Uncategorized

Columbus, OH – Today, Ohio Democratic Party Chair Elizabeth Walters penned an op-ed for the Columbus Dispatch laying out the stakes of the November election and urging Ohioans to vote YES on Issue One to stop Ohio’s extreme abortion ban from taking effect. The op-ed also takes Frank LaRose to task for putting his political ambitions first and working to silence and overrule Ohioans by rewriting the November ballot language. 

“LaRose put himself at the center of an August amendment designed to silence and benefit special interests and lost – suffocating his Senate campaign in the process. Now, he is doing the same thing with the November abortion amendment. LaRose is giving the finger to Ohioans.

“Here’s the simple truth: passing Issue 1 would protect our right to reproductive care in the Ohio Constitution so that our freedoms will not be up to the whims of whatever politicians are in power at the moment. Full stop. It will keep these private healthcare decisions where they belong: with women and their families. Any other talking points from the other side are just scare tactics meant to distract you from their anti-abortion agenda and their extreme total abortion ban,”  writes Chair Walters. 

Read the full op-ed here and more below: 

• The only thing stopping a total abortion ban from taking effect in Ohio is your yes vote on Issue 1 on November 7. 
• Mere hours after the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade came down, out-of-touch politicians at the statehouse rushed to federal court to implement a six-week abortion ban that has no exceptions for rape, incest, or to protect the life of the woman.
• This same abortion ban forced a ten-year-old rape victim to travel to Indiana for the critical healthcare she needed in a time of crisis. It would effectively end safe abortion care in Ohio and put the lives of thousands of women across Ohio at risk. And it would make Ohio one of the most extreme states in the country on abortion, making businesses and families alike hesitant to relocate to our state. 
• Now, the only way we can stop this draconian abortion ban from taking effect and stop politicians from inserting themselves into our private, personal medical decisions is to vote Yes on Issue 1 by November 7. 
• We know the other side is going to try to divide and distract us with lies and misleading ads on TV, making the November election about everything except what it’s actually about: the right for Ohio women to make healthcare choices for themselves. 
• They’re already pulling out all the stops, with Secretary of State Frank LaRose and Republicans on Ohio’s ballot board sneaking through misleading language for the November ballot to sow confusion among Ohio voters about what the measure actually does.
• LaRose is giving the finger to Ohioans. He’s made it clear that he is not working for us and will do whatever it takes to silence and overrule Ohioans to further his own political ambitions.
• Here’s the simple truth: passing Issue 1 would protect our right to reproductive care in the Ohio Constitution so that our freedoms will not be up to the whims of whatever politicians are in power at the moment.
• As we saw on August 8, power belongs in the hands of the people, not politicians, and on November 7, we’re going to once again send a message to the out-of-touch politicians who want to control our bodies and our medical decisions: we won’t go back. 

###

LaRose is putting his political ambitions ahead of Ohioans

Columbus, OH – Since putting himself at the center of the failed August special election and rewriting the November abortion ballot language, LaRose has been called out by Ohioans for misleading and silencing Ohioans ahead of the November election. LaRose has said that even if the amendment passes, he would overrule the majority of Ohioans who oppose banning abortion by voting for a national abortion ban if elected to the Senate.

Cincinnati Enquirer: LaRose tried to deceive voters with ballot language change

Joy Bennett, Mason

September 18, 2023 

• Clearly, Secretary of State Frank LaRose isn’t working for Ohioans.

• He tried to trick us into giving away our right to amend the state constitution with the sneaky August election. Even though Ohioans voted against him, defeating August’s Issue 1, he hasn’t stopped trying to silence us.

• LaRose’s attempt to deceive us by changing the abortion amendment’s ballot language is disgraceful. He’s abusing his position as secretary of state to overrule us.

• What will stop him from doing the same as senator? We can’t allow LaRose to fool us. Send him a message by voting “Yes” on Issue 1 in November.

See also: Frank LaRose Working to Silence, Overrule Ohioans: A Trip Down Memory Lane; Frank LaRose “Dove Deep Into [His] Bag of Tricks” to Mislead and Overrule Ohioans… Again; Frank LaRose “Intentionally Misleading” Ohioans, Trying to Overrule Voters; “A Slap in the Face:” Frank LaRose Not Working for Ohioans; What Ohioans Are Saying: “Shame On LaRose for Silencing Ohioans”; One Year After National Abortion Ban Introduced, Here’s A Reminder That #OHSEN Field Supports Abortion Bans; Frank LaRose Slammed for “Trying to Stack the Deck” Against Ohioans

###

Columbus, OH – In case you missed it, the Sandusky Register reported today that J.R. Majewski is considering running again for Ohio’s 9th Congressional District, once again creating a messy, chaotic primary race for Republicans in OH-09. In recent weeks, Majewski has weighed into the OH-09 GOP primary, criticizing Ohio Republican Party leadership, as well as the current primary field. 

It’s a sign that the OH-9 GOP primary will be as messy as last cycle, with Majewski and his supporters questioning the MAGA credentials of the current Republican field and setting up a nasty intra-party fight.

“I definitely do want to run again, but I want to make sure I do it on my terms,” Majewski told Tom Jackson with the Register. 

“Whether J.R. Majewski ultimately decides to run or not, it’s clear he’s ready to insert himself into another messy primary race for Republicans in Ohio’s 9th Congressional District. While establishment Republicans were hoping to clear the field for their hand-picked nominee, J.R. clearly has other ideas,” said Matt Keyes, spokesperson for the Ohio Democratic Party. 

Read more from the Sandusky Register HERE and below: 

• Majewski, 43, who lives in Ottawa County near Port Clinton, says he will decide in the next few weeks whether to jump into the Republican primary for the Ninth District, seeking the Republican nomination for a rematch with Kaptur.

• He had previously ruled out a race but may get in, pitting him against declared candidates Steve Lankenau, Craig Riedel and Daniel Wilczynski.

• Majewski said he plans to make up his mind by early October. Majewski realizes he needs to make a decision soon to have a fair chance in hopes of raising enough money.

• “I didn’t have any enemies until I decided to run for office,” he said.

###

Why won’t LaRose give taxpayers the answers they deserve after costing Ohioans $600,000? 

Columbus, OH –  Frank LaRose is still facing serious questions for his decision to put his political ambitions ahead of Ohioans by moving the Ohio Secretary of State office to the same building as his current campaign HQ. After a series of expensive missteps during the August special election, LaRose’s latest scandal is costing taxpayers a steep $600,000 and will take Ohioans over 50 years to recoup the costs.

Thomas Yeager, Air Force Veteran: “I was held to the highest ethical standards as a senior noncommissioned officer in the USAF. We should receive no less from our elected officials. LaRose needs to be held accountable for this string of unethical moves.”

WTVN: “Frank LaRose is relocating his state office into the same building that houses his campaign. LaRose is running for Senate in Ohio and says this move will save $11,000 a year in rent but the cost of relocating his office is $600,000 up front so it would take over 50 years to recover that money.”

“Frank LaRose’s latest scandal is growing and Ohio taxpayers are paying 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 more: 

Ironton Tribune: LaRose’s unethical move

Thomas Yeager

September 25, 2023

• I should have known better when LaRose, whose salary WE pay, announced his run for higher office this summer. And since launching his Senate campaign, LaRose has made a number of political moves that should cause concern for Ohioans.

• His latest unethical move is a bit more literal.

• It was reported that LaRose is moving the official Secretary of State office for the first time in nearly 20 years. Where, you might ask? The same building as LaRose’s Senate campaign headquarters. And the move isn’t cheap, LaRose’s decision to be closer to his political lackeys will cost taxpayers over half a million dollars.

• It’s long been clear that LaRose is more focused on advancing his political career than doing his job. But LaRose’s latest scandal shows there is no line he won’t cross if it helps him climb the political ladder.

• As Secretary of State, LaRose owes Ohioans some answers.

• Between moving office buildings, making himself the face of the August election, and now trying to mislead Ohioans by rewriting the November amendment ballot language, LaRose is not hiding his willingness to disrespect Ohioans in pursuit of advancing his own political ambitions.

• He is once again proving he does not care about us. He will violate our trust to benefit himself. He will cost us hundreds of thousands of dollars to get a political promotion. He will try to trick us to push his own agenda. He will silence our voices.

• I was held to the highest ethical standards as a senior noncommissioned officer in the USAF. We should receive no less from our elected officials. LaRose needs to be held accountable for this string of unethical moves.

WATCH MORE FROM WCMH HERE

###

Columbus, OH – With T-minus 179 days left in this slugfest – each one more brutal and bruising than the last – it’s clear whoever emerges from this fight will be badly damaged in the eyes of Ohioans. Plus, Frank LaRose made headlines **again** this week after working to silence and overrule Ohioans.

Here’s what you missed this week in what has already been called one of the “messiest, “most expensive” and “bruising” primary battles in the country. 

T-MINUS 179 DAYS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Ohio’s Senate Slugfest is “the messiest Senate primary” in the country with three candidates duking it out while neglecting the issues most important to Ohioans’ daily lives. 

Here’s what you need to know with T-minus 179 days to go:

Bernie Moreno is one of two mega millionaires in this race and is worth over a hundred million dollars. Donald Trump has encouraged Moreno and Moreno is endorsed by J.D. Vance, who is close with Trump. Moreno has said he is “unequivocally pro-life,” supports a national abortion ban and does not support exceptions for rape, incest, or life of the mother.
 

Frank LaRose is now at the center of the November election to overturn Ohio’s restrictive abortion ban after making himself the biggest loser of the August special election. LaRose has already promised that even if Ohioans vote to protect abortion rights, he would overturn them by voting for a national abortion ban. 

LaRose has faced scandal after scandal throughout his campaign, most recently for wasting over half a million dollars in taxpayer funds to move his official office to the same building as his campaign. LaRose has also been critical of Donald Trump, saying the former President’s endorsement “doesn’t carry the same weight it used to” and refused to endorse Trump in 2016, 2020, and even for the first week of his Senate campaign.

Matt Dolan is a mega millionaire who is using a “cheap loan” with a too-good-to-be-true interest rate to bankroll his Senate campaign. Dolan, who self-funded his last Senate campaign, has already loaned himself $4 million this cycle. Despite his enormous wealth, Dolan broke his pledge to use his PAC to support GOP candidates and is instead using it to funnel money to his campaign consultants. Dolan has also made critical comments of President Trump and his primary opponents, claiming whoever Trump endorses in the race will eventually lose.

And last but not least… All three GOP candidates oppose the November amendment to protect reproductive rights and support dangerous abortion bans, including bans with no exceptions for rape or incest.

It’s shaping up to be a contentious 179 days…

WHAT OHIOANS ARE READING ABOUT FRANK LAROSE

LaRose is making headlines **again** for trying to silence and overrule Ohioans by rewriting the November ballot language to be “intentionally misleading.” Don’t forget, LaRose has already said he would overturn the will of Ohioans if the November amendment passes by voting for a national abortion ban if elected to the Senate.

Cleveland.com: Editorial: LaRose’s “Loaded Language” An Attempt To “Have His Thumb On The Scale”

Ohio Capital Journal: LaRose pushes unfair, inaccurate language for voters on November Ohio reproductive rights amendment

The Vindicator: Don’t let LaRose silence Ohioans in the US Senate

Cincinnati Enquirer: “LaRose’s actions have made it abundantly clear he’s not working for us. He’s trying to get ahead and help himself and his political career − and he doesn’t care who stands in his way. LaRose will be remembered by his actions this August and November and who he fought for. One thing is clear: It’s not Ohioans.”

Ohio Capital Journal: “That summary language was written by the office of Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, a Republican ballot board member who has spoken out against November’s Issue 1 reproductive rights amendment proposal, and campaigned vigorously for August’s Issue 1 proposal to make amendments harder to pass, saying that the Aug. 8 effort was ‘100% about keeping a radical pro-abortion amendment out of our constitution.’ Issue 1 in August was rejected by voters 57% to 43%.”

Cincinnati Enquirer: “Clearly, Secretary of State Frank LaRose isn’t working for Ohioans. He tried to trick us into giving away our right to amend the state constitution with the sneaky August election. Even though Ohioans voted against him, defeating August’s Issue 1, he hasn’t stopped trying to silence us.”

WATCH HERE: FRANK LAROSE SUPPORTS NATIONAL ABORTION BAN

Frank LaRose: “But as I told you, I’m pro-life and if a pro-life measure comes before the Senate, then I would vote as a pro-life American.”

WATCH HERE: OHIO SUPREME COURT SLAPS DOWN LAROSE’S BALLOT LANGUAGE… AGAIN

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Supreme Court Justice Jennifer Brunner on Frank LaRose rewriting the November ballot amendment language: Ballot Board & Frank LaRose “substitut[ed] their own language and creat[ed] out of whole cloth a veil of deceit and bias in their desire to impose their views on Ohio voters…”

###