Bob McEwen’s conduct since his June loss up to the present day has convinced me that, should he decide to run for office again, he intends to “Do What He Wants” (continue to call himself a “Congressman”) and not what I believe he Must (follow Ohio Election Law and refer to himself as a former congressman). 

There are four indications that I am aware of that support my belief about his intent:

• The first is McEwen’s bio page at his lobbying firm’s web site. Though its heading at the top refers to “former congressmen,” it still refers to McEwen himself as “Congressman McEwen” in its detail no fewer than eight times.
• The second is the November 16 press release announcing McEwen’s appearance as a speaker at the Guidance Software-sponsored Computer Enterprise and Investigations Conference (CEIC) on May 3-6, 2006 in Las Vegas. The release’s headline, “Former Member of House Select Committee on Intelligence to Address CEIC,” avoids reference to him as a congressman. But the release’s subheadline does refer to him as “Congressman,” as does the detailed text of the release three other times.
• Thirdly, Guidance’s December 13 press release, entitled “Congressman Bob McEwen Joins Guidance Software Advisory Committee,” refers to him as “congressman” five separate times in its text.
• Finally, McEwen’s own revived campaign web site links to that December 13 press release with a post dated December 15, the very same date as his exploratory committee announcement!

If Bob McEwen was planning to comply with Ohio Election Law in an upcoming campaign, don’t you think he would want to get some practice at doing so? Instead, he appears to be brazenly (“We do what we Want”) going in the opposite direction. Based on what I have detailed, it seems that Mr. McEwen has learned nothing about how he is allowed to describe himself from last spring’s primary campaign, and that he does not intend to change his conduct in any upcoming campaign. I believe Mr. McEwen violated Ohio Election Law last spring, and I intend to prevent future violations of the law by Mr. McEwen from occurring. The only way I know of to achieve that outcome is to once again place his previous actions in front of The OEC, and this time bring the matter to a conclusion.
Accordingly, I have filed a complaint with The OEC relating to Bob McEwen’s conduct during the 2005 Second District primary campaign. It was received today (Thursday) at The OEC. PDF files of the Complaint (without signature) and of the Affidavit (without signature, notarization, and exhibits) can be downloaded or viewed, depending on your browser’s capabilities, here and here, respectively. I have been told that the next scheduled probable cause hearing date is January 11, 2006; I will receive formal notification from The OEC through the mail in the next few days informing me if my filing was in order (I believe it was), and assuming that is so, when the complaint will be heard.