Pizza Party Politics in Columbus

10.30.12

COLUMBUS -- Ohio Republicans claim some Democratic groups are influencing students to vote for President Obama by offering free pizza.

Last week, Ohio GOP Chairman Robert Bennett filed a complaint with the Franklin County Elections Board. He claims the group 'Buckeyes for Obama' held a party at the Ohio Union on the Ohio State University campus, offered the 50 attendees free pizza, then took them to an early voting center in Columbus.

GOP Spokesman Matt Henderson says that's illegal, "The Obama campaign has an obligation to follow the rules, and when this is happening on a mass scale, that can affect and impact the election."

Ohio Democrats disagree. Spokesman Jerid Kurtz says, "Pizza parties don't cause someone to vote for a particular candidate or someone else -- so what we're seeing here is a childish action by the Ohio Republican Party."

Kurtz says both parties host events with free food, and they're not telling anyone who to vote for, "No one has called on anyone to vote a certain way because they received a slice of pepperoni pizza."

At issue is whether students are being induced or influenced to vote a certain way. The Franklin County Board of Elections is investigating.

source: Fox28