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3 days until Ohioans decide on LaRose’s amendment

A conservative radio host called on LaRose to resign last night after breaking his promise to Ohioans and not “paying attention to what the hell is going on with his job.” 

Brad Koffel: “[Frank LaRose] has enough hubris and narcissism to tell Ohioans: ‘Hey, thanks for electing me Secretary of State and reelecting me, and I promise to pay attention to what’s going on on Issue 1, I promise to pay attention to fight these lawsuits that are coming… I’m here to protect you. Oh but now I’m not, now I want to go run for U.S. Senate.’ We’re like: ‘Frank, well then resign.’ If you want to run for U.S. Senate, that’s fine, but we need someone full time Secretary of State.”

LaRose has closely tied himself to State Issue 1 and has been criticized by primary opponent Bernie Moreno and his allies for his missteps — including admitting the quiet part out loud that State Issue 1 is “100%” about abortion and for “tak[ing] his eye off the ball.”

LaRose’s Senate campaign continues to be caught in the crosshairs of his close ties to State Issue 1, causing “blowback” and actively “obscuring” his Senate launch.

Listen to more from 610 WTVN:

BRAD KOFFEL [00:40]: “[Frank LaRose] needs to be paying attention to what the hell is going on with his job, not run around county fairs running for United States Senate. The Republican side is going to be bloodied and battered…”

KOFFEL [00:56]: “We don’t need Frank LaRose running for Senate…”

KOFFEL [01:13]: “We need someone who understands the people and if Frank LaRose understood the people he would listen to the people that know him and [are] reaching out and [are] saying ‘Frank, don’t do this, it’s not about you.’”

KOFFEL [02:03]:“[LaRose] has enough hubris and narcissism to tell Ohioans: ‘Hey, thanks for electing me Secretary of State and reelecting me, and I promise to pay attention to what’s going on on Issue 1, I promise to pay attention to fight these lawsuits that are coming… I’m here to protect you. Oh but now I’m not, now I want to go run for U.S. Senate.’ We’re like: ‘Frank, well then resign.’ If you want to run for U.S. Senate that’s fine but we need someone full time Secretary of State.”

4 days until Ohioans decide on LaRose’s amendment

Ohioans will decide on Frank LaRose’s amendment in four days and LaRose’s Senate campaign is still being suffocated by his close ties to State Issue 1. 
 
This week, LaRose’s admission that State Issue 1 is “100%” about abortion remained front and center while he ran for cover, escalating infighting in Ohio’s Republican primary slugfest. If that wasn’t bad enough, LaRose was also slammed with an ethics complaint by the Libertarian Party of Ohio for making himself the face of State Issue 1 and was blasted for sending an email to poll workers with the incorrect election date. 
 
LaRose’s Senate campaign continues to be caught in the crosshairs of his close ties to State Issue 1, causing “blowback” and actively “obscuring” his Senate launch.
 
Here’s what Ohioans are reading and watching about Frank LaRose days before they vote on his amendment:
 
LaRose can’t escape admitting the quiet part out loud that State Issue 1 is “100%” about abortion. 
 

After making himself “the face of” State Issue 1, LaRose ran for cover and tried to pull his primary opponents closer to State Issue 1, igniting infighting among the field.

WOUB: “Next month’s controversial effort to make it harder to amend Ohio‘s constitution is coming into next year’s Republican U.S. Senate primary.”

Cleveland.com: “Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose – a key figure behind the looming State Issue 1 election to make it harder for citizens to propose and pass constitutional amendments – wants his political rivals to chip in for the cause.”
 

“More controversy:” LaRose slammed with ethics complaint by the Libertarian Party of Ohio.
 

WBNS: “Now there’s more controversy surrounding the August special election… The Libertarian Party of Ohio has filed a complaint against Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose.”
 

Ideastream: “Saying he’s breaking federal law, the Libertarian Party of Ohio has filed a complaint with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel against Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose. At issue is the Hatch Act, which regulates political activities of public officials.”
 

The Columbus Dispatch: “For someone who is using Issue 1 to campaign for federal office, LaRose should probably be more familiar with federal laws while administering federal funds,” said Travis Irvine… “Libertarians have known all too well since 2013 that ‘Two Faced Frank’ will do whatever it takes to get ahead.”
 

LaWhoops strikes again: LaRose blasted after sending an email to poll workers with the incorrect election date.

Senate campaign in the crosshairs: LaRose’s close ties to State Issue 1 are suffocating his Senate campaign, causing “blowback” and actively “obscuring” his launch. 
 

Anna Staver, Columbus Dispatch: “Yeah, you know, there are some folks saying that Frank LaRose has really made this his issue… If it fails, right, if we don’t raise the bar on protecting our constitution, that it will fall on him… He could take the blowback from that and that maybe could hurt his U.S. Senate campaign…”
 

Cleveland.com: “Previews of the Barbenheimer sequel, ‘Barbenheimer- Issue 1′ contain a climax scene showing a giant mushroom cloud of hot pink hues obscuring ‘Frank LaRose for Senate’ and ‘Super Majority needed for State Constitution Amendments’ signs. Along with Barbie giving a ‘thumbs up’ to a ‘No’ vote on Issue 1, and Ken voting ‘Yes.’”
 
Cleveland.com: “He (LaRose) put his whole stock and trade in [Issue One], which is odd for a Secretary of State who’s supposed to protect the voters. He’s doing the opposite. He’s led the charge, he’s done it sleazy the whole way. And if this goes down, his opponents in the senate race are going to say he’s a loser. Bernie’s already saying, ‘Hey, you, you went the wrong way.’ You should be talking about protecting the Constitution, not abortion.”

5 days until Ohioans decide on LaRose’s amendment

Ohioans will decide on Frank LaRose’s amendment in five days and LaRose’s close ties to State Issue 1 continue to cause “blowback” – with pundits noting that if State Issue 1 fails it could “fall on” LaRose and “hurt” his Senate campaign. 
 
While LaRose continues to be dogged by ethics complaints and controversies for making himself the face of State Issue 1, his incompetence is on full display. 
 
LaRose’s office sent out an email to poll workers this week with the incorrect date for the August 8th election. Following his latest LaWhoops, LaRose reported that over half of Ohio’s counties are short on poll workers – with over a quarter of counties short of the minimum required to conduct the election. 
 
“The writing is on the wall: LaRose’s missteps have hurt himself and State Issue 1 while suffocating his Senate campaign launch,” said ODP spokesperson Reeves Oyster. “If State Issue 1 fails, LaRose will be crowned Ohio’s biggest loser.”
 

Watch More:
 
Spectrum News: Frank LaRose faces “blowback” for close ties to State Issue 1, “could hurt his U.S. Senate campaign.”
 

Anna Staver, Columbus Dispatch: “Yeah, you know, there are some folks saying that Frank LaRose has really made this his issue: He helped introduce it with Representative Brian Stewart, he’s championed it throughout the legislative process, and that if it fails, right, if we don’t raise the bar on protecting our constitution, that it will fall on him… He could take the blowback from that and that maybe could hurt his U.S. Senate campaign…”
 
WBNS: Frank LaRose faces more controversy caused by close ties to State Issue 1
 

Tracy Townsend: “Now there’s more controversy surrounding the August special election… The Libertarian Party of Ohio has filed a complaint against Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose.”
 
Amy Steigerwald: “The Secretary of State’s office is also facing some questions regarding how they are specifically handling that election, especially when it comes to Issue 1. His office is in charge of running our special elections, Frank LaRose’s office, including the one that is happening next week. But we know Frank LaRose himself has been an outspoken supporter of Issue 1… This morning we have reached out to Frank LaRose’s office for response to that complaint, we are waiting to hear back…”

Columbus, OH – Yesterday, Indiana’s near-total abortion law went into effect, inserting GOP politicians into the personal, private healthcare decisions of millions of Indiana women. Corrupt, out-of-touch politicians here in Ohio are working toward the same goal and have admitted that State Issue 1 is designed to prevent Ohioans from protecting abortion rights  to achieve their ultimate goal of passing a  total abortion ban. 

“If State Issue 1 passes, out-of-touch politicians here in Ohio will follow Indiana’s lead by passing a total abortion ban. The best way to stop their war on women dead in its tracks? Voting no on Issue One next Tuesday. We must keep the power in the hands of the people, not politicians, by defeating Issue One and telling these corrupt Republicans: we won’t go back,” said Ohio Democratic Party Chair Elizabeth Walters. 

It’s clear that the upcoming August election is just the latest step in the Republican playbook to implement a total abortion ban here in Ohio: 

• After months of denying the truth, Frank LaRose admitted the truth, saying the quiet part out loud that next week’s election is ‘100 percent’ about abortion. 

• After the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Republican Attorney Dave Yost rushed to implement a six-week abortion ban, one of the most extreme in the nation. He then went on national television to cast doubt on a ten-year-old rape victim who was forced to travel out of state for reproductive healthcare. Yost refused to apologize when her story turned out to be true. 

• GOP Governor Mike DeWine told a group of anti-abortion activists that he wanted ‘to go as far as we can’ to limit abortion protections here in Ohio.

• And Republican state legislator Jean Schmidt – who called rape an ‘opportunity’ – told a conservative radio host that she would consider banning birth control. 

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6 days until Ohioans decide on LaRose’s amendment

Ohioans will decide on Frank LaRose’s amendment in six days and LaRose’s close ties to State Issue 1 continue to backfire – putting him “in serious trouble” while “obscuring” his Senate campaign. 
 
After trying to pull his primary opponents closer to State Issue 1, LaRose’s “hail mary pass to save his political career” is being called a “sign of desperation.” 
 
LaRose is also now facing another ethics complaint, filed by the Libertarian Party of Ohio, for violating federal law by making himself the face of an amendment that would benefit special interests and silence the Ohioans he’s supposed to be working for. 
 
“The writing is on the wall: LaRose’s missteps have hurt himself and State Issue 1 while suffocating his Senate campaign launch,” said ODP Spokesperson Reeves Oyster. “If State Issue 1 fails, LaRose will be crowned Ohio’s biggest loser.”
 
Read More:
 
Cleveland.com: Did Issue 1 creator Frank LaRose just throw a Hail Mary pass to save his political career? Today in Ohio
August 1, 2023

• Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose asked his Republican opponents in the U.S. Senate race, state Sen. Matt Dolan and car salesman Bernie Moreno, to contribute $1 million apiece to help fund the State Issue 1 campaign.
• Is it a sign of desperation? 
• One week from today, Ohioans who have not voted early will go to the polls on Issue 1, the move by Frank LaRose to persuade voters to disembowel themselves. We see lots of signs that this thing is going down, and we had one more Monday, when LaRose threw a Hail Mary pass to keep his backing of this terrible thing from destroying his political future. What did he do?
• [00:02:28] Chris Quinn: “He (LaRose) put his whole stock and trade in [Issue One], which is odd for a Secretary of State who’s supposed to protect the voters. He’s doing the opposite. He’s led the charge, he’s done it sleazy the whole way. And if this goes down, his opponents in the senate race are going to say he’s a loser. Bernie’s already saying, ‘Hey, you, you went the wrong way. You should be talking about protecting the Constitution, not abortion.’”
• [00:04:20] Chris Quinn: “The guy is in serious trouble and I hope when it goes down, if it goes down, he’s done – because he really shouldn’t have a seat at the table anymore.”

Cleveland.com: Barbie and Issue 1: Darcy cartoons
Jeff Darcy
August 1, 2023

• “Previews of the Barbenheimer sequel, ‘Barbenheimer- Issue 1′ contain a climax scene showing a giant mushroom cloud of hot pink hues obscuring ‘Frank LaRose for Senate’ and ‘Super Majority needed for State Constitution Amendments’ signs. Along with Barbie giving a ‘thumbs up’ to a ‘No’ vote on Issue 1, and Ken voting ‘Yes.’
   
• In another sign Issue 1 sponsors fear its failure, Ohio Secretary of State and U.S. Senate candidate Frank LaRose requested his two wealthier, but lesser known, Senate opponents, Matt Dolan and Bernie Moreno, contribute $1 million each to the Issue 1 campaign for TV ads and voter outreach.
   
• Issue 1 is undemocratic and attempts to suppress voting rights and the principle of a simple majority rule, which makes it all the more appalling that LaRose is one of its strongest proponents when he’s a former Green Beret and current Ohio Secretary of State, whose chief duty is to protect and promote the vote, not suppress & abort it.

Ideastream: Libertarian Party of Ohio: Secretary of State’s pro-Issue 1 stance breaks federal law
Jo Ingles
August 1, 2023

• Saying he’s breaking federal law, the Libertarian Party of Ohio has filed a complaint with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel against Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose. At issue is the Hatch Act, which regulates political activities of public officials.
   
• LaRose has been outspoken in the party’s efforts to convince Ohio voters to approve Issue 1. That question on the Aug. 8 special election ballot would make it harder to pass future constitutional amendments by requiring a 60% passage threshold instead of a simple majority. It’s before voters months ahead of an abortion access and reproductive rights amendment on the November ballot.
   
• “And therein lies the problem – with Frank LaRose going out there campaigning in favor of Issue 1 while supposedly having to be an impartial election administrator.”
   
• Issue 1 is the only question on the Aug. 8 special election ballot. Last year, LaRose led a charge for HB 458, a law to get rid of most August special elections. But lawmakers pushed for the vote before a reproductive rights amendment in the fall. Republican lawmakers, including LaRose, have said the change is about abortion, but have also recently added that it goes beyond that. 
   
• “‘Two-faced Frank’ needs to be called out and that’s what we are doing,” Irvine said. 

The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio Libertarian Party says Frank LaRose violated federal law with Issue 1 campaign
Haley BeMiller
August 1, 2023

• The Libertarian Party of Ohio has accused Secretary of State Frank LaRose of violating federal law for campaigning in favor of Issue 1 on the Aug. 8 ballot.
   
• “For someone who is using Issue 1 to campaign for federal office, LaRose should probably be more familiar with federal laws while administering federal funds,” said Travis Irvine… “Libertarians have known all too well since 2013 that ‘Two Faced Frank’ will do whatever it takes to get ahead.”

WOUB: LaRose calls on his GOP U.S. Senate opponents to pony up $1 million for pro-Issue 1 campaign
Jo Ingles
August 1, 2023

• Next month’s controversial effort to make it harder to amend Ohio‘s constitution is coming into next year’s Republican U.S. Senate primary.
   
• “Frank LaRose has, from the start, taken leadership of this issue, going back to last year. And he has put in the sweat equity. He’s done over 60 events across the state,” Kindel said, noting LaRose’s appearances in televised debates and at Republican dinners and forums. “Frank LaRose is really putting in that grass roots support.”
   
• “What Ohio needs is a Secretary of State that is paying attention to the job to which he was elected. Instead, ours is trying to divide Republicans at the last minute. He’s also spent more time shooting fake jogging ads and fundraising in Washington, D.C., to fuel his own political career,” DiStefano said, referring to LaRose’s campaign launch video. “So, we’re curious: How many of LaRose’s D.C. fundraisers were in support of Issue 1?” 

Ohio Capital Journal: Ohio Libertarians allege Secretary of State LaRose mixing Issue 1 campaign with official duty
Nick Evans
August 2, 2023

• The Libertarian Party of Ohio has filed a complaint with federal officials alleging Secretary of State Frank LaRose’s Issue 1 advocacy violates the Hatch Act.
   
• The law prohibits employees and certain officeholders from using their authority to influence the outcome of an election.
   
• The complaint argues that because LaRose’s office administers federal election funds, his campaign activity is subject to Hatch Act provisions.
   
• He goes on to argue that LaRose’s tweets demonstrate the intermingling of official and campaign activity. But they also hint at a much more extensive effort to sway voters. LaRose’s “many appearances and meetings to trumpet Issue 1 pile on to demonstrate his ‘well-established pattern’ to get his message in support of Issue 1 across to voters,” Brown wrote.