Rich Iott
Encyclopedia
Richard Bradley "Rich" Iott (born October 25, 1951) was the 2010 Republican
nominee for United States Representative for Ohio's 9th District
. A lifelong resident of Ohio
, he is a former grocery executive, and is presently a film producer and an active investor in a number of small businesses.
. He attended parochial
grade school and graduated from Sylvania High School
(now Northview) in 1969. Iott wanted to enlist in the military during the Vietnam War
era, but was refused due to a heart murmur. He attended Hillsdale College
, but did not graduate.
in 2000.
Since leaving the grocery business, Iott has become involved with start-up companies, ranging from 3D imaging to salsa making. He is also a filmmaker, producing thirteen feature films, mainly as an executive producer
, between 2007 and the present, including three for the SyFy
Channel, Call of the Wild
and a remake of Beauty and the Beast
. He was co-founder of Toledo's Black Swamp International Film Festival in 2009.
(OHMR), a State Defense Force that is trained to provide logistics and resource support during disasters or threats to homeland security. He is now a colonel and the Deputy Commander of the OHMR.
Iott has been on numerous community boards over the years including the Toledo Zoo, the Toledo Chamber of Commerce, St. Ursula Academy, St. John’s Jesuit, Erie Shores Council of the Boy Scouts, and St. Luke’s Hospital. He was Chairman of the Ohio Council of Retail Merchants. As president of the Iott Foundation, Iott funded the construction of a three story expansion of St. Ursula's all-girls Catholic high school in 2006.
, announcing his candidacy in late January 2010. Of his lack of political experience, Iott said, "That is exactly my qualification," and, "I am not a politician, never have been, and don't intend to become one." Following complaints by members of the Tea Party movement
that having a conservative independent and a conservative Republican on the November ballot would split the vote, Iott dropped his independent candidacy and ran in the Republican primary against Jack Smith, a retired Toledo police chief and Vietnam veteran. Iott defeated Smith on May 4, with 12,668 votes to Smith's 4,729.
Iott's opponent in the general election was Democratic
nominee Marcy Kaptur
; Libertarian
candidates Joseph Michael Jaffe and Jeremy D. Swartz withdrew. Several media outlets described Iott as a Tea Party favorite. His campaign was largely self-financed, with $823,100 in loan contributions coming from Iott as of June 30, 2010. As of September 30, Iott had raised and spent $1.5 million, with approximately $1.4 million in candidate self financing through loans.
Iott lost the election to incumbent Democrat Marcy Kaptur by 35,822 votes. He won Ottawa and Lorain counties, split Erie county and lost Lucas county.
group that portrays the Nazi 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking
. The Atlantic also published two pictures of Iott dressed as an SS officer
that were replicated virally on the internet and by other news sources. Iott told The Atlantic that his interest was historical and that he absolutely does not agree with the tenets of Nazism
. He said he joined because reenactments were a hobby and a father-son bonding experience, and that he has participated in a range of reenactments over the years including as a Union Army
soldier in the American Civil War
, and as American soldiers in World War I and II. Iott's campaign said the candidate had not engaged in any reenactments for about five years. According to the Toledo Free Press, Iott joined the group in 2002 and was listed on the membership rolls through 2008. In response to the ensuing criticism, Iott said he never intended disrespect towards anyone through his reenactments, and later said the story was a coordinated character assassination attempt by his opponent to distract from the issues. Swastikas were found painted on several of Iott's campaign lawn signs on October 13, 2010, with Iott accusing the Kaptur campaign of "inciting these hateful actions".
A Holocaust survivors' group said that Iott's wearing of the SS uniform was "disgraceful", and the Republican Jewish Coalition called Iott unfit for office. A local rabbi predicted the reaction would be negative and would not be limited to Jewish people. The JTA News Service noted that Iott has not apologized. Some Republican leaders have attempted to distance themselves from Iott in the wake of the controversy. House Republican whip
Eric Cantor
told Fox News that he repudiated and did not support Iott's actions. The National Republican Congressional Committee
removed Iott from its website list of preferred "contenders". A Jewish friend and movie business partner of Iott offered a defense, calling Iott one of the most pro Jewish and pro Israel people he knows. Toledo City Councilman Rob Ludeman said he was not withdrawing his support of Iott because of one incident in the past. The Lucas County GOP chief continued to back Iott, emphasizing that the county Republican Party organization does not condone Nazis, and adding the claim that this was nothing more than politically motivated mudslinging and an attempt to split the party. U.S. House Minority Leader John Boehner
continued to solicit funds for Iott's campaign through his Freedom Project PAC. A Freedom Project spokesman said Boehner was not concerned about the reenactments turning off voters or donors. Polls conducted during and after the campaign indicated that story actually had no effect on voters and was largely viewed as an unfair attack by his opponent to divert attention from the issues. He nonetheless lost the election by 35,822 votes.
Susan B. Anthony List
Candidate Fund endorsed Iott on July 13, saying he would be a supporter of pro-life issues. The political action committee of the National Federation of Independent Business
endorsed Iott on September 23, based on Iott's positions on health care, taxes, and regulation. The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (the lobbying arm of the Citizens Against Government Waste
) endorsed Iott on October 6, saying he had signed the PAC's "No Pork Pledge
" and was committed to fiscal conservatism, cutting taxes, and reducing the size of government. Other endorsements came from the Change the Congress in 2010 PAC and the Gun Owners of America
Political Victory Fund which gave him a grade of A. Iott received a grade AQ from the NRA
, which is an A based on how he answered the NRA's questionnaire,
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...
nominee for United States Representative for Ohio's 9th District
Ohio's 9th congressional district
Ohio's 9th congressional district has been represented by Representative Marcia C. Kaptur since 1983.This district is in the northern part of the state, bordering Michigan and Ontario, Canada , and includes the counties of Erie, Lorain, Lucas, and Ottawa.-List of largest municipalities:All or part...
. A lifelong resident of Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, he is a former grocery executive, and is presently a film producer and an active investor in a number of small businesses.
Early life and education
Iott is the son of grocers Wallace "Wally" Iott and Jeanette Iott of Toledo, OhioToledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
. He attended parochial
Parochial school
A parochial school is a school that provides religious education in addition to conventional education. In a narrower sense, a parochial school is a Christian grammar school or high school which is part of, and run by, a parish.-United Kingdom:...
grade school and graduated from Sylvania High School
Sylvania Northview High School
Sylvania Northview High School is a public high school located in Sylvania, Ohio. It is a part of the Sylvania City School District. Northview currently has 1,347 students and 86 teachers.-Notable alumni:* Chip Davis, creator of Mannheim Steamroller...
(now Northview) in 1969. Iott wanted to enlist in the military during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
era, but was refused due to a heart murmur. He attended Hillsdale College
Hillsdale College
Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Michigan, United States, is a co-educational liberal arts college known for being the first American college to prohibit in its charter all discrimination based on race, religion, or sex; its refusal of government funding; and its monthly publication, Imprimis...
, but did not graduate.
Career
He worked in the family grocery business, which grew to be the Seaway Food Town regional chain of 75 supermarkets and drug stores. He started out in clerk jobs in 1966 then moved up into management, becoming the President of the corporation in 1989. He was CEO from 1996 until the business was merged with Spartan StoresSpartan Stores
Spartan Stores Inc. is an American food distributor and grocery store chain headquartered in Byron Township, Michigan. The company distributes national and Spartan brand products to over 400 independent grocery stores in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio.-History:...
in 2000.
Since leaving the grocery business, Iott has become involved with start-up companies, ranging from 3D imaging to salsa making. He is also a filmmaker, producing thirteen feature films, mainly as an executive producer
Executive producer
An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
, between 2007 and the present, including three for the SyFy
Syfy
Syfy , formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel and SCI FI, is an American cable television channel featuring science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, reality, paranormal, wrestling, and horror programming. Launched on September 24, 1992, it is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a...
Channel, Call of the Wild
Call Of The Wild
-Track listing:All songs written by Ted Nugent, except where indicated:#"Call of the Wild" – 4:51#"Sweet Revenge" – 4:06#"Pony Express" – 5:21#"Ain't It the Truth" – 4:57#"Renegade" – 3:33...
and a remake of Beauty and the Beast
Beauty and the Beast
Beauty and the Beast is a traditional fairy tale. The first published version of the fairy tale was a rendition by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve, published in La jeune américaine, et les contes marins in 1740...
. He was co-founder of Toledo's Black Swamp International Film Festival in 2009.
Community service
Since 1982, Iott has served in the Ohio Military ReserveOhio Military Reserve
The Ohio Military Reserve is a military force which supports the State of Ohio along with the Ohio Army National Guard and Ohio Air National Guard in times of natural disaster and state and national emergencies....
(OHMR), a State Defense Force that is trained to provide logistics and resource support during disasters or threats to homeland security. He is now a colonel and the Deputy Commander of the OHMR.
Iott has been on numerous community boards over the years including the Toledo Zoo, the Toledo Chamber of Commerce, St. Ursula Academy, St. John’s Jesuit, Erie Shores Council of the Boy Scouts, and St. Luke’s Hospital. He was Chairman of the Ohio Council of Retail Merchants. As president of the Iott Foundation, Iott funded the construction of a three story expansion of St. Ursula's all-girls Catholic high school in 2006.
2010 U.S. Congressional campaign
Iott began his run for Congress as an independentIndependent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
, announcing his candidacy in late January 2010. Of his lack of political experience, Iott said, "That is exactly my qualification," and, "I am not a politician, never have been, and don't intend to become one." Following complaints by members of the Tea Party movement
Tea Party movement
The Tea Party movement is an American populist political movement that is generally recognized as conservative and libertarian, and has sponsored protests and supported political candidates since 2009...
that having a conservative independent and a conservative Republican on the November ballot would split the vote, Iott dropped his independent candidacy and ran in the Republican primary against Jack Smith, a retired Toledo police chief and Vietnam veteran. Iott defeated Smith on May 4, with 12,668 votes to Smith's 4,729.
Iott's opponent in the general election was 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...
nominee Marcy Kaptur
Marcy Kaptur
Marcia Carolyn "Marcy" Kaptur is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1983. She is a member of the Democratic Party. The district, anchored by the city of Toledo, includes all of Ottawa and Erie counties, and part of Lucas and Lorain counties.Serving her fourteenth term in the House of...
; Libertarian
Libertarian Party (United States)
The Libertarian Party is the third largest and fastest growing political party in the United States. The political platform of the Libertarian Party reflects its brand of libertarianism, favoring minimally regulated, laissez-faire markets, strong civil liberties, minimally regulated migration...
candidates Joseph Michael Jaffe and Jeremy D. Swartz withdrew. Several media outlets described Iott as a Tea Party favorite. His campaign was largely self-financed, with $823,100 in loan contributions coming from Iott as of June 30, 2010. As of September 30, Iott had raised and spent $1.5 million, with approximately $1.4 million in candidate self financing through loans.
Iott lost the election to incumbent Democrat Marcy Kaptur by 35,822 votes. He won Ottawa and Lorain counties, split Erie county and lost Lucas county.
War reenactment group controversy
Iott received national media attention in October 2010 when it was reported in The Atlantic that he was a former member of a World War II reenactmentWorld War II reenactment
World War II Reenactment is the historical reenactment of World War II military.-Background:While some dramatic recreations of wartime events had been staged for theatrical purposes and for military purposes World War II Reenactment is the historical reenactment of World War II...
group that portrays the Nazi 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking
5th SS Panzer Division Wiking
The 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking was one of the elite Panzer divisions of the thirty eight Waffen SS divisions. It was recruited from foreign volunteers, from Scandinavia, Finland, Estonia, The Netherlands, and Belgium under the command of German officers...
. The Atlantic also published two pictures of Iott dressed as an SS officer
Schutzstaffel
The Schutzstaffel |Sig runes]]) was a major paramilitary organization under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. Built upon the Nazi ideology, the SS under Heinrich Himmler's command was responsible for many of the crimes against humanity during World War II...
that were replicated virally on the internet and by other news sources. Iott told The Atlantic that his interest was historical and that he absolutely does not agree with the tenets of Nazism
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
. He said he joined because reenactments were a hobby and a father-son bonding experience, and that he has participated in a range of reenactments over the years including as a Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
soldier in the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, and as American soldiers in World War I and II. Iott's campaign said the candidate had not engaged in any reenactments for about five years. According to the Toledo Free Press, Iott joined the group in 2002 and was listed on the membership rolls through 2008. In response to the ensuing criticism, Iott said he never intended disrespect towards anyone through his reenactments, and later said the story was a coordinated character assassination attempt by his opponent to distract from the issues. Swastikas were found painted on several of Iott's campaign lawn signs on October 13, 2010, with Iott accusing the Kaptur campaign of "inciting these hateful actions".
A Holocaust survivors' group said that Iott's wearing of the SS uniform was "disgraceful", and the Republican Jewish Coalition called Iott unfit for office. A local rabbi predicted the reaction would be negative and would not be limited to Jewish people. The JTA News Service noted that Iott has not apologized. Some Republican leaders have attempted to distance themselves from Iott in the wake of the controversy. House Republican whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
Eric Cantor
Eric Cantor
Eric Ivan Cantor is the U.S. Representative for Virginia's 7th congressional district, serving since 2001. A member of the Republican Party, he became House Majority Leader when the 112th Congress convened on January 3, 2011...
told Fox News that he repudiated and did not support Iott's actions. The National Republican Congressional Committee
National 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....
removed Iott from its website list of preferred "contenders". A Jewish friend and movie business partner of Iott offered a defense, calling Iott one of the most pro Jewish and pro Israel people he knows. Toledo City Councilman Rob Ludeman said he was not withdrawing his support of Iott because of one incident in the past. The Lucas County GOP chief continued to back Iott, emphasizing that the county Republican Party organization does not condone Nazis, and adding the claim that this was nothing more than politically motivated mudslinging and an attempt to split the party. U.S. House Minority Leader John Boehner
John Boehner
John Andrew Boehner is the 61st and current Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. A member of the Republican Party, he is the U.S. Representative from , serving since 1991...
continued to solicit funds for Iott's campaign through his Freedom Project PAC. A Freedom Project spokesman said Boehner was not concerned about the reenactments turning off voters or donors. Polls conducted during and after the campaign indicated that story actually had no effect on voters and was largely viewed as an unfair attack by his opponent to divert attention from the issues. He nonetheless lost the election by 35,822 votes.
Endorsements
The 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...
Susan B. Anthony List
Susan B. Anthony List
The Susan B. Anthony List, or simply SBA List, is a 501 non-profit, non-partisan organization that seeks to eliminate abortion in the U.S. by supporting pro-life politicians, primarily women, through its SBA List Candidate Fund political action committee...
Candidate Fund endorsed Iott on July 13, saying he would be a supporter of pro-life issues. The political action committee of the National Federation of Independent Business
National Federation of Independent Business
The National Federation of Independent Business is a lobbying organization with its headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee and offices in Washington, D.C. USA, and in all 50 state capitals...
endorsed Iott on September 23, based on Iott's positions on health care, taxes, and regulation. The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (the lobbying arm of the Citizens Against Government Waste
Citizens Against Government Waste
Citizens Against Government Waste is a 501 non-profit organization in the United States. It functions as a think-tank, 'government watchdog', and advocacy group for fiscally conservative causes...
) endorsed Iott on October 6, saying he had signed the PAC's "No Pork Pledge
Pork barrel
Pork barrel is a derogatory term referring to appropriation of government spending for localized projects secured solely or primarily to bring money to a representative's district...
" and was committed to fiscal conservatism, cutting taxes, and reducing the size of government. Other endorsements came from the Change the Congress in 2010 PAC and the Gun Owners of America
Gun Owners of America
Gun Owners of America is a gun rights organization in the United States with over 300,000 members. They make efforts to differentiate themselves from the larger National Rifle Association , and have publicly criticized the NRA on multiple occasions for what the GOA considers to be the selling out...
Political Victory Fund which gave him a grade of A. Iott received a grade AQ from the NRA
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...
, which is an A based on how he answered the NRA's questionnaire,
Selected political positions
According to his campaign website, as a candidate Iott advanced these political positions:- He stated he would vote to repeal the 2010 health care reform legislationHealth care reform in the United StatesHealth care reform in the United States has a long history, of which the most recent results were two federal statutes enacted in 2010: the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act , signed March 23, 2010, and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 , which amended the PPACA and...
because he believes it is unconstitutional, a "job killer", and will lead to rationingHealth care rationingHealth care rationing refers to governmental mechanisms that are used to allocate health care when resources are scarce. Countries differ upon the mechanisms they use to ration the distribution of health care...
. He stated he would vote for tort reformTort reformTort reform refers to proposed changes in common law civil justice systems that would reduce tort litigation or damages. Tort actions are civil common law claims first created in the English commonwealth system as a non-legislative means for compensating wrongs and harm done by one party to...
and would vote to make it possible for people to buy insurance across state lines. - He opposes the cap and trade energy bill and is in favor of market-driven solutions to energy problems.
- He believes the government bailoutsEmergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (Division A of , commonly referred to as a bailout of the U.S. financial system, is a law enacted in response to the subprime mortgage crisis...
were unconstitutional, a waste of taxpayer money, and a violation of free market principles. - He pledged never to ask for earmarksEarmark (politics)In United States politics, an earmark is a legislative provision that directs approved funds to be spent on specific projects, or that directs specific exemptions from taxes or mandated fees...
when elected to Congress. - He believes the Social SecuritySocial Security (United States)In the United States, Social Security refers to the federal Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance program.The original Social Security Act and the current version of the Act, as amended encompass several social welfare and social insurance programs...
system needs to be reformed, but does not believe in privatizingPrivatizationPrivatization is the incidence or process of transferring ownership of a business, enterprise, agency or public service from the public sector to the private sector or to private non-profit organizations...
it, increasing the retirement age, changing recipients' benefits, or raising taxes. - He believes in sealing the borders and deporting all illegal immigrantsIllegal immigrationIllegal immigration is the migration into a nation in violation of the immigration laws of that jurisdiction. Illegal immigration raises many political, economical and social issues and has become a source of major controversy in developed countries and the more successful developing countries.In...
who come to the attention of law enforcement, and supports ArizonaArizonaArizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
's controversial immigration legislation, Arizona SB 1070. - He believes that the Iraq War was a success, and supports an escalation of the War in AfghanistanWar in Afghanistan (2001–present)The War in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, as the armed forces of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Afghan United Front launched Operation Enduring Freedom...
. - He supports America's participation in international free trade agreementsFree trade areaA free trade area is a trade bloc whose member countries have signed a free trade agreement , which eliminates tariffs, import quotas, and preferences on most goods and services traded between them. If people are also free to move between the countries, in addition to FTA, it would also be...
. - He is opposed to same-sex marriageSame-sex marriageSame-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....
. - He supports IsraelIsraelThe State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
's right to self-defense and says America has an obligation to support it; he opposes a PalestinianPalestinePalestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
state formed by taking land from Israel and a divided Jerusalem, and believes that the UN has become irrelevant.
External links
- Rich Iott for Congress official campaign site
- Financial information at OpenSecrets.org
- Rich Iott on FactCheck.org