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Tim Kettler
. . . for
Ohio . . . for
District
20 . . . for
you
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- August 1, 2008 through August 9, 2008.
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By JON CRAIG • The Cincinnati Enquirer •
July 13, 2008
Eight members of the Ohio Election
Justice Campaign, a voters activist group, have
filed a motion in federal court in Columbus asking
U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley to begin
criminal contempt proceedings for what they say is
the illegal, and in some cases intentional,
destruction of Ohio ballots from the November 2004
election.
One of the plaintiffs is Tim Kettler
of Warsaw, a Green Party candidate for Ohio Senate
who unsuccessfully ran for Ohio Secretary of State
in 2006.
The group filed more than 1,000
pages of supporting documents.
In a separate lawsuit before Marbley,
the federal judge had issued orders directing Ohio's
88 county Boards of Election to preserve all ballots
from the election until a decision was rendered in
the case.
At least 56 county boards admitted
destroying some ballots from 2004, when Ohio was a
battleground state in President Bush's victory over
Democratic Sen. John Kerry. Seven counties reported
destroying all ballots despite federal law requiring
all ballots be preserved for 22 months after an
election. Additionally, Marbley issued an order to
keep all ballots, used and unused, until Aug. 10,
2007.
Seven counties told Ohio Secretary
of State Jennifer Brunner they were missing all of
their voted and unvoted 2004 ballots: Ashtabula,
Marion, Medina, Montgomery, Preble, Sandusky and
Seneca.
Three other counties - Allen, Holmes
and Jackson - reported destroying most of their used
and unused ballots, while 10 counties reported
discarding other types of 2004 election records used
to verify vote tallies or procedures. One of them
was Butler County. Betty L. McGary, director of the
Butler County Board of Elections, said that because
the m atter involves litigation, it's probably best
for her not to comment at this point.
Jeff Ortega, Brunner's spokesman,
had no immediate comment.
Thursday's citizen-initiated action
is "pro se" litigation in which the plaintiffs act
as their own attorneys.
Their motion asked Marbley to
impanel a special grand jury to investigate the
destruction of ballots.
In a press statement, Paddy Shaffer,
director of the Ohio Election Justice Campaign,
said, "The time for accountability is now, prior to
the November election of our next president. Many
counties allegedly destroyed ballots before the
election was even certified. Why would we trust
these people with the upcoming elections?"
The Ohio Election Justice Campaign
was formed by concerned citizens, many of whom
participated in the 2004 election as observers,
election protection workers, poll workers, and
election investigators as well as organizers and
witnesses in the 2004 presidential vote recount in
Ohio.
Kettler said the only way to stop
this type of "criminal behavior and incompetence" is
through citizen action. "Whether we challenge these
offenses in court or run for public office, we must
replace those who would show such contempt for the
law," Kettler said in a prepared statement.
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Athens Messenger 4/7/2008 9:42:00 AM |
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Green
Party candidates gather, speak in Athens
ELIZABETH GOUSSETIS
Messenger staff writer
Ohio Green Party candidates spoke in Athens about the
health-care crisis and the opportunities that clean
energy can provide to the economy in Ohio.
Tim Kettler, who is running for Joy Padgett's District
20 seat in the Ohio Senate, also promised that if he is
elected, he will start a movement to bring the Ohio
National Guard troops home from Iraq, which he said
would be based on a similar movement in Vermont.
Kettler and others who spoke at the party's biennial
convention emphasized the potential for job creation
that green energy production could provide to the areas
in Ohio that have been hurt by a loss of manufacturing
jobs. Kettler said it will take a generation to replace
our current energy sources with clean forms of power,
and the engineering and manufacturing of those products,
and the installation into homes and buildings, will
provide countless jobs.
Kettler, of Coshocton, also supports passing the Health
Care for All Ohioans Act and is involved with
health-care reform through the nonprofit Single Payer
Action Network of Ohio. He also spoke in support of
legalizing medical marijuana, which he said Greens view
as a social justice issue.
Kettler promised to accept no money from corporate
sponsors and special interests. He filed his candidacy
petition Feb. 28 with more than 2,000 signatures.
Because the party is not formally recognized by the
state of Ohio, Green Party candidates are required to
obtain 25 times more signatures than Democrat or
Republican candidates.
"We don't come from power, we don't come from privilege
or position, we come from petition," Kettler told the
group.
Also running for the 20th District seat are Republican
Jimmy Stewart and Democrat Rick Shriver.
Now that the oil crisis and global warming have earned
more popularity for classic Green ideals such as
renewable energy and sustainability, some speakers
Saturday lamented the irony of their platforms being
hijacked by the two major political parties and numerous
corporations rushing to "green wash" their products. Bob
Fitrakis, who ran for governor as a Green Party
candidate, pointed out that so-called fringe parties are
criticized for being impractical and for being spoilers.
But, Fitrakis said, the upside is that the third parties
can set the agenda when they are included in the debate,
but that without them the two major parties are
complacent. He used as an example a
1908 Socialist Party candidate who lost the presidential
election but whose ideas Fitrakis said formed the 1936
agenda of Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Fitrakis called the Democrats enablers, referring to
those who claim to oppose the war but vote to fund it.
"If your child is out of control and an alcoholic, do
you give them your credit card and say, 'I'm against
your drinking, but I've got your tab covered on every
bar on the planet,'" Fitrakis said.
At the meeting, Green Party members chose delegates to
the national convention, and cast ballots for their
presidential candidate. Four Greens are running for the
party nomination for president: Cynthia McKinney, a
former Georgia congresswoman; Jesse Johnson of West
Virginia; Kat Swift of Texas, and Kent Mesplay of
California. Johnson spoke at the meeting, and statements
from the other three candidates were read.
egoussetis@athensmessenger.com |
February 26, 2008
Green Party Candidate Files for
20th District Ohio Senate Seat
Tim Kettler of Warsaw today filed a nominating petition for the
20th District Ohio Senate Seat in the General Election to be
held November 4, 2008. Citing the District’s immediate need for
job creation, alternative energy development, health-care
reform, verifiable elections, and equitable funding for
education Kettler said he will bring an independent voice to the
Senate race. “As a Green Party Candidate I am pledged to refuse
any and all campaign contributions from corporate and special
interests. When elected officials are sent to Columbus to
represent the interests of their District more often than not
these types of contributions influence their decisions in a way
that does not represent the greater needs of their
constituents”, he said.
Kettler has been involved with healthcare reform for the past
four years as a state council member of the non-profit Single
Payer Action Network of Ohio and supports the passage of the
Health Care for All Ohioans Act. “As a self-employed small
businessman whose family members have pre-existing conditions I
know personally the obstacles Ohio’s current for-profit
health-care system presents. There is no light offered at the
end of the tunnel and it is time for fundamental change in the
way health-care services are delivered. The Health Care for All
Ohioans Act is fully-funded legislation that offers us the
opportunity to fix our health-care crisis for the benefit of our
businesses, workers, citizens and all Ohio taxpayers” Kettler
stated.
Running as the endorsed Ohio Green Party Candidate, Kettler
completed the required petition submitting over 2000 signatures.
The Green Party is not recognized by the State of Ohio as an
official political party. Their candidates must comply with
election laws that compel Independent candidates to gather 25
times more signatures than the major party candidates are
required to obtain in order to appear on the ballot. “The rules
written by the two major parties are obviously intended to limit
participation by third parties and Independents and are a direct
cause of the overall low participation by Ohio citizens who
never register, vote or run for elected office”, said Kettler
Tim is married with one son, Malcolm and resides in Coshocton
County outside the village of Warsaw. He serves as the Secretary
of the Green Party of Ohio and has operated Action Septic
Service with his wife, Roberta for the past 21 years. As one of
the organizers of the 2004 Ohio Presidential Vote Recount he was
a co-plaintiff in a federal lawsuit against former Secretary of
State Ken Blackwell resulting from the recount. He also ran for
Ohio Secretary of State in the November 2006 election drawing
two percent of the vote statewide. “I would like to thank the
over 2000 voters and residents of Senate District 20 who signed
my petition and support my candidacy” Kettler said in closing.
November 20, 2007
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11/20/2007 9:40:00 AM |
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Tim Kettler |
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Man seeks Green Party's nomination for 20th District
KRISTIN HEINICHEN
Messenger staff writer
WARSAW - A Warsaw businessman is circulating petitions
to become the Ohio Green Party candidate for the 20th
District Ohio Senate seat in the 2008 elections.
Tim Kettler's campaign is circulating candidacy
petitions in Athens, Coshocton and Muskingum Counties,
and is seeking more volunteers in the nine-county
district to collect the 1,500 signatures needed,
according to the Green Party.
Republican Joy Padgett has announced she will not seek
re-election next year to the 20th District seat.
Republican State Rep. Jimmy Stewart of Albany has
already announced he will be a candidate for the Senate
post.
A lifelong Ohio resident, Kettler has resided in the
farming community of Warsaw with his wife, Roberta, and
son, Malcolm, since 1995. Kettler explained that "as a
resident of the district and someone who lives life very
similarly to the constituents in this district," he is
sensitive to the needs of the region.
"It is valuable to the process to understand the
demographics ... (in order) to bring new ideas for job
creation and revitalizing the economy. People can hear
through someone who understands what their lives are
like," Kettler said. "Our politicians have become very
insulated in the day-to-day lives of working men and
women."
The owner of Action Septic Service, Kettler said he
understands the obstacles that face entrepreneurs - the
big one being health-care costs.
"Universal health care is the main issue we have. We
have legislation currently in the House and Senate that
needs support. There needs to be a tremendous amount of
education on this issue, and a campaign (for the 20th
District seat) is a great vehicle to do that," Kettler
said. "This is an issue that affects all of us. I'm not
trying to be an alarmist, but we're in a health-care
crisis and need innovative approaches for reform.... We
need to extend health-care coverage to every Ohio worker
and resident unconditionally."
Kettler said he is also an advocate of ecological
responsibility and awareness.
"This is an area that I have strong interest in," he
said. "Waste water is a growth industry and it's rapidly
changing as our population intends to grow and housing
booms. This results in more and more systems that
directly impact our (environment) and global warming."
In 2006, Kettler ran for Ohio secretary of state, and
currently he serves as the secretary of the Ohio Green
Party.
"The Green Party does not accept money from corporations
and self-interest groups," Kettler stated. "The
extension of rights is typically reserved for our
citizens. Corporate involvement in our political process
is very detrimental. But when it is done through
campaign finances, it's especially detrimental. This is
a green vision of pure democracy, that all voices are
heard."
Kettler teamed up with the third party as he saw it to
be a "pro-democracy party," he said.
"A true democracy promotes participation by everyone.
The Green Party represents the will of the people and is
concerned with ensuring that all have a voice in that
process. It seems that we've lost that connection with
our elected officials and have lost our connection with
our government. We have a two-party system that has
evolved not because it was intended to be that way, but
because we vested two parties with so much power. We
don't have a level playing field," Kettler said. "We run
as independents - outsiders, looking in."
A graduate of Brunswick High School, Kettler went to
Kent State University where he pursued, but did not
receive, his degree in education.
"This district is my favorite place in Ohio and why I
have stayed and not chased after other dreams.... I can
connect with the constituents in a very real way," he
said.
Kettler said that other issues he will address in his
campaign include voting rights and voter participation,
job creation, development of renewable resources and
school funding.
kheinichen@athensmessenger.com
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November 19, 2007
TIM KETTLER ENDORSED AS GREEN PARTY CANDIDATE
FOR OHIO SENATE
DISTRICT 20*
Ohio Green Party Coordinating Committee unanimously endorsed Tim
Kettler for Ohio Senate District 20 in their November 18, 2007
conference.
A lifelong Ohio resident, resides in the Warsaw,
Ohio/ /with his wife Roberta, and son Malcolm. Tim and Roberta
own and operate Action Septic Service, a twenty-year
established, environmentally directed service business. His blue
collar, working class background and his rural lifestyle have
made him aware of the needs of both of these constituencies. He
is an advocate of new progressive policies to meet these needs.
Tim currently serves as the secretary of the Green Party of Ohio
<
http://www.ohiogreens.org/ >, and is a co-founder and
treasurer of his local, the East Central Ohio Green Party. He
and his fellow greens have spent long hours bringing Green
values to rural Ohio through their organizing efforts.
As a self-employed small businessman, Tim is acutely aware of
the obstacles presented by a failing health care system,
regressive tax structures and increasing pressure from corporate
influence. He is a representative on the Single Payer Action
Network of Ohio <
http://www.spanohio.org/ > state council, a
non-partisan organization that advocates for the establishment
of single-payer, universal health care for the citizen’s of
Ohio. He is active in circulating petitions for The Health Care
for All Ohioans Act ballot initiative. His experience working
through the burdensome obstacles that this process presents has
convinced him of the need for reform if this tool of grassroots
democracy is to be viable.
As your State Senator, Tim has pledged to bring independence and
integrity to the office. As an advocate for the free exercise of
our voting rights, Tim pledges to fight for all. During the 2004
Ohio Presidential Vote Recount, he worked as a regional
coordinator, organizing and conducting recounts in six east
central Ohio counties. Tim joined with David Cobb, Anita Rios
and others, to file suit in United States District Court against
Ohio Secretary of State, Kenneth Blackwell.
November 8, 2007
I was invited to leave the campus of Muskingum College while
petitioning for my candidacy today. It seems that Democracy
is not in the curriculum. I was directed to take it up with
the Dean of Students, which I will.
Curiously though, when I went inside the student/faculty
building to go to the security office, a gentleman was at the
door courteously opening it for all who passed through, and
then he gave them a bible compliments of the Gideon Society.
I kept it for evidence.
So here's the deal: The exercise of free speech on the
campus is verboten but the doling out of religion within
the hallowed halls is okey-doakey!
Now I realize that Muskingum College is a private
institution, in fact a Methodist college, but something
seems lacking.... like free speech !!! A course entirely
appropriate for a college curriculum!
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