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Columbus, OH – With just 15 days until the #OHSEN Slugfest comes to a head, this “messy,” “bruising” primary battle got even nastier over the weekend as Bernie Moreno, Frank LaRose, Matt Dolan, and their keyboard warriors traded blows online. It’s clear no matter who emerges from this brawl, they’re more focused on fighting each other than fighting for Ohioans.

A Blow-By-Blow Recap Of This Weekend’s #OHSEN Slugfest Brawl:

SATURDAY, MARCH 2ND:

SUNDAY, MARCH 3RD:

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Columbus, OH – An Alabama Supreme Court ruling pausing IVF treatments reminds Ohioans that IVF and reproductive rights are once again on the ballot in 2024. The Ohio Supreme Court will likely oversee cases involving the implementation of Issue 1, including GOP Attorney General Dave Yost’s argument that portions of Republicans’ extreme six-week abortion ban remain constitutional. Republicans in the state legislature have also introduced so-called ‘personhood’ bills, which threaten IVF and other fertility treatments used by Ohio families.

“Ohio Republicans aren’t being subtle. Despite overwhelming support for reproductive rights in Ohio, GOP politicians have shown time and again that they’re going to continue to push for abortion bans and attacks on reproductive freedom. And one of the most effective ways to stop their war on women is to flip the Ohio Supreme Court this November,” said Matt Keyes, spokesperson for the Ohio Democratic Party. 

Ohio is the only state in the nation with the opportunity to flip its Supreme Court this year, as the Court is set to take up key issues in the months and years ahead, including abortion rights, gerrymandering and voting rights.

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Columbus, OH – With this primary rapidly approaching, the Slugfest fire is still roaring as strong as ever. From voting against IVF protections and showing Ohioans can’t “believe a word” the field says, to opposing the existence of the minimum wage, to Moreno facing more scrutiny over his record refusing to pay his employees, it’s clear that no one in the #OHSEN field is fighting for Ohioans. 

Here’s a recap of what happened last week in what has already been called one of the “messiest”, “most expensive” and “bruising” primary battles in the country.

FIELD CAN’T ESCAPE SCRUTINY FOR VOTING AGAINST IVF PROTECTIONS

After already being on-the-record “clearly” voting against protections for fertility treatment by opposing November’s Issue 1, the entire field can’t erase their records following the Alabama Supreme Court ruling. 

Here’s the truth: Bernie Moreno, Frank LaRose, and Matt Dolan did everything they could to defeat Issue 1, ban abortion, and attack women’s right to choose when to start a family – Ohioans “don’t believe a word” of what they’re saying now. 

Howard Wilkinson, WVXU: “But there is no way for McConnell to fix this: His Senate nominee, whoever that might be, opposed a reproductive rights amendment passed by 57% of Ohio voters.”

Marilou Johanek, OCJ: “All three Republicans say they’re open to canceling the will of state voters to impose federal restrictions on abortion rights and reproductive health care.”

MILLIONAIRE MORENO OPPOSES EXISTENCE OF MINIMUM WAGE

Bernie Moreno made it clear in last week’s debate that he “opposes [the] existence of minimum wage.” And he doubled down on that position when asked by Cleveland.com. 

That’s rich coming from the guy who has already used $4 million of his personal money to buy a Senate seat.

Watch more about the field’s opposition to the minimum wage here:

MORENO FACES MORE SCRUTINY FOR RECORD OF WAGE THEFT, CONTINUES TO REPEAT LIES 

Moreno is facing additional scrutiny over his record, with the Tribune Chronicle noting there are “numerous reports” that are bringing the image Moreno is trying to sell voters “in question.” The Tribune Chronicle cites how Moreno has faced attacks after he “admitted in a deposition to shredding documents” relevant to wage theft lawsuits against him “despite being told to preserve them.” 

Plus, despite multiple fact checks finding Bernie Moreno’s excuses “false” after reports showed he destroyed evidence he was legally required to keep to get out of paying his employees the overtime they’d earned, Moreno is *still* repeating lies he knows aren’t true. 

Read more about Moreno lying through his teeth here.

COMING SOON TO A DEBATE STAGE NEAR YOU 🥊

Take out your calendars because the Slugfest Showdown is coming back for its third and final round. 

More information on WLWT’s March 6th debate here.  

SLUGFEST COUNTDOWN

18 days left until this Slugfest comes to a head and the infighting just keeps getting worse. 

WHAT OHIOANS ARE READING ABOUT THIS SLUGFEST

WVXU: Analysis: Ohio GOP Senate candidates see no contradiction in supporting IVF, opposing Issue 1

Ohio Capital Journal: National and Ohio Republicans desperately pretending they haven’t been attacking IVF

NBC News: Ohio GOP Senate candidates pitch federal abortion bans even after voters protected reproductive rights

Cleveland.com: Ohio Senate race: Where do the Republican candidates stand on minimum wage hike?

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Marilou Johanek, OCJ: “No matter… what a bunch of course-correcting senatorial candidates say after fighting to deny women their reproductive rights and reproductive choice — don’t believe a word.”

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Moreno’s Comments Follow Alabama Supreme Court Ruling That Prompted Clinics To Pause IVF Treatments

Columbus, OH – After voting against and writing a $100,000 check to defeat Issue 1 – which “clearly” included protections for IVF – Bernie Moreno doubled down this week and called fertility protections a “non-issue” while opposing federal protections for IVF, claiming they are  “unnecessary.” His comments come the week after the Alabama Supreme Court ruling that prompted clinics to pause IVF treatments. Moreno also supports a national abortion ban, which would overrule the majority of Ohioans who voted to protect abortion access. 

Read more from Ohio Capital Journal: 

• Republican candidates, including Moreno, have insisted they won’t let the 2024 election become another referendum on abortion rights, but Republicans themselves keep frustrating that effort. From former president Donald Trump taking credit for the repeal of Roe v. Wade, to all three of Ohio’s Republican U.S. Senate candidates signing on to federal abortion restrictions, to an Alabama Supreme Court ruling threatening access to in-vitro fertilization, or IVF, reproductive policy can’t seem to stay on the back burner.

• Still, Moreno brushed off threats to IVF as “a manufactured issue” and despite backing a federal 15-week abortion ban, he argued similar protections for IVF are unnecessary.

• “This is a non-issue,” Moreno insisted.

• At the time of publishing, three fertility clinics in Alabama have halted IVF procedures. Alabama state lawmakers have begun hearings for a handful of bills protecting the treatment but their timeline is uncertain. Federal IVF protections were blocked Wednesday by U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-MS. 

SEE ALSO: As Senate Votes On IVF Protections, Ohioans Should Know Moreno, LaRose, Dolan Already Voted Against Protections For Fertility Treatments; REMINDER: Moreno, LaRose, Dolan Already Voted Against Protections For IVF; Moreno, LaRose and Dolan Oppose Protecting Access to IVF

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Following Reports That Moreno Stole Wages From His Employees & Destroyed Evidence, Moreno Opposed The Existence Of The Minimum Wage

Columbus, OH – Bernie Moreno continues to face scrutiny over his record of wage theft as “numerous reports” continue to bring the image Moreno is trying to present to voters “in question.” While Moreno faces attacks over his record of refusing to pay his employees the overtime they earned and shredding evidence he was legally required to keep to get out of it, he’s also said he doesn’t believe the minimum wage should exist at all.

Read more:

Tribune Chronicle: Moreno’s business dealings targeted

David Skolnick

March 1, 2024

• During the campaign for the Republican nomination for U.S. senator, Bernie Moreno has touted his record of creating jobs and his business success.

• But there are numerous reports that put [Moreno’s] business dealings as a luxury car dealer and blockchain business owner in question. 

• Moreno settled numerous wage theft lawsuits after a jury in Massachusetts ordered him to pay more than $400,000 to two former employees for failing to pay overtime in violation of state labor laws.

• Moreno admitted in a deposition to shredding documents containing information that was potentially relevant to the case despite being told to preserve them, according to Business Insider.

• Moreno also faced discrimination lawsuits in Cleveland that were settled out of court.

• Dolan said it’s a question of “trust” about Moreno. “Here’s an example in Bernie’s past where he had a chance to stand up and do the fair, right thing for his employees,” Dolan said. “But he chose to do the right thing for Bernie Moreno, and he got sanctioned for it.”

• LaRose said: “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.”

• In response to the minimum-wage questions, Moreno said: “The markets are the best way to determine what wages should be. The reality is somebody who’s employed thousands of people here in Ohio, a good business owner knows that you pay good benefits, you pay good wages to get good people. At the end of the day, the market will flush that out and make certain that you get workers that get a good job…”

SEE ALSO: Moreno Doubles Down: Doesn’t Believe There Should Be A Minimum Wage; NEW: Bernie Moreno Opposes Existence Of Minimum Wage; ICYMI: Scrutiny on Lawsuits Clouds Bernie Moreno’s Record; NEW: Yet Another Lawsuit Clouds Bernie Moreno’s Record; FACT CHECK: Bernie Moreno’s Defense For Committing Wage Theft Ruled “FALSE”; WATCH: Bernie Moreno Faces Scrutiny For Destroying Evidence To Get Out Of Paying His Employees Overtime; New Report Finds Bernie Moreno’s Defense For Destroying Evidence Isn’t True; Bernie Moreno Facing Further Attacks After Reports Show He Shredded Documents To Get Out Of Paying His Employees Overtime; FACT CHECK: Bernie Moreno Destroyed Evidence He Had “Obligation” To Keep To Get Out Of Paying Employees; GOP Debate Clouded By Reports Moreno Destroyed Evidence: Here Are The Facts; Bernie Moreno Destroyed Key Evidence To Get Out Of Paying His Employees Wages They’d Earned

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