Uncategorized

Columbus, OH — Today, Ohio Democratic Party Chair Elizabeth Walters released the following statement on the election results in the Democratic primary for Ohio’s 15th Congressional District.

“Allison Russo has spent her life fighting for working families and delivering results, experiences that she’ll bring with her in the race to represent voters in Ohio’s 15th Congressional District. The contrast between Allison and her Republican opponent couldn’t be more clear: Allison is on the side of working families while special-interest lobbyist Mike Carey represents everything wrong with politics. He’s spent his career and campaign boosted by special interests who know that he’ll have their backs in Congress — not working Ohioans’. We look forward to showing Ohio voters who’s on their side as we work to elect Allison Russo to Congress and put working families first in the 15th District and across the state,” said Chair Walters.

###

MEMORANDUM

To: Ohio Reporters and Editors

From: The Ohio Democratic Party

Re: As Ohio Redistricting Begins, Critical Issues for Ohio Voters Are on the Line

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

As Ohio begins the redistricting process this week, the Ohio Democratic Party (ODP) is outlining some important information for Ohio media ahead of the process to help remind voters how we got to this point, why the redistricting process matters to Ohioans and where we go from here. As always, ODP is always happy to answer any questions media has about the process. Press can email [email protected] with questions or for more information. 

Earlier this week, ODP Chair Elizabeth Walters released the following statement ahead of the first meeting of the redistricting commission on Friday:

“Every critical issue facing our state comes down to fair districts – from education to the economy to healthcare to voting rights. For too long, Republicans in charge of the process have allowed politicians to choose their voters rather than the other way around. And because of that, our state is more polarized and divided than ever. The best way to serve Ohio voters and to move our state forward on issues important to working families is by creating fair districts that represent the will of the people. And that’s what Ohio Democrats will be working to do.”

History:

Ohio has consistently ranked at the top of any list of most gerrymandered states in the nation. And while the Ohio GOP would be more than happy to keep it that way, in both 2015 and 2018, Ohio voters overwhelmingly approved ballot measures to clean up the process and make the districts more reflective of the makeup of Ohio voters. 

Ohio’s status as one of the worst gerrymandered states has real consequences for Ohio voters. Despite nearly matching statewide Republican vote totals in 2018, Democrats didn’t win anywhere near a proportional number of seats because of gerrymandered maps. This means that Republicans were able to push through radical legislation almost at-will, without consequences, as Democrats remained in the super minority. And we’ve seen Republicans use this to their advantage to go against the will of Ohio voters on a number of issues, from consistently chipping away at Ohioans’ voting rights to putting public health at risk during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

That’s why the results of the 2021 redistricting commission are so important and why any efforts by Ohio Republicans to move forward on a strictly partisan basis are unacceptable. 

What’s Next:

State Legislative Maps

Step 1:

The Ohio Redistricting Commission will convene this Friday, made up of seven members: the Governor, Auditor, Secretary of State, and nominees from the following legislative leaders: the Speaker of the House, House Minority Leader, Senate President, and Senate Minority Leader. The Commission has until September 1st to approve a map, and because of the ballot initiatives passed by Ohio voters, must hold a minimum of three public meetings to hear directly from Ohioans before then. 

To pass a map, the Commission must secure the support of four members (a majority), including both Democrats. If they are able to achieve this, the map will last for 10 years. If they fail to secure this, the process moves on to step two.

Step 2:

The Commission has until September 15th to try again to secure a map that once again has the support of four members, including both Democrats. A public hearing is required before adoption. If the Commission agrees to a bipartisan map in this step, it will last for 10 years. If not, the process moves to step three.

Step 3: 

The Commission can pass a map with a simple majority (four members, no Dem support needed).

There are important requirements any state legislative map must meet, including: 

• Contiguity and compactness, 
• When possible, House districts should not split counties more than once, 
• District population cannot vary more than 5% from its representation ratio, 
• No maps can favor or disfavor one political party, 
• The overall percentage of seats for each party should match the percentage of votes over the last 10 years 
• And each Senate seat must consist of three House seats.

If a four-year map is passed by the Commission through this process, they must reconvene and pass another map with a majority of members of the Commission that will last six years. The members of the Commission could be made up of a majority of Democrats at this point. 

Congressional Maps

Step 1:

The Ohio legislature will lead the process for drawing Congressional maps. They have until September 30th to pass a map with the support of 60% of members from both chambers, including the support of 50% of Democrats. Two public hearings are required before the map is adopted and the Governor may veto the map. If the legislature adopts a map and the Governor does not veto, the map will last for 10 years. Otherwise, the process moves to step two. 

Step 2:

The Redistricting Commission (members the same as above) has until October 31st to adopt a map that has the support of a majority of members, including both Democrats. Two public hearings are required before adoption. If adopted, the map will last ten years. If not, the process moves to step three.

Step 3: 

The state legislature has until November 30th to adopt a map with at least 60% percent of members from both chambers, including 1/3rd of Democrats. Two public hearings are required before the map is adopted and the Governor may veto the map. 

If adopted, the map will last ten years. If not, the process moves to step four.

Step 4: 

The state legislature can pass a map with a simple majority, but there are important requirements the map must meet, including: 

• Contiguity and compactness
• 65 counties must be kept whole, 18 may be split once, 5 may be split twice, and map drawers can decide which counties to split
• Columbus must be split, Cleveland and Cincinnati cannot be split
• Map drawers shall attempt to include at least one whole county in each congressional district, unless it would otherwise violate federal law (voting rights laws)
•  Any maps passed with a simple majority MUST meet the following rules:
  • No partisan gerrymander
  • No undue splitting of political subdivisions
  • Drawers must attempt compactness
  • Drawers must release a statement explaining how these criteria were met

If a four-year map is passed by the legislature through this process, they must reconvene and pass another map with a majority of legislators that will last six years. 

What to Watch for:

Ohio voters overwhelmingly voted for a process that will result in fair maps and proportional representation, not a sham process in which the GOP uses tricks and gimmicks to push through short-term maps that do nothing to give Ohioans a greater voice in the democratic process. Any partisan ploys that end up with maps similar to the ones we have now are unacceptable, especially as Democrats enter the process willing to work with Republicans on maps that reflect the political makeup of our state and the will of Ohio voters. Issues critical to Ohio voters ranging from healthcare to the economy to education are on the line, any effort to bypass the will of Ohioans to score cheap, political points is unacceptable and will be met with strong resistance.

Columbus, OH — In case you missed it, Brent Larkin for Cleveland.com laid out how harmful recent revelations in the largest public corruption scandal in state history are for Mike DeWine and Jon Husted. Larkin outlines the various ways that DeWine’s longstanding ties to FirstEnergy as well as his connections to the GOP bribery scandal spell trouble for DeWine’s political future. 

“It would have been the height of naiveté for DeWine to think he was incapable of being tainted by decades of catering to the dark and dirty influence of the heavy-handed electric utility. And he surely knew FirstEnergy would want something in return for the $1 million it spent on DeWine’s behalf since 2017,

“Knowing the risks, DeWine nevertheless built a gubernatorial team top-heavy with FirstEnergy acolytes. And he gave FirstEnergy what it wanted – the chairmanship of the all-powerful state agency that regulates public utilities,” writes Larkin. 

Last last month, the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio outlined various ways that DeWine is connected to the scandal, including top-level staff with direct ties to the scandal that DeWine continues to stand behind even today. DeWine has tried to avoid answering questions on his ties to the scandal and what he knew and when, but Ohio voters deserve full transparency and accountability.  

The connections between DeWine and the scandal run deeper, however, as he also took hundreds of thousands of dollars from FirstEnergy and even more from executives tied to the scandal. He also took part in a private meeting with FirstEnergy executives in both Oct. 2018 and Dec. 2018, two meetings which he has not discussed the contents of publicly. He also solicited campaign donations for his daughter’s Greene County Prosecutor’s race, and appointed individuals directly connected to the HB 6 scandal to high-level state positions, including Michael Dowling, a former FirstEnergy VP, and Matt Borges and Juan Cespedes, both of whom were charged in the case. 

Read more from Larkin HERE and below: 

• DeWine’s relationship with FirstEnergy Corp. dates back to the early 1990s. He surely knew support from the Akron-based energy giant, once known to all of Northeast Ohio by that smiling Reddy Kilowatt face, always comes with a price.
• It would have been the height of naiveté for DeWine to think he was incapable of being tainted by decades of catering to the dark and dirty influence of the heavy-handed electric utility. And he surely knew FirstEnergy would want something in return for the $1 million it spent on DeWine’s behalf since 2017.
• Knowing the risks, DeWine nevertheless built a gubernatorial team top-heavy with FirstEnergy acolytes. And he gave FirstEnergy what it wanted – the chairmanship of the all-powerful state agency that regulates public utilities.
• But it’s now indisputably clear the governor’s 2019 appointment of Sam Randazzo to the powerful post as chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio was an enormous mistake.
• Most damaging to DeWine was that, in its admission of wrongdoing, FirstEnergy said it paid a $4.3 million bribe to Randazzo weeks before DeWine named Randazzo to the powerful PUCO job.
• And as detailed in a July 25 story by Plain Dealer and cleveland.com reporter Andrew J. Tobias, Justice Department documents include damning text messages between former FirstEnergy CEO Chuck Jones and Randazzo that provide circumstantial evidence of motives that were far less than pure.
• Strangely, DeWine has consistently stopped short of criticizing Randazzo, at times praising him and regularly saying he was unaware of the $4.3 million payment from FirstEnergy when he named Randazzo the state’s top utility regulator.
• But FirstEnergy’s admission that it paid a $4.3 million bribe to the man DeWine put in charge of the Public Utilities Commission and, by extension, of the state Power Siting Board will surely complicate his path to a second term as governor.
• DeWine has put himself in political peril. If the indictments continue, it will only get worse.

###

Columbus, OH — Today, Ohio Democratic Party Chair Elizabeth Walters released the following statement following the news that the Ohio Redistricting Commission will be convened this Friday. Ohio voters have twice voted for fair representation, a rejection of the GOP gerrymandered maps that don’t allow Ohioans to have their voices heard on critical matters like education, healthcare and voting rights that affect their daily lives. Ohio Democrats will be fighting for fair maps that accurately reflect the will of Ohio voters.

“Every critical issue facing our state comes down to fair districts – from education to the economy to healthcare to voting rights. For too long, Republicans in charge of the process have allowed politicians to choose their voters rather than the other way around. And because of that, our state is more polarized and divided than ever. The best way to serve Ohio voters and to move our state forward on issues important to working families is by creating fair districts that represent the will of the people. And that’s what Ohio Democrats will be working to do,” said Chair Walters.

“Any political gamesmanship that seeks to ignore the will of the voters and push through four-year, partisan maps is unacceptable and will only further delay us from tackling other important issues like education, healthcare and the economy,” Walters continued. 

###

Governor Facing Questions on Whether He Can Lead with Scandal Looming over Him

Columbus, OH — In case you missed it, State Representatives Jeffrey Crossman (D-Parma) and Casey Weinstein (D-Hudson) hosted a press conference at the Ohio Statehouse yesterday to demand accountability from Mike DeWine following last week’s revelations further tying him and Jon Husted to the largest public corruption scandal in state history.

Reps. Crossman and Weinstein called for a full accounting from DeWine and Husted to the press and the public about what they knew about the scandal and when. Rep. Weinstein further called for the firing of Laurel Dawson and Dan McCarthy, two top-level aides connected to the scandal.

Throughout the scandal, DeWine has refused to take accountability for the scandal and his deepening ties to it. That continued again yesterday, as DeWine refused to take any action to punish Dawson and McCarthy and provided no further details about any role he may have played in the scandal, as he faces questions about whether he can effectively lead with the largest public corruption scandal in state history looming over him. Ohio Democrats will continue to pressure DeWine to give a full accounting of what he knew about the scandal and take meaningful action to address his Administration’s connections to it.

See more of what Ohio voters are reading below:

Cincinnati.com: Gov. Mike DeWine won’t fire staff with FirstEnergy ties despite Democrats’ demand

Jessie Balmert

• Gov. Mike DeWine won’t fire two staff members over their ties to Akron-based FirstEnergy, which recently admitted to bribing state officials, despite Democratic demands.
• “It’s past time for them to go and for DeWine to come clean,” Weinstein said. “It’s a privilege to serve in a taxpayer-funded job. These two don’t deserve it.”
• Democrats also sought documents on how DeWine and his administration handled the passage of House Bill 6, a $1 billion bailout of two nuclear plants, and the appointment of Public Utilities Commission of Ohio Chairman Sam Randazzo.
• “It’s up to DeWine and (Lt. Gov. Jon) Husted to come forward with all the information and let the public judge for themselves whether or not they engaged in any wrongdoing,” Crossman said.
• Randazzo told Dawson about the payment on Oct. 30, the day after FirstEnergy fired three executives, a DeWine spokesman said. But Dawson didn’t tell DeWine about the payment until Nov. 16 when the FBI searched the utility regulator’s home. Randazzo resigned four days later.
• Dawson, who previously served as DeWine’s chief of staff, also disregarded concerns about Randazzo’s close ties to FirstEnergy during his nomination process.
• Randazzo isn’t the only person in DeWine’s orbit with close ties to FirstEnergy. McCarthy, a former FirstEnergy lobbyist, led a FirstEnergy-funded dark money group before joining the administration. McCarthy worked with lawmakers to pass the nuclear bailout in House Bill 6, legislation that DeWine signed the day it hit his desk.

Cleveland.com: Ohioans fed up with unemployment system turn to lawmakers for help: Capitol Letter

Andrew Tobias

• Democratic state Reps. Jeff Crossman and Casey Weinstein said during a Thursday news conference that Gov. Mike DeWine should provide a fuller accounting of how he and people in his administration interacted with figures in the House Bill 6 scandal, while Weinstein went further and said DeWine should fire two top aides, Laurel Dawson and Dan McCarthy over their ties to FirstEnergy and other actions related to the federal investigation into the bill.
• The event was sponsored by the Ohio Democratic Party, showing that Democrats — no surprise – hope to make the complex scandal a campaign issue heading in 2022.

Ohio Capital Journal: Ohio Democrats focusing HB 6 scandal attention on Gov. DeWine

Tyler Buchanan

• Attention is shifting further toward Gov. Mike DeWine as the investigation continues to develop.
• Democratic state Reps. Jeffrey Crossman of Parma and Casey Weinstein of Hudson are calling for the administration to provide better transparency of its work to get the nuclear bailout bill passed in 2019.
• A deferred prosecution agreement signed by federal prosecutors and FirstEnergy, made public last week, has shed further light on a scandal described as the largest bribery scheme in Ohio history.
• The court filing offered new details on the connections between FirstEnergy and Sam Randazzo, the former Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) chairman appointed by DeWine in early 2019.
• The critics are also miffed at a subsequent claim from the governor that “everybody” knew at the time Randazzo was appointed PUCO chairman that he’d worked for FirstEnergy.
• “Ohioans deserve to know the truth,” Weinstein said. “There’s a lot of truth left to uncover.”

Spectrum News: House Democrats call for accountability from Gov. DeWine surrounding HB6 scandal

Josh Rultenberg

• Ohio House Democrats called for more accountability Thursday from Gov. Mike DeWine, R-Ohio, as news of his administration being potentially tied to the House Bill 6 bribery scandal has come out.
• Representatives Jeffrey Crossman, D-Parma, and Casey Weinstein, D-Hudson, took shot after shot at DeWine, and said he isn’t responding seriously enough. The Democratic duo also said heads need to roll.
• “Gov. DeWine has surrounded himself with folks who are deeply involved in this scandal. It’s past time for them to go and for DeWine to come clean,” said Weinstein.

Statehouse News Bureau: Ohio House Dems Call For DeWine To Fire Staff Members

Andy Chow

• Democrats in the Ohio House want Gov. Mike DeWine (R-Ohio) to fire two members of his staff in response to new information to come out related to the nuclear bailout bribery case. But DeWine’s office says that’s not going to happen.
• DeWine said Monday that Laurel Dawson, his chief of staff at the time, was informed by Sam Randazzo that he was paid $4.3 million by FirstEnergy before becoming chair of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio. Dawson was told in October 2020 but did not reveal this to DeWine until November 2020, when the FBI raided Randazzo’s home.
• Crossman says the information in FirstEnergy’s deferred prosecution “further intensify the need for unprecedented amounts of transparency and accountability.”

Toledo Blade: Governor rejects Democratic call for staff firings

Jim Provance

• State Rep. Casey Weinstein (D., Hudson) targeted the Republican governor’s former chief-of-staff, Laurel Dawson, and his legislative lobbyist, Dan McCarthy.
• That’s not going to happen, Gov. DeWine spokesman Dan Tierney said.
• Ms. Dawson played an integral role in selecting former utility lobbyist and consultant Sam Randazzo to head the powerful Public Utilities Commission of Ohio. Mr. McCarthy is a former FirstEnergy lobbyist who had headed one of the non-profits linked to a Statehouse bribery scandal prior to joining the DeWine administration.
• Democrats see opportunity in last week’s court revelations that have brought the federal investigation closer to Mr. DeWine’s inner circle.

###