OHIO ELECTION COMMISSION FINDS PROBABLE CAUSE IN ANTI-CASINO ADS
(Columbus, 10/23/08)- The panel of the Ohio Election Commission (“OEC”)
found in favor of the MYOHIONOW/ISSUE 6 complaint of false advertising by the
Vote No On 6 PAC. The OEC panel found probable cause of false statements on
advertisements made on behalf of the Penn National/Argosy Casino funded Vote No
On 6 PAC, which no sets the matter for a full hearing.
"We are pleased with the panel's decision of probable cause and look forward
to the full hearing. We filed this complaint as we were concerned with the
false, misleading and deceptive statements made in the advertising financed by
Penn National/Argosy Casino and their financed Vote No on 6 PAC, " said Rick
Lertzman who filed this complaint. Mr. Lertzman and Dr. Brad Pressman are
co-founders of MyOhioNow who created Issue 6.
The complaint dealt directly with the false, misleading and deceptive ads
that have been broadcast to the Ohio voters for the last several weeks as part
of a reported $40 million dollar campaign financed by Penn National/Argosy
Casino. The passage of the Issue 6 measure would legalize a $600 million
resort/casino in Clinton County. The opening of this Ohio casino would take away
hundreds of millions of dollars from the Argosy casino which is in
Lawrenceburg, Indiana but relies of the Cincinnati/Dayton area for the majority of its
business.
" Penn National /Argosy Casino, through their Vote No on 6 PAC, has spread a
reported $40 million on television, radio, Internet ads, brochures, and
endorsements. They have run a negative campaign against the CEO of Lakes
Entertainment, Lyle Berman, who is a honored businessperson who has held gaming
licenses for nearly two decades," said Rick Lertzman.
Dr. Pressman continued, "We believe now that we have a probable cause
finding by the Ohio Election Commission on this important tax issue, voters will
begin to recognize the reported $40 million in deceptive statements by Penn
National /Argosy Casino's Vote No on 6."
"There are 10,000 Ohio jobs at stake along with hundreds of millions in
revenues to Ohio. Ohio voters must be made aware of the stakes involved in this
measure. Its DEAL or NO DEAL. If this passes, Ohio will have nearly 10,000 new
jobs and hundreds of millions of tax revenues. If Issue 6 fails, Ohio will
continue to have no benefits from the Ohio residents who already gamble, "
continued Dr. Pressman.
This wording is in issue 6 . I have my absentee ballot . It is there.
I am voting no on 6 . My son is a full time poker player, he says 6 is terrible. These rules should be written by the legislature, not by a Vegas hot shot.