Tap Project

"It's our single most bountiful resource. Yet, water is a daily privilege millions take for granted. The little known truth is that lack of clean and accessible drinking water is the second largest worldwide killer of children under five."

That is the Mission Statement of TAP PROJECT, an organization which pairs with UNICEF to bring clean drinking water to children around the world who would otherwise go without.
Beginning Sunday, March 16 through Saturday, March 22, restaurants will invite their customers to donate a minimum of $1 for the tap water they would normally get for free. For every dollar raised, a child will have clean drinking water for 40 days. There are several local restaurants on the list, go here to check them out:http://www.tapproject.org/cities/cincinnati

We think it is a worthy cause and hope you will too.

Chabot Caught Lying about Term Limits

As we have reported here earlier, Congressman Chabot was elected to Congress in 1994 under the wave of Republican momentum mainly garnered by Newt Gingrich's "Contract with America". What Mr. Chabot promised that day, along with everyone else who signed the "Contract" was that if elected he would limit himself to six terms or twelve years and then step down.
Link to our previous story here:http://ohiofirstpolitics.blogspot.com/2008/02/steve-chabots-contract-with-who.html

During an online chat with The Enquirer in October of 2006, Chabot was asked about his refusal to keep his word on that promise. Here is the actual transcript from that exchange:

SHARKY (12:19:03 PM)
Congressmen Chabot, Why have you changed your mind about term limits? You originally supported term limits and now your running for another term in congress.

Steve Chabot (12:19:43 PM)
Actually, I have not changed my mind about term limits. I never promised to self-term limit.

The exchange was left at that and never brought up again.
Link to the entire transcript here:http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061030/NEWS01/310300017

Given the recent scandal out of Steve Chabot's office paired with a pattern of corruption that leads back to campaign contributions from Mississippi Indian Tribes looking to buy Casino votes, we feel this is an issue of character that must be raised this election cycle.

Chabot breaks House rules.........again.

On Friday, Steve Chabot's office sent an email to other Congressional offices asking all members to send their interns to the NRCC (National Republican Congressional Committee) to help make campaign calls for Jim Oberweis who was running to take over Dennis Hastert's seat in Illinois.

It is a violation of house rules to use taxpayer and House resources for campaign purposes.
From "The Hill":

“If you have interns sitting around today, please send them over to the RNC...to phone bank for Oberweis,” the e-mail states.
Matthew Lillibridge, a staff assistant in Chabot’s office, forwarded the e-mail to aides in other congressional offices, apparently violating House rules against using House resources for campaign purposes. Lillibridge used his House e-mail address, forwarding the e-mail to other addresses on the House e-mail server.
“It raises questions as to what other activities are taking place in Congressman Steve Chabot’s office on the taxpayer’s dime,” Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) spokesman Doug Thornell told The Hill.

Link to the entire story here:http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/chabots-office-apologizes-for-apparently-breaking-house-rules-in-campaign-e-mail-2008-03-08.html

This is not Mr. Chabot's first episode exploiting taxpayer resources for campaign purposes. He came under fire last election cycle for the illegal practice of "franking". Members of Congress do not have to pay postage on mail sent to constituents when it is not campaign related. Mr. Chabot used this privilege to send campaign flyers to Republican households throughout his district, allowing him to use taxpayer money and save campaign cash.