Last week the state House campaign for Nancy Garland (D-New Albany) mocked state Rep. Jim McGregor (R-Gahanna) for saying he wants to be reelected so he could "support" and "serve" Gov. Ted Strickland. However, Garland was treasurer for an Ohio political action committee that donated thousands of dollars to Republican office holders, including McGregor.

Garland is currently chief executive officer of the Ohio Physical Therapy Association and was its PAC treasurer from 2002 to the end of 2007. Last year, the PAC donated $250 to McGregor. Previously the PAC gave $2,000 to state Senate President Bill Harris (R-Ashland) and hundreds to former U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine (R- Springfield), state House Speaker Jon Husted (R-Kettering) and Republican state Auditor Mary Taylor.

Garland said the PAC’s board and lobbyist direct where the donations go, but that her role as treasurer was to simply sign the checks that went to candidates.

“It’s like anybody who is the treasurer of an organization, whether you agree or disagree, it’s your responsibility to sign the checks, so I signed the checks,” she said.   

Garland said the association and PAC are nonpartisan and support those who support physical therapy, which invariable meant Republicans because the legislature has been in GOP hands for years.

“In terms of the people the association has to work with if we’re going to get legislation passed, unfortunately the Republicans have held the power. And we’re trying to change that now,” she said.

Public records show that Garland has only donated to two Democrats, state Rep. Ted Celeste (D-Upper Arlington) and House minority leader Joyce Beatty (D-Columbus).

Garland said that McGregor voted for former Republican Gov. Bob Taft and that voters in the 20th district should put a Democrat like her into the seat to move the state forward with Strickland.

Working with Strickland is something Garland’s done in her role as the OPTA’s CEO already, she said.

While government-affairs director for the American Physical Therapy Assocation, Garland said she worked with then-U.S. Rep. Strickland and others in Congress to end a cap on the benefits patients could receive through Medicare for speech and physical therapy.  

In Ohio, Garland and the OPTA are trying to change workers compensation law to allow those receiving compensation to see a physical therapist without a referral from a general practitioner first.

Garland returned from Washington, D.C. to her native Ohio in 2002. She was born and raised in Washington Court House, a rural town between Columbus and Cincinnati. With her law degree she’s served as a legislative aide on Capitol Hill and government-affairs director for the American Physical Therapy Association, before becoming CEO of OPTA. Garland said she has the experience needed for the Statehouse.

“I’ve have been involved in government and politics literally all of my adult life, my son’s graduating and so I feel that it’s my opportunity to give back,” she said. “And again, with the governor in the position he is, I really feel that have the opportunity to work with him and hopefully make meaningful change for the citizens of the 20th district and the citizens of Ohio.”

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