Josh Mandel "taking the high road?" You be the judge!

From John Curry, July 3, 2008

Subject: Josh Mandel "taking the high road?" You be the judge!

Retirees, remember the guy who rammed divestment down our throats with the threat of passing a mandatory divestment law (HB 151) that only affected Ohio public retirement systems and not banks, brokerage houses, investment houses, and private individuals? You know...divestment was the right thing to do with our monies but not with anyone else's? Remember how Ohio's 5 pension executive directors cowed (under pressure) to House Speaker Husted and signed onto an agreement of divestiture without the approval of at least one board (the STRS Board) before doing such? Well, apparently the godfather of Ohio's divestment is traveling the globe and some of his backers are taking the "poor mouth" route! Will we be hearing more out of Mandel in the future? I think so...let's hope, if we do, that he only travels the "high road!" John

...from Jill Zimon's blog (Writes Like She Talks) www.writeslikeshetalks.com

Josh Mandel faces “tough odds”? Needs $400,000 to win 17th? Who knew.

Posted By Jill Miller Zimon On July 3, 2008

Huge sigh.

First, less than two weeks ago, I came across a local news item in which a clergyperson stated the belief that [1] Ohio State Rep. Josh Mandel (R, Lyndhurst, 17th), had succeeded in passing legislation that would force certain Ohio pension plans to divest from investments in companies with ties to Iran or Sudan.

No such legislation passed, no such law exists. The pensions signed a voluntary agreement and, from what we know, continue to work on plans that would be in compliance with that written agreement. However, no Ohio law was ever passed requiring them to divest.

I contacted Rep. Mandel and I contacted the news outlet. The news outlet issued a correction (it had previously reported on the fact that the bill was getting tabled) and Josh and I had a lengthy conversation about the situation.

(Click here to read entire post.)