Jean Schmidt
Encyclopedia
Jeannette Marie Hoffman Schmidt, (born November 29, 1951) is the U.S. Representative
for , serving since 2005. She is a member of the Republican Party
. The district stretches from eastern Cincinnati
to Portsmouth
.
Schmidt is the second female Ohio Republican to be elected to Congress without succeeding her husband and the first woman to represent the Cincinnati area in the House. She won the Ohio 2nd congressional district seat in a special election on August 2, 2005, by 3.5 percentage points over Democrat and Iraq War veteran
Paul Hackett, amid national attention to the race because of Hackett's strong views on the war. The margin of her victory led many Democrats to claim a victory for their party, since the district had been reliably Republican for the past 30 years, and to forecast trouble for the Republicans in 2006. Despite these forecasts, Schmidt defeated former representative Bob McEwen
in a hard-fought Republican primary
in May 2006 and Democrat Victoria Wells Wulsin
, a medical doctor, in 2006 with 50.4% of the vote. She was re-elected in 2008, winning with 45% of the vote, and in 2010, winning with 58.6%.
, is a lifelong resident of Clermont County's
Miami Township
, along the eastern shore of Little Miami River
near Milford
and Loveland
.
One of four children (two daughters, two sons) of Augustus ("Gus") and Jeannette Hoffman, she has a twin sister, Jennifer Black. Her father made his money in the savings and loan industry, then ran an auto racing
team that competed in the Indianapolis 500
.
She earned a B.A.
in political science
from the University of Cincinnati
in 1974. Schmidt worked in her father's bank, the Midwestern Savings Association, as a branch manager from 1971 to 1978. Schmidt was a delegate to the Republican National Convention
in 1984. She was a fitness instructor from 1984 to 1986, when she began a four year career as a schoolteacher.
, Schmidt was one of four candidates to replace him, but was not appointed by the Clermont County Republican Party. In her 1993 bid for reelection, she finished first in a field of four, taking 3,644 votes.
In 1995, she traveled to Russia
to offer instruction about political campaigning in a country that had little experience of free elections. On her trip she ran in Moscow
's Red Square
: "Did I ever feel unsafe? No. And would I jog through Central Park
in New York
? No way."
One major issue during her service on the Board of Trustees was one common in Ohio: a city, in this case Milford
, was annexing
parts of the township and hurting its tax base. She and other trustees lobbied the Ohio General Assembly
for new laws to protect townships from such annexations. In 1993, a panel of Miami Township residents recommended the township incorporate to protect itself from annexations, to have greater control over its territory, and to obtain more money from the state. However, Schmidt as a trustee was not a participant in this effort, saying she had to be a "cheerleader" on the sides. (The incorporation effort failed.)
Schmidt was reelected to a third term in 1997, finishing first in a field of three with 5,110 votes. "Jean has been an excellent trustee and has done so much for this community. It is going to be hard to find someone that's as committed to the township as she has been," said David Duckworth, Miami Township administrator, when she resigned her trustee seat to enter the Ohio House. The remaining two trustees appointed Mary Makley Wolff to the remainder of the term.
In 2000 she ran for the Ohio House of Representatives
seat being vacated by Sam Bateman, who was prevented by term limits from running again. She told The Cincinnati Post
that before Bateman had been appointed to the seat in the early 1980s, Clermont County Republican leaders "offered me the job on a silver platter" but she turned them down because her daughter was only four years old at the time. But in 2000, her daughter was in college and she decided to run. Unopposed in the March primary, The Cincinnati Enquirer
endorsed
her in the general election#American usage, writing "Seldom has a choice been more obvious than that between Republican Jean Schmidt and Democrat Sherrill Callahan." Schmidt was easily elected to the 124th Ohio General Assembly
from the 71st House
District by defeating Callahan, a retired high school
principal from Pierce Township. Schmidt received 36,433 votes (70.4 percent) to Callahan's 15,327 (29.6 percent).
Her district was entirely within Clermont County, containing Miami Township as well as Batavia
, Goshen
, Pierce
, Stonelick
and Union
Townships, plus the cities of Amelia
, Batavia
and Milford
, and the Clermont County part of the city of Loveland
. After the redistricting necessitated by the 2000 census, her district became the 66th and contained the same territory minus Pierce and Stonelick Townships."
without opposition in both the primary and general elections.
wrote she introduced and passed bills "remarkable in number and quality for a neophyte lawmaker." She sponsored legislation on the Clermont County courts, limiting the ability of public employees to collect both pension
and salary
simultaneously ("double dipping"), urban township
s, and protecting townships from annexations of their territory by cities, all of which were passed into law. She also pushed legislation
on the health of women
, suicide
prevention, abstinence
education, and to "lock killers away for good" by making it easier for judges to sentence murderers to life terms. Schmidt also supported Ohio's concealed carry
law.
to replace Senate President Doug White
, who was retiring. The Senate seat included Clermont, Brown
, Adams
and Scioto
counties and part of Lawrence County
. Her opponent for the Republican nomination was Tom Niehaus
, a fellow member of the Ohio House from New Richmond
whose 88th District represented the half of Clermont County outside her district plus Brown and Adams Counties to the east. Schmidt told the Enquirer "The fear from many of the people I meet is that because the next senator will come from Clermont County, they will be underrepresented. But if you know anything about me, I don't under-represent anybody." She also said she worried about the state budget: "We do have a history of overspending in Ohio. But it's not just recent history. It's a 40-year-old habit." The Enquirer was dismayed by advertisements from the Ohio Taxpayers Association "twisting the two candidates' voting records to Schmidt's advantage" and endorsed Niehaus.
Schmidt had endorsements from key state leaders such as Ohio State Treasurer
Joe Deters
and Speaker of the Ohio House Larry Householder
. The campaign was marred by allegations that Householder's staff had improperly tried to obtain Niehaus's withdrawal from the race and that Householder had told Niehaus's supporters to donate money to Schmidt's campaign. In the initial count of the Republican primary vote on March 2, 2004, she led by just 62 votes. A recount was automatically ordered, which reversed the outcome. Schmidt ultimately lost by just 22 votes: 17,076 (49.97%) to Niehaus's 17,098 (50.03%). She told The Cincinnati Enquirer on election night "This is the way my whole life has been — one tough race after another."
and Hurricane Rita
should adopt a uniform statewide building code (H. Con. Res. 285); that the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance
were not an unconstitutional endorsement of religion (H. Res. 453); and supporting Gold Star Mothers (H. J. Res. 61). As of 2005, she was the original sponsor of one bill, H.R. 4180, a campaign finance reform
measure "to require communications that consist of prerecorded telephone calls to meet the disclosure and disclaimer requirements applicable to general public campaign communications transmitted through radio." She cosponsored bills to provide ultrasound
s to pregnant mothers (H.R. 216); to require women having abortion
s be "fully informed regarding the pain experienced by their unborn child" (H.R. 356); to allow free mail from families to servicemen in Iraq
and Afghanistan
(H.R. 923); to require the Food and Drug Administration
withdraw its approval of the abortifacient
drug RU-486 because of safety concerns (H.R. 1079); the "District of Columbia Personal Protection Act", which would repeal District of Columbia law forbidding residents from owning guns (H.R. 1288); to ban human cloning
(H.R. 1357); to repeal the excise tax on telephone
s (H.R. 1898); to forbid federal courts
from hearing cases on the constitutionality of the Pledge of Allegiance
(H.R. 2389); and to limit the use of eminent domain
by the states, a reaction to the Supreme Court ruling in Kelo v. New London (H.R. 4128).
by increasing use of ethanol
and drilling in Alaska
's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
. Schmidt told The Cincinnati Post
"What's really important is to adopt an environmental policy
that advances the American economy and national security. I supported the energy bill recently passed by the U.S. House that will expand the use of alternative energy sources and additives like ethanol."
The League of Conservation Voters
, a political action committee
advocating for environmental concerns, gave Jean Schmidt a lifetime average of 6 on a scale of 0 to 100. In 2005, she was rated at 0.
. Schmidt called for additional changes to the Internal Revenue Code
, such as adopting a flat tax
and repealing the estate and capital gains tax
es. Schmidt also professed to be a fiscal conservative. A mailing sent to voters listed four examples of "wasteful spending in Washington," which included "$45,000 to buy gold plated playing cards for Air Force Two
!" and "$1.2 million to study the breeding habits of a woodchuck!"
. When she launched her candidacy, she was president of the Right-to-Life of Greater Cincinnati. At the Chatfield College debate, Schmidt said Roe v. Wade
was "a flawed law made by activist judges
" and would "love to see" it reversed. Schmidt mailed literature to voters with an endorsement from Paula Westwood, executive director of the Cincinnati right-to-life:
. "The foundation of democracy that has been planted in Afghanistan
and Iraq
", she said, has inspired reforms in Saudi Arabia
, Syria
, Lebanon
and elsewhere. At the Chatfield College debate on July 7, she said of Iraq
and Saddam Hussein
"We have toppled a terrorist regime, a terrorist madman who now sits in a prison cell. This country has gone to the ballot box and made its decision to become a democratic regime."
Schmidt appeared in public with a button in her lapel containing a photograph of Matt Maupin
, who was at the time the only prisoner of war
of the Iraq campaign who had not been freed and who was a native of Clermont County.
, a Democrat from Pennsylvania
, who introduced H.J. Res. 73, which called for the redeployment of American forces as soon as possible. In response, Armed Services Committee chairman Duncan L. Hunter
of California
introduced H. Res. 572, which the Republican leadership admitted was intended to demonstrate that calls for troop withdrawal were "out of the mainstream." Democrats in turn roundly criticized the Hunter resolution as a sham that misstated Murtha's position.
During debate on adopting the rule for debating the resolution, H. Res. 563, Schmidt said:
Schmidt's remarks threw the House into an uproar and earned her the sobriquet "Mean Jean". Many Democrats saw it as an unwarranted attack against Murtha, a 38-year Marine Corps veteran. After she said "cowards cut and run, Marines never do," angry Democrats nearly drowned out her words. Victor F. Snyder
, a former Marine, of Arkansas
demanded that Schmidt's remarks be "taken down." Under this disciplinary procedure, the House clerk would have re-read Schmidt's words and the presiding officer (at the time, Michael K. Simpson
of Idaho
) would have ruled whether they were parliamentary
. Had they been ruled unparliamentary, Schmidt would not have been able to speak for the rest of the day without permission.
After 10 minutes, Schmidt asked for and received permission to withdraw her remarks and apologized to Murtha.
A spokeswoman for Bubp said that the state representative "did not mention Congressman Murtha by name nor did he mean to disparage Congressman Murtha" and that he felt "the words that Congresswoman Schmidt chose did not represent their conversation." The Cincinnati Enquirer reported Bubp said "he never mentioned. . . Murtha . . . by name when talking with Schmidt, and he would never call a fellow Marine a coward."
of Colorado
and Steve Chabot
of Ohio stated they had not endorsed Schmidt even though Schmidt's campaign site claimed they had. Chabot later said he had endorsed both Schmidt and her primary opponent. Schmidt also claimed an endorsement from the Family Research Council
, which was repudiated by the organization. After a review, the Ohio Elections Commission found that the Tancredo and Family Research Council endorsement claims were false but did not warrant any reprimand.
in secondary education
from the University of Cincinnati
awarded in 1986. Schmidt had previously listed two degrees on candidate guides, her official Ohio House bio, and past campaign websites. But after her election to Congress, neither her current official or campaign website had the second degree posted. Schmidt's chief of staff, Barry Bennett, told The Plain Dealer Schmidt had completed the requirements for the degree but never filed the paperwork to be awarded a diploma. "I think it's fair to say that she earned it and never collected it," Bennett said.
On April 27, five days before the May 2 primary against McEwen, the Ohio Elections Commission voted 7-0 to issue Schmidt a public reprimand for "false statements" for her claiming to have a second undergraduate degree from the University of Cincinnati
that she was not awarded. The Commission wrote in its letter of reprimand
that Schmidt had "reckless disregard for truth."
Schmidt insisted the error regarding her degrees was a mistake by her staff. On May 1, the day before the election, Schmidt appeared on Bill Cunninham's show on WLW-AM in Cincinnati and was asked by a caller about the OEC reprimand. Schmidt repeated her insistence the error was caused by the designer of her website incorrectly listing her teaching certificate as a degree in secondary education and social studies
. However Schmidt had been claiming the second bachelor's degree since she first ran for public office in 1989. The Clermont Sun newspaper, in a candidate guide from its November 2, 1989, issue, stated "all candidates were mailed a questionnaire; their responses appear inside [the newspaper]." In her response, Schmidt wrote she possessed "bachelor's degrees in political science and secondary education."
," replied to the woman, "I agree with you, but the courts don't." Schmidt's statement to the woman appeared to contradict a statement Schmidt made in July 2009 to Loveland Magazine in which she said that "The President is indeed a Citizen of this country" and that she "voted as a Member of the House to certify the vote of the Electoral College electing him as our President."
targeted the congresswoman for her failure to publicly define what happened to the Ottoman Armenians in 1915–1916 as "the Armenian Genocide
." His concern arose from a statement released by Schmidt's office noting that "at this time she [Schmidt] does not have enough information to characterize these deaths as genocide especially since those responsible are long since dead."
A few days before the 2008 congressional election, Krikorian published a controversial letter alleging that "Jean Schmidt has taken $30,000 in blood money from Turkish government sponsored political action committees to deny the slaughter of 1.5 million Armenian men, women and children by the Ottoman Turkish Government during World War I." Finally, the flier asserted that the claims it contained could be adequately verified by a visit to the Federal Election Commission's website. He repeated the claim to the Ohio Elections Commission.
The Ohio Elections Commission issued a split decision on the case, failing to find that all of the preceding three remarks had been published in violation of ORC 3517.21(B)(10) by clear and convincing evidence. In a series of 4 panel votes, Commissioners affirmed that Turkish American funds are a primary source of support for Rep. Schmidt’s political campaign, but chided Krikorian for statements related to Turkish Government funding of his opponent, because such a funding would be illegal. The votes were taken after a panel decision to disregard testimony provided regarding the Armenian "Genocide" and its "denial" – an integral component of the allegations and Krikorian’s defense —decision which was criticized by David Krikorian's party and supporters. Schmidt also attempted, to no avail, to press criminal charges against Krikorian for his statements. Sibyl Edmonds, a former FBI translator, testified on behalf of Krikorian during the Ohio Elections Commission hearing and spoke about Turkey's connections to Jean Schmidt.
In October 2010, a federal court rejected David Krikorian's appeal.
In June 2010, Jean Schmidt filed a 6.8 million dollar lawsuit against David Krikorian.
In July 2011, the House Ethics Committee announced that it was investigating accusations that Schmidt had accepted roughly $500,000 in free legal services from a Turkish-American interest group. Schmidt said that she hadn't received a bill for the legal services in question, and that she had been waiting for more than a year for guidance from the ethics committee on the proper procedure to pay the bill. In August 2011, the Ethics Committee rendered its decision, holding that the interest group's payment for legal services in connection with her proceedings against Krikorian had been improper, and ordering Schmidt to repay the group $500,000.
On September 21st 2011, the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington
added Schmidt to its "most corrupt" list for "accept[ing] hundreds of thousands of dollars in free legal services from lawyers hired by an interest group that appreciated her legislative assistance" as well as "fail[ure] to report the free legal services as gifts in her disclosure forms."http://www.citizensforethics.org/mostcorrupt/entry/Jean-Schmidt-report In October 2011, CREW requested that the Office of Congressional Ethics
investigate whether Schmidt lied to the House Ethics Committee regarding inquiries into free legal services.
nominated Rob Portman
, who had just been elected to a sixth full term, to be U.S. Trade Representative on March 17, 2005, eleven Republicans entered the race for his seat.
Schmidt launched her campaign for Congress in Montgomery
on April 11, the first candidate from outside Hamilton County
to declare. She emphasized the need for all parts of the district to be represented: "We must always balance the interests of Hamilton County, which is more urban, with those of the more rural part of our district." She said of her predecessor, "While I know that I cannot fill Rob's shoes, I know that I am the right person to continue the tradition of leadership and character." Early polling showed Hamilton County Commissioner Pat DeWine
leading at 42%, with Schmidt tied for third at 7%.
In her campaign, Schmidt ran on a conservative platform. In one mailing to voters, she promised to "reduce our taxes", "keep our nation safe", advocated "a responsible energy policy", and for "promoting family values." The tag line on the mailer was "continuing a tradition of character and leadership." Schmidt's campaign literature noted her pro-life
voting record, her opposition to same-sex marriage
, her high ratings from the National Rifle Association
, and that she "opposes an activist court system that acts against our conservative values." The literature also featured her endorsement by Phil Fulton, a pastor
who fought the court ordered removal of tablets containing the Ten Commandments
from the grounds of schools in Adams County.
A major factor in the primary campaign was DeWine's marriage. In 2004, DeWine's opponent ran ads calling attention to DeWine leaving his pregnant wife and their two children for a mistress working as a lobbyist. Schmidt made it a point in her stump speech to emphasize how long she had been married to her husband: "I am a woman of character who has been married for twenty-nine years."
Schmidt won the endorsement of The Cincinnati Enquirer
, the only major newspaper of the district. The paper commented positively on her record in the Ohio House and her fifteen year record "learning local and regional issues."
Despite being far outspent by DeWine, on June 14, 2005, Schmidt finished first in the Republican primary, with 31 percent of the vote. McEwen finished second with 25 percent, Brinkman was third with 20 percent, and DeWine had 12 percent. Two days after the primary, an editorial cartoon in the The Cincinnati Enquirer
, commenting on DeWine's marriage being such a factor in the primary, showed Schmidt asking Paul Hackett, who had won the Democratic primary, "You have a good marriage. I have a good marriage. What the heck are we going to campaign about?" Many politicos blame Dewine's barrage of attacks on McEwen as the main reason for Schmidt's win.
as six foot four and "garrulous, profane, and quick with a barked retort or a mischievous joke" in the August 2, 2005, special election. Hackett had organized the recall of a councilman in Milford
in 1995 and was elected to the council in his place, serving three years. He had also just returned from a tour of duty in Iraq
and referred to his combat experiences in the campaign.
The district was reliably Republican, the Cook Political Report calling the Second District the fifty-seventh most Republican in America. Among Ohio's congressional districts, only the 4th District
is considered more Republican. The district had been in Republican hands for all but nine years since 1879, and no Democrat had held the seat since Thomas A. Luken's
narrow loss to Willis D. Gradison
in 1974. The last Democrat to win a full term in the district was John J. Gilligan
, who held the seat for one term after being swept into office in the giant Democratic landslide of 1964.
John Green, a political science
professor at the University of Akron
told USA Today
"It's a real steep uphill climb for Hackett. It is such a Republican district." Jane S. Anderson, an adjunct professor of political science
at the University of Cincinnati
who has unsuccessfully run for the Cincinnati city council and the Ohio House as a Democrat, told the Associated Press
Martin Gottlieb of the Dayton Daily News
wrote a Republican landslide in the district was "a self-fulfilling prophecy":
Hackett criticized Schmidt as a "rubber stamp" for Governor Bob Taft
's "failed policies", and claimed she would continue in that role for George W. Bush
if elected. At their debate at Chatfield College, Hackett said "If you think America is on the right track and we need more of the same, I'm not your candidate" and asked "Are you better off today than you were five years ago?", echoing Ronald Reagan
's question in his debate with Jimmy Carter
in 1980. "Rubber stamp" was Hackett's catchphrase throughout the campaign. Hackett even appeared in front of the Hathaway Rubber Stamp store in downtown Cincinnati on July 27 to emphasize the point. "If you think America needs another career politician steeped in a culture of corruption who does as she's told and toes the line on failed policies, then I'm not your candidate," he wrote in a guest column for The Cincinnati Post
. However, Schmidt said that she was proud to be associated with Bush, sending campaign mail with a photograph of them together in the Oval Office
.
A month before the election the inspector general
of the Ohio General Assembly
announced he was investigating three legislators for accepting gifts and failing to report them. Schmidt was implicated in this, but could not be investigated because she was no longer a member of the Ohio house. (The others were Representatives Jim Raussen
of Springdale
, Michelle G. Schneider
of Madeira
, and Diana M. Fessler of New Carlisle
.) On October 24, 2004, the legislators had accepted dinner at Nicola's Ristorante on Sycamore Street in Cincinnati's Over-the-Rhine
neighborhood and Cincinnati Bengals
tickets from a lobbyist for pharmaceutical company Chiron
. Schmidt said she thought her $644 gift was from former Bengals player Boomer Esiason
, who was, like Chiron, interested in cystic fibrosis
. Schmidt repaid the lobbyist for the cost of the entertainment. Her spokesman told The Columbus Dispatch
"Jean specifically asked if this was a reportable gift. We immediately corrected it by paying the full price of the tickets." Her former colleague Raussen blamed the lobbyist. "Here we have a lobbyist who was extremely sloppy."
Hackett hammered on Schmidt's ethics. When she denied she knew or ever met Thomas Noe
, at the center of the Coingate investment scandal at the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation, Hackett produced minutes from a meeting of the Ohio Board of Regents
that showed Schmidt had indeed met with Noe, once a regent. On July 29, the Toledo Blade reported on a 2001 e-mail from Taft's assistant Jon Allison complaining Schmidt was "bugging" him about setting up an Internet lottery for Cincinnati businessman Roger Ach, who gave her a $1,000 contribution the next year. Schmidt spokesman Fritz Wenzel said the candidate did not recall any conversations with the governor about Ach's business.
The candidates participated in only two debates. The first was held on July 7 at Chatfield College in St. Martin
in Brown County
, moderated by Jack Atherton of WXIX-TV
, the Fox Network affiliate in Cincinnati. Hackett told the audience his opponent was "a rubber stamp for failed policies" and "if you think America is on the right track and we need more of the same, I'm not your candidate." The second debate was held July 26 at the Ohio Valley Career and Technical Center
in West Union
in Adams County
. Howard Wilkinson of The Cincinnati Enquirer
said Hackett in the second debate was "trying to paint Schmidt as a Taft-Bush robot." The two also made joint appearances on WCET-TV's Forum on July 28 and WKRC-TV
's Newsmakers on July 31.
The Cincinnati Enquirer
ran a front page story on July 2 reporting on the candidates financial disclosure statements that revealed both were millionaire
s. Schmidt was worth between $1,700,000 and $6,800,000; most of her wealth was her share of RTJJ, LLC, a real estate
company
owned with her three siblings. Hackett was worth between $650,000 and $1,600,000. (These figures did not include the value of either's home. The Clermont County Auditor valued Schmidt's home on 0.667 acres (2,699.3 m²) at $138,510 and the Hamilton County Auditor valued Hackett's home on 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) at $552,800.)
Schmidt used her own wealth in the campaign. She told The Cincinnati Post
the week before the election she put $200,000 of her money in the campaign that she had planned to use to buy a condominium
in Florida
. The paper noted the median
household income
in the district was $46,813.
announced on July 28 it was spending $265,000 for television ads in the Cincinnati market, covering the western part of the district, and $250,000 for ads in the Huntington
, West Virginia
, market, covering the eastern half. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
(DCCC) responded with commercials noting that Schmidt had voted to raise the sales tax
by 20% and the excise tax on gasoline
by 30 percent when she was in the legislature. A DCCC mailing to voters reiterated these charges under the headline "Who Voted for the Taft Sales Tax Increase — the Largest in Ohio History?" and asked "can we trust Jean Schmidt to protect middle-class families in Washington?"
) and the first woman to represent southwestern Ohio in Congress. Schmidt in her victory speech late on election night declared:
, a doctor
from Indian Hill
in the November general election. She only won by 2,800 votes (out of almost 240,000 votes cast)--a margin of 1.26%. This was the closest a Republican had come to losing the seat in 42 years. Schmidt held her seat by winning her home base in Clermont County by almost 8,000 votes.
During Schmidt's re-election bid there were several controversies
, which affected her campaign. One was a March 2006 report about Schmidt's past claims that she had a B.A.
in secondary education
from the University of Cincinnati
, awarded in 1986. Schmidt's defenders pointed out that neither her current official or campaign website had the second degree posted, and said that Schmidt had completed the requirements for the degree but never filed the paperwork to be awarded a diploma. On April 27, five days before the May 2 primary, the Ohio Elections Commission voted 7-0 to issue Schmidt a public reprimand for "false statements" for her claiming to have that second degree. The Commission also found that Schmidt had made false claims of being endorsed by several organizations, but that these did not warrant any reprimand.
Schmidt won the Republican primary with 33,314 votes to 29,611 votes for Bob McEwen
, the former congressman who finished second in the special primary in 2005. The other two candidates received slightly fewer than 7,000 votes. In the Democratic primary, Wulsin received 10,250 votes, 37 percent of the total vote in that primary.
The Schmidt campaign sent out a fundraising letter accusing her Democratic opponent, Victoria Wulsin of harboring a "contempt for the culture of life" that led her to "participate in grotesque medical experiments" involving injections of "malaria
virus
" into AIDS
patients in Africa
and China
without their consent. The Wulsin campaign vigorously denied the charges.
The "grotesque medical experiments" charge appears to be a reference to 2004 work that Wulsin did with the Heimlich Institute in Ohio. She examined data that was supplied to her as part of a literature review
, taken from ongoing studies, of experimental AIDS therapies that Wulsin concluded had potential. "She never participated in any of the studies," said Wulsin communications director Kevin Franck. "She was never in a position to stop any of them while they were in progress ... Jean Schmidt knew that those complaints and those allegations had no merit when she mailed the letter." There is also no such thing as a malaria virus, as malaria is caused by protozoa
ns.
Schmidt was struck by a hit and run
driver while jogging, and was diagnosed with two broken ribs and two fractured vertebrae. The injuries were not diagnosed immediately after the accident. However, the week following the accident she was embarking on a weekend fact-finding visit to Afghanistan
when severe pain caused her to pass out while landing at a U.S. Air Force Base
in Germany
. As a sign of respect, her Democratic
opponent, Victoria Wulsin, suspended her campaign while Schmidt rested at home.
In 2008, Representative Schmidt won re-election to the United States Congress with just under 45% of the vote. She defeated Indian Hill Democrat Victoria Wells Wulsin (37.3%) and independent David Krikorian
(17.3%).
Church since 1978. She is a marathon runner.
Schmidt is a member of the Clermont County
Chamber of Commerce
, the Clermont County 20/20 Committee, Clermont County League of Women Voters
, the Clermont County Agricultural Society, Clermont County Township Association, and the Milford-Miami Township Chamber of Commerce.
She was elected chairman of the Greater Cincinnati Right to Life
organization in 2005. Schmidt is a trustee of the Clermont County Library, having previously served from 1980 to 1992 and 1994 to 2000. She was reappointed to the board in 2005. She is also a director of the Mercy Hospital Clermont Foundation Board.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for , serving since 2005. She is a member of the Republican Party
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...
. The district stretches from eastern Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
to Portsmouth
Portsmouth, Ohio
Portsmouth is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Scioto County. The municipality is located on the northern banks of the Ohio River and east of the Scioto River in Southern Ohio. The population was 20,226 at the 2010 census.-Foundation:...
.
Schmidt is the second female Ohio Republican to be elected to Congress without succeeding her husband and the first woman to represent the Cincinnati area in the House. She won the Ohio 2nd congressional district seat in a special election on August 2, 2005, by 3.5 percentage points over Democrat and Iraq War veteran
Veteran
A veteran is a person who has had long service or experience in a particular occupation or field; " A veteran of ..."...
Paul Hackett, amid national attention to the race because of Hackett's strong views on the war. The margin of her victory led many Democrats to claim a victory for their party, since the district had been reliably Republican for the past 30 years, and to forecast trouble for the Republicans in 2006. Despite these forecasts, Schmidt defeated former representative Bob McEwen
Bob McEwen
Robert D. "Bob" McEwen is a lobbyist and American politician of the Republican Party, who was a member of the United States House of Representatives from southern Ohio's Sixth District, from January 3, 1981 to January 3, 1993...
in a hard-fought Republican primary
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
in May 2006 and Democrat Victoria Wells Wulsin
Victoria Wells Wulsin
Victoria Elizabeth Wells Wulsin, M.D., D.P.H. is a physician and three-time Democratic congressional candidate in the Second District of Ohio . She is a resident of Indian Hill, an affluent suburb of Cincinnati....
, a medical doctor, in 2006 with 50.4% of the vote. She was re-elected in 2008, winning with 45% of the vote, and in 2010, winning with 58.6%.
Early life, education and career
Schmidt, born in Cincinnati, OhioCincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, is a lifelong resident of Clermont County's
Clermont County, Ohio
Clermont County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States, just east of Cincinnati. As of 2010, the population was 197,363. Its county seat is Batavia...
Miami Township
Miami Township, Clermont County, Ohio
Miami Township is one of the fourteen townships of Clermont County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 36,632 people in the township.-Geography:Located in the northwestern corner of the county, it borders the following townships:...
, along the eastern shore of Little Miami River
Little Miami River
The Little Miami River is a Class I tributary of the Ohio River that flows through five counties in southwestern Ohio in the United States. The Little Miami joins the Ohio River east of Cincinnati. It forms parts of the borders between Hamilton and Clermont counties and between Hamilton and Warren...
near Milford
Milford, Ohio
Milford is a city in Clermont and Hamilton counties in the U.S. state of Ohio, along the Little Miami River in the southwestern part of the state. It is a part of Greater Cincinnati. Milford, an abbreviated form of mill ford, was so named because it was the first safe ford across the Little Miami...
and Loveland
Loveland, Ohio
Loveland is a city in Hamilton, Clermont, and Warren counties in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Ohio. Considered part of the Greater Cincinnati area, Loveland is located near exit 52 off Interstate 275, about northeast of the Cincinnati city limits. It borders Symmes, Miami and...
.
One of four children (two daughters, two sons) of Augustus ("Gus") and Jeannette Hoffman, she has a twin sister, Jennifer Black. Her father made his money in the savings and loan industry, then ran an auto racing
Auto racing
Auto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
team that competed in the Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
.
She earned a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
from the University of Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
in 1974. Schmidt worked in her father's bank, the Midwestern Savings Association, as a branch manager from 1971 to 1978. Schmidt was a delegate to the Republican National Convention
Republican National Convention
The Republican National Convention is the presidential nominating convention of the Republican Party of the United States. Convened by the Republican National Committee, the stated purpose of the convocation is to nominate an official candidate in an upcoming U.S...
in 1984. She was a fitness instructor from 1984 to 1986, when she began a four year career as a schoolteacher.
Early political career
Schmidt was elected as a Miami Township trustee in 1989, finishing first of three candidates for two seats and winning 4,362 votes. When Clermont County Commissioner Jerry McBride resigned in 1991 to become a judgeJudge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
, Schmidt was one of four candidates to replace him, but was not appointed by the Clermont County Republican Party. In her 1993 bid for reelection, she finished first in a field of four, taking 3,644 votes.
In 1995, she traveled to Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
to offer instruction about political campaigning in a country that had little experience of free elections. On her trip she ran in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
's Red Square
Red Square
Red Square is a city square in Moscow, Russia. The square separates the Kremlin, the former royal citadel and currently the official residence of the President of Russia, from a historic merchant quarter known as Kitai-gorod...
: "Did I ever feel unsafe? No. And would I jog through Central Park
Central Park
Central Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
? No way."
One major issue during her service on the Board of Trustees was one common in Ohio: a city, in this case Milford
Milford, Ohio
Milford is a city in Clermont and Hamilton counties in the U.S. state of Ohio, along the Little Miami River in the southwestern part of the state. It is a part of Greater Cincinnati. Milford, an abbreviated form of mill ford, was so named because it was the first safe ford across the Little Miami...
, was annexing
Annexation
Annexation is the de jure incorporation of some territory into another geo-political entity . Usually, it is implied that the territory and population being annexed is the smaller, more peripheral, and weaker of the two merging entities, barring physical size...
parts of the township and hurting its tax base. She and other trustees lobbied the Ohio 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...
for new laws to protect townships from such annexations. In 1993, a panel of Miami Township residents recommended the township incorporate to protect itself from annexations, to have greater control over its territory, and to obtain more money from the state. However, Schmidt as a trustee was not a participant in this effort, saying she had to be a "cheerleader" on the sides. (The incorporation effort failed.)
Schmidt was reelected to a third term in 1997, finishing first in a field of three with 5,110 votes. "Jean has been an excellent trustee and has done so much for this community. It is going to be hard to find someone that's as committed to the township as she has been," said David Duckworth, Miami Township administrator, when she resigned her trustee seat to enter the Ohio House. The remaining two trustees appointed Mary Makley Wolff to the remainder of the term.
Ohio House of Representatives
Ohio House of Representatives
The Ohio House of Representatives is the lower house of the Ohio General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio; the other house of the bicameral legislature being the Ohio Senate....
seat being vacated by Sam Bateman, who was prevented by term limits from running again. She told The Cincinnati Post
The Cincinnati Post
The Cincinnati Post is a discontinued afternoon daily newspaper that was published in Cincinnati, Ohio. Distributed in Northern Kentucky as The Kentucky Post, it was owned by the E. W. Scripps Company. Since the 1980s, its editorial stance was usually conservative. The Post published its final...
that before Bateman had been appointed to the seat in the early 1980s, Clermont County Republican leaders "offered me the job on a silver platter" but she turned them down because her daughter was only four years old at the time. But in 2000, her daughter was in college and she decided to run. Unopposed in the March primary, 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...
endorsed
Political endorsement
Political endorsement is the action of publicly declaring one's personal or group's support of a candidate for elected office.In the case of a 4 or 5 party system, where one of the parties has a 15 to 20% predicted electoral support, just prior to the election, the official representative of the...
her in the general election#American usage, writing "Seldom has a choice been more obvious than that between Republican Jean Schmidt and Democrat Sherrill Callahan." Schmidt was easily elected to the 124th Ohio 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...
from the 71st House
Ohio House of Representatives
The Ohio House of Representatives is the lower house of the Ohio General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio; the other house of the bicameral legislature being the Ohio Senate....
District by defeating Callahan, a retired high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
principal from Pierce Township. Schmidt received 36,433 votes (70.4 percent) to Callahan's 15,327 (29.6 percent).
Her district was entirely within Clermont County, containing Miami Township as well as Batavia
Batavia Township, Clermont County, Ohio
Batavia Township is one of the fourteen townships of Clermont County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 17,503 people in the township, 15,039 of whom lived in the unincorporated portions of the township.-Geography:...
, Goshen
Goshen Township, Clermont County, Ohio
Goshen Township is one of the fourteen townships of Clermont County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 13,663 people in the township.-Geography:Located in the northern part of the county, it borders the following townships:...
, Pierce
Pierce Township, Clermont County, Ohio
Pierce Township is one of the fourteen townships of Clermont County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 12,226 people in the township, 10,321 of whom lived in the unincorporated portions of the township.-Geography:...
, Stonelick
Stonelick Township, Clermont County, Ohio
Stonelick Township is one of the fourteen townships of Clermont County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 5,816 people in the township, 5,000 of whom lived in the unincorporated portions of the township.-Geography:...
and Union
Union Township, Clermont County, Ohio
Union Township is one of the fourteen townships of Clermont County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 42,332 people in the township.-Geography:Located in the western part of the county, it borders the following townships:*Miami Township - north...
Townships, plus the cities of Amelia
Amelia, Ohio
Amelia is a village in Clermont County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,752 at the 2000 census.-History:The name Amelia was adopted in honor of Amelia Bowdoin, a well known and popular tollgate operator on the Ohio Turnpike - Main Street, today State Route 125. Her home still stands at 94 W...
, Batavia
Batavia, Ohio
Batavia is a village in and the county seat of Clermont County, Ohio, United States. The population was 1,617 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Batavia is located at ....
and Milford
Milford, Ohio
Milford is a city in Clermont and Hamilton counties in the U.S. state of Ohio, along the Little Miami River in the southwestern part of the state. It is a part of Greater Cincinnati. Milford, an abbreviated form of mill ford, was so named because it was the first safe ford across the Little Miami...
, and the Clermont County part of the city of Loveland
Loveland, Ohio
Loveland is a city in Hamilton, Clermont, and Warren counties in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Ohio. Considered part of the Greater Cincinnati area, Loveland is located near exit 52 off Interstate 275, about northeast of the Cincinnati city limits. It borders Symmes, Miami and...
. After the redistricting necessitated by the 2000 census, her district became the 66th and contained the same territory minus Pierce and Stonelick Townships."
Committee assignments
In the House she served on the Finance and Appropriations; Human Services and Aging; Banking, Pensions and Securities; and Public Utilities Committees. She was excited to be in the Statehouse: "Oh my God, I'm really a state representative" she was overheard telling a fellow freshman. In 2002, she was elected to the 125th General AssemblyOhio House of Representatives membership, 125th General Assembly
The 125th General Assembly comprised the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio. The house of representatives is the lower house of the Ohio General Assembly. Every two years, all of the house seats come up for election. The 125th General Assembly was in session in 2003 and 2004...
without opposition in both the primary and general elections.
Legislation
The Cincinnati EnquirerThe 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...
wrote she introduced and passed bills "remarkable in number and quality for a neophyte lawmaker." She sponsored legislation on the Clermont County courts, limiting the ability of public employees to collect both pension
Pension
In general, a pension is an arrangement to provide people with an income when they are no longer earning a regular income from employment. Pensions should not be confused with severance pay; the former is paid in regular installments, while the latter is paid in one lump sum.The terms retirement...
and salary
Salary
A salary is a form of periodic payment from an employer to an employee, which may be specified in an employment contract. It is contrasted with piece wages, where each job, hour or other unit is paid separately, rather than on a periodic basis....
simultaneously ("double dipping"), urban township
Urban township
An urban township or urban town is a designation of a unit of local government in several midwestern U.S. states. Generally, an urban township is afforded more local authority than that of a township and less than that of a city. Often, urban townships use this authority for greater economic...
s, and protecting townships from annexations of their territory by cities, all of which were passed into law. She also pushed legislation
Legislation
Legislation is law which has been promulgated by a legislature or other governing body, or the process of making it...
on the health of women
Women's health
Women's health refers to health issues specific to human female anatomy. These often relate to structures such as female genitalia and breasts or to conditions caused by hormones specific to, or most notable in, females. Women's health issues include menstruation, contraception, maternal health,...
, suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
prevention, abstinence
Sexual abstinence
Sexual abstinence is the practice of refraining from some or all aspects of sexual activity for medical, psychological, legal, social, philosophical or religious reasons.Common reasons for practicing sexual abstinence include:*poor health - medical celibacy...
education, and to "lock killers away for good" by making it easier for judges to sentence murderers to life terms. Schmidt also supported Ohio's concealed carry
Concealed carry
Concealed carry, or CCW , refers to the practice of carrying a handgun or other weapon in public in a concealed manner, either on one's person or in proximity.-In Canada:...
law.
Ohio Senate
In 2004, she ran for the 14th District seat in the 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...
to replace Senate President Doug White
Doug White
Doug White of Manchester, Ohio, is an American politician of the Republican party who served as president of the Ohio Senate for two years, from 2003 to 2005....
, who was retiring. The Senate seat included Clermont, Brown
Brown County, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 42,285 people, 15,555 households, and 11,790 families residing in the county. The population density was 86 people per square mile . There were 17,193 housing units at an average density of 35 per square mile...
, Adams
Adams County, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 27,330 people, 10,501 households, and 7,613 families residing in the county. The population density was 47 people per square mile . There were 11,822 housing units at an average density of 20 per square mile...
and Scioto
Scioto County, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 79,195 people, 30,871 households, and 21,362 families residing in the county. The population density was 129 people per square mile . There were 34,054 housing units at an average density of 56 per square mile...
counties and part of Lawrence County
Lawrence County, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 62,319 people, 24,732 households, and 17,807 families residing in the county. The population density was 137 people per square mile . There were 27,189 housing units at an average density of 60 per square mile...
. Her opponent for the Republican nomination was Tom Niehaus
Tom Niehaus
Tom Niehaus is a Republican member of the Ohio Senate, representing the 14th District since 2005. Previously he was a member of the Ohio House of Representatives from 2000 until 2004. Niehaus succeeded Ohio Senate President Doug White, who was prevented by Ohio's term limits law from running for...
, a fellow member of the Ohio House from New Richmond
New Richmond, Ohio
New Richmond is a village in Clermont County, Ohio, United States, founded 1814, along the Ohio River. The population was 2,219 at the 2000 census.-Geography:New Richmond is located at ....
whose 88th District represented the half of Clermont County outside her district plus Brown and Adams Counties to the east. Schmidt told the Enquirer "The fear from many of the people I meet is that because the next senator will come from Clermont County, they will be underrepresented. But if you know anything about me, I don't under-represent anybody." She also said she worried about the state budget: "We do have a history of overspending in Ohio. But it's not just recent history. It's a 40-year-old habit." The Enquirer was dismayed by advertisements from the Ohio Taxpayers Association "twisting the two candidates' voting records to Schmidt's advantage" and endorsed Niehaus.
Schmidt had endorsements from key state leaders such as Ohio State Treasurer
Ohio State Treasurer
-List of Ohio State Treasurers:...
Joe Deters
Joe Deters
Joseph 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:...
and Speaker of the Ohio House Larry Householder
Larry Householder
Larry Householder of Glenford, Ohio, is an American politician of the Republican party who served as speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives from 2001 to 2005....
. The campaign was marred by allegations that Householder's staff had improperly tried to obtain Niehaus's withdrawal from the race and that Householder had told Niehaus's supporters to donate money to Schmidt's campaign. In the initial count of the Republican primary vote on March 2, 2004, she led by just 62 votes. A recount was automatically ordered, which reversed the outcome. Schmidt ultimately lost by just 22 votes: 17,076 (49.97%) to Niehaus's 17,098 (50.03%). She told The Cincinnati Enquirer on election night "This is the way my whole life has been — one tough race after another."
Committee assignments
- Committee on AgricultureUnited States House Committee on AgricultureThe U.S. House Committee on Agriculture, or Agriculture Committee is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. The House Committee on Agriculture has general jurisdiction over federal agriculture policy and oversight of some federal agencies, and it can recommend funding...
- Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk ManagementUnited States House Agriculture Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk ManagementThe House Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management is a subcommittee within the House Agriculture Committee. The subcommittee oversees program and markets for major commercial crops, such as cotton, cottonseed, wheat, feed grains , soybeans, oilseeds, rice, dry beans, peas, and...
- Subcommittee on Horticulture and Organic AgricultureUnited States House Agriculture Subcommittee on Horticulture and Organic AgricultureThe House Subcommittee on Nutrition and Horticulture is a subcommittee within the House Agriculture Committee. It was first created during the 110th Congress as the Subcommittee on Horticulture and Organic Agriculture.-Jurisdiction:...
(Chairwoman)
- Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management
- Committee on Foreign Affairs
- Subcommittee on Europe and Eurasia
- Subcommittee on the Western HemisphereUnited States House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western HemisphereThe House Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere is a subcommittee within the House Foreign Affairs Committee.-Jurisdiction:The subcommittee is one of five with what the committees calls "regional jurisdiction" over a specific area of the globe...
- Committee on Transportation and InfrastructureUnited States House Committee on Transportation and InfrastructureThe U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. John Mica currently chairs the committee.-History:...
- Subcommittee on AviationUnited States House Transportation Subcommittee on AviationThe Subcommittee on Aviation is a subcommittee within the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The Subcommittee has jurisdiction over civil aviation, including most aspects of the Federal Aviation Administration , the Transportation Security Administration, and the National...
- Subcommittee on Highways and TransitUnited States House Transportation Subcommittee on Highways and TransitThe House Transportation Subcommittee on Highways and Transit is a subcommittee within the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The subcommittee oversees highway, transit, and highway safety programs in the United States, as well as policy governing how highway and transit projects...
- Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous MaterialsUnited States House Transportation Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous MaterialsThe Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials is a subcommittee within the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee...
- Subcommittee on Aviation
Resolutions introduced or supported
In Congress, Schmidt sponsored non-binding resolutions that states hit by Hurricane KatrinaHurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
and Hurricane Rita
Hurricane Rita
Hurricane Rita was the fourth-most intense Atlantic hurricane ever recorded and the most intense tropical cyclone ever observed in the Gulf of Mexico. Rita caused $11.3 billion in damage on the U.S. Gulf Coast in September 2005...
should adopt a uniform statewide building code (H. Con. Res. 285); that the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance
Pledge of Allegiance
The Pledge of Allegiance of the United States is an expression of loyalty to the federal flag and the republic of the United States of America, originally composed by Christian Socialist Francis Bellamy in 1892 and formally adopted by Congress as the pledge in 1942...
were not an unconstitutional endorsement of religion (H. Res. 453); and supporting Gold Star Mothers (H. J. Res. 61). As of 2005, she was the original sponsor of one bill, H.R. 4180, a campaign finance reform
Campaign finance reform
Campaign finance reform is the common term for the political effort in the United States to change the involvement of money in politics, primarily in political campaigns....
measure "to require communications that consist of prerecorded telephone calls to meet the disclosure and disclaimer requirements applicable to general public campaign communications transmitted through radio." She cosponsored bills to provide ultrasound
Ultrasound
Ultrasound is cyclic sound pressure with a frequency greater than the upper limit of human hearing. Ultrasound is thus not separated from "normal" sound based on differences in physical properties, only the fact that humans cannot hear it. Although this limit varies from person to person, it is...
s to pregnant mothers (H.R. 216); to require women having abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
s be "fully informed regarding the pain experienced by their unborn child" (H.R. 356); to allow free mail from families to servicemen in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
and Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
(H.R. 923); to require the Food and Drug Administration
Food and Drug Administration
The Food and Drug Administration is an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, one of the United States federal executive departments...
withdraw its approval of the abortifacient
Abortifacient
An abortifacient is a substance that induces abortion. Abortifacients for animals that have mated undesirably are known as mismating shots....
drug RU-486 because of safety concerns (H.R. 1079); the "District of Columbia Personal Protection Act", which would repeal District of Columbia law forbidding residents from owning guns (H.R. 1288); to ban human cloning
Human cloning
Human cloning is the creation of a genetically identical copy of a human. It does not usually refer to monozygotic multiple births nor the reproduction of human cells or tissue. The ethics of cloning is an extremely controversial issue...
(H.R. 1357); to repeal the excise tax on telephone
Telephone
The telephone , colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that transmits and receives sounds, usually the human voice. Telephones are a point-to-point communication system whose most basic function is to allow two people separated by large distances to talk to each other...
s (H.R. 1898); to forbid federal courts
United States district court
The United States district courts are the general trial courts of the United States federal court system. Both civil and criminal cases are filed in the district court, which is a court of law, equity, and admiralty. There is a United States bankruptcy court associated with each United States...
from hearing cases on the constitutionality of the Pledge of Allegiance
Pledge of Allegiance
The Pledge of Allegiance of the United States is an expression of loyalty to the federal flag and the republic of the United States of America, originally composed by Christian Socialist Francis Bellamy in 1892 and formally adopted by Congress as the pledge in 1942...
(H.R. 2389); and to limit the use of eminent domain
Eminent domain
Eminent domain , compulsory purchase , resumption/compulsory acquisition , or expropriation is an action of the state to seize a citizen's private property, expropriate property, or seize a citizen's rights in property with due monetary compensation, but without the owner's consent...
by the states, a reaction to the Supreme Court ruling in Kelo v. New London (H.R. 4128).
Environment
Schmidt has called for reducing America's dependence on foreign oilOil
An oil is any substance that is liquid at ambient temperatures and does not mix with water but may mix with other oils and organic solvents. This general definition includes vegetable oils, volatile essential oils, petrochemical oils, and synthetic oils....
by increasing use of ethanol
Ethanol
Ethanol, also called ethyl alcohol, pure alcohol, grain alcohol, or drinking alcohol, is a volatile, flammable, colorless liquid. It is a psychoactive drug and one of the oldest recreational drugs. Best known as the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, it is also used in thermometers, as a...
and drilling in Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge in northeastern Alaska, United States. It consists of in the Alaska North Slope region. It is the largest National Wildlife Refuge in the country, slightly larger than the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge...
. Schmidt told The Cincinnati Post
The Cincinnati Post
The Cincinnati Post is a discontinued afternoon daily newspaper that was published in Cincinnati, Ohio. Distributed in Northern Kentucky as The Kentucky Post, it was owned by the E. W. Scripps Company. Since the 1980s, its editorial stance was usually conservative. The Post published its final...
"What's really important is to adopt an environmental policy
Environmental policy
Environmental policy is any [course of] action deliberately taken [or not taken] to manage human activities with a view to prevent, reduce, or mitigate harmful effects on nature and natural resources, and ensuring that man-made changes to the environment do not have harmful effects on...
that advances the American economy and national security. I supported the energy bill recently passed by the U.S. House that will expand the use of alternative energy sources and additives like ethanol."
The League of Conservation Voters
League of Conservation Voters
The League of Conservation Voters is a political advocacy organization founded in 1969 by American environmentalist David Brower in the early years of the environmental movement. LCV's mission is to "advocate for sound environmental policies and to elect pro-environmental candidates who will adopt...
, a political action committee
Political action committee
In the United States, a political action committee, or PAC, is the name commonly given to a private group, regardless of size, organized to elect political candidates or to advance the outcome of a political issue or legislation. Legally, what constitutes a "PAC" for purposes of regulation is a...
advocating for environmental concerns, gave Jean Schmidt a lifetime average of 6 on a scale of 0 to 100. In 2005, she was rated at 0.
Taxes and spending
Schmidt supported the tax cuts championed by President George W. BushGeorge W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
. Schmidt called for additional changes to the Internal Revenue Code
Internal Revenue Code
The Internal Revenue Code is the domestic portion of Federal statutory tax law in the United States, published in various volumes of the United States Statutes at Large, and separately as Title 26 of the United States Code...
, such as adopting a flat tax
Flat tax
A flat tax is a tax system with a constant marginal tax rate. Typically the term flat tax is applied in the context of an individual or corporate income that will be taxed at one marginal rate...
and repealing the estate and capital gains tax
Capital gains tax
A capital gains tax is a tax charged on capital gains, the profit realized on the sale of a non-inventory asset that was purchased at a lower price. The most common capital gains are realized from the sale of stocks, bonds, precious metals and property...
es. Schmidt also professed to be a fiscal conservative. A mailing sent to voters listed four examples of "wasteful spending in Washington," which included "$45,000 to buy gold plated playing cards for Air Force Two
Air Force Two
Air Force Two is the air traffic control call sign used by any United States Air Force aircraft carrying the Vice President, but not the President. The term is often associated with the Boeing C-32, a modified 757 which is most commonly used as the Vice President's transport. The C-40 Clipper, a...
!" and "$1.2 million to study the breeding habits of a woodchuck!"
Abortion
Schmidt is 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...
. When she launched her candidacy, she was president of the Right-to-Life of Greater Cincinnati. At the Chatfield College debate, Schmidt said Roe v. Wade
Roe v. Wade
Roe v. Wade, , was a controversial landmark decision by the United States Supreme Court on the issue of abortion. The Court decided that a right to privacy under the due process clause in the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution extends to a woman's decision to have an abortion,...
was "a flawed law made by activist judges
Judicial activism
Judicial activism describes judicial ruling suspected of being based on personal or political considerations rather than on existing law. It is sometimes used as an antonym of judicial restraint. The definition of judicial activism, and which specific decisions are activist, is a controversial...
" and would "love to see" it reversed. Schmidt mailed literature to voters with an endorsement from Paula Westwood, executive director of the Cincinnati right-to-life:
- Jean's legislative experience is invaluable to Right to Life of Greater Cincinnati's efforts and goals for the coming years. But more importantly, she has a tenacious devotion to the sanctity of human life from conception to natural death already demonstrated in her political and private life.
Iraq War
Schmidt made the Iraq War an issue in the race. She declared on WCET-TV's Forum that "9/11 was a wakeup call. We lost our innocence" and praised the Bush foreign policyForeign policy of the George W. Bush administration
During his campaign for election as President of the United States, George W. Bush's foreign policy platform included support for a stronger economic and political relationship with Latin America, especially Mexico, and a reduction of involvement in "nation building" and other small-scale military...
. "The foundation of democracy that has been planted in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
and Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
", she said, has inspired reforms in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
and elsewhere. At the Chatfield College debate on July 7, she said of Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
and Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
"We have toppled a terrorist regime, a terrorist madman who now sits in a prison cell. This country has gone to the ballot box and made its decision to become a democratic regime."
Schmidt appeared in public with a button in her lapel containing a photograph of Matt Maupin
Matt Maupin
Keith Matthew "Matt" Maupin was a United States Army Private First Class captured by Iraqi insurgents on April 9, 2004, while serving in the Iraq War, after his convoy came under attack by rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire near Baghdad, Iraq .On June 28, 2004, Arabic-language...
, who was at the time the only prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
of the Iraq campaign who had not been freed and who was a native of Clermont County.
"Coward" remarks
On November 18, 2005, the House debated a Republican-sponsored resolution, H. Res. 572, calling for the immediate withdrawal of troops from Iraq. It was prompted by the call of John P. Murtha, Jr.John Murtha
John Patrick "Jack" Murtha, Jr. was an American politician from the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Murtha, a Democrat, represented Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1974 until his death in 2010....
, a Democrat from Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, who introduced H.J. Res. 73, which called for the redeployment of American forces as soon as possible. In response, Armed Services Committee chairman Duncan L. Hunter
Duncan Hunter
Duncan Lee Hunter is an American politician. He was a Republican member of the House of Representatives from California's 52nd, 45th and 42nd districts from 1981 to 2009....
of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
introduced H. Res. 572, which the Republican leadership admitted was intended to demonstrate that calls for troop withdrawal were "out of the mainstream." Democrats in turn roundly criticized the Hunter resolution as a sham that misstated Murtha's position.
During debate on adopting the rule for debating the resolution, H. Res. 563, Schmidt said:
Yesterday I stood at Arlington National CemeteryArlington National CemeteryArlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
attending the funeral of a young Marine in my district. He believed in what we were doing is the right thing and had the courage to lay his life on the line to do it. A few minutes ago I received a call from ColonelColonel (United States)In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
Danny BubpDanny BubpDanny R. Bubp is a Republican member of the Ohio House of Representatives, representing the 88th District since 2005. He currently serves as chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.-Life and career:...
, Ohio Representative from the 88th district in the House of Representatives. He asked me to send Congress a message: Stay the course. He also asked me to send Congressman Murtha a message, that cowards cut and run, Marines never do. Danny and the rest of America and the world want the assurance from this body — that we will see this through.
Schmidt's remarks threw the House into an uproar and earned her the sobriquet "Mean Jean". Many Democrats saw it as an unwarranted attack against Murtha, a 38-year Marine Corps veteran. After she said "cowards cut and run, Marines never do," angry Democrats nearly drowned out her words. Victor F. Snyder
Vic Snyder
Victor F. "Vic" Snyder is a former U.S. Representative for , serving from 1997 to 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life, education and career:...
, a former Marine, of Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
demanded that Schmidt's remarks be "taken down." Under this disciplinary procedure, the House clerk would have re-read Schmidt's words and the presiding officer (at the time, Michael K. Simpson
Mike Simpson
Michael Keith "Mike" Simpson, D.M.D. , is the member of the U.S. House of Representatives representing , serving since 1999. He is a member of the Republican Party. He previously served in the Idaho House of Representatives....
of Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
) would have ruled whether they were parliamentary
Unparliamentary language
In a Westminster system, unparliamentary language is words or phrases that are deemed to be inappropriate for use in the House whilst it is in session. This includes, but is not limited to the suggestion of dishonesty or profanity. The most prohibited case is any suggestion that another member is...
. Had they been ruled unparliamentary, Schmidt would not have been able to speak for the rest of the day without permission.
After 10 minutes, Schmidt asked for and received permission to withdraw her remarks and apologized to Murtha.
A spokeswoman for Bubp said that the state representative "did not mention Congressman Murtha by name nor did he mean to disparage Congressman Murtha" and that he felt "the words that Congresswoman Schmidt chose did not represent their conversation." The Cincinnati Enquirer reported Bubp said "he never mentioned. . . Murtha . . . by name when talking with Schmidt, and he would never call a fellow Marine a coward."
Endorsements
On March 8, 2006, The Cincinnati Enquirer reported Representatives Tom TancredoTom Tancredo
Thomas Gerard "Tom" Tancredo is an American politician from Colorado, who represented the state's sixth congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1999 to 2009, as a Republican...
of Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
and Steve Chabot
Steve Chabot
Steven Joseph "Steve" Chabot is the U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Republican Party. He previously represented the district from 1995 to 2009.-Early life, education and career:...
of Ohio stated they had not endorsed Schmidt even though Schmidt's campaign site claimed they had. Chabot later said he had endorsed both Schmidt and her primary opponent. Schmidt also claimed an endorsement from the Family Research Council
Family Research Council
The Family Research Council is a conservative or right-wing Christian group and lobbying organization formed in the United States in 1981 by James Dobson. It was fully incorporated in 1983...
, which was repudiated by the organization. After a review, the Ohio Elections Commission found that the Tancredo and Family Research Council endorsement claims were false but did not warrant any reprimand.
Second bachelor's degree
WLW-AM reported on March 28, 2006, that Schmidt had, since 1989, claimed a B.A.Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in secondary education
Secondary education
Secondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education includes the final stage of compulsory education and in many countries it is entirely compulsory. The next stage of education is usually college or university...
from the University of Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
awarded in 1986. Schmidt had previously listed two degrees on candidate guides, her official Ohio House bio, and past campaign websites. But after her election to Congress, neither her current official or campaign website had the second degree posted. Schmidt's chief of staff, Barry Bennett, told The Plain Dealer Schmidt had completed the requirements for the degree but never filed the paperwork to be awarded a diploma. "I think it's fair to say that she earned it and never collected it," Bennett said.
On April 27, five days before the May 2 primary against McEwen, the Ohio Elections Commission voted 7-0 to issue Schmidt a public reprimand for "false statements" for her claiming to have a second undergraduate degree from the University of Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
that she was not awarded. The Commission wrote in its letter of reprimand
Letter of reprimand
A letter of reprimand is a United States Department of Defense procedure involving a letter to an employee or soldier from his or her superior that details the wrongful actions of the person and the punishment that can be expected...
that Schmidt had "reckless disregard for truth."
Schmidt insisted the error regarding her degrees was a mistake by her staff. On May 1, the day before the election, Schmidt appeared on Bill Cunninham's show on WLW-AM in Cincinnati and was asked by a caller about the OEC reprimand. Schmidt repeated her insistence the error was caused by the designer of her website incorrectly listing her teaching certificate as a degree in secondary education and social studies
Social studies
Social studies is the "integrated study of the social sciences and humanities to promote civic competence," as defined by the American National Council for the Social Studies...
. However Schmidt had been claiming the second bachelor's degree since she first ran for public office in 1989. The Clermont Sun newspaper, in a candidate guide from its November 2, 1989, issue, stated "all candidates were mailed a questionnaire; their responses appear inside [the newspaper]." In her response, Schmidt wrote she possessed "bachelor's degrees in political science and secondary education."
Views on Barack Obama's status as a natural born citizen
At the Voice of America Tea Party on September 5, 2009, Schmidt, in response to a woman who said that Obama "cannot be a president by our constitutionBarack Obama citizenship conspiracy theories
Conspiracy theories about the citizenship of Barack Obama claim that Barack Obama is not a natural-born citizen of the United States and is therefore not eligible to be President of the United States under Article Two of the U.S. Constitution. Some theories allege that Obama was born in Kenya, not...
," replied to the woman, "I agree with you, but the courts don't." Schmidt's statement to the woman appeared to contradict a statement Schmidt made in July 2009 to Loveland Magazine in which she said that "The President is indeed a Citizen of this country" and that she "voted as a Member of the House to certify the vote of the Electoral College electing him as our President."
The Armenian Genocide issue
In 2009 Armenian-American candidate David KrikorianDavid Krikorian
David Krikorian is an American businessman and twice a candidate for Ohio's 2nd congressional district, the seat now held by Republican Jean Schmidt....
targeted the congresswoman for her failure to publicly define what happened to the Ottoman Armenians in 1915–1916 as "the Armenian Genocide
Armenian Genocide
The Armenian Genocide—also known as the Armenian Holocaust, the Armenian Massacres and, by Armenians, as the Great Crime—refers to the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I...
." His concern arose from a statement released by Schmidt's office noting that "at this time she [Schmidt] does not have enough information to characterize these deaths as genocide especially since those responsible are long since dead."
A few days before the 2008 congressional election, Krikorian published a controversial letter alleging that "Jean Schmidt has taken $30,000 in blood money from Turkish government sponsored political action committees to deny the slaughter of 1.5 million Armenian men, women and children by the Ottoman Turkish Government during World War I." Finally, the flier asserted that the claims it contained could be adequately verified by a visit to the Federal Election Commission's website. He repeated the claim to the Ohio Elections Commission.
The Ohio Elections Commission issued a split decision on the case, failing to find that all of the preceding three remarks had been published in violation of ORC 3517.21(B)(10) by clear and convincing evidence. In a series of 4 panel votes, Commissioners affirmed that Turkish American funds are a primary source of support for Rep. Schmidt’s political campaign, but chided Krikorian for statements related to Turkish Government funding of his opponent, because such a funding would be illegal. The votes were taken after a panel decision to disregard testimony provided regarding the Armenian "Genocide" and its "denial" – an integral component of the allegations and Krikorian’s defense —decision which was criticized by David Krikorian's party and supporters. Schmidt also attempted, to no avail, to press criminal charges against Krikorian for his statements. Sibyl Edmonds, a former FBI translator, testified on behalf of Krikorian during the Ohio Elections Commission hearing and spoke about Turkey's connections to Jean Schmidt.
In October 2010, a federal court rejected David Krikorian's appeal.
In June 2010, Jean Schmidt filed a 6.8 million dollar lawsuit against David Krikorian.
In July 2011, the House Ethics Committee announced that it was investigating accusations that Schmidt had accepted roughly $500,000 in free legal services from a Turkish-American interest group. Schmidt said that she hadn't received a bill for the legal services in question, and that she had been waiting for more than a year for guidance from the ethics committee on the proper procedure to pay the bill. In August 2011, the Ethics Committee rendered its decision, holding that the interest group's payment for legal services in connection with her proceedings against Krikorian had been improper, and ordering Schmidt to repay the group $500,000.
On September 21st 2011, the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington is a nonprofit 501 organization that describes itself as "dedicated to promoting ethics and accountability in government and public life by targeting government officials – regardless of party affiliation – who sacrifice the common good to...
added Schmidt to its "most corrupt" list for "accept[ing] hundreds of thousands of dollars in free legal services from lawyers hired by an interest group that appreciated her legislative assistance" as well as "fail[ure] to report the free legal services as gifts in her disclosure forms."http://www.citizensforethics.org/mostcorrupt/entry/Jean-Schmidt-report In October 2011, CREW requested that the Office of Congressional Ethics
Office of Congressional Ethics
The Office of Congressional Ethics , established by the U.S. House of Representatives in March 2008, is an independent, non-partisan entity charged with reviewing allegations of misconduct against members of the House of Representatives and their staff and, when appropriate, referring matters to...
investigate whether Schmidt lied to the House Ethics Committee regarding inquiries into free legal services.
Primary campaign
When President George W. BushGeorge W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
nominated Rob Portman
Rob Portman
Robert Jones "Rob" Portman is the junior United States Senator from Ohio. He is a member of the Republican Party. He succeeded retiring Senator George Voinovich....
, who had just been elected to a sixth full term, to be U.S. Trade Representative on March 17, 2005, eleven Republicans entered the race for his seat.
Schmidt launched her campaign for Congress in Montgomery
Montgomery, Ohio
Montgomery is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States settled in 1796. The town was a coach stop on the Cincinnati-Zanesville Road, later known as the Montgomery Pike with an Inn, two taverns, a grist mill and a carding mill to process its agricultural products...
on April 11, the first candidate from outside Hamilton County
Hamilton 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...
to declare. She emphasized the need for all parts of the district to be represented: "We must always balance the interests of Hamilton County, which is more urban, with those of the more rural part of our district." She said of her predecessor, "While I know that I cannot fill Rob's shoes, I know that I am the right person to continue the tradition of leadership and character." Early polling showed Hamilton County Commissioner Pat DeWine
Pat DeWine
Richard Patrick "Pat" DeWine is an American lawyer and politician from Ohio. He is the son of former U.S Senator Mike DeWine and like his father is a Republican....
leading at 42%, with Schmidt tied for third at 7%.
In her campaign, Schmidt ran on a conservative platform. In one mailing to voters, she promised to "reduce our taxes", "keep our nation safe", advocated "a responsible energy policy", and for "promoting family values." The tag line on the mailer was "continuing a tradition of character and leadership." Schmidt's campaign literature noted her pro-life
Pro-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...
voting record, her opposition to same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
, her high ratings from the National Rifle Association
National Rifle Association
The National Rifle Association of America is an American non-profit 501 civil rights organization which advocates for the protection of the Second Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights and the promotion of firearm ownership rights as well as marksmanship, firearm safety, and the protection...
, and that she "opposes an activist court system that acts against our conservative values." The literature also featured her endorsement by Phil Fulton, a pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
who fought the court ordered removal of tablets containing the Ten Commandments
Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments, also known as the Decalogue , are a set of biblical principles relating to ethics and worship, which play a fundamental role in Judaism and most forms of Christianity. They include instructions to worship only God and to keep the Sabbath, and prohibitions against idolatry,...
from the grounds of schools in Adams County.
A major factor in the primary campaign was DeWine's marriage. In 2004, DeWine's opponent ran ads calling attention to DeWine leaving his pregnant wife and their two children for a mistress working as a lobbyist. Schmidt made it a point in her stump speech to emphasize how long she had been married to her husband: "I am a woman of character who has been married for twenty-nine years."
Schmidt won the endorsement of 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...
, the only major newspaper of the district. The paper commented positively on her record in the Ohio House and her fifteen year record "learning local and regional issues."
Despite being far outspent by DeWine, on June 14, 2005, Schmidt finished first in the Republican primary, with 31 percent of the vote. McEwen finished second with 25 percent, Brinkman was third with 20 percent, and DeWine had 12 percent. Two days after the primary, an editorial cartoon in the 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...
, commenting on DeWine's marriage being such a factor in the primary, showed Schmidt asking Paul Hackett, who had won the Democratic primary, "You have a good marriage. I have a good marriage. What the heck are we going to campaign about?" Many politicos blame Dewine's barrage of attacks on McEwen as the main reason for Schmidt's win.
General election
Schmidt faced Democratic nominee Paul Hackett, described by The New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
as six foot four and "garrulous, profane, and quick with a barked retort or a mischievous joke" in the August 2, 2005, special election. Hackett had organized the recall of a councilman in Milford
Milford, Ohio
Milford is a city in Clermont and Hamilton counties in the U.S. state of Ohio, along the Little Miami River in the southwestern part of the state. It is a part of Greater Cincinnati. Milford, an abbreviated form of mill ford, was so named because it was the first safe ford across the Little Miami...
in 1995 and was elected to the council in his place, serving three years. He had also just returned from a tour of duty in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
and referred to his combat experiences in the campaign.
The district was reliably Republican, the Cook Political Report calling the Second District the fifty-seventh most Republican in America. Among Ohio's congressional districts, only the 4th District
Ohio's 4th congressional district
Ohio's 4th congressional district is currently represented by Republican Jim Jordan.The district includes the counties of Allen, Auglaize, Champaign, Hancock, Hardin, Logan, Marion, Morrow, Richland, Shelby, and part of Wyandot. The largest cities in the district include Findlay, Lima, Mansfield,...
is considered more Republican. The district had been in Republican hands for all but nine years since 1879, and no Democrat had held the seat since Thomas A. Luken's
Tom Luken
Thomas Andrew Luken is a politician of the Democratic Party from Ohio.Luken received his high school diploma in 1942 from Purcell High School. During the Second World War, Luken served as a U.S. Marine. In 1947, he earned a bachelor of arts degree from Xavier University in Cincinnati, after having...
narrow loss to Willis D. Gradison
Bill Gradison
Willis David "Bill" Gradison Jr. is an American politician, who served for almost two decades in the U.S. House of Representatives.-Early life and education:...
in 1974. The last Democrat to win a full term in the district was John J. Gilligan
John J. Gilligan
John Joyce Gilligan is a American Democratic politician from the state of Ohio who served as a U.S. Representative and the 62nd Governor of Ohio. He is the father of Kathleen Sebelius...
, who held the seat for one term after being swept into office in the giant Democratic landslide of 1964.
John Green, a political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
professor at the University of Akron
University of Akron
The University of Akron is a coeducational public research university located in Akron, Ohio, United States. The university is part of the University System of Ohio. It was founded in 1870 as a small college affiliated with the Universalist Church. In 1913 ownership was transferred to the City of...
told USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
"It's a real steep uphill climb for Hackett. It is such a Republican district." Jane S. Anderson, an adjunct professor of political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
at the University of Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
who has unsuccessfully run for the Cincinnati city council and the Ohio House as a Democrat, told the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
It's definitely worth it to the Democrats to put in the effort if only to keep the party energized. Even if Paul Hackett loses, it is very important for the party for him to do well. It could be seen as a sign of opportunities for Democrats in other GOP strongholds.
Martin Gottlieb of 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,...
wrote a Republican landslide in the district was "a self-fulfilling prophecy":
It is so overwhelmingly Republican that Democrats typically don't make a real effort as a party. A candidate puts himself up, but generally it's somebody who has no political strengths and gets no financial contributionsCampaign financeCampaign finance refers to all funds that are raised and spent in order to promote candidates, parties or policies in some sort of electoral contest. In modern democracies such funds are not necessarily devoted to election campaigns. Issue campaigns in referendums, party activities and party...
or volunteer help to speak of. The campaign gets little attention. And the prophecy gets fulfilled.
Hackett criticized Schmidt as a "rubber stamp" for 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...
's "failed policies", and claimed she would continue in that role for George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
if elected. At their debate at Chatfield College, Hackett said "If you think America is on the right track and we need more of the same, I'm not your candidate" and asked "Are you better off today than you were five years ago?", echoing Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
's question in his debate with Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
in 1980. "Rubber stamp" was Hackett's catchphrase throughout the campaign. Hackett even appeared in front of the Hathaway Rubber Stamp store in downtown Cincinnati on July 27 to emphasize the point. "If you think America needs another career politician steeped in a culture of corruption who does as she's told and toes the line on failed policies, then I'm not your candidate," he wrote in a guest column for The Cincinnati Post
The Cincinnati Post
The Cincinnati Post is a discontinued afternoon daily newspaper that was published in Cincinnati, Ohio. Distributed in Northern Kentucky as The Kentucky Post, it was owned by the E. W. Scripps Company. Since the 1980s, its editorial stance was usually conservative. The Post published its final...
. However, Schmidt said that she was proud to be associated with Bush, sending campaign mail with a photograph of them together in the Oval Office
Oval Office
The Oval Office, located in the West Wing of the White House, is the official office of the President of the United States.The room features three large south-facing windows behind the president's desk, and a fireplace at the north end...
.
A month before the election the inspector general
Inspector General
An Inspector General is an investigative official in a civil or military organization. The plural of the term is Inspectors General.-Bangladesh:...
of the Ohio 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...
announced he was investigating three legislators for accepting gifts and failing to report them. Schmidt was implicated in this, but could not be investigated because she was no longer a member of the Ohio house. (The others were Representatives Jim Raussen
Jim Raussen
Jim Raussen is a former Republican member of the Ohio House of Representatives, representing the 29th District from 2003 to 2008.-External links:*...
of Springdale
Springdale, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 10,563 people, 4,421 households, and 2,816 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,131.0 people per square mile . There were 4,607 housing units at an average density of 929.4 per square mile...
, Michelle G. Schneider
Michelle G. Schneider
Michelle G. Schneider is a former Republican member of the Ohio House of Representatives, representing the 35th District from 2001–2008, and at a time serving as Majority Whip...
of Madeira
Madeira, Ohio
Madeira is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States. The population was 8,923 at the 2000 census. Madeira has a Council-Manager form of government, where the elected City Council appoints a paid City Manager to run the day to day operations of the city. Madeira is served by its own Police...
, and Diana M. Fessler of New Carlisle
New Carlisle, Ohio
New Carlisle is a city in Clark County, Ohio, United States. The population was 5,735 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:New Carlisle is located at ....
.) On October 24, 2004, the legislators had accepted dinner at Nicola's Ristorante on Sycamore Street in Cincinnati's Over-the-Rhine
Over-the-Rhine
Over-the-Rhine, sometimes shortened to OTR, is a neighborhood in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is believed to be the largest, most intact urban historic district in the United States. Over-the-Rhine was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983 with 943 contributing buildings...
neighborhood and Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
tickets from a lobbyist for pharmaceutical company Chiron
Chiron
In Greek mythology, Chiron was held to be the superlative centaur among his brethren.-History:Like the satyrs, centaurs were notorious for being wild and lusty, overly indulgent drinkers and carousers, given to violence when intoxicated, and generally uncultured delinquents...
. Schmidt said she thought her $644 gift was from former Bengals player Boomer Esiason
Boomer Esiason
Norman Julius "Boomer" Esiason is a former American football quarterback and current network color commentator. He played for the National Football League's Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets, and Arizona Cardinals before working as an analyst for ABC and HBO...
, who was, like Chiron, interested in cystic fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis is a recessive genetic disease affecting most critically the lungs, and also the pancreas, liver, and intestine...
. Schmidt repaid the lobbyist for the cost of the entertainment. Her spokesman told 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....
"Jean specifically asked if this was a reportable gift. We immediately corrected it by paying the full price of the tickets." Her former colleague Raussen blamed the lobbyist. "Here we have a lobbyist who was extremely sloppy."
Hackett hammered on Schmidt's ethics. When she denied she knew or ever met Thomas Noe
Thomas Noe
Thomas W. Noe is an Ohio Republican party fundraiser and activist, guilty of money laundering for the 2004 Bush-Cheney campaign and of theft and corruption in the "Coingate scandal"...
, at the center of the Coingate investment scandal at the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation, Hackett produced minutes from a meeting of the Ohio Board of Regents
Ohio Board of Regents
The Ohio Board of Regents is the coordinating board for higher education in Ohio. The board was created in 1963 by the Ohio General Assembly to: provide higher education policy advice to the Governor of Ohio and the Ohio General Assembly; develop a strategy involving Ohio's public and independent...
that showed Schmidt had indeed met with Noe, once a regent. On July 29, the Toledo Blade reported on a 2001 e-mail from Taft's assistant Jon Allison complaining Schmidt was "bugging" him about setting up an Internet lottery for Cincinnati businessman Roger Ach, who gave her a $1,000 contribution the next year. Schmidt spokesman Fritz Wenzel said the candidate did not recall any conversations with the governor about Ach's business.
The candidates participated in only two debates. The first was held on July 7 at Chatfield College in St. Martin
St. Martin, Ohio
St. Martin was a village in Brown County, Ohio, United States. The population was 91 at the 2000 census. The community is served by the Fayetteville post office. St. Martin was dissolved as a village in November 2011 to be served by Perry Township....
in Brown County
Brown County, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 42,285 people, 15,555 households, and 11,790 families residing in the county. The population density was 86 people per square mile . There were 17,193 housing units at an average density of 35 per square mile...
, moderated by Jack Atherton of WXIX-TV
WXIX-TV
WXIX-TV channel 19 is the Fox Broadcasting Company affiliate in Cincinnati, Ohio. The station's city of license is Newport, Kentucky, across the Ohio River...
, the Fox Network affiliate in Cincinnati. Hackett told the audience his opponent was "a rubber stamp for failed policies" and "if you think America is on the right track and we need more of the same, I'm not your candidate." The second debate was held July 26 at the Ohio Valley Career and Technical Center
Ohio Valley Career and Technical Center
Ohio Valley Career and Technical Center is a public high school located outside of West Union, Ohio, United States. It is one of four high schools in the Adams County/Ohio Valley School District, the other being North Adams, Peebles, and West Union High Schools...
in West Union
West Union, Ohio
West Union is a village in Adams County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,903 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Adams County....
in Adams County
Adams County, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 27,330 people, 10,501 households, and 7,613 families residing in the county. The population density was 47 people per square mile . There were 11,822 housing units at an average density of 20 per square mile...
. Howard Wilkinson of 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...
said Hackett in the second debate was "trying to paint Schmidt as a Taft-Bush robot." The two also made joint appearances on WCET-TV's Forum on July 28 and WKRC-TV
WKRC-TV
WKRC-TV is the CBS-affiliated television station for the Tri-State area of Southern Ohio, Northern Kentucky, and Southeastern Indiana that is licensed to Cincinnati. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 12 from a transmitter at its studios on Highland Avenue in the Mount...
's Newsmakers on July 31.
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...
ran a front page story on July 2 reporting on the candidates financial disclosure statements that revealed both were millionaire
Millionaire
A millionaire is an individual whose net worth or wealth is equal to or exceeds one million units of currency. It can also be a person who owns one million units of currency in a bank account or savings account...
s. Schmidt was worth between $1,700,000 and $6,800,000; most of her wealth was her share of RTJJ, LLC, a real estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
company
Company
A company is a form of business organization. It is an association or collection of individual real persons and/or other companies, who each provide some form of capital. This group has a common purpose or focus and an aim of gaining profits. This collection, group or association of persons can be...
owned with her three siblings. Hackett was worth between $650,000 and $1,600,000. (These figures did not include the value of either's home. The Clermont County Auditor valued Schmidt's home on 0.667 acres (2,699.3 m²) at $138,510 and the Hamilton County Auditor valued Hackett's home on 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) at $552,800.)
Schmidt used her own wealth in the campaign. She told The Cincinnati Post
The Cincinnati Post
The Cincinnati Post is a discontinued afternoon daily newspaper that was published in Cincinnati, Ohio. Distributed in Northern Kentucky as The Kentucky Post, it was owned by the E. W. Scripps Company. Since the 1980s, its editorial stance was usually conservative. The Post published its final...
the week before the election she put $200,000 of her money in the campaign that she had planned to use to buy a condominium
Condominium
A condominium, or condo, is the form of housing tenure and other real property where a specified part of a piece of real estate is individually owned while use of and access to common facilities in the piece such as hallways, heating system, elevators, exterior areas is executed under legal rights...
in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. The paper noted the median
Median
In probability theory and statistics, a median is described as the numerical value separating the higher half of a sample, a population, or a probability distribution, from the lower half. The median of a finite list of numbers can be found by arranging all the observations from lowest value to...
household income
Median household income
The median household income is commonly used to generate data about geographic areas and divides households into two equal segments with the first half of households earning less than the median household income and the other half earning more...
in the district was $46,813.
National attention on the race
Hackett attracted national attention in newspapers, and expenditures by both parties at the national level. The National Republican Congressional CommitteeNational Republican Congressional Committee
The National Republican Congressional Committee is the Republican Hill committee which works to elect Republicans to the United States House of Representatives....
announced on July 28 it was spending $265,000 for television ads in the Cincinnati market, covering the western part of the district, and $250,000 for ads in the Huntington
Huntington, West Virginia
Huntington is a city in Cabell and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia, along the Ohio River. Most of the city is in Cabell County, for which it is the county seat. A small portion of the city, mainly the neighborhood of Westmoreland, is in Wayne County. Its population was 49,138 at...
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, market, covering the eastern half. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is the Democratic Hill committee for the United States House of Representatives, working to elect Democrats to that body. They play a critical role in recruiting candidates, raising funds, and organizing races in districts that are expected to yield...
(DCCC) responded with commercials noting that Schmidt had voted to raise the sales tax
Sales tax
A sales tax is a tax, usually paid by the consumer at the point of purchase, itemized separately from the base price, for certain goods and services. The tax amount is usually calculated by applying a percentage rate to the taxable price of a sale....
by 20% and the excise tax on gasoline
Gasoline
Gasoline , or petrol , is a toxic, translucent, petroleum-derived liquid that is primarily used as a fuel in internal combustion engines. It consists mostly of organic compounds obtained by the fractional distillation of petroleum, enhanced with a variety of additives. Some gasolines also contain...
by 30 percent when she was in the legislature. A DCCC mailing to voters reiterated these charges under the headline "Who Voted for the Taft Sales Tax Increase — the Largest in Ohio History?" and asked "can we trust Jean Schmidt to protect middle-class families in Washington?"
General election results
Schmidt won by a narrow margin of 3.5 percent, receiving 59,671 votes to Hackett's 55,886, the worst showing of any Republican in the district since 1974, but which made her the second Republican woman elected to Congress from Ohio in her own right (behind Deborah PryceDeborah Pryce
Deborah D. Pryce is an American politician from Ohio and former Republican member of the United States House of Representatives for Ohio's 15th congressional district, which includes the western half of Columbus and the surrounding suburbs.She is divorced from Randy Walker and now lives in Upper...
) and the first woman to represent southwestern Ohio in Congress. Schmidt in her victory speech late on election night declared:
We began this race way back in late March, and no one had thought we'd be the focus of the national media or be the so-called first test of the Republican Party and the Bush mandate. Well, ladies and gentlemen, we passed that test.
Swearing in
Schmidt was sworn in on the evening of September 6, 2005. (Ordinarily, representatives chosen in special elections take office immediately, but the House was in its August recess at the time of the election.) In her maiden speech, Schmidt said:- I stand here today in the same shoes, though with a slightly higher heel, as thousands of Members who have taken the same oath before me. I am mindful of what is expected of me both by this hallowed institution and the hundreds of thousands of Americans I am blessed to represent. I am the lowest-ranking Member of this body, the very bottom rung of the ladder; and I am privileged to hold that title. . .
- I pledge to walk in the shoes of my colleagues and refrain from name-calling or the questioning of character. It is easy to quickly sink to the lowest form of political debate. Harsh words often lead to headlines, but walking this path is not a victimless crime. This great House pays the price.
- So at this moment, I begin my tenure in this Chamber, uncertain of what history will say of my tenure here. I come here green with only a desire to make our great country even greater. We have much work to do. In that spirit, I pledge to each of you that any disagreements we may have are just that and no more. Walking in each other's shoes takes effort and pause; however, it is my sincere hope that I never lose the patience to view each of you as human beings first, God's creatures, and foremost. I deeply appreciate this opportunity to serve with each of you. I very much look forward to getting to know you better.
2006 re-election bid
Schmidt faced Democrat Victoria Wells WulsinVictoria Wells Wulsin
Victoria Elizabeth Wells Wulsin, M.D., D.P.H. is a physician and three-time Democratic congressional candidate in the Second District of Ohio . She is a resident of Indian Hill, an affluent suburb of Cincinnati....
, a doctor
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
from Indian Hill
Indian Hill, Ohio
The Village of Indian Hill is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, and an affluent suburb of the Greater Cincinnati area. The population was 5,907 at the 2000 census. Prior to 1970, Indian Hill was incorporated as a village, but under Ohio law became designated as a city once its...
in the November general election. She only won by 2,800 votes (out of almost 240,000 votes cast)--a margin of 1.26%. This was the closest a Republican had come to losing the seat in 42 years. Schmidt held her seat by winning her home base in Clermont County by almost 8,000 votes.
During Schmidt's re-election bid there were several controversies
Ohio 2nd congressional district election, 2006
The Ohio 2nd congressional district election, 2006 is an election for the United States House of Representatives that took place on November 7, 2006. Incumbent Jean Schmidt, who won the seat in a special election in 2005, ran for reelection. She faced Democrat Victoria Wells Wulsin, a doctor from...
, which affected her campaign. One was a March 2006 report about Schmidt's past claims that she had a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in secondary education
Secondary education
Secondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education includes the final stage of compulsory education and in many countries it is entirely compulsory. The next stage of education is usually college or university...
from the University of Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
, awarded in 1986. Schmidt's defenders pointed out that neither her current official or campaign website had the second degree posted, and said that Schmidt had completed the requirements for the degree but never filed the paperwork to be awarded a diploma. On April 27, five days before the May 2 primary, the Ohio Elections Commission voted 7-0 to issue Schmidt a public reprimand for "false statements" for her claiming to have that second degree. The Commission also found that Schmidt had made false claims of being endorsed by several organizations, but that these did not warrant any reprimand.
Schmidt won the Republican primary with 33,314 votes to 29,611 votes for Bob McEwen
Bob McEwen
Robert D. "Bob" McEwen is a lobbyist and American politician of the Republican Party, who was a member of the United States House of Representatives from southern Ohio's Sixth District, from January 3, 1981 to January 3, 1993...
, the former congressman who finished second in the special primary in 2005. The other two candidates received slightly fewer than 7,000 votes. In the Democratic primary, Wulsin received 10,250 votes, 37 percent of the total vote in that primary.
2008 re-election bid
On January 20, 2008, Schmidt received the Hamilton County Republican Party's endorsement for the March 4 Republican primary.The Schmidt campaign sent out a fundraising letter accusing her Democratic opponent, Victoria Wulsin of harboring a "contempt for the culture of life" that led her to "participate in grotesque medical experiments" involving injections of "malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
virus
Virus
A virus is a small infectious agent that can replicate only inside the living cells of organisms. Viruses infect all types of organisms, from animals and plants to bacteria and archaea...
" into AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
patients in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
without their consent. The Wulsin campaign vigorously denied the charges.
The "grotesque medical experiments" charge appears to be a reference to 2004 work that Wulsin did with the Heimlich Institute in Ohio. She examined data that was supplied to her as part of a literature review
Literature review
A literature review is a body of text that aims to review the critical points of current knowledge including substantive findings as well as theoretical and methodological contributions to a particular topic...
, taken from ongoing studies, of experimental AIDS therapies that Wulsin concluded had potential. "She never participated in any of the studies," said Wulsin communications director Kevin Franck. "She was never in a position to stop any of them while they were in progress ... Jean Schmidt knew that those complaints and those allegations had no merit when she mailed the letter." There is also no such thing as a malaria virus, as malaria is caused by protozoa
Protozoa
Protozoa are a diverse group of single-cells eukaryotic organisms, many of which are motile. Throughout history, protozoa have been defined as single-cell protists with animal-like behavior, e.g., movement...
ns.
Schmidt was struck by a hit and run
Hit and run (vehicular)
Hit-and-run is the act of causing a traffic accident , and failing to stop and identify oneself afterwards...
driver while jogging, and was diagnosed with two broken ribs and two fractured vertebrae. The injuries were not diagnosed immediately after the accident. However, the week following the accident she was embarking on a weekend fact-finding visit to Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
when severe pain caused her to pass out while landing at a U.S. Air Force Base
Airbase
An airbase is a military airfield that provides basing and support of military aircraft....
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. As a sign of respect, her Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
opponent, Victoria Wulsin, suspended her campaign while Schmidt rested at home.
In 2008, Representative Schmidt won re-election to the United States Congress with just under 45% of the vote. She defeated Indian Hill Democrat Victoria Wells Wulsin (37.3%) and independent David Krikorian
David Krikorian
David Krikorian is an American businessman and twice a candidate for Ohio's 2nd congressional district, the seat now held by Republican Jean Schmidt....
(17.3%).
2010 re-election
Schmidt was being challenged by Democratic nominee Surya 'Chili' Yalamanchili, a former Procter & Gamble brand manager, and Libertarian nominee Marc Johnston. Schmidt won re-election with 58.6% of the vote.Personal life
Schmidt and her husband, Peter W. Schmidt have one child, a daughter, Emilie (born in 1978). A Roman Catholic, she has been a member of Elizabeth Ann SetonElizabeth Ann Seton
Saint Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton was the first native-born citizen of the United States to be canonized by the Roman Catholic Church . She established Catholic communities in Emmitsburg, Maryland....
Church since 1978. She is a marathon runner.
Schmidt is a member of the Clermont County
Clermont County, Ohio
Clermont County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States, just east of Cincinnati. As of 2010, the population was 197,363. Its county seat is Batavia...
Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
, the Clermont County 20/20 Committee, Clermont County League of Women Voters
League of Women Voters
The League of Women Voters is an American political organization founded in 1920 by Carrie Chapman Catt during the last meeting of the National American Woman Suffrage Association approximately six months before the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution gave women the right to vote...
, the Clermont County Agricultural Society, Clermont County Township Association, and the Milford-Miami Township Chamber of Commerce.
She was elected chairman of the Greater Cincinnati Right to Life
Right to life
Right to life is a phrase that describes the belief that a human being has an essential right to live, particularly that a human being has the right not to be killed by another human being...
organization in 2005. Schmidt is a trustee of the Clermont County Library, having previously served from 1980 to 1992 and 1994 to 2000. She was reappointed to the board in 2005. She is also a director of the Mercy Hospital Clermont Foundation Board.
External links
- U.S. Congresswoman Jean Schmidt official U.S. House site
- Jean Schmidt for Congress official campaign site
- Profile on the Ohio Ladies' Gallery website
- 2000, 2002, 2004 Campaign contributions at the National Institute for Money in State Politics
- Advocacy group ratings at The HillThe Hill (newspaper)The Hill, a subsidiary of News Communications Inc., is a newspaper published in Washington, D.C. since 1994.Its first editor was Martin Tolchin, a veteran correspondent in the Washington bureau of The New York Times....
- Profile at SourceWatchSourceWatchSourceWatch is an internet wiki site that is a collaborative project of the liberal Center for Media and Democracy...
- Video of the "cowards cut and run" remark, from C-SPANC-SPANC-SPAN , an acronym for Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network, is an American cable television network that offers coverage of federal government proceedings and other public affairs programming via its three television channels , one radio station and a group of websites that provide streaming...