Grover Norquist (he’s head of Americans for Tax Reform and was a paid hack for convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff) put out a list yesterday heralding 9 candidates for the Ohio legislature who have signed the following pledge, “to oppose and vote against any and all efforts to increase taxes.”

This pledge has always seemed to me to be one of the most foolish things a candidate could sign, and in fact a majority of previous signers have actually found themselves in positions where they have voted to raise taxes even after having signed the pledge. In fact of the 20 incumbent legislators who are listed as incumbent pledge signers, an amazing 75 percent of them have actually voted to increase taxes.

So here are the names of the new candidates for the Ohio General Assembly who have signed the Americans for Tax Reform pledge, we will have to wait and see if they get elected and then whether they are able to stick with their pledge:

John Adams (Republican candidate for House District 78)
William Batchelder (Republican candidate for House District 69)
Dan Dodd (Democratic candidate for House District 91)
David Fago (Republican candidate for House District 15)
Jimmie Hicks (Republican candidate for House District 9)
Matt Huffman (Republican candidate for House District 4)
Tim Knauff (Republican candidate for House District 89)
William McGivern (Republican candidate for House District 14)
William Pikor (Republican candidate for House District 99)

As a final note, the Ohio Revised Code Section 3599.10 says: "No person, firm, or corporation shall demand of any candidate for the general assembly any pledge concerning his vote on any legislation, question, or proposition that may come before the general assembly; provided that this shall not be understood to prohibit a reasonable inquiry as to such candidate's views on such question or legislation. Whoever violates this section is guilty of a corrupt practice and shall be fined not less than five hundred nor more than one thousand dollars."