects–two of his aides had been indicted. When Deters was elected, he resigned as treasurer and Governor Bob Taft
Bob Taft
Robert Alphonso "Bob" Taft II is an Ohio Republican Party politician. He was elected to two terms of office as the 67th Governor of the U.S. state of Ohio between 1999-2007. After leaving office, Taft started working for the University of Dayton beginning August 15, 2007.-Personal background:Taft...
then appointed Lieutenant Governor Jennette B. Bradley to Deters's post. Taft announced he would appoint Johnson to Bradley's former post on December 21, 2004, and that Johnson would continue to serve as head of the Department of Development. (Johnson announced he would not take the lieutenant governor's salary, which was about half the Development director's pay of $125,000 per annum.)
The Akron Beacon-Journal declared "the lieutenant governor's role in Columbus is typically about as exciting as drywall
Drywall
Drywall, also known as plasterboard, wallboard or gypsum board is a panel made of gypsum plaster pressed between two thick sheets of paper...
," as the lieutenant governor's job carries no duties except what the Governor assigns, the chief function of the office now being to provide a successor to the Governor. The Cincinnati Enquirer
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The Cincinnati Enquirer, a daily morning newspaper, is the highest-circulation print publication in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. The Cincinnati Enquirer, a daily morning newspaper, is the highest-circulation print publication in Greater Cincinnati (Ohio) and Northern Kentucky. The...
, a Republican paper, editorialized "Johnson and Bradley seem to be good choices for these jobs. However, the way they got the posts points out again that Ohio is clearly dominated by one political party, a situation we do not think is healthy for the state, no matter which party is in control."
When Johnson's name came before the Republican controlled General Assembly
Ohio General Assembly
The Ohio General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio. It consists of the 99-member Ohio House of Representatives and the 33-member Ohio Senate...
on January 4, 2005, the day after Bradley's resignation, it was the first time a governor had appointed a new lieutenant governor and consequently the legislature had no experience with such a nomination. The nomination was swiftly approved over the objections of the Democratic minority, who protested there was not sufficient opportunity to debate the question. Senator Eric Fingerhut
Eric Fingerhut
Eric David Fingerhut is an American politician of the Ohio Democratic party. Fingerhut was appointed the Chancellor of the Ohio Board of Regents on March 14, 2007 by Governor Ted Strickland. This position makes him a member of the Ohio Governor's Cabinet...
, a Democrat from Cleveland, noted "He's a heartbeat away, a peanut away from being the governor of the state of Ohio. No, he was not elected by the people." Senate Democratic leader C. J. Prentiss
C. J. Prentiss
C. J. Prentiss is an American politician of the Democratic party who served in the Ohio State Senate from 1999 until 2007. During the 126th Ohio General Assembly, she served as Minority Leader....
of Cleveland was quoted by The Columbus Dispatch on January 5: "In essence, voters are being denied their franchise of public participation and are not having a voice in this process. This is the severity of what can happen with one-party rule, and we want to protect their interest by objecting to this charade of an unelected public official."
"We need to have a discussion and not just appoint him in ten minutes or less," said Senator Dan Brady, a Democrat from Cleveland. Brady said on the Senate floor "The majority party is playing musical chairs
Musical chairs
Musical chairs is a game played by a group of people , often in an informal setting purely for entertainment such as a birthday party...
with statewide offices in this state. We have to have some type of process." The Beacon-Journal was also skeptical of "the latest round of musical chairs among Republican officeholders in Columbus." Nevertheless, the General Assembly passed House Joint Resolution 1, which confirmed Johnson, on January 4, 2005, by 97–0 in the House and 22-11 in the Senate. Taft told the crowd at the swearing on January 5, "Bruce has been actively engaged in designing our program for jobs creation, tax reform and economic development. It is primarily because of his leadership on the economy that I have chosen Bruce."
Work as lieutenant governor
Johnson actively campaigned for the tax reform plans of Governor Taft, which ultimately became law. Johnson told The News Journal in MansfieldMansfield, Ohio
Mansfield is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Richland County. The municipality is located in north-central Ohio in the western foothills of the Allegheny Plateau, approximately southwest of Cleveland and northeast of Columbus....
that "Ohio's outdated tax system hinders our ability to attract new business and employment opportunities in our communities" and "What we're doing now doesn't make sense. We take the things that business people utilize and give it the highest tax rate in the nation." Michael Douglas, a writer for the Akron Beacon-Journal quoted Johnson's claim that the new business activity tax was "one of the most fair and innovative in the nation," but was highly skeptical. Douglas said "Ohio [is] fashioning its own version of a tax applied by a mere handful of states. Might Ohioans be concerned that all of this has been championed by a governor and team that botched the mandated reporting of his golf dates?"
Johnson was head of the committee promoting Taft's $2 billion dollar state bond issue for industrial research and development and road construction on the November 2005 ballot, similar to the failed Third Frontier. Critics of the proposal called the plans "pork" and "corporate welfare" but Johnson told The Plain Dealer "World-class research creates jobs" and "We believe this issue will be victorious, mostly because it makes sense to Ohioans to have Ohio spending money to ensure that all the infrastructure in the state is preparing for the jobs of the century." The multi-billion dollar bond issue was passed by voters 1,512,669 (54.12%) to 1,282,571 (45.88%).
Scandal surrounds Taft
In 2005, Governor Bob TaftBob Taft
Robert Alphonso "Bob" Taft II is an Ohio Republican Party politician. He was elected to two terms of office as the 67th Governor of the U.S. state of Ohio between 1999-2007. After leaving office, Taft started working for the University of Dayton beginning August 15, 2007.-Personal background:Taft...
was convicted of four counts of failing to file accurate financial disclosure statements but said he would not resign his office despite the conviction, which grew out of the Coingate scandal exposed by The Toledo Blade. Johnson, who would become governor if Taft resigned, told The Plain Dealer "You don't take this appointment and go through the confirmation process without knowing that you're prepared. But I don't expect it" and said he had not spoken to Taft about becoming governor. Johnson was by The Columbus Dispatch that "It's not gonna happen. The governor is going to serve out his term. But if something were to happen, I'm prepared to serve as governor."
Representative Chris Redfern
Chris Redfern
Chris Redfern is the current chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party. He won election to the chairmanship of the Ohio Democratic Party in December, 2005 and reelection in 2008...
, a Democrat from Catawba Island and House minority leader, told The Toledo Blade he welcomed Johnson as governor. "If Bruce Johnson were to ascend, he could offer real reform."
The Dayton Daily News
Dayton Daily News
The Dayton Daily News is a daily newspaper published in Dayton, Ohio. It is owned by Cox Enterprises. In the 2010 Associated Press Society of Ohio newspaper competition that takes place every year, DaytonDailyNews.com was named "the best large-newspaper web site in Ohio".-History:On August 15,...
was dismayed with the prospect of Johnson becoming governor.
- Bruce Johnson got his job because of another scandal. This gets complicated: former Ohio State TreasurerOhio State Treasurer-List of Ohio State Treasurers:...
Joe DetersJoe DetersJoseph T. "Joe" Deters is an American politician of the Republican party who currently serves as Prosecuting Attorney for Hamilton County, Ohio. He is a 1975 graduate of St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati.-Career:...
saw two of his aides indicted. Damaged goods, he left in midterm to run for county prosecutor back home in Cincinnati. Gov. Taft moved then-Lt. Gov. Jennette BradleyJennette Bradley-Personal life:Jennette Bradley , her family would settle in a neighborhood on Columbus' east side, after her father retired from the United States Army. Bradley graduated from East High School in 1970...
into Mr. Deters' job by appointment, hoping she'll hold the spot for Republicans in 2006. And then the governor appointed his development director, Mr. Johnson, as lieutenant governor. The finagling has simply been rampant. For a man to become governor through that process and a gubernatorial scandal would be, uh, scandalous. Whether a new governor with that background would be even weaker than a convicted Gov. Taft is a close call. The decisive factor in determining who should be governor has to be that Gov. Taft was the one who was elected.
Leaving office
Johnson did not file to run for any office in the May 2, 2006, primary. His name was not mentioned in the public speculation as to who the leading Republican candidates for governor, Jim PetroJim Petro
James M. “Jim” Petro is an American politician from the Republican Party, and a former Ohio Attorney General. Previously, Petro also served as Ohio State Auditor. Petro was a candidate for the Republican nomination for Governor of Ohio during the 2006 Ohio Primaries, but lost to Ken Blackwell...
and J. Kenneth Blackwell, might pick as their running mate and was not tapped by either to continue in office. Johnson's term as lieutenant governor would have expired on January 7, 2007, but he announced on December 1, 2006, he would resign on December 8. Governor Bob Taft did not appoint a replacement for the remaining month of the term before Lee Fisher
Lee Fisher
Lee Fisher was the 64th Lieutenant Governor of Ohio, who served with Governor Ted Strickland from 2007 until 2011.He is a member of the Democratic Party.In addition to serving as Lt...
, elected as Ted Strickland
Ted Strickland
Theodore "Ted" Strickland was the 68th Governor of Ohio, serving from 2007 to 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served in the United States House of Representatives, representing ....
's running mate in November, took office.
Johnson currently works as the President of the Inter-University Council of Ohio.