Date:  February 15, 2012  Time:  7:00pm – 9:00pm

Location:  Oakley Community Center 3882 Paxton Avenue (Hyde Park Plaza)
Cincinnati, Ohio 45209

Please join us for this special presentation by attorney Christopher P. Finney.  Chris will be discussing the Congressional Ethics Process and case studies on its effectiveness. This event is free and sponsored by the Cincinnati East Tea Party.

Please RSVP to Suzanne Wallace at sew@fssp-law.com.

Date:  February 7, 2012  Time:  7:00pm – 9:00pm

Location:  Eastgate Holiday Inn 4501 Eastgate Boulevard Cincinnati OH 45245

Please join us for this special presentation by attorney Christopher P. Finney.  Chris will be discussing the Congressional Ethics Process and case studies on its effectiveness. This event is free and sponsored by the Clermont County Tea Party.

Please RSVP to Suzanne Wallace at sew@fssp-law.com.

Date:  January 30, 2012  Time:  7:00pm – 9:00pm

Location:  Sharonville Public Library 10980 Thornview Dr  Cincinnati, OH 45241

Please join us for this special presentation by attorney Christopher P. Finney.  Chris will be discussing the Congressional Ethics Process and case studies on its effectiveness. This event is free and sponsored by the Sharonville Tea Party.

Please RSVP to Suzanne Wallace at sew@fssp-law.com.

Date:  January 25, 2012  Time:  7:00pm – 9:00pm

Location:  Anderson Center, 7850 Five Mile Road Cincinnati, OH 45230

Please join us for this special presentation by attorney Christopher P. Finney.  Chris will be discussing the Congressional Ethics Process and case studies on its effectiveness. This event is free and sponsored by the Anderson Tea Party.

Please RSVP to Suzanne Wallace at sew@fssp-law.com

RSVP to Ted Stevenot: Ted.stevenot@communityteaparty.org

In the underlying case, the plaintiffs alleged that the City of Cincinnati improperly restricted or limited access to several public fora at City Hall.  In particular, the plaintiffs alleged that in 2008 the City of Cincinnati relied on an unconstitutionally vague administrative regulation to permit groups such as the Cincinnati Public School Board and Citizens for Community Values to hold press conferences and rallies in areas such as the lobby steps inside City Hall, while denying the same right to the plaintiffs.  The district court ruled that the plaintiffs had a strong likelihood of success on the merits of their claims, and issued an injunction.  The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals held that the district court did not abuse its discretion in doing so.

As a result of the City of Cincinnati’s appeal, request for rehearing, and petition for certiorari, the case has now lasted for more than two and a half years, with the underlying merits still to be addressed.

The docket may be viewed here.  The Court is likely to consider the cert. petition at a conference on or after April 29.

Speaker: Christopher P. Finney, Esq. of Finney, Stagnaro, Saba & Patterson Co., L.P.A.

Course Description: Cincinnati attorney Christopher Finney provides instruction for advocates of limited government of how to use existing legal tools to aid in political battles and fights against wasteful spending. The topics covered include: U.S. Constitutional principles requiring “equal access” to public forums, taxpayer suits to stop illegal expenditures (including government spending to advance political campaigns), and abuse of corporate powers, Ohio public records and open meeting laws, Ohio false statements law and campaign finance statues. 

Date: Monday, March 7, 2011

Location: The Farm, 239 Anderson Ferry Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45238-5638

Time: 7:00 until 8:30 PM 

RSVP: Peggy Gruenke peg@fssp-law.com or 513-533-2732

In 2008, the Cincinnati City Council attempted to interfere with the appointment powers of the City Manager to appoint two members to the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority as designated by the Ohio Revised Code. Smitherman brought a taxpayer action under O.R.C. §733.56 to stop the illegal interference. Common Pleas Court Judge Steve Martin issued an injunction against the City preventing the interference, and declared the Council’s actions to have been an abuse of the City’s corporate powers.

A Court of Appeals consisting of Judges Hendon, Sundermann and Dinkelacker voted unanimously to uphold the trial court ruling, and on Wednesday the Ohio Supreme Court denied discretionary review of that decision, meaning the original ruling of Judge Martin stands.