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NEW VOTE: As Costs Skyrocket for Ohioans, Jon Husted Votes to Support War in Iran for the Fifth Time

Husted: Iran war is ‘good news for the global economy’

COLUMBUS, OHIO — This week, Jon Husted voted for the fifth time to support the Administration’s war in Iran, continuing to back the expensive foreign intervention in the Middle East that has sent costs skyrocketing for Ohioans.

Because of the Husted-backed war, Ohioans are being hit by soaring gas prices, and farmers are getting crushed by rising diesel and fertilizer costs, which will raise the price of groceries. Despite all this, Husted thinks the war is “good news for the global economy” and going “much better than anyone thought it would.”

Husted also continues to insult struggling Ohioans as “not very experienced at navigating the real world” and consistently dismisses the mounting affordability crisis by telling Ohioans to fix their “work ethic” and to simply “earn more” money to make ends meet.

Ohio Democratic Party Senior Communications Advisor Tony Wen released the following statement:

“Jon Husted has now voted five times to support the endless war in the Middle East while hardworking Ohioans are getting crushed by skyrocketing costs. Instead of fighting to lower gas prices for families or fertilizer prices for farmers, Husted supports sending more money overseas while lecturing us to work harder.”

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BOMBSHELL REPORTING: Jon Husted’s Ties to $61 Million Dollar Bribery Scandal Much Deeper Than Previously Known

ASSOCIATED PRESS: Republicans plan big spending to keep Ohio’s Senate seat. A bribery scandal adds to their challenges

COLUMBUS, OHIO — New reporting from the Associated Press reveals that Senator Jon Husted’s ties to the FirstEnergy bribery scandal, the largest corruption scheme in Ohio history, are much deeper than previously known.

The new reporting reveals that Husted played a key role in negotiating the billion dollar bailout to utility companies – even going as far as pushing to deliver $600 million more to FirstEnergy and other utilities at the expense of Ohio taxpayers. This further underscores Husted’s key role in the FirstEnergy corruption scheme, with previous reporting revealing phone calls, text messages, and secret meetings between Husted and the indicted FirstEnergy executives.

Ohio Democratic Party Senior Communications Advisor Tony Wen released the following statement:

“Jon Husted was at the center of the largest bribery scandal in Ohio history and it’s costing Ohioans thousands of dollars more on their utility bills. Now we are learning that Jon Husted’s ties to the FirstEnergy bribery scandal run even deeper than previously known. Ohioans deserve answers about how deep Jon Husted’s involvement goes.” 

READ MORE: 

Associated Press: Republicans plan big spending to keep Ohio’s Senate seat. A bribery scandal adds to their challenges

  • As he seeks to retain his U.S. Senate seat this fall, Ohio Republican Jon Husted has been unable to escape the shadow of a $60 million bribery scandal that has roiled state politics for more than five years.
  • Husted was recently called to testify as a defense witness in the related criminal trial of two former energy executives, testimony he might have to reprise after a hung jury led to a mistrial in the case in March. 
  • A judge in Akron scheduled the retrial to begin Sept. 28, meaning Husted could be back on the witness stand a week before early voting begins for the November elections.
  • Husted calendars that came to light during the recent trial involving executives for the utility, Akron-based FirstEnergy, showed a number of additional meetings or phone calls that he had with former CEO Chuck Jones, with the state’s former top utility regulator, who has since died, and with then-Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder.
  • The interactions noted in Husted’s calendars were around the time the bailout bill was being developed and passed. Evidence presented in various cases showed Jones and Dowling discussing a push by Husted for additional subsidies in the legislation.
  • A longtime Ohio lobbyist told federal agents that FirstEnergy and FirstEnergy Solutions, the subsidiary that owned the nuclear power plants helped by the bailout, funneled dark money to nonprofits that benefited Husted and Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican.
  • According to the notes from his Department of Justice interview obtained by The Associated Press and not previously reported, lobbyist Neil Clark identified one of the groups as Freedom Frontier. That was the very group that received a $1 million contribution in 2017 marked internally by FirstEnergy as “Husted campaign.”
  • Internal FirstEnergy communications from 2017 and 2018, which is evidence in a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission investigation, include discussions involving Jones, Dowling and others about attending Husted events as far back as 2016. They also reflect Dowling’s concerns about dark money contributions becoming public.
  • Jones and Dowling also discussed strategies to contribute under alternate names. In July 2018, for instance, as the two were planning a DeWine-Husted fundraiser in Naples, Florida, they discussed contributing under one name while covering event costs under another — so there would be “no cost billed to (the) campaign.”
  • Husted declined a request for further comment about the details that have emerged as the various cases surrounding the bribery scandal play out.

As a reminder, Jon Husted played a central role “running the show” in the largest bribery scandal in Ohio history alongside Dowling and Jones:

  • New evidence during the trial revealed nine calls between Jon Husted and Mike Dowling in the months preceding a $4.3 million bribe to former Utilities Commission Chair Sam Randazzo. 
  • New reporting revealed Jon Husted held secret meetings with Dowling and Jones, including with the “mastermind of Ohio’s largest public corruption scheme two days before scandal-ridden bribery legislation was introduced.”
  • Neil Clark, a FirstEnergy lobbyist and co-defendant with former House Speaker Larry Householder, referred to Husted as FirstEnergy’s “golden boy.”
  • Text messages between Husted, Dowling, and Jones reveal that the trio were in constant communication “before, during and after his campaign.” 
  • A dinner between Jon Husted and the indicted FirstEnergy executives at the Athletic Club of Columbus was a focal point of the criminal trial.
  • Public records show that FirstEnergy — led by Jones and Dowling — funneled $1 million in dark money to a dark money group backing Husted in 2017, part of the same corrupt scheme that led to federal and state indictments.

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NEW SURVEY: Ohio Farmers Are Getting Crushed Thanks to Jon Husted

Ohio Country Journal: Nationwide survey: Most farmers can’t afford fertilizer

COLUMBUS, OHIO — Ohio farmers are getting crushed, and Jon Husted is only making things worse. Thanks to the Husted-backed war in Iran, diesel and fertilizer prices have skyrocketed, putting even more strain on farmers already struggling to stay in business. According to a new survey, “70% of respondents say fertilizer is so expensive that they will not be able to buy all the fertilizer they need.”

Ohio farmers were already facing major economic pressures before another endless war in the Middle East. The Husted-backed tariffs have wreaked havoc on the agriculture industry, contributing to farmers in Ohio seeing a massive 74% loss in sales to China while farm bankruptcies rose 46% nationwide. 

But despite the damage, Jon Husted has said the war in the Middle East is going “much better than anyone thought it would,” even as costs keep rising. Husted also continues to double down, arguing that critics “are wrong” about the tariffs, they “haven’t affected the economy negatively,” and “the policies are working.” 

Ohio Democratic Party Senior Communications Advisor Tony Wen released the following statement:

“Ohio farmers were already getting crushed by reckless tariffs that closed off markets and drove up costs, and Jon Husted’s support for another war in the Middle East is making things worse. Farm bankruptcies were up 46% nationwide, and now 70% of farmers say fertilizer is so expensive they can’t afford everything they need to plant. Jon Husted has done nothing but cause more pain for Ohio farmers.” 

Jon Husted’s reckless policies are crushing Ohio farmers: 

  • Jon Husted voted three separate times to block efforts reining in the reckless tariffs driving up costs and closing off markets.
  • The Husted-backed war in Iran has sent diesel and fertilizer prices skyrocketing, with farm bankruptcies up 46% nationwide in 2025. 
  • Because of the Husted-backed tariffs sending costs soaring, some small businesses in Northeast Ohio may need to close. 
  • Ohio farmer Chris Gibbs said that farmers are taking major losses because of the Husted-backed tariffs — and it is putting them in a “hell of a mess.”

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What They’re Saying: Vivek Ramaswamy “Talked Himself Into a Mess He Can’t Erase” Mocking Childhood Sexual Abuse Survivors  

Columbus, Ohio- Earlier this week at a campaign event, Vivek Ramaswamy hit a new low in his desperate campaign when he minimized the sexual abuse his opponent Dr. Amy Acton survived as a child. Ramaswamy said Acton can only “complain about what someone else did to her.” 

What they’re saying in the press:

WVXU: Analysis: Ramaswamy seems to criticize Acton for being a victim of child sex abuse

  • Vivek Ramaswamy, the Republican candidate for Ohio governor, has had to walk back or try to explain away any number of controversial positions that would likely have not sat well with Ohio voters. It’s a pretty long list.
  • On and on it goes. It is as if he had one of those Etch A Sketch toys we had as kids. Draw a picture on the screen and when you want it to go away, you just pick it up and shake it — or in his case, delete the post.
  • “He would seem to be all hat and no cattle, but the hat keeps slipping off his head,” said David Niven, professor of political science at the University of Cincinnati. “You would think that if you are going to tie yourself to controversial issues, you would at least make them issues that are popular,” Niven said.
  • But this time, Ramaswamy has talked himself into a mess he can’t erase. He went after the Democratic candidate for governor, former Ohio Health Department director Amy Acton, for being the victim of sexual abuse as child growing up in Youngstown.
  • Neither Ramaswamy nor his campaign staff responded to WVXU’s request for comment.

TiffinOhio.net: Vivek Ramaswamy mocks Amy Acton for being a childhood sex abuse survivor

Columbus Dispatch: Ohio governor race between Ramaswamy, Acton turns ugly

  • Republican Vivek Ramaswamy said Democrat Amy Acton has no vision for the state “other than to complain about what someone else did to her.” Ramaswamy posted the remark to his X account on April 14.

The Nerd Stash: Ohio Disgusted by Ramaswamy’s Attack on Amy Acton’s Childhood Abuse: ‘This Should End a Campaign’ 

  • Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is facing intense backlash across Ohio after posting a video that critics say mocks Democratic opponent Dr. Amy Acton’s history as a childhood sexual abuse survivor.
  • In the clip, Ramaswamy claimed Acton offers no real vision for the state “other than to complain about what someone else did to her.” The remark came just one day after Acton’s campaign condemned Ramaswamy’s allies for resurfacing and weaponizing her documented history of abuse.

WGTC: Vivek Ramaswamy slams Democratic opponent for going public about being sexually abused as child, ‘one of the most disgusting attacks I’ve ever seen’

  • Vivek Ramaswamy has ambitions of being the next Governor of Ohio, and if this clip is any indication, he’s willing to stoop to unimaginable levels to get the job. Ramaswamy’s opponent is Democrat Dr. Amy Acton, the former Ohio Health Director, and the Nov. 3 election is shaping up to be a closely run race.
  • In interviews, Acton has said that one of her motivations for public service is surviving childhood sexual abuse, explaining that overcoming this and focusing on helping other victims is an important part of her personal journey. But for Ramaswamy, it’s apparently a reason to attack her. 
  • As you might imagine, the reaction from regular people is a combination of horror and anger.

What they’re saying online: 

@HQNewsNow: Ohio Gov. candidate Vivek Ramaswamy claims that his opponent Amy Acton is running on “complaining about what someone else did to her,” referring to Acton sharing the story of sexual abuse as a child.

@MikeNellis: Vivek Ramaswamy mocking his Democratic opponent, Amy Acton, for being sexually abused as a child is one of the most disgusting attacks I’ve ever seen from a politician. 

@HeartlandSignal: Ohio GOP gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy says Democrat Dr. Amy Acton’s campaign is about “complaining about what someone else did to her.” Acton survived sexual abuse as a child. 

@Couriernewsroom: Dr. Amy Acton (D-OH) has been open about experiencing SA as a child.Vivek Ramaswamy (R-OH) has refused to call for the release of the Epstein files for months, took $100,000 from an Epstein associate accused of having sex with underage girls and never gave it back, and touts the endorsement of a state rep accused of sexually abusing a minor.

@Nowthisimpact: No one should ever have to deal with someone talking about their trauma so callously. And yet, there are Republicans like Ramaswamy.

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Ohio Republicans’ Race to Cover Up Endorsements From Sexual Predators Hits GOP OH09 Candidate Josh Williams

COLUMBUS, OH – Ohio congressional candidate Josh Williams has become the latest Republican candidate in the Buckeye State to desperately race to scrub their website of ties to an accused sexual predator, according to new reporting. While state Rep. Rodney Creech was accused by a minor female relative of climbing into bed with her wearing only his underwear, Williams has refused to speak out against Creech. Despite Williams quietly removing Creech from the endorser page of his campaign website, state Rep. Gary Click – who has spoken extensively about talking to “young girls” about sex – has remained on Williams’ endorsements list.

“Disavowing accused sexual predators should be a baseline that all leaders of both parties can agree on, but Ohio Republicans are instead quietly scrubbing their websites and scrambling to hide their ties to these individuals,” said Ohio Democratic Party Chair Kathleen Clyde. “It is absurd that this has to be said out loud but Josh Williams and every Republican candidate in Ohio should speak out against the actions of accused sexual predators. Ohioans deserve leaders who will support families and protect children across our state, not politicians who stand against victims and refuse to even condemn the heinous actions of accused sexual predators.”

Josh Williams is no stranger to controversy, and has previously refused to apologizeafter he “posted sexually explicit and degrading content about women on his public Facebook page.” This new reporting on Williams’ quiet removal of Creech from his website, “follows a pattern” with Republican candidate for governor Vivek Ramaswamy’s campaign also desperately trying to cover up endorsements from Creech – and from Click.

READ: Josh Williams removes Rodney Creech from endorsements as toxicity spreads

Ohio congressional candidate Josh Williams has quietly removed state Rep. Rodney Creech from his campaign’s endorsements page — making Williams the second Republican candidate in a week to scrub Creech’s name from their website after TiffinOhio.net reporting.

Creech, who was accused by a minor female relative of climbing into bed with her while erect and wearing only his underwear according to Bureau of Criminal Investigation documents, no longer appears on Williams’ endorsements page at joshwilliamsforohio.com. Google’s cached index of the page still shows Creech listed among Williams’ Ohio House endorsers — confirming his name was there recently and has since been removed.

Williams’ campaign made no public announcement about the change.

The removal follows a pattern. Last week, Vivek Ramaswamy’s gubernatorial campaign removed both Creech and state Rep. Gary Click from vivekforohio.com/endorsements/within two days of TiffinOhio.net publishing reports on Creech’s BCI investigation and resurfaced video of Click reminiscing about talking to “young girls” about their sexual experiences during Ohio House testimony. Web Archive snapshots confirmed that removal.

Click stays

While Creech has been scrubbed from Williams’ endorsements page, Click remains listed — identified as “Rep. Gary Click, House District 88.”

Click formally endorsed Williams’ congressional campaign in August 2025, two years after Williams’ sexually explicit Facebook posts were first publicly reported by D.J. Byrnes of The Rooster, an independently owned Ohio political media outlet. The two have co-sponsored multiple pieces of legislation in the Ohio House, including HB 693, which would write the concept of “parental alienation” into state law — the same term Creech used to publicly dismiss his own daughter’s statements about the alleged misconduct.

[…]

Toxic endorsements

Three weeks before the May 5 primary, Creech and Click are rapidly becoming two of the most toxic endorsements in Ohio Republican politics.

Ramaswamy removed Creech. Williams has now removed Creech. On the Ramaswamy front, Click was also removed — then scrambled back onto the page within hours of TiffinOhio.net documenting the change, posting on Facebook that “rumors that I have been removed from a list of endorsements Vivek Ramaswamy are greatly exaggerated.” Web Archive snapshots confirmed the removal had occurred.

Sen. Jon Husted’s campaign has also drawn scrutiny for promoting endorsements from both lawmakers on a March 19 endorsement graphic. Click serves as Husted’s Sandusky County campaign chair.

[…]

Williams has faced his own scrutiny during the campaign. TiffinOhio.net reported that Williams posted sexually explicit and degrading content about women on his public Facebook page before sponsoring bills he said would protect children from obscenity. When confronted about the posts in 2023, Williams refused to apologize: “What do I gotta apologize about? I made the post in 2018 being funny while I was in college burning time.” He was approximately 34 years old at the time.

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