Fighting Dogs Bite Kasich At End Of Iowa Race

Fighting Dogs Bite Kasich At End Of Iowa Race

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by JORDAN SCHACHTEL
31 Jan 2016

Ohio Gov. John Kasich, now vying for the GOP’s 2016 nomination, refused to vote in favor of a bill that would have increased dog-fighting penalties, while he was serving in the Ohio Senate in 1980, Breitbart News has learned.

In February 1980, the Ohio House voted unanimously, 93 to zero, to increase penalties for dog fighting from a misdemeanor to a felony. One week later, the Ohio Senate took up the vote, and Gov. Kasich was one of only seven State Senators to vote against the legislation.

In total, the Republican nominee was in a minority of seven against 119 legislators who favored the bill.

Kasich’s team wouldn’t provide Breitbart News with any explanation of the governor’s vote, saying they tried to research the matter but most of the people who were involved in the matter are now dead because this happened almost 37 years ago.
But the issue of treatment of animals—and Kasich’s questionable activities on that front—is not something that is buried decades ago.

As Governor of Ohio, he was castigated by animal rights groups for refusing to extend emergency protections to exotic animals after a high-profile incident involving the mass-killing of endangered creatures.

In 2011, a farm owner with a long criminal record who had legally owned exotic creatures, including cheetahs, tigers, bears, wolves, and lions, decided to release his animals into the wild before committing suicide. Because Kasich had not reauthorized executive rules or regulations for owning dangerous or exotic animals, the farm owner was not breaking the law.

During the incident, law enforcement was called in and authorities decided to kill 49 of the 56 escaped animals, citing concerns for the safety of local citizens. PETA, an animal rights group, claimed the mass slaughter could have all been avoided if Kasich had extended the emergency ban on exotic animals in Ohio, which would have allowed authorities to prosecute the unstable farm owner for hosting the endangered animals.

Kasich’s predecessor, Democrat Ted Strickland, issued an executive order that prohibited anyone “convicted of an offense involving the abuse or neglect to any animal pursuant to any state, local or federal law” from owning exotic animals. It remains unclear why Gov. Kasich did not extend the emergency order.

Kasich has denied that preventative measures could have been taken to avoid the catastrophe, stating in October, 2011: “If there’s some way I could’ve prevented it, I would. But what we have to do is move forward and make sure we can clearly limit anything like this in the future.”

Kasich has made attempts to revamp his credibility with people who care for the well-being of animals. In 2000, during his first unsuccessful bid for the Presidency, Kasich helped a supporter bury her deceased dog.
http://www.breitbart.com/big-governm...hting-in-1980/

I may not be the greatest judge of character in the world. However, in my book someone that doesn't care about the well-being of our planet's animals has a serious character flaw. I'm an outdoorsman that hunts, but like most hunters, I'm repulsed by those who would torture or stand by while any animal, wild or domesticated, suffers needlessly. If it was in my power to increase the penalty of anyone that participated in the mistreatment of an animal, I'd do it in a heartbeat! Additionally, I think most Americans would do the same. Kasich, along with those that participate in any ritual that would cause any living thing to suffer, are the exception, not the norm.

The hub bub is over the slaughter of those animals by Sheriff's Deputies at that farm in Ohio. I don't see how the law would have changed that. His animals weren't abused. They were basically pets.

As to the dog-fighting thing when he was a state senator in 1980, that's 37 years ago, who knows why he didn't vote for raising it from a misdemeanor to a felony.

But good research for the folks! Dog-fighting is terrible but so was law enforcement slaughtering those animals on that farm.

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Originally Posted by Judy

The hub bub is over the slaughter of those animals by Sheriff's Deputies at that farm in Ohio. I don't see how the law would have changed that. His animals weren't abused. They were basically pets.

As to the dog-fighting thing when he was a state senator in 1980, that's 37 years ago, who knows why he didn't vote for raising it from a misdemeanor to a felony.

But good research for the folks! Dog-fighting is terrible but so was law enforcement slaughtering those animals on that farm.

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This is what I was responding to:

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Ohio Gov. John Kasich, now vying for the GOP’s 2016 nomination, refused to vote in favor of a bill that would have increased dog-fighting penalties, while he was serving in the Ohio Senate in 1980, Breitbart News has learned.

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Originally Posted by MW

This is what I was responding to:

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I see. Well, that was 37 years ago and Kasich's staff can't even find any record of the issue or why he took that stand. I'm no fan of dog-fighting and it should be stopped but who knows why he didn't support making it a felony instead of a misdemeanor. He doesn't even remember. I don't support Kasich, but I'm also not going to call him an animal abuser because it didn't make dog-fighting a felony instead of a misdemeanor 37 years ago.