| Revision as of 11:56, 17 July 2011 editSchierbecker (talk | contribs)Autopatrolled, Extended confirmed users, Page movers, File movers, New page reviewers, Pending changes reviewers, Rollbackers57,127 edits copyvio← Previous edit | Revision as of 07:29, 18 July 2011 edit undoToussaint (talk | contribs)Autopatrolled, Pending changes reviewers26,559 edits →DUI arrestNext edit → | ||
| Line 56: | Line 56: | ||
| ], the Republican speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives, said Mecklenborg is seeking treatment and called on him to resign.<ref>{{cite news |first=Ann |last=Sanner |title=House speaker says Ohio lawmaker should resign |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-oh-ohiolawmaker-drun,0,1890445.story |newspaper=] |agency=Associated Press |date=2011-07-13 |accessdate=2011-07-14}}</ref> | ], the Republican speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives, said Mecklenborg is seeking treatment and called on him to resign.<ref>{{cite news |first=Ann |last=Sanner |title=House speaker says Ohio lawmaker should resign |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-oh-ohiolawmaker-drun,0,1890445.story |newspaper=] |agency=Associated Press |date=2011-07-13 |accessdate=2011-07-14}}</ref> | ||
| On July 17, Mecklenbourg announced his resignation<ref>{{cite web|url = http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20110717/NEWS0108/307180005/State-Rep-Robert-Mecklenborg-resigns-after-DUI?odyssey=tab|mostpopular|text|FRONTPAGE|title = State Rep. Robert Mecklenborg resigns after DUI|author = Alexander Coolidge|publisher = Cincinnati.com|date = 6:18 PM, Jul. 17, 2011}}</ref>. The Republican Caucus of the House will choose a successor in the following weeks, and the successor will serve out the remainder of Mecklenbourg's term in office until November 2012. | |||
| ==References== | ==References== | ||
Revision as of 07:29, 18 July 2011
| Robert Mecklenborg | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Ohio House of Representatives from the 30th district | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office October 9, 2007 | |
| Preceded by | Bill Seitz |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1952-04-01) April 1, 1952 (age 72) Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Political party | Republican |
| Residence | Green Township, Ohio |
| Alma mater | Ohio University, University of Cincinnati |
| Profession | Attorney |
Robert Mecklenborg is a member of the Ohio House of Representatives, who has represent the 30th district since his appointment in 2007. As chairman of the state government and elections committee, he introduced a bill to require voters to produce state-issued photo identification in order to vote.
Life and career
Mecklenborg graduated from the Roman Catholic St. Xavier High School (Cincinnati). After receiving a Bachelor of Arts from Ohio University, he obtained a law degree from the University of Cincinnati. He was licensed to practice law in Ohio in 1978 and in Federal Court for the Southern District in 1983. Mecklenborg is an attorney with the Cincinnati law firm of Dinsmore & Shohl.
He lives with his wife, Jan, in Green Township. They have three children: Jill, Rob and Laura.
Mecklenborg served as solicitor and prosecutor for the Cleves, a village in Hamilton County with a population of 2,735 and a land area of 1.58 sq. miles. Mecklenborg is also a former law director and a former assistant county prosecutor for the city of Cheviot, a residential suburb of Cincinnati.
Mecklenborg is a member of the executive and central committees of the Hamilton County, Ohio Republican Party.
Ohio House of Representatives
With the endorsement of the Hamilton County Republican Party, Mecklenborg was appointed to succeed Bill Seitz in the 30th House District in the Ohio legislature in 2007. He was seated October 9, 2007.
In the 2008 primary, Mecklenborg won the Republican Party nomination for the 30th House District seat. In the general election, Mecklenborg defeated Democrat Bob Klug by nearly 29,000 votes.
He retained the 30th House District seat in 2010 in the campaign against Democrat Richard Luken. He chairs the Ohio House state government and elections committee and serves on the committees of finance and appropriations, the higher education subcommittee, and the judiciary and ethics committees. He is a member of the Ohio Arts Council and the State Victims Assistance Advisory Committee.
Mecklenborg sponsors a bill allowing for the privatization of the Ohio Department of Development, an initiative of Governor of Ohio John Kasich. He is sponsoring legislation to require performance audits of state agencies.
Mecklenborg introduced a measure to increase from 50 to 100 the number of signatures required on a nominating petition for a judge in the Hamilton County Municipal Court. The measure would also change the filing deadline from August to the day before the primary. Mecklenborg has noted that representatives of the Hamilton County Republican and Democratic parties have submitted letters in support of the bill.
Mecklenborg and Lou Blessing have proposed to require a photo ID when voting. Ohio law currently requires identification but not state-issued photo identification. Opponents call the measure a modern day poll tax that unfairly harms the voting rights of minorities and people with disabilities. Mecklenborg has called it the "cornerstone" of further election measures that will be proposed.
With SB5, a measure to reduce collective bargaining, taking a large portion of time in the legislative assembly, Mecklenborg has acknowledged that the legislation, which he voted for, has put the General Assembly behind in much of its work.
DUI arrest
Mecklenborg was arrested and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol following a traffic stop April 23, 2011 outside of Lawrenceburg, Indiana. An Indiana state trooper pulled Mecklenborg over for a burned out headlight on a 2004 Lexus he was driving. The car had temporary Kentucky license plates. The Indiana State Police officer reported that he smelled alcohol and that Mecklenborg’s eyes were bloodshot. Indiana State Police reported that Mecklenborg failed three separate field sobriety tests and, after refusing to take a breath test, was placed under arrest. The arrest record notes that the DUI charge involves endangering the life of Tiona Roberts, who was present in the car at the time of the traffic stop.
NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio director Kellie Copeland called on Mecklenborg to apologize to women for his remarks in the legislature favoring the regulation of pregnant women on pro-life grounds and for allegedly endangering the lives of those around him in a motor vehicle:
State Rep. Mecklenborg has a lot of nerve lecturing women about valuing life during a debate on abortion in the Ohio House this week, especially given his recent arrest for illegal behavior that endangered his life, and those around him.
Cleveland Plain Dealer columnist Connie Schultz commented on the arrest:
When asked about his young passenger, Mecklenborg said, "I understand the interest in the DUI part, I guess, but the rest is a personal matter." A personal matter? Perhaps this is Rep. Mecklenborg's eureka moment. Pro-choice Americans have always argued that a woman's sex life is a personal matter, and that any decisions involving her body are her business. We understand only too well why Mecklenborg would rather we stop asking questions about his private life. Unfortunately for Mecklenborg, he is an elected official who has hinged his political ambitions on making the private lives of women his business. Questions loom.
William Batchelder, the Republican speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives, said Mecklenborg is seeking treatment and called on him to resign.
On July 17, Mecklenbourg announced his resignation. The Republican Caucus of the House will choose a successor in the following weeks, and the successor will serve out the remainder of Mecklenbourg's term in office until November 2012.
References
- Siegel, Jim (2011-06-30). "Elections overhaul sent to Kasich without photo-ID provision". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved 2011-07-05.
- "Robert P. Mecklenborg". Dinsmore & Shohl LLP. 2011. Retrieved 2011-07-05.
- ^ "Robert P. Mecklenborg, Representative". Ohio House of Representatives. 2011. Retrieved 2011-07-05.
- Ohio Hometown Locator
- "Pro gunner appointed to replace Seitz in state's 30th House District". Buckeye Firearms Association. 2007-10-03. Retrieved 2011-07-05.
- Brunner, Jennifer 2008 primary election results (2008-03-04)
- Brunner, Jennifer 2008 general election results (2008-11-04)
- Brunner, Jennifer 2010 election results (2010-11-02)
- Quan, Truong (2011-03-23). "Bill: voters need photo ID". Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved 2011-03-23.
- Feran, Thomas (2011-04-04). "Ohio House Speaker William G. Batchelder says Georgia's photo ID law did not stop black voters: PolitiFact Ohio". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved 2011-07-01.
- Marshall, Aaron (2011-03-24). "Ohio House approves legislation requiring state photo ID to vote". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved 2011-03-24.
- Peale, Cliff (2011-04-08). "GOP Rep: SB5 drained General Assembly". Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved 2011-04-12.
- "State Rep. Arrested On Drunken Driving Charge". WLWT. 2011-06-29. Retrieved 2011-06-29.
- "Mecklenborg: 'I Have Made A Mistake'". WLWT. 2011-07-01. Retrieved 2011-07-05.
- "Video Released From State Rep's Arrest". WLWT. 2011-07-01. Retrieved 2011-07-06.
- "Local State Representative Arrested For DUI". WKRC. 2011-06-30. Retrieved 2011-06-30.
- Ohio lawmaker faces charge of drunken driving
- Schultz, Connie (2011-07-03). "An anti-abortion Ohio legislator's embarrassing night out". Cleveland Plain-Dealer. Retrieved 2011-07-05.
- Sanner, Ann (2011-07-13). "House speaker says Ohio lawmaker should resign". Chicago Tribune. Associated Press. Retrieved 2011-07-14.
- Alexander Coolidge (6:18 PM, Jul. 17, 2011). "State Rep. Robert Mecklenborg resigns after DUI". Cincinnati.com.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Text "FRONTPAGE" ignored (help); Text "mostpopular" ignored (help); Text "text" ignored (help)
