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For Immediate Release:

March 11, 2022

Columbus, OH – Today, Ohio Democratic Party Chair Elizabeth Walters released the following statement celebrating the one-year anniversary of the American Rescue Plan becoming law: 

“Thanks to the leadership of President Biden, Senator Brown, Representatives Fudge, Ryan, Beatty, and Kaptur, the American Rescue Plan became law one year ago today, putting money in the pockets of working families, lowering healthcare costs for families and speeding up vaccine distribution to get Ohioans back to work and school. The American Rescue Plan provided monumental relief to those hit hardest by the pandemic: Ohio families, workers, and small businesses. 

“As Democrats have been laser-focused on lowering everyday costs for working families, Ohio Republicans – from the congressional delegation, to the millionaires running for U.S. Senate, and to Mike DeWine – have opposed these efforts since they don’t help their wealthy and well-connected donors. When Ohioans see this critical funding in their communities, they will know it came from Democrats who are laser-focused on helping working families, rebuilding our communities and preparing Ohio to take on China and rise to meet the challenges of the 21st century.” 

BACKGROUND: 

The American Rescue Plan cut taxes and lowered costs for Ohio families. 

• 1,252,000 Ohio families with 2,161,000 children received tax cuts from the American Rescue Plan’s expanded Child Tax Credit, which averaged to $452 a month per family, totaling more than $3.31 billion in tax cuts in 2021. 
• As of August 2021, the American Rescue Plan’s expanded premium tax credits were saving Americans $40 per person per month on premiums, with over 1/3 of customers finding plans for less than $10 per month. Additionally, the median deductible for new plan enrollees dropped by 90%, from $450 to $50. 
• $1.29 billion in 2021 in Child Care Development Fund allocations and child care stabilization funding through the American Rescue Plan.
• $271 million in Emergency Rental Assistance Program funding from April to November of 2021, helping Ohio households afford rent and pay bills because of the American Rescue Plan. 

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For Immediate Release:

Thursday, March 10, 2022

Columbus, OH — Today, the Ohio Democratic Party slammed Republicans for breaking the law five times and leaving Ohio’s military members serving overseas to pay the price by creating chaos and confusion. Ohio Republicans have had five opportunities to follow the law and pass fair maps, but they’ve chosen to pass gerrymandered maps each time instead. Now, because of the election chaos created by Republicans, Ohio’s overseas servicemembers are left with more questions than answers about how their votes will be counted.

“From the beginning, Republicans have known that their decision to pass gerrymandered maps would have dire consequences for Ohioans, yet chose to break the law anyway. Now, they’re leaving Ohio servicemembers and voters to pay the price. The best answer here is not to punish Ohioans; it’s to pass fair maps and make the necessary adjustments to the primary election to ensure every Ohioan can be confident their vote will be counted fairly and accurately,” said Ohio Democratic Party Chair Elizabeth Walters.

As Republicans on the commission continue to do the bidding of their own political party and special interest donors, the costs for Ohioans will only continue to rise. In addition to the harm done to servicemembers, Ohioans could pay tens of millions of dollars if the May 3 primary is moved, all because Republicans refuse to do their jobs and pass fair maps. And right now, less than two months before the scheduled primary, Ohio still doesn’t have final maps in place.

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Columbus, OH — Another day, another self-serving political calculation from Jane Timken comes to light. This time, Buckeye Flame uncovered that before entering politics, Timken used her position on the board at Kent State to support transgender rights. Don’t ask her about it though, because in typical Timken fashion, she has abandoned that position since it does not suit her pursuit of higher office. 

“The only consistent thing about Jane Timken is that she is a political fraud who is willing to do or say anything to stand out in this crowded and nasty primary,” said Michael Beyer, a spokesperson for the Ohio Democratic Party.  

Buckeye Flame: Senate candidate Jane Timken uses International Women’s Day to attack trans Ohioans

March 8, 2022

• Rather than using International Women’s Day to commemorate the cultural, political, and socioeconomic achievements of women across the world, Jane Timken instead used the occasion to attack trans Ohioans.
• Interestingly, Timken has a background of being involved with some pro-trans equality actions before she entered politics.
• Formerly the chair of the Kent State University Board of Trustees, Timken voted to revise the university policy regarding discrimination to include transgender people as a protected under the gender discrimination statute. Her tenure on that Board of Trustees also coincided with the opening of Kent’s LGBTQ+ center.
• Since her entry into politics, Timken has been vigorously campaigning against LGBTQ+ equality.
• At a Center for Christian Virtue forum in October 2021, Timken was asked about the Equality Act, which would grant LGBTQ+ nondiscrimination protections nationally. Timken said, “While I’m a Christian and don’t believe in discrimination, I believe this is fundamentally an attack on religion.”
• In December 2021, Timken released an education plan that includes barring transgender women to participate in sports events that correspond with their gender identity. 
• The Buckeye Flame reached out to Jane Timken’s communications director for comment. This article will be updated with her response if one is received.

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Repealing The Affordable Care Act Could Spike Healthcare Costs, End Protections For Ohioans With Pre-Existing Conditions  

Columbus, OH — Yesterday, Wisconsin U.S. Senator Ron Johnson admitted that if Republicans take back the U.S. Senate, they are prepared to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which would spike healthcare costs for working Ohioans, close rural hospitals, kick nearly 1 million Ohioans off their health insurance, and end protections for Ohioans with pre-existing conditions. The threat comes just days after Senate Republicans rolled out a plan that

“calls for new taxes on tens of millions of Americans,” including a tax hike that falls disproportionately on the shoulders of working-class Ohioans and retirees living on a fixed income.

This attack on Ohioans’ healthcare is nothing new for the GOP Senate field in Ohio, which includes several candidates who have already called for the repeal of the ACA outright. Josh Mandel said he was “hopeful” he would be the 51st vote to repeal the ACA. Jane Timken admitted she got involved in politics because she was motivated to repeal the ACA. Mike Gibbons called the law “a disaster” and said, “After we repeal ObamaCare, we need to start from scratch.” Matt Dolan said that the law was “conceived wrongly, implemented poorly and has become a tool of partisan grift.”

The exception is J.D. Vance, who in 2017 said he opposed one of the many Republican attempts to repeal the ACA. But as we have seen throughout this campaign, Vance has changed his position on many issues since 2017, so he may well have reversed himself here.

“While working families are already feeling the squeeze from rising costs, Republicans are freely admitting they plan to raise healthcare costs and rip coverage away from nearly 1 million Ohioans. The out-of-touch millionaires running for U.S. Senate owe Ohioans an answer for why they want to end protections for Ohioans with pre-existing conditions, close rural hospitals, and raise prescription drug costs in order to cut taxes for their wealthy and well-connected friends,” said Michael Beyer, a spokesperson for the Ohio Democratic Party.

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Columbus, OH — In an interview with Spectrum News’ Taylor Popielarz, Multimillionaire Matt Dolan admitted he’s so rich he didn’t know he had invested tens of thousands of dollars in China until he ran for U.S. Senate.

He told Spectrum News that “through the exercise of my financial disclosure form, [he] found… out” he had invested in Alibaba Group. It’s a fitting excuse for a millionaire who is self-funding his struggling campaign to the tune of over $10 million, and whose family has formed a super PAC and dumped $3 million into the race to boost his bid while neglecting the struggling Cleveland Guardians.

According to Dolan’s personal financial disclosure, he has invested $15,001 to 50,000 in Alibaba Group Holding Limited American Depositary. According to NASDAQ, Alibaba Group Holding Limited is headquartered in China. The company’s website says their businesses “are comprised of China commerce, international commerce, local consumer services, Cainiao, cloud, digital media and entertainment, and innovation initiatives and others.”

Alibaba is currently under review by the Biden administration for whether its cloud business poses a “risk to U.S. national security” since the Chinese government could compel the tech company to turn over sensitive customer data. According to Reuters, the Trump administration also issued a warning in August 2020 against Chinese companies including Alibaba, warning that “U.S. citizens’ most sensitive personal information and our businesses’ most valuable intellectual property” could be “stored and processed on cloud-based systems accessible to our foreign adversaries.”

“Millionaire Matt Dolan is so out of touch he didn’t realize he was cashing in with a Chinese company under review for threatening our national security until he decided to run for U.S. Senate. Ohioans deserve leaders who are actually tough on China, not politicians like Matt Dolan who stand to profit from turning a blind eye to their abuses,” said Michael Beyer, a spokesperson for the Ohio Democratic Party.

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