For Immediate Release:
Monday, April 25, 2022
CONTACT: Cameron Keir, [email protected], 614-506-5413
Here’s What They’re Saying: Ohio Democrats Travel the State to Outline the High Cost of Corruption Ohioans are Paying Under Republican Rule
At a Time When Too Many Ohioans Are Struggling to Make Ends Meet, Ohio Democrats Argue Voters Can’t Afford Four More Years of Mike DeWine
Columbus, OH — This month, Ohio Democrats traveled across the state to highlight the high costs Ohioans are paying for GOP corruption under Mike DeWine’s leadership. At a time when Ohio families are worried about their ability to make ends meet, the last thing they should be spending their hard-earned money on is the corruption running rampant at Mike DeWine’s statehouse. Ohio Democrats are ready to offer a better way forward: investing in Ohio workers.
“At a time when too many Ohioans are worried about high costs and making ends meet, Mike DeWine and his fellow Republicans are making you pay the price for their corruption while Democrats are laser-focused on investing in working families. We can’t afford four more years of Mike DeWine and his Republican buddies running state government,” said Chair Walters.
Speakers at stops included: Ohio Democratic Party (ODP) Chair Elizabeth Walters, Ohio Attorney General candidate Jeff Crossman, Ohio Auditor candidate Taylor Sappington, Ohio Secretary of State candidate Chelsea Clark, Ohio Treasurer candidate Scott Schertzer, Lucas Co. Commissioner Pete Gerken, Ohio House candidate Eric Price, Hamilton Co. Clerk of Courts Pavan Parikh, Muskingum Co. Commissioner candidate John Furek, Representative Juanita Brent, Lakewood City Council President Dan O’Malley, Ohio Young Democrats President Chris Anderson and Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein.
Ohio Democrats drew the contrast between the high cost of Republican corruption and the Democratic plan to invest in working families and put the interests of working Ohioans first.
Read more media coverage from Ohio Democrats’ Cost of Corruption Tour below:
Read more media coverage from Ohio Democrats’ Cost of Corruption Tour below:
WNWO-TV Toledo: Ohio Dems Discuss ‘Cost of Corruption’
“The Ohio Democratic Party is highlighting what it calls Republican corruption under Governor DeWine’s leadership. Party members are traveling around the state for their ‘Cost of Corruption,’ tour as they call it.”
“Party Chair Elizabeth Walters claims billions of state tax dollars are being spent on things like special interest tax giveaways and tax breaks for wealthy lawmakers. She’s also criticizing the continued battle over congressional district maps.”
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“‘The notion that elected officials should choose their voter rather than voters choosing their elected officials is just beyond the pale. Ohio Republicans just want to control Ohio voters. They don’t want to have fair elections. They don’t want to talk about their ideas, about their vision for helping working families in Ohio,’ said Walters.”
Hometown Stations Lima: Ohio Democrats bring “Cost of Corruption” Tour to Lima
“The Ohio Democratic Party is crossing the state with what they are calling the ‘Cost of Corruption’ Tour. They say it needs to stop and hardworking Ohioans shouldn’t be paying billions for the alleged Republican corruption from the largest public corruption scandal in state history to tax breaks for the wealthy.”
WKEF Dayton: Ohio Democrats bring ‘Cost of Corruption’ tour to Dayton
‘“Really, what we’re doing is putting forward a slate of candidates who are here to fight for working families, who are here to put the needs of everyday Ohioans first and make sure that we’re fighting for things that families need,’ Walters said.”
WFMJ Youngstown: Ohio Democrats Bring ‘Cost of Corruption’ Tour to Youngstown
“Ohio Democrats brought their ‘Cost of Corruption’ tour to Youngstown detailing what they say are billions of dollars in taxpayer money being wasted to cover corruption costs under Ohio Republicans. The group says the ongoing corruption in the statehouse needs to be corrected and they’re demanding full transparency from the DeWine administration.”
WKBN Youngstown: Democrats react to map ruling
“I think I speak for most Ohioans when we just are so completely frustrated that Republicans on the redistricting commission refuse to do their job. All of them put their hand on a Bible and swore an oath to the Ohio Constitution, and this is now the fourth time the Ohio Supreme Court has found them to have broken the law and violated the constitution.”
Lima News: Statewide Democratic candidates bring “cost of corruption” tour to Lima
“Three hopeful Democratic candidates stopped at Lima’s Hover Park stocked with a full arsenal of weapons to attack their Republican foes on Thursday.
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“They criticized DeWine’s leadership, laying a cult of corruption at his feet. Painting a picture of complicity, if not one of a participant in unethical acts, they accused Republicans of lining their pockets with ‘dark money’ from interest groups and forsaking Ohioans.
“Ohio Democrats lambasted the Republican-led state government, saying state leaders are corrupt and costing taxpayers by not repealing House Bill 6, refusing to pass fair district maps and more.”
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As part of the Ohio Democratic Party’s “Cost of Corruption” tour to several parts of the state, Party Chair Elizabeth Walters and two Democratic statewide candidates spoke at Wholly Grounds in Dayton on Friday morning.
“At a time when too many Ohioans are worried about high costs and making ends meet, (Gov.) Mike DeWine and his fellow Republicans are making you pay the price for their corruption while Democrats are laser-focused on investing in working families,” said Walters.
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“Democrats decried that under scandal-tainted House Bill 6, the state is paying subsidies to out-of-state coal plants to the tune of $287,000 every day, up to $1.8 billion by 2030.”
Xavier Newswire: Ohio Democrats highlight state corruption
“Ohio Democratic Party Chair Elizabeth Walters visited Cincinnati on Friday with a slate of other Democrats to bring attention to state corruption scandals. The group – which included Ohio Auditor candidate Taylor Sappington, Ohio Secretary of State candidate Chelsea Clark and Hamilton County Clerk of Court Pavan Parikh – aimed to tie Republicans and Governor Mike DeWine to recent corruption in Ohio.
“In particular, this group sought to tie the GOP to House Bill 6 (HB 6). The bill, a nuclear energy bailout that was engulfed in scandal after former House Speaker Larry Householder was arrested on federal bribery charges in 2020. Prosecutors have alleged that Householder orchestrated a $60 million bribery scheme in exchange for passing HB 6.”
Andy Chow, Statehouse News Bureau
Lynn Hulsey, Dayton Daily News
Ohioans are paying BILLIONS of dollars for GOP corruption at Mike DeWine’s statehouse, including:
- $287,000 every single day for subsidies that bail out an out-of-state coal plant and are tied to the largest public corruption scandal in state history. The subsidies are estimated to cost Ohioans up to $1.8 billion by 2030.
- $9 billion for special interest tax giveaways that mostly benefit for-profit corporations.
- $1.85 billion in tax breaks for the wealthy and well-connected, including wealthy GOP lawmakers who leave working Ohioans behind.
- $118 million in improper Medicaid payments made to ineligible dead or incarcerated individuals.
- $17.5 million settlement for a man who was paralyzed after being tackled by state prison guards.
- $9 million for the election chaos created by Republicans who refuse to pass fair maps. Their refusal to do their jobs will likely make a May 3 primary impossible, likely costing Ohioans another $20 million.
- $763,000 and counting to litigate the GOP-gerrymandered maps in court.
- $39,000 for Mike DeWine’s private airplane travel to taxpayer-funded photo ops in 2019.
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