Now – here’s the thing – to what extent does any politician’s job require him or her to communicate about politics, in the course of the job? Never? Probably not – when I think about negotiations between say Husted and Strickland.

But if we mean only politics in terms of campaigning, getting elected and so on, that is more clear.

Or is it?

As for Mandel, he’s not unique – many of the legislators communicate with constituents and others on official business via their private accounts – most likely because it takes such effort to get through to legislators with the official accounts and those official accounts don’t make it easy to continue follow up. Plus, it can be difficult for Ohio residents who don’t live in a particular legislator’s district to communicate via the official business email interfaces and that legislator (have you ever tried that with congressional folks – it’s a total PITA).

Marc Dann isn’t the only one saying don’t conduct public business with private accounts – the Ohio legislature has now said that too.

Josh isn’t coming home until next spring, King. His staffers are saying things like since he has his personal computer, they can’t access his email. That is a very lame explanation to anyone who knows anything about email. It’s fine for them to say that, but it’s totally transparent as a non-answer.

Thanks for taking it down a notch or two though – it’s so, much, better to exchange ideas when you aren’t being all hysterical.

I guess I am asking you show your tolerance of other religions by actions and not empty words. I do read what you write, you are well versed in skirting around something you don’t want to answer. You know we went through that before….

But do you read what you write?

You wrote… It’s much harder to construe Dann’s correspondence as being about official business, even if on a state account…

Jill, how could anything done using the state email account NOT be considered official business?

On Josh’s emails – I could care a less what his fellow colleagues feel or say.

I believe ALL politicians, regardless of party, should be held to the same standard, it just that simple with me!

A personal account is just what it says.. a personal account and should be kept private. That being said, I will add the following…

if after a review of the personal emails, it is determined that the personal account was purposely & continually used to skirt public record laws, then I would have an issue.

Believe it or not, I agree with Marc Dann that public business should NOT be conducted with private accounts.

Do you read the articles you link too? The Dicourse reported Josh stated he will deal with them when he comes home.

Kieth– I will pass your praise onto Hambo, the author of Steaming Loads.

But…here’s what I also note:

It’s much harder to construe Dann’s correspondence as being about official business, even if on a state account, than it is to say that Mandel’s was not about official business, according to this Dispatch article which says that a Dispatch reporter exchanged emails with Mandel on official business through Mandel’s private email.

Either way, Dann represents the legislature and thus Mandel in Mandel’s effort to not dislose those emails and text messages. Interesting conundrum.

Second, Dann campaigned on openness and has been a stickler with everyone else regarding the public records law. Even if he had a colorable case for non-disclosure he couldn’t politically fight it.

Not that Dann has the finest ear for political tone, but even he knows that he couldn’t go there.

“This Steaming Load must be served pipping hot then rammed down the traitorous, America hating, throats of Harry “The Turd” Reid and San Fran Nan Pelosi. In a perfect world, they would be hauled out of the Capitol Building, lined up against a wall and SHOT for betraying their nation in a time of war. We must not let them snatch defeat from the jaws of an essential victory in the war against these Jihadikaze rat bastards.”

Kinda undercuts whatever opinions you might have over here at a civilized site.

Sheesh, and they say I’M extreme!

Your comment makes me think that you just literally want me to waste time, because you don’t bother to read or think about what I write. Is that true? Or no?

So – should Josh release those e-mails that his colleagues said are in fact public record?

I bet Josh would find Dann’s remarks tasteless! I would bet that Josh would be man enough and smart enough to say that… Being of the Jewsh faith, knowing what our religion has gone through, Marc Dann should know better than to make offensive remarks like this.

Go ahead keep hounding a local soldier and ignore Dann’s remarks.