Despite losing in an unanimous vote at the Ohio Elections Commission for operating a Clocktower Collaborative as an “unregistered PAC,” former Hudson Council Presidents Bill Wooldredge and George Roth sent a tone deaf letter to Hudson Republicans endorsing a Congressional candidate worthy of their questionable reputations.
Kevin Coughlin is a lobbyist with a salacious past which Clocktower Files will not rehash. As a former State Senator, Coughlin has kept a low public profile in recent years as he attempted to rehab his sketchy reputation.
Wooldredge and Roth may be registered Republicans, but they often side with Democrats. The former endorsed Patricia Goetz over Kristina Roegner in the most recent State Senate race. Just last year, the pair both endorsed Democrats Goetz*, and Michael Bird*, and Madeline Lepidi-Carino for Hudson Council last year. They previously have supported Democrat Nicole Kowalski who is currently suing the City of Hudson over being censured for sharing privileged information.
Endorsements in Republican primaries generally aren’t beneficial when the endorsers routinely support Democrats. Wooldredge and Roth’s case is even worse as the OEC is proceeding with a full hearing into their “unregistered PAC” that actually targeted elected Republicans in favor of Democrats.
This duo has made a host of bad decisions that have greatly cost Hudson taxpayers. They saddled the City with Phase 2, which is the subject of an open lawsuit. They hired Jane Howington, who they are defendants with in the OEC case. As City Manager, Howington went on to award no-bid contracts to their fellow Clocktower Collaborators. In all reality, maybe they are the perfect match for Kevin Coughlin.
Egos get in the way of reality. Many would be self-aware enough to realize that Republicans in the know would recognize Wooldredge and Roth’s names and vote the opposite way. But, these two can’t get out of their own way. Not only did they misjudge the reaction to their endorsement, they further cemented the stain on their names by endorsing someone with such a tainted reputation.
Wooldredge and Roth routinely have supported Democrats over Hudson Republican Council members like Marine Colonel Chris Banweg who is running against Coughlin. This appears to Wooldredge and Roth’s continuation of their war on Hudson Republicans. Their letter is not only tone deaf, it certainly will backfire.
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