WASHINGTON D.C. - The office phone in Jean Schmidt’s Cannon Office Building next door to the Capital rang every thirty seconds - mostly calls between staff people wanting to know, “Where is she right now? When will she be finished? Where is she going next?”
She was relaxed though after a very busy morning schedule and had just finished the day’s business at the Agriculture Committee meeting where she had cast a yes vote on eminent domain legislation that other house committees had hope to vote on first. (Read SCHMIDT VOTES TO LIMIT USE OF EMINENT DOMAIN, 10/9/05) She had also just met with the Committee Chairman where they discussed Schmidt chairing a sub-committee. She has been in office for little over one months and is also on the Government Reform, and Transportation and Infrastructure committees.
Her staff seemed to escort and direct her every turn through the busy maze of hallways, elevators, and underground tunnels from the Capital, and back to her office in the Cannon Office Building. Schmidt though was comfortable in her new environs and was certainly enjoying being the Congresswoman from Ohio’s Second District.
LOVELAND CROSS COUNTRY
Schmidt said she has been able to get home every weekend to her Miami Township home since her term in Congress began, still finding time to remain the Coach of the St. Andrew’s Jr. High Cross Country team. She said she has been to every one of their meets so far this season and makes all of their Monday night practices. Speaking about cross country running she said she would like to send a message back to the Loveland High School Womens Cross Country Team. Loveland is ranked No. 4 in the Associated Press Ohio Poll and headed into post season competition. “I couldn’t be more proud of you. Never underestimate your opponent. Never underestimate yourself and never, ever look back to see where your competition is.” This sounds like Schmidt’s political strategy as well as her running strategy.
Schmidt is a marathon runner, having competed in 56 of the 26.2 mile races. She said that while in Washington, she gets up every morning at 5:30 AM at her apartment only a block from the Capital Building in what is called the Capital Hill Neighborhood of D.C. She runs every morning completing what is about a six mile course, starting at the Capital, running through the National Mall, past the Washington Monument, along the Mall’s reflecting Pool, to the Lincoln Memorial, and back home. She said it is still dark outside when she starts, but on her return the sun is sometimes rising directly over the Capital’s dome. She said, “I’m there for the suns early light.”
SAMMY GORTON
Schmidt said she would also like to pass along a message to Debbie Gorton and Jessica Roberts, the mother and fiance of Sammy Gorton of the Second District who just began an Army tour of duty in Iraq. “I will keep them in my prayers. They must be proud, as I am proud, that he is willing to defend our freedom.” She said that Gorton is an “American hero.”
THE LOVELAND INITIATIVE
Schmidt and her staff said they will look into why the Loveland Initiative (formerly the Shalom Initiative) is losing use of the townhouse in the Westover Village Apartments they have occupied for the past ten years. The townhouse was originally used by the Loveland Police Department as a Police Sub-Station, but when this use was discontinued, permission was given to the Initiative to use the space for the Cool School tutoring program, a teen group, and numerous other community activities, initially serving the needs of the apartment residents but expanding to include many programs benefiting all of Loveland. The Shalom Teen Group organizes an annual celebration on the Martin Luther King Holiday, and received a State Award for the program presented by Governor Bob Taft.
After new owners recently purchased the apartment complex, the Initiative was given an 30-day eviction notice unless they could pay monthly rent of $620.00.
Schmidt directed her staff to check into why the Initiative has not gotten a response from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and why they are not forthcoming with requested records that may show the original agreement with the Loveland Police Department.
TOM DELAY
The Congresswoman said she was not going to return the money that Texas Congressman Tom DeLay gave her campaign. “Even if I return it, someone is still going to remind everyone that I took it in the first place. So, for some people it wouldn’t make a difference.
She also said that DeLay hasn’t yet been found guilty of anything. “He has only been charged with a crime by a Texas Prosecutor who is thinking about his own election in Texas.” She said Prosecutor Ronnie Earl went after Delay because he is so powerful and has built a huge following of other conservative House members in Washington. Schmidt's office is across the hall and four doors down from DeLay's.
Schmidt said she did not receive any of the money DeLay is accused of conspiring to “launder” from Texas businesses, through the Republican National Committee, and back to other Texas Republican hopefuls running for a seat in the Texas State House. Critics say it was these State office holders, that once elected, pushed through a scheme to divide Texas voting districts in a way that favored the election of Republicans to the U.S. House. “So, by hoping to bring down Tom DeLay, Ronnie Earl hopes to break up and destroy Delay’s power and national influence. Delay has been very good at pushing the conservative agenda in Washington,” Schmidt said. She also said the public would be hearing more about Earl’s own behavior, in the near future.
