Profile of Clifford Arneback

From a 1996 AP article:The Associated Press Political Service
Copyright 1996.

Friday, October 11, 1996

Name: Clifford Otto Arnebeck Jr

Candidate: ARNEB 1011 0584 Occupation: US Representative Date of Birth: 1/15/45 Race: White $145:White BIOGRAPHY: Cliff Arnebeck was born in Washington, DC, Sex: Male Election Year: 1996 State: Ohio Office: US House, 15th District Party: Democrat

BIOGRAPHY: Cliff Arnebeck was born in Washington, D.C., one of three one of three sons of a US Post Office Department official He lives sons of a U.S. Post Office Department official. He lives in Upper in Upper Arlington, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus He graduated from Arlington, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus. He graduated from Wesleyan University in Middletown, Conn. with a degree from the Department Wesleyan University in Middletown, Conn with a degree from the Department of of Social Studies and graduated from Harvard Law School. He is an Social Studies and graduated from Harvard Law School He is an attorney attorney in private pratice. He and his wife, Sibley, have two daughters. in private pratice He and his wife, Sibley, have two daughters

PROFILE: Cliff Arnebeck has been a Republican, a Perot independent, and and anti-Perot independent and now is a Democrat. He says he's antiPerot independent and now is a Democrat He says hes running running as a reform candidate, to push for reform in the way as a reform candidate, to push for reform in the way congressional congressional elections are conducted. He wants to highlight the elections are conducted He wants to highlight the institutional biases institutional biases in favor of incumbents, from the way district in favor of incumbents, from the way district boundary lines are negotiated boundary lines are negotiated to the use of taxpayer-financed mass to the use of taxpayerfinanced mass mailings, though on that point mailings, though on that point he is careful to state that he he is careful to state that he believes the incumbent he is running believes the incumbent he is running against, Rep. Deborah Pryce, against, Rep Deborah Pryce, ROhio, has handled her franked mail R-Ohio, has handled her franked mail responsibly: "Debbie Pryce responsibly: Debbie Pryce has not abused the franking privilege, has not abused the franking privilege, hopefully because I had some hopefully because I had some impact on her thinking, he said Arnebeck impact on her thinking," he said. Arnebeck is less gracious on is less gracious on another point: facetoface political discussion another point: face-to-face political discussion. He feels Pryce He feels Pryce has not done enough of that A congressional election has not done enough of that. "A congressional election should be should be nothing more than a series of town hall meetings where the nothing more than a series of town hall meetings where the voters voters ask the questions, the media covers it as a news event and ask the questions, the media covers it as a news event and there's theres no cost to the candidiate, no cost to the public, no cost no cost to the candidiate, no cost to the public, no cost to anybody," he said. "She may make rounds to the business community to anybody, he said She may make rounds to the business community but but I'm not aware of any town meetings in the sense that I'm Im not aware of any town meetings in the sense that Im talking about talking about." Arnebeck said he testified for the Coalition to Arnebeck said he testified for the Coalition to End the Permanent End the Permanent Congress about reforming the campaign system by Congress about reforming the campaign system by limiting contributions limiting contributions to within a congressional district, but got to within a congressional district, but got on the schedule of the on the schedule of the House Task Force on Campaign Reform only House Task Force on Campaign Reform only by threatening to hold "by threatening to hold a news conference and blast the hell out a news conference and blast the hell out of them after being turned of them" after being turned down. He is angry at Ross Perot, whom down He is angry at Ross Perot, whom he once supported, saying Perot he once supported, saying Perot squandered an opportunity to be an squandered an opportunity to be an agent of change One of the things agent of change. "One of the things that's interfering with real thats interfering with real reform is the Perot factor He split reform is the Perot factor. He split the reform movement ... he's the reform movement hes parading as the champion of reform when parading as the champion of reform when in fact he is a fascist dictator and a fraud." in fact he is a fascist dictator and a fraud

PRIOR CAMPAIGNS: Cliff Arnebeck was unpaid counsel to the Ohio Senate was unpaid counsel to the Ohio Senate Republican Campaign Committee Republican Campaign Committee from 1980-88. In 1990, he ran for from 198088 In 1990, he ran for Congress as a Republican against Congress as a Republican against incumbent Republican Rep. Chalmers incumbent Republican Rep Chalmers Wylie Wylie won that primary with Wylie. Wylie won that primary with the help of a television blitz the help of a television blitz featuring thenPresident Bush Arnebeck featuring then-President Bush. Arnebeck in 1991 became chairman of in 1991 became chairman of the legal committee of the Coalition to the legal committee of the Coalition to End the Permandent End the Permandent Congress, which filed suit in 1992 about lawmakers Congress, which filed suit in 1992 about lawmakers using the frank using the frank to send mail to addresses that were not part of the to send mail to addresses that were not part of the current districts but would be part of the territory they hoped to current districts but would be part of the territory they hoped to represent represent if reelected. The coalition lost at the district court if reelected The coalition lost at the district court level but won level but won on appeal. The former Republican considered leaving on appeal The former Republican considered leaving the independent the independent column after the 1994 election, in which the GOP column after the 1994 election, in which the GOP captured control captured control of both houses of Congress and Ohio political of both houses of Congress and Ohio political offices But in 1996, offices. But in 1996, Arnebeck cast his first-ever Democratic primary vote _ for himself. Arnebeck cast his firstever Democratic primary vote for himself