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Ohioans deserve answers after bankrolling LaRose’s $600,000 move

Columbus, OH – Frank LaRose’s “latest political controversy” is escalating as LaRose continues to refuse to answer questions and provide transparency on his decision to move the Secretary of State’s office to the same building as his campaign HQ – costing Ohioans a steep $600,000 which will take 54 years to recover. Now, a new viewer poll by WSYX is showing that an overwhelming majority of Ohioans agree LaRose is misusing taxpayer money. 

Ohioans, media outlets, and state lawmakers have been calling on LaRose for weeks for transparency, but LaRose continues to put his political ambitions ahead of Ohioans.  

“Frank LaRose’s latest scandal is growing and Ohio taxpayers are footing the bill for his scheme to move the Secretary of State office to the same building as his campaign,” said ODP Spokesperson Reeves Oyster. “Ohioans aren’t buying LaRose’s excuses or his phony math as it becomes clearer every day that LaRose will do whatever it takes to advance his political career, regardless of how much it hurts – or costs – Ohioans.”

Read / watch more from WSYX: 

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WSYX: LaRose asked to justify spending $600,000 on relocating his office

Darrel Rowland

September 28, 2023

• The latest political controversy in Columbus revolves around office space.

• Secretary of State Frank LaRose wants to move his office from North Fourth Street to 200 Civic Center Drive a few blocks away. Democrats point out that that space houses the attorneys for his U.S. Senate campaign.

• Ohio Sen. Bill DeMora, D-Columbus, is pounding on LaRose for changing the location of the secretary of state’s leased office for the first time in decades.

• DeMora led 13 Democrats who sent a letter to LaRose this week, seeking justification for the move, which will cost $600,000. While the office gets a slight decrease in the lease rate, that initial outlay won’t be recovered until 2077, DeMora said.

• “We want some answers,” DeMora said. “I mean this is state money he’s spending to move. It’s a purview of Democratic legislators to ask him why you’re spending this money.”

• DeMora, a top operative of the Ohio Democratic party for years before taking office last year, said he thinks it’s hardly a coincidence that LaRose picked the building that houses his senate campaign’s legal adviser, Baker-Hostetler.

• “It doesn’t pass the smell test for any rational person,” DeMora said. “The secretary of state’s office, through Democrat and Republican secretary of states, has been in the same building for 20 years. And now all of a sudden Secretary LaRose decides, well, it has to be moved.”

• Neither LaRose nor anyone from his campaign would go on camera to respond to the Democrats’ concerns.

See also: Frank LaRose Continues Dodging Questions From Ohioans, Media, and Lawmakers on Latest Scandal; Ohio Lawmakers Call On Frank LaRose To Answer for Latest Scandal Costing Ohioans; Frank LaRose’s “Latest Unethical Move Is a Bit More Literal”; ICYMI: “Ethics Red Flags” Go Up as Frank LaRose’s “Ability to Do that Job Impartially Has Been Called into Question” [Ohio Capital Journal]; LaRose’s Math Not Adding Up as Taxpayers Cover Steep Cost to Move Secretary of State Office to His Campaign HQ; As Scandal Grows, LaRose’s “Answers” Just Raise More Questions About Steep Cost to Move Secretary of State Office to His Campaign HQ; Frank LaRose Still Owes Ohioans Answers After Latest Scandal Surfaces;  A New Scandal For Frank LaRose: Taxpayers Foot Steep Bill to Move Secretary of State Office to Campaign HQ

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Dolan attacks Moreno for breaking his promise to not use his personal wealth to “write [himself] a big fat check”

Columbus, OH – Mega millionaires Bernie Moreno and Matt Dolan are attacking each other for trying to buy a Senate seat after they both wrote themselves a $3 million check last quarter. 

Moreno’s decision to dump millions of his own personal fortune into the slugfest comes after claiming months ago that he wasn’t going to “take [his] personal wealth and buy a Senate seat” and that it’s “not right” for wealthy people to “write a big fat check” for themselves. Now, Dolan’s campaign is attacking Moreno for breaking his promise to not self fund, saying “the former used car dealer’s credibility is eroding as quickly as his donor support.”

Moreno has also previously criticized Dolan for using his personal fortune to bankroll his campaign. Dolan, who is already in hot water after a report showed he is using a “cheap loan” and too-good-to-be-true deal to fund his campaign, has now self-funded $7 million this cycle. 

“The attacks are flying as mega millionaires Bernie Moreno and Matt Dolan both try to buy Ohio’s Senate seat. One thing is clear as this slugfest escalates, neither Dolan nor Moreno are fighting for Ohioans,” said ODP Spokesperson Reeves Oyster.

Whiplash alert: Months ago, Bernie Moreno claimed he wouldn’t “write [himself] a big fat check” and try to buy Ohio’s Senate seat:

• MORENO: “I won’t do what my opponent’s doing. I will not – well first of all, it’s my money vs. his family’s money, big difference by the way. But I’m not going to take personal wealth and buy a Senate seat. It’s not good for democracy.” [5/16/23]

• The Vindicator: “But when Moreno announced April 18 that he would run for the Senate seat held by Brown, he said: ‘I don’t think it’s right — I think it’s fundamentally bad for democracy — for wealthy people, they’ve got their checkbook, to buy a Senate seat. That’s not right. I won’t do that.’” [4/28/23]

• MORENO: “I don’t think it’s good for democracy for wealthy people to write a big fat check and buy themselves a Senate seat… I am not going to write a check that allows me to buy a Senate seat. It’s not good for democracy.” [4/19/23]

Read more:

The Messenger: Ohio Senate Candidate Matt Dolan Raises $4.1M in Third Quarter, Takes Aim At Rival

Matt Holt

October 4, 2023

• However, the Dolan campaign is taking aim at Moreno and highlighting his past comments that he wouldn’t self-fund his campaign. This quarter, Moreno loaned his campaign $3 million.

• On a podcast in April, Moreno said he was “not going to write a check that allows me to buy a Senate seat. It’s not good for democracy.” And in May, he took aim at Dolan for self-funding his campaign.

• “I won’t do what my opponent’s doing,” Moreno told a crowd at an event. “I will not – well, first of all, it’s my money vs. his family’s money, big difference by the way. But I’m not going to take personal wealth and buy a Senate seat. It’s not good for democracy.”

• “Bernie Moreno pledged to Ohioans on numerous occasions that he wouldn’t self-fund his campaign. What’s clear is that the former used car dealer’s credibility is eroding as quickly as his donor support,” Dolan strategist Chris Maloney told The Messenger.

• In September, The Messenger reported that Dolan played down the value of the Trump endorsement…

See also: Bernie Moreno Decides to Try to Buy Ohio’s Senate Seat After All, Writing $3 Million Check to His Campaign; Matt Dolan Breaks Pledge to Financially Support GOP Candidates Through PAC, Instead Uses It to Funnel Cash to Campaign Consultants; Questions Matt Dolan Must Answer About Shady “Cheap Loan” Bankrolling His Political Campaign; “Good to Be Rich:” Multimillionaire Matt Dolan Uses “Cheap Loan” To Fund Senate Campaign, Avoid Paying Taxes; Bernie Moreno, Matt Dolan Report “Multi-Million Dollar Fortunes”

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Columbus, OH – After claiming months ago that he wasn’t going to “take [his] personal wealth and buy a Senate seat” and that it’s “not right” for wealthy people to “write a big fat check” for themselves, Bernie Moreno decided to “put his own skin in the game” after all, writing himself a $3 million check last quarter. 

In the same breath, Moreno took a swipe at Matt Dolan, another megamillionaire in the Ohio Senate slugfest, who has self-funded $4 million so far this cycle.

“Ohioans can’t trust megamillionaire Bernie Moreno to keep his word,” said ODP Spokesperson Reeves Oyster.

Whiplash alert: Months ago, Bernie Moreno claimed he wouldn’t “write [himself] a big fat check” and try to buy Ohio’s Senate seat:

• MORENO: “I won’t do what my opponent’s doing. I will not – well first of all, it’s my money vs. his family’s money, big difference by the way. But I’m not going to take personal wealth and buy a Senate seat. It’s not good for democracy.” [5/16/23]

• The Vindicator: “But when Moreno announced April 18 that he would run for the Senate seat held by Brown, he said: ‘I don’t think it’s right — I think it’s fundamentally bad for democracy — for wealthy people, they’ve got their checkbook, to buy a Senate seat. That’s not right. I won’t do that.’” [4/28/23]

• MORENO: “I don’t think it’s good for democracy for wealthy people to write a big fat check and buy themselves a Senate seat… I am not going to write a check that allows me to buy a Senate seat. It’s not good for democracy.” [4/19/23]

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Columbus, OH – Today at 12:00 PM, Frank LaRose will fundraise with billionaire Richard Uihlein in Chicago’s finest hotel, the O’Hare Hilton Hotel. Uihlein – one of the nation’s biggest supporters and benefactors of a national abortion ban – bankrolled LaRose’s August election designed to silence Ohioans and make it harder to overturn Ohio’s current restrictive ban with no exceptions for rape or incest. Uihlein is the largest donor of Women Speak Out, a Susan B. Anthony List-affiliated political action committee seeking to federally outlaw abortion.  

After LaRose was named Ohio’s biggest loser in August, LaRose “twist[ed]” the November ballot language to make it harder for the amendment to pass. LaRose has also said he would overrule Ohioans if they protect abortion access by voting for a national abortion ban if elected to the Senate. 

WHO: Frank “Ohio’s Biggest Loser” LaRose and Billionaire, National-Abortion-Ban Benefactor Richard Uihlein

WHAT: Fundraiser for Frank LaRose’s Senate Campaign

WHEN: Tuesday, October 3rd 2023 at 12:00 PM

WHERE: The Gaslight Club, O’Hare Hilton Hotel

WHY: Event will support LaRose’s efforts to silence Ohioans, pass a national abortion ban, and put his political ambitions ahead of Ohioans. 

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Columbus, OH – As Ohioans prepare to vote on protecting abortion access and overturning Ohio’s current dangerous abortion ban, a new report shows that the entire primary field supports dangerous abortion bans – including bans with no exceptions for rape or incest.

Despite Donald Trump and NRSC Chair Senator Steve Daines warning candidates against supporting dangerous abortion bans, Frank LaRose and Bernie Moreno are doubling down on their positions. 

Here’s what you need to know about the #OHSEN field and abortion: 

• At his campaign launch, Bernie Moreno said he is “unequivocally pro-life.” Moreno supports a national abortion ban and does not support exceptions for rape, incest, or life of the mother.

• Frank LaRose supports a national abortion ban, opposes exceptions for rape or incest, and celebrated the overturning of Roe v. Wade. After his amendment to silence Ohioans by making it harder to amend the constitution failed, LaRose put his political ambitions first and rewrote the November ballot language to mislead and confuse Ohioans. LaRose has also said he supports Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s attempts to block top military confirmations – saying Tuberville’s position is “the same position I would support in the Senate.”

• Matt Dolan celebrated the overturning of Roe v. Wade, calling it “exciting.” Dolan said defeating the November amendment is a “priority.”

• All three GOP candidates oppose the November amendment and support upholding the current restrictive law in Ohio – which bans abortion with no exceptions for rape or incest.

Read more: 

Cleveland.com: Ohio’s November vote on abortion rights is overshadowing the U.S. Senate race. Where do the candidates stand?

Andrew Tobias

September 30, 2023

• But the [Senate] race is getting overshadowed by another election: the November campaign over State Issue 1, which would enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution and block Ohio’s six-week abortion ban that’s currently held up in court.

• But the November campaign also provides a natural runway for the Republican Senate candidates, who all oppose Issue 1, as anti-abortion activists and GOP party officials organize to try to defeat the measure. And as they look for support from GOP primary voters who polling shows remain staunchly opposed to abortion, the Republican candidates, Sen. Matt Dolan, Secretary of State Frank LaRose and Cleveland businessman Bernie Moreno all say they plan to try to help defeat it.

• As a U.S. Senate candidate, Dolan said in an email to cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer that he will work to protect the Hyde Amendment, which forbids federal funds from paying for abortion…

• As a state senator, Dolan cast votes against a couple high-profile abortion-related bills that he may be asked about during the primary.

• LaRose has said that in the U.S. Senate, he would support legislation setting a national ban on abortion with an exemption for the life of the mother, but potentially not for rape or incest.

• In a June interview on NBC News’ “Meet the Press,” LaRose called Ohio’s six-week ban “a good standard”…

• LaRose has touted his “100% pro-life voting record” while he served in the state Senate from 2011 through 2018.

• But he eventually voted in favor of [the heartbeat bill], joining his Republican colleagues in December 2019 to overturn a veto of the bill from then-Gov. John Kasich.

• Moreno, as someone who’s never held elected office, has no voting record to analyze.

• But he’s staked out a very conservative abortion position during his brief political career, telling Breitbart, the right-wing political website, in 2021 that he does not support exemptions for rape and incest.

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