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Columbus, OH – Following this week’s primary elections, Justice Michael Donnelly, Justice Melody Stewart and Judge Lisa Forbes are all setting their sights on the general election and rising above party labels to restore fairness, justice and equality to the Ohio Supreme Court. For too long, Ohioans have had to endure a Supreme Court that put politics over people, and the Democrats running for Supreme Court are working to flip the court, honor the rule of law and protect our fundamental freedoms – including abortion rights, voter rights and worker rights. 

See more of what Ohioans are reading today about Ohio’s Supreme Court Race: 

AP: Democrats hope to flip Ohio’s supreme court this fall. Tuesday’s primary settled the contests
Christene Fernando 

“But Democrats see an opening after 57% of Ohio voters backed a reproductive rights measure last fall. They plan to draw attention to the court’s influence over the amendment’s future and see the races as a possible way to chip away at the Republican Party’s longstanding control of all three branches of government in Ohio.”

Ohio Capital Journal: Ohio Supreme Court Democratic candidates look to rise above party labels in general election
Susan Tebben
March 21, 2024

“As they plan to meet with voters and garner support for their campaigns, the judicial candidates said their strategy is educating Ohioans on their credentials and their record. ‘When people are given the full complement of information … about who we are, what we stand for and the importance of this race, then they vote their self-interest,’ Forbes said. ‘And the self-interest of Ohioans is to protect their rights under the constitution.’”

WTVG-TV Toledo: Democratic Ohio Supreme Court candidates turn focus to general election
March 20, 2024

“‘Our judges are going to be on the bench to remove politics and support the will of the voters,’ said Ohio Democratic Chairwoman Liz Walters…Democrats expect to campaign for their candidates on the issues of abortion rights and preserving Democracy.”

Toledo Blade: Forbes wins Democratic nod for Ohio Supreme Court
Jim Provance
March 19, 2024

“The high court is getting additional attention this year because it will preside as the effects are felt from last year’s Issue 1 that enshrined a right to abortion access in the Ohio Constitution.It could also judge the constitutionality of congressional and state legislative district maps that could be redrawn as early as next year if a proposed constitutional amendment taking the process out of politicians’ hands makes it to the general election ballot and passes.”

Dayton Daily News: Forbes wins Ohio Supreme Court race; Hanseman wins appeals court spot
Eric Schwartzberg
March 19, 2024

“The backdrop on all of these statewide races is a tussle between Republicans and Democrats for majority control over the state’s top court, which could prove critical in high-profile issues such as deciding the parameters of abortion rights in Ohio following November’s passage of Issue 1.”

Columbus Dispatch: Lisa Forbes defeats Terri Jamison for Democratic nomination for Ohio Supreme Court: AP
Laura Bischoff
March 19, 2024

“Supreme Court decisions impact how much Ohioans pay in taxes, whether utility companies can add fees to ratepayers’ bills, how insurance and business laws are interpreted, what government records will be available to the public and more. With the passage of Issue 1 in November, the Ohio Supreme Court next year is expected to rule on lawsuits that challenge existing laws that restrict abortion.”

WCMH-TV Columbus: Lisa Forbes wins Democratic primary for Ohio Supreme Court
Sarah Szilagy
March 19, 2024

“In fact, in Forbes’ eyes, the greatest obstacle to achieving justice is the lack of trust and confidence in the judiciary. The system cannot work if the people do not trust it, she said. Increasing transparency is vital, Forbes said. As an appellate judge, she said she aims to thoroughly explain her decisions to the parties, not just to their attorneys.”

Cleveland.com Capitol Letter: 

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Columbus, OH – Today, the Ohio Democratic Party released the following statement after anti-abortion lobbyist Kevin Coughlin emerged from the GOP primary in OH-13. 

“Lobbyist Kevin Coughlin has spent his career looking out for himself and his own political interests at the expense of Northeast Ohioans. From working to ban abortion, repeal the Affordable Care Act, attack worker rights and gut Social security and Medicare, it’s clear that Coughlin is on the wrong side of the issues that matter most to Ohio families. As much as Coughlin will try to hide from his record, we plan to remind voters in the 13th District at every turn just how out-of-touch Coughlin really is,” said Matt Keyes, spokesperson for the Ohio Democratic Party. 

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BernieTheLemon.Com Shows Moreno’s Self-Serving Agenda in His Own Words

Columbus, OH – The Ohio Democratic Party is launching a new website, BernieTheLemon.Com, exposing Bernie Moreno’s long record of looking out for himself – not Ohioans. The website details Moreno’s self-serving agenda in his own words: overruling Ohioans to pass a national abortion ban, refusing to pay his workers, opposing the bipartisan border deal to crack down on fentanyl, and rejecting bipartisanship. 

Visit BernieTheLemon.com To Learn More

Check out the highlights:

Moreno supports a national abortion ban that would overturn the will of Ohioans. Moreno has said he is “100% pro-life with no exceptions” and that he is “absolute pro-life, no exceptions.”     

Moreno: “Absolute pro-life. No exceptions.”

Bernie Moreno refused to pay his workers the overtime they’d earned. Moreno refused to pay his employees the overtime they’d earned, deliberately shredded evidence he was legally required to keep to get out of paying them, and was found liable for wage theft by a jury – forcing Moreno to pay over $400,000 in damages to his employees and settle over a dozen similar wage theft cases. After he got caught, Moreno repeatedly lied about the case and multiple fact checks found his excuses “false.”

WKYC: “Moreno was ultimately ordered to pay more than $400,000 to his former employees after having been found liable for stolen overtime wages, and went on to settle more than a dozen similar lawsuits before announcing his candidacy for Ohio’s U.S. Senate seat in 2023.”

Frank LaRose: “Mr. Moreno has had a problem not even paying people the wages that they’ve earned in his business and had to settle a lawsuit as a result of that.”

Matt Dolan: “Bernie, your employees trusted you to follow a court order and do not destroy documents that help them [make] their case against you. But what did you do? You shredded those documents because it helped Bernie Moreno, not the employees. This is a matter of trust.”

Moreno exploited his insider political connections to boost his businesses and enrich himself. Moreno exploited his inside political connections, hefty campaign contributions, and public board appointments to steer government contracts toward himself and boost his blockchain businesses — leading Moreno to ultimately cash out for at least $5 million. 

Frank LaRose: “[Moreno is] anything but an outsider. He’s been involved in politics for every bit as long as I have, he’s been actively engaged in campaigns and politics over the years. To call yourself an outsider is just completely false.”

Moreno opposed the bipartisan border security bill – which was backed by border patrol agents – that would have helped secure the southern border and protect Ohioans by providing additional manpower at the border, expanding resources for border patrol agents, and cracking down on fentanyl coming from China and Mexico.

Moreno: “It’s 357 pages of complete garbage.”

Moreno has made it clear he won’t work with members of the other party to get things done. When asked how he would work across the aisle to deliver for Ohioans, Moreno said he “reject[ed]” the question. In response, Moreno was slammed by the Ironton Tribune Editorial Board for having “no real interest” in advocating for Ohioans and being “intent on adding to [the] problem” in Washington.

Moreno: “I reject the premise of the question.”

Moreno doesn’t believe the minimum wage should exist. 

Moreno: “At the end of the day, the markets will flush that out.”

Moreno wants to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Moreno would dismantle the Affordable Care Act, putting 857,000 Ohioans at risk of losing their coverage and facing higher costs while nearly 2 million Ohioans with preexisting conditions could be denied healthcare. 

Moreno: “We have to let the markets work…That’s answer number one on health care.”

Visit BernieTheLemon.com to learn more. 

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Columbus, OH – Today, Ohio Democratic Party Chair Elizabeth Walters released the following statement congratulating the Democratic winners of tonight’s primary races. 

“Congratulations to all of the winners of tonight’s Democratic primary elections. There’s so much at stake in 2024, from protecting abortion rights to fighting for Ohio workers to flipping the Ohio Supreme Court. I’m confident we have the best candidates possible to win up and down the ticket this year as we continue our work to move Ohio forward,” said Chair Walters. 

“I’d also like to acknowledge the candidates who ran and came up short tonight. It takes courage, tenacity and a deep dedication to public service to run for office, and I look forward to working with each and every Democratic candidate who was on the ballot tonight to help us win in November,” Chair Walters continued.  

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 Ohio Democratic Party spokesperson Katie Smith issued the following statement on Bernie Moreno:  
 
“Bernie Moreno has made clear throughout his career and his campaign that he only looks out for himself – not the people of Ohio. Whether by refusing to pay his employees the overtime they’d earned and deliberately shredding evidence to cover it up, promising to put in place a national abortion ban that would overturn the will of Ohioans, or coming out against the bill to crack down on fentanyl coming from China and Mexico, Moreno has already shown he will not fight for Ohioans.”
 
What you need to know about Moreno: 

1. Bernie Moreno refused to pay his workers the overtime they’d earned. Moreno refused to pay his employees the overtime they’d earned, deliberately shredded evidence he was legally required to keep to get out of paying them, and was found liable for wage theft by a jury – forcing Moreno to pay over $400,000 in damages to his employees and settle over a dozen similar wage theft cases. After he got caught, Moreno repeatedly lied about the case and multiple fact checks found his excuses “false.” 

2. Moreno is not the outsider he claims to be. Moreno exploited his “inside” political connections, hefty campaign contributions, and public board appointments for years to steer government contracts and taxpayer dollars towards his businesses – leading Moreno to ultimately cash out for “at least $5 million.” 
3. Moreno supports a national abortion ban that would overturn the will of Ohioans. Moreno has said he is “100% pro-life with no exceptions” and that he is “absolute pro-life, no exceptions.”  

4. Moreno opposed the bipartisan border security bill – which was backed by border patrol agents – that would have helped secure the southern border and protect Ohioans by providing additional manpower at the border, expanding resources for border patrol agents, and cracking down on fentanyl coming from China and Mexico. 

5. Moreno is out for himself, not Ohioans. From opposing the existence of the minimum wage, “reject[ing]” bipartisanship, attacking Ohioans’ healthcare, and encouraging a government shutdown, Moreno has made it clear he won’t fight for Ohioans. 

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