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For Immediate Release:
Monday, June 27, 2022

Columbus, OH — In case you missed it, in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade, ripping away reproductive rights from millions of Ohio women, the Ohio Democratic Party hosted a rally at the Statehouse Sunday, joined by thousands of Ohioans from across the state.

 Featured speakers at the event included: Nan Whaley, Democratic candidate for Governor, Tim Ryan, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown, State Rep. Emilia Sykes, candidate for Ohio’s 13th Congressional District, State Rep. Allison Russo, Ohio House Minority Leader, State Rep. Juanita Brent, Ohio Legislative Black Caucus President, Kersha Deibel, Planned Parenthood Southwest Ohio President & CEO, Dr. Anita Somani, OB-GYN & State Rep Candidate and Elizabeth Walters, Chair Ohio Democratic Party.

Read more about the rally below:

10 WBNS: Politicians join abortion-rights rally in front of Ohio Statehouse

“Sunday’s protests were hosted by the Ohio Democratic Party and joined by Democratic politicians who are encouraging voters to take their anger to the polls.

‘“Friday was the culmination of a 50-year assault on our right to choose,’ said Liz Walters of the Ohio Democratic Party. 

‘“In this moment, there are some choices that they can’t take away from us. We can choose between despair and hope. We can choose between apathy and action.’

“Choice was the theme of Sunday’s protests with protestors not only fighting for the right to let women choose but also for upset Ohioans to choose to take action.”

Ohio Capital Journal: A weekend of protests in Columbus following Dobbs decision

“Notably, although not surprisingly, many of the groups spanned generations. Mothers with daughters and even granddaughters showed up together waving handmade signs.

“Picking up on that, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown noted up he was there with his wife, his daughters and grandkids. Brown told the crowd ‘we need a plan,’ and argued for electing two new Democratic U.S. Senators and maintaining the Democratic majority in the House.

‘“If we have two more Democrats, we will change the filibuster rules, so that a majority can speak,’ Brown said. ‘All we’re asking for is majority rule.’

“One candidate looking to flip a Senate seat in Brown’s plan spoke to the crowd as well. Ohio Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Tim Ryan described the whiplash of marching to the Supreme Court building on Friday to protest with his 18-year-old daughter, in D.C. for an internship, alongside fellow congresswomen who were part of the fight that led to Roe in the first place.

“While Ryan and Brown made the case for federal action, Democratic gubernatorial nominee Nan Whaley made a more immediate, explicit argument.

‘Ohio is ground zero for this fight,’ Whaley insisted. ‘We are one of the largest states in the country where abortion is on the ballot.’

“Whaley called Gov. Mike DeWine the ‘most anti-choice governor in the country’ and chastised him for urging people to be civil in the wake of the decision. What’s civil about taking away rights, forcing women to maintain a pregnancy or risk dying on an operating table she asked.

‘This is not a drill. This is not a hypothetical,’ Whaley told the crowd. ‘Our lives and our children’s lives are on the line. I refuse to go back and I know I am not alone.’”

NBC 4: Ohio Democrats speak at statehouse rally on Supreme Court abortion ruling

“Leaders of Ohio’s Democratic party spoke at the Ohio Statehouse Sunday at a rally two days after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade, effectively eliminating the constitutional right to abortion.

“Among the Democratic speakers at the ‘We Won’t Go Back’ rally included gubernatorial candidate Nan Whaley, current U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown, and U.S. Senate candidate Tim Ryan.

‘“We got an out-of-touch legislature and a really out-of-touch governor who have been spending their entire careers to take away a right,’ Whaley said.

“Ohio Democratic Party Chair Liz Walters said the rally had at least 3,000 people in attendance.

“Sunday’s rally comes two days after hundreds protested in downtown Columbus just hours after the court’s ruling. It is estimated that nearly 3,000 people attended Sunday’s event.”

Statehouse News Bureau: Ohio’s six-week abortion ban sparks protests, politics, and praise

“For other Ohioans, this was a call to political action. Thousands gathered on the Ohio Statehouse lawn on Sunday, carrying signs and chanting for change.

“U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown, a Democrat, joined other political leaders, including Nan Whaley, Democratic nominee for Ohio governor, and Tim Ryan, U.S. Senate Democratic nominee.

“Brown said the power is with the people this November when Ohio holds a general election for every statewide position along with a U.S. Senate race. Brown said, if they vote for Democrats at all levels, they can affect change.

‘“By this time next year, the Senate and the House of Representatives will have codified Roe v. Wade. And by this time next year, President Biden will have signed into law a bill to make abortion rights the law of the land,’ Brown said to a cheering crowd.”

The Columbus Dispatch: ‘We won’t go back:’ Thousands rally at Ohio Statehouse to show anger at abortion decision

“Thousands gathered at the Ohio Statehouse on Sunday to express their deep anger at the recent U.S. Supreme Court Decision to allow states to restrict abortion access.

“On Friday, the Supreme Court ruled that Americans no longer have a constitutional right to abortion, a watershed decision that overturned Roe v. Wade and erases a reproductive right the high court established nearly five decades ago.

“As many as 3,000 people attended the event Sunday morning and afternoon, where many expressed their deep anger, frustration and desperation at a move they said undermines their fundamental rights. The demonstrators reflected a wide range of ages, and many families brought their children to the event. 

“Several Democratic elected officials and candidates spoke during the rally.

“Former Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley, the Democrats’ candidate for governor, said that if current Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine is reelected, abortion rights in Ohio will be completely erased.”

Toledo Blade: Hundreds gather in Columbus for abortion-rights rally

“People from across Ohio gathered with signs, slogans, passion, and anger for an abortion-rights rally on Sunday in front of the Statehouse in Columbus.

“The court’s decision has been met with a wave of anger, shock, and disappointment from many and celebration from others. Several who attended the rally on Sunday said they did so because they felt it was important to make sure their voices were heard.

“Ms. Husk’s mother, Shannon Powell, of Coshocton, also attended the rally. Ms. Powell said abortion isn’t just about the life of a baby but also the life and mental health of the mother.

“She wants to live in a community, she said, that will be supportive of her, her daughters, her grandchildren, and everyone else’s personal health care choices. One of her daughters, Ms. Powell said, had a difficult pregnancy and almost died.

“But seeing the amount of people out on Sunday was amazing, several people said. Especially the diversity across race, gender, and age.”

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For Immediate Release:
June 24, 2022

Columbus, OH — Following the Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade, stripping Americans of the fundamental right to have an abortion, Ohio Democratic Party Chair Elizabeth Walters released the following statement:

“Ohioans’ fundamental right to reproductive care, including abortion and birth control, is on the line in this year’s election. This disastrous decision lays squarely at the feet of Ohio Republicans – from J.D. Vance to Mike DeWine to extremists in the statehouse – who have spent years working to strip women of their basic rights and enacting new, cruel restrictions that would punish survivors of rape and incest. 

“It is critical that Ohioans elect Tim Ryan, Nan Whaley and pro-choice Democratic candidates up and down the ballot in November who will protect the right to abortion. We will continue to fight so that women can make these personal decisions with their doctors and without unwanted and unnecessary interference from politicians. This November, Ohioans will take their outrage to the polls and defeat the extremist Republicans who gutted our freedom to choose.”  

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For Immediate Release:
Friday, June 24, 2022

Columbus, OH — In the wake of the disastrous decision by the Supreme Court to strip away reproductive rights from millions of women across the country, Ohio women are about to face more attacks on all sides from Mike DeWine. DeWine’s extreme record on abortion shows that he will embrace even the most radical of measures, including voicing support for legislation that wouldn’t make exceptions for rape or incest. Just last week DeWine told anti-abortion groups he would “go as far as we can” to attack reproductive rights in Ohio.

DeWine’s extreme record shows that he’s ready to put drastic, punitive laws into place that will criminalize women while also making Ohio one of the most radical states in the country in restricting reproductive rights. These restrictive bills DeWine has indicated he will sign will also keep businesses out of Ohio and hold our economy back.

“Mike DeWine has a long record of attacking women and working to restrict their reproductive rights. Now, the Supreme Court just handed DeWine a blank check to sign all of the radical legislation into law that he wants. This is bad news for Ohio, and we’ll continue to fight like hell for a woman’s right to choose,” said Matt Keyes, spokesperson for the Ohio Democratic Party.

DeWine has one of the worst records in the country when it comes to reproductive healthcare:

• DeWine has said he is ready to sign radical legislation into law after the Supreme Court ruled, including trigger ban legislation which would make no exception for rape or incest. He would also work to instate a previously signed six-week abortion ban.
• DeWine fought to defund Planned Parenthood and pushed for the closure of clinics around the state. 
• DeWine appealed to the Ohio Supreme Court to overturn the lower court ruling that kept Toledo’s last abortion clinic, Capital Care Network, open.
• In July 2015, DeWine launched an investigation into Planned Parenthood of Ohio to ensure they were complying with state law banning the sale of aborted fetuses, though DeWine’s office had heard no accusations of wrongdoing.
• DeWine voted against providing $10 million for education about emergency contraceptives; for making the morning-after pill available to survivors of sexual assault.
• DeWine voted against a Senate resolution expressing support for Roe v. Wade and saying that the decision should not be overturned.
• DeWine voted to prohibit military women and female military dependents from obtaining privately-funded abortions on overseas military bases.
• DeWine wrote a brief in the Hobby Lobby case that the owners of Hobby Lobby should not have to forfeit religious beliefs to provide birth control for employees.
• DeWine fought to strip the legal rights of abortion clinics to defend themselves.
• DeWine failed to condemn Rep. Jean Schmidt’s comments that pregnancy from rape is an “opportunity.” 
• DeWine told an anti-choice group that he would “go as far as we can” to attack reproductive rights in Ohio following the decision to overturn Roe. 

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For Immediate Release:
Friday, June 24, 2022

“That appointment is loaded with potential conflicts of interests.”

Columbus, OH — In case you missed it, the Cleveland.com Editorial Board called out Jon Husted for his blatant conflict of interest in taking a paid position on the board of Heartland Bank. The editorial demands Husted resign his side gig and focus on his elected duty to the people of Ohio. Aside from taking his six-figure taxpayer-funded salary, Husted is being compensated by the bank for his work on the board, but he won’t say how much they are paying him.

“Husted’s decision could open a floodgate for elected officials to use their seats of power to secure lucrative positions in the for-profit universe, raising immediate questions about whether they sought office to serve the public or to fill their pockets with cash.” writes the Cleveland.com Editorial Board.

Cleveland.com now joins the Toledo Blade in taking Husted to task over his decision to accept paid work while in office. The Blade previously called the decision a “pathetic judgment” and “tone deaf to the concerns of the people of Ohio.” The Ohio Democratic Party has also called on Husted to answer key questions about his move to take a paid corporate gig while in office.

“Jon Husted and Republicans aren’t even trying to hide it anymore: They’re just openly lining their own pockets from special interest buddies rather than doing the jobs they were elected to do. Ohio deserves transparency and accountability from leaders, something we are sure to keep losing if Mike DeWine and Jon Husted remain in office,” said Ohio Democratic Party spokesperson Matt Keyes.

Read more on the calls for Husted to resign the bank post here and below:

• It is hard to understand how Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted does not see a problem with serving as a paid board member for a private Ohio bank that is regulated by and does business with the state of Ohio.
• You may recall that Heartland BancCorp, which does business as Heartland Bank, recently announced Husted’s appointment to the company’s board of directors. The post is a paid position, although neither the bank nor Husted disclosed his compensation.
• Husted was elected to the board in March after he and his wife invested in Heartland, but the banking company didn’t announce his appointment until May.
• That appointment is loaded with potential conflicts of interests.
• As lieutenant governor, he also heads state initiatives to promote workforce training and streamlining of regulations and tends to serve as a point person for Gov. Mike DeWine’s business and economic development-related initiatives. That includes having influence at JobsOhio, the state’s private economic development arm.
• Heartland Bank has several points of overlap with the state government.
• As a state-chartered bank, it is regulated by the state Department of Commerce. It is certified as a public depository, meaning it’s eligible to hold cash and other investments owned by the state government. Through a title company subsidiary called Transcounty Title Agency, Heartland participates in an electronic lien and titling program administered through the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles, which falls under the governor’s office. Transcounty received $813,100 in state grants, administered through the state Public Works Commission, from 2013 through 2015, according to the state.
• Effective government requires transparency and public confidence that those holding positions of public trust are acting free from undue outside influences. As such, the standard for officeholders should be to avoid any appearances of potential conflicts or impropriety.
• Husted’s decision could open a floodgate for elected officials to use their seats of power to secure lucrative positions in the for-profit universe, raising immediate questions about whether they sought office to serve the public or to fill their pockets with cash.
• It’s hard to accept that “trust me” is the proper guardrail for public confidence in state government. Husted should resign from this position immediately, and if he does not, voters should take note when they go to the polls in November.

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For Immediate Release:
June 24, 2022

Columbus, OH — After the U.S. Senate voted to pass a historic bipartisan gun safety bill, Ohio Democratic Party Chair Elizabeth Walters released the following statement:

“Thanks to Senator Brown for voting for this landmark legislation – the first major gun violence prevention legislation to pass in nearly 30 years – that brings us one step closer to ending this deadly epidemic in America. This bipartisan plan will enhance background checks, fund state efforts to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous individuals and curb gun trafficking.  

“This historic step to keep Americans safe would not have been possible without Senator Portman, and makes clear just how extreme J.D. Vance and Mike DeWine are in their steadfast opposition to these commonsense reforms. After the Dayton shooting, Mike DeWine promised he would ‘do something’ to curb gun violence but has only put more Ohioans at risk. J.D. Vance used to support red flag laws to keep Ohioans safe – but made a political calculation to support laws that endanger more Ohioans in order to further his own ambition. This November, Ohioans won’t forget that Republicans on the ballot have put our teachers, schoolchildren and public safety officers in harm’s way.” 

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