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This Week in #OHGov: Vivek Ramaswamy’s Big Biotech Scheme Revealed

Columbus, Ohio- There are less than three months to go until the November election, and it just keeps looking worse for Vivek Ramaswamy. This week, new reporting revealed Ramaswamy hired his own mother to “massage” data from a failed trial for an Alzheimer’s drug, and his former bodyguard pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking charges. Ramaswamy was caught calling the privatization of Social Security a “reasonable conversation to have” and calling the Ohio Association of Professional Firefighters “small” and not “important.”

“Pump-and-Dump Scheme” Revealed: New reporting revealed Vivek Ramaswamy’s role in a “kind of pump and dump” scheme that gave patients and their families suffering from Alzheimer’s false hope and cost his investors hundreds of millions of dollars.

Ramaswamy served as “the frontman” for a “dubious pharmaceutical company” and “cashed out weeks before its dramatic crash.” He hired his own mother to “massage” data from failed clinical trials to make the drug look promising, despite her lack of clinical trial experience. Ramaswamy used his own mother’s analysis to secure himself a windfall of hundreds of millions of dollars. 

Bodyguard Blues Back Again: Ramaswamy’s bodyguard and his wife pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking charges following their arrest in late 2025 for participating in a “narcotics conspiracy involving bulk amounts of fentanyl and meth.” Meanwhile, Ramaswamy is pushing a “property tax scam” that would defund the police and fire departments on the frontlines of the opioid epidemic across the state. How can Ohioans trust Ramaswamy to protect Ohio families?

Ramaswamy’s New Social Security Scam: Just ahead of the 91st Anniversary of the Social Security Act signing, an unearthed clip showed Ramaswamy claim privatizing Social Security — gambling with millions of Ohioans’ retirement benefits on the stock market — is a “reasonable conversation to have.” Privatizing Social Security would leave Ohioans more vulnerable to market changes as they’re already grappling with higher costs. Ramaswamy can’t be trusted to protect our Social Security.

Jealousy Looks Bad on Ramaswamy: In a recent clip, Ramaswamy refers to first responders in the Ohio Association of Professional Firefighters as “small” and not “important” after addressing their endorsement of Dr. Acton. Ramaswamy makes his anti-worker views clear as he blatantly disrespects the first responders who put their lives on the line to keep Ohioans safe. 

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NEW REPORTING: Jon Husted Protected Neglectful Nursing Homes Accused of Elder Abuse and Wrongful Death

Husted has taken more than $1 million from nursing home industry executives and lobbyists

COLUMBUS, OHIO — New reporting from NBC 4 Columbus reveals that Jon Husted has taken “more than a million dollars from the nursing home industry, executives, and lobbyists” after he pushed for the passage of legislation that “shielded Ohio nursing homes from liability, even in wrongful death and abuse cases.” 

WATCH HERE: 

Transcript: 

Colleen Marshall, WCMH: His example is Senator Jon Husted, who years ago was a state lawmaker who co-sponsored a bill to shield Ohio nursing homes from liability, even in wrongful death and abuse cases. Since then, Husted has accepted more than a million dollars in campaign contributions from the nursing home industry, its executives, and lobbyists.

Norm Wernet, President of Ohio Alliance for Retired Americans: It is wrong to see that somebody like Senator Husted, when he was in the legislature, would co-sponsor a bill that, in fact, avoided the liability on the nursing homes. 

Ohio Democratic Party Senior Communications Advisor Tony Wen released the following statement:

“Jon Husted said Ohioans’ work ethic is broken and championed legislation to slash Social Security and Medicare — and now reporting reveals he protected the abusive nursing home industry after taking more than $1 million from its lobbyists. Jon Husted sided with special interests over Ohio seniors, and he can’t be trusted.”

Jon Husted can’t be trusted to fight for Ohio seniors:

  • Jon Husted protected nursing homes facing lawsuits for wrongful death and elder abuse, pushing through an industry-backed bill when he served in the state legislature. 
  • Husted has taken more than $1 million from nursing home executives and lobbyists throughout his career, including more than $34,000 for his Senate campaign. 
  • Husted championed legislation that would force massive cuts to Social Security and Medicare, which millions of Ohio seniors rely on. 

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NEW CLIP: Vivek Ramaswamy Calls Social Security Privatization a “Reasonable Conversation to Have”

Columbus, Ohio- On the 91st anniversary of the Social Security Act, which has helped millions of hardworking Ohioans retire with dignity, a new clip shows Vivek Ramaswamy claiming “privatization or partial privatization” of Social Security is a “reasonable conversation to have.”

Privatizing Social Security would leave Ohioans’ livelihoods vulnerable to current stock market trends and endanger a critical safety net for Ohioans in the middle of an affordability crisis. Ohioans can’t afford a billionaire like Ramaswamy who wants to gamble on their Social Security. 

WATCH THE CLIP HERE:

Interviewer: When it comes to that safety net of Social Security, would privatization or partial privatization be on the table for your administration?

Ramaswamy: I think, in principle, in the long run that’s a reasonable conversation to have.

“Of course out of touch billionaire Vivek Ramaswamy, who also thinks Ohioans are lazy and mediocre, wants to gamble our hard-earned retirement benefits on the stock market,” said Ohio Democratic Party spokeswoman Katie Seewer. “This is the same scam artist who said Medicare and Medicaid were a mistake and continues to push self-serving policies that would cost Ohioans dearly while he sees his net worth rise. We can’t afford Vivek Ramaswamy.”

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“Could Not Be Reached,” “Would Not Comment,” “Did Not Respond:” Ohio Republicans In Hiding

COLUMBUS, OH – Ohio Republican candidates up and down the ballot don’t only have in common their support for deeply unpopular economic policies, they also have in common their commitment to dodging questions on the issues most important to Ohio families. Whether it’s facing scrutiny for past support of the data centers that are causing Ohioans’ energy bills to skyrocket, championing Republicans’ budget bill that ripped healthcare and food assistance from Ohio families, or voting repeatedly for Trump and Washington Republicans’ reckless war with Iran, Ohio Republicans seem to only have one answer to their predicament: no comment.

“Ohio Republicans’ agenda is raising prices for Ohio families and ripping away Ohioans’ healthcare – and it’s so unpopular that Republicans aren’t even trying to answer for it anymore,” said Ohio Democratic Party Communications Director Marisa Nahem. “While Ohio Republicans continue dodging questions left and right, the choice for Ohioans at the ballot box is already clear and they can’t avoid the message that Ohioans are going to send in November when they elect Ohio Democrats up and down the ballot.”

While Ohio Democrats are running to bring transparency and accountability to government, read more about how Ohio Republicans are seemingly in hiding, refusing to answer questions on their harmful economic agenda: 

  • Tiffin Ohio: Ohio secretary of state sets sights on state auditor’s office
    In announcing his campaign for state auditor, LaRose said that he plans to bring the same “focus on transparency, efficiency, and accountability” he says he has as Secretary of State to the auditor’s office. The Ohio Capital Journal made multiple requests for an interview with the Republican former state senator and current secretary of state. Requests made both through his campaign website and directly to a campaign communications representative went unanswered.
  • WVXU: Analysis: House Bill 6 bribery case is driving this year’s Ohio AG race
    Kulewicz said the millions of Ohio ratepayers who were harmed by picking up the tab for what he called an illegal scheme, deserve an answer in a court of law. The Republican candidate for Ohio AG is Keith Faber, currently the state auditor and a former state representative from Celina. Faber has a much different view of this. We couldn’t reach him for comment, but he has been quoted by numerous news organizations as saying that he would want to consult with the current staff of the AG’s office before deciding whether to move forward with the case.
  • Ohio Capital Journal: Challenger to incumbent Ohio Supreme Court justice touts ‘originalism,’ strict immigration rulings
    The Capital Journal reached out to the O’Donnell campaign multiple times requesting a post-primary interview, but the campaign refused. A spokesperson for the O’Donnell campaign referred to comments made in a previous interview O’Donnell did with the Capital Journal prior to the May primary, but follow-up requests with specific questions did not receive a response.
  • Ohio Capital Journal: Ohio Republican attorney general candidate appears to advocate ending parts of Medicaid
    In two recent media appearances, Ohio Auditor Keith Faber made statements that sounded supportive of ending at least some parts of Ohio Medicaid. Faber’s campaign did not clarify his comments when asked about them, only saying that Faber supports the lawful use of Medicaid dollars and doesn’t support the unlawful use of them.
  • Dayton Daily News: Dayton residents decry Medicaid, SNAP cuts
    The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed by President Donald Trump last year, is estimated to cut $1 trillion over the next decade from the Medicaid program, and billions from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Turner was among Ohio’s federal lawmakers who voted in favor of the federal spending package. Turner’s Office did not immediately return a request for comment about the cuts.
  • WKYC: Dark Money Game documentary drops as FirstEnergy bribery scandal continues
    Edwards would not comment on this conversation, and also would not answer my question as to whether he ever received any benefit from money in the Generation Now account. 
  • Ohio Capital Journal: Ohio’s 9th Congressional district race: The candidates’ records on data centers
    Merrin, who served four terms as an Ohio state representative for the Toledo district from 2016 to 2024, did not respond to the Ohio Capital Journal’s questions for this story.
  • WVXU: Analysis: Fact-checking Robert Sprague’s TV ad on ballot drop boxes
    Sprague’s campaign did not respond to a request for an interview with the candidate.
  • Cleveland.com: GOP congressional candidate Carey Coleman files financial disclosure after missing deadline
    Republican congressional candidate Carey Coleman filed a personal financial disclosure this week after cleveland.com reported he had missed the legal deadline to do so and the Summit County Democratic Party asked the Justice Department to investigate him for the lapse…Coleman’s campaign declined to comment on the filing.

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BREAKING: Vivek Ramaswamy’s Former Bodyguard Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Trafficking Charges

Columbus, Ohio-Today, Vivek Ramaswamy’s former bodyguard and his wife pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking charges. 

“Vivek Ramaswamy owes Ohioans answers. While he’s pushing a property tax scam that would defund the police and fire departments on the frontlines of the opioid epidemic across the state, his own bodyguard just pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking charges,” said Ohio Democratic Party spokeswoman Katie Seewer. “How can we trust Ramaswamy to protect Ohio families?”

READ: Former bodyguard for Vivek Ramaswamy, wife, plead guilty to federal drug trafficking charges

  • A former bodyguard for Ohio Republican candidate for governor Vivek Ramaswamy has pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking charges.
  • The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Justin Salsburey, 44, pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court in Columbus to participating in a narcotics conspiracy involving bulk amounts of fentanyl and methamphetamine in the mail. Salsburey’s wife, 39-year-old Ruthann Rankin, pleaded guilty to drug charges last week.
  • The couple each pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute at least 500 grams of methamphetamine and at least 40 grams of fentanyl. The crime carries a possible sentence of at least 10 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison.
  • Justin Salsburey worked for Ark Protection Group, which led Ramaswamy’s security detail.

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