“It happened at a good time”.
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Ted Strickland, the former OH governor who is challenging Senator Rob Portman in a closely-watched race, apologized for saying Justice Antonin Scalia’s death happened at a good time.
“The death of Scalia saved labor from a awful decision”, Strickland said, according to audio of the meeting.
Portman’s campaign said the ads’ “Ohio Heart and Soul” message ignores Strickland’s time at a Washington, D.C. -based liberal policy think tank after losing re-election.
The Strickland campaign dodged repeated questions regarding the comments Wednesday.
Strickland released a statement to Talking Points Memo Wednesday saying the comment “was an insensitive remark, and I apologize”.
Strickland was referring to the Supreme Court’s March 29 4-4 decision in Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association, which upheld public-sector unions’ ability to collect fees from non-members.
Scalia was one of the most conservative judges on the bench and his death in February left a vacancy on the Supreme Court. Strickland and others have made the Senate Republicans’ refusal to hold confirmation hearings on President Barack Obama’s nominee to replace Scalia a central issue in this year’s campaigns.
The tie vote essentially was a victory – at least temporarily – for organized labor.
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Strickland, a former OH governor, is running against Republican Sen. Portman recently received the endorsements of the United Mine Workers, the Ohio Fraternal Order of Police, the International Union of Operating Engineers local 18, and the Ohio Teamsters.
