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ICYMI: “Key Democrats” Continue To Voice Outrage After FBI Raids Ohio Voting Rights Organization

COLUMBUS, OH – Following breaking news late last week that FBI agents raidedthe Cleveland office of the Ohio Organizing Collaborative, a nonprofit organization focused on voter registration, civic engagement and community organizing, and visited the homes of current and former staff and volunteers, Ohio Democrats are forcefully speaking out and demanding more information on these actions by federal law enforcement.

Last week, Ohioans also saw Republicans in Columbus pass a resolution that will place a constitutional amendment on the November ballot codifying existing photo voter ID requirements for political gain, and a separate piece of legislation, creating new burdensome requirements for voters to provide an actual copy of their driver’s license or state ID when voting by mail, effective in November 2027. 

While the FBI seemingly has not responded to requests for comment on last week’s raids of an Ohio voting rights organization, read more:

Columbus Dispatch: ​​FBI raids Ohio voting rights group office in Cleveland

  • Agents questioned volunteers and civil rights leaders with the Ohio Organizing Collaborative across the state, looking for evidence of alleged voter fraud, Ohio Organizing Collaborative Board Member Prentiss Haney said. MS NOW first reported about the raid on the nonprofit, which helps register voters and fights for ballot access.
  • Haney estimated more than 100 agents questioned people currently and previously affiliated with the group across Ohio, including in Columbus, Dayton and Cincinnati.
  • “They were knocking on their doors. They were calling and demanding people to come outside without warrants and using political intimidation tactics, accusing them of alleged voter fraud,” Haney said. “Yes, there was a raid, but there was not just a raid. It was a full onslaught.”
  • Ohio Democrats, including members of Congress, Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb, Senate candidate Sherrod Brown and the state party, called the raid troubling and wanted more information.

Signal Ohio: What to know about the Ohio Organizing Collaborative after FBI searches

  • Reports of the raid drew a swift round condemnation from many prominent state Democratic politicians, including U.S. Rep. Shontel Brown of Cleveland, governor candidate Amy Acton, U.S. Senate candidate Sherrod Brown, Secretary of State candidate Allison Russo and Ohio Democratic Party Chair Kathleen Clyde. They all said Ohioans should feel safe registering to vote in November.

WOUB: An Ohio voting rights group says it was raided by the FBI

  • Key Democrats are speaking in support of OCC… Ohio Democratic Party Chair Kathleen Clyde… also expressed concern over the situation. “With Election Day approaching, it is critical that eligible voters feel confident that they can register, cast a ballot, and participate in our democratic process without fear or confusion,” Clyde said in a statement.
  • Multiple attempts have been made to get a comment from the FBI but the agency has not responded.

Daily Signal: Ohio Group Gets Visit From FBI Over Voter Fraud Investigation

  • The Ohio Organizing Collective describes itself as having a vision “to organize everyday Ohioans, building transformative power organizations for racial, social, and economic justice” as well as “build a democratic multi-racial populist governing coalition in Ohio.”
  • Thursday’s raid has drawn the outrage of Ohio Democrats, including Reps. Shontell Brown and Joyce Beatty, as well as Democrat nominee for governor Amy Acton and former Sen. Sherrod Brown, who is running against Republican Sen. Jon Husted in the 2026 special election. Ohio Democratic Party Chairwoman Kathleen Clyde also spoke out, as did Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb.

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This Week in #OHGov: Bodyguard Blues & More Clues About Why Ohioans Can’t Trust Ramaswamy

Columbus, Ohio- It was another week to forget for Vivek Ramaswamy. He’s showing Ohioans why they can’t believe a single word he says, from lying about his record on COVID-19 while making more money for himself, to failing to keep Ohio families and their children safe, to ignoring the opioid crisis, and failing to protect their healthcare.

More money, more problems: Reporting from Politico revealed Vivek Ramaswamy’s company Roivant spent $70,000 lobbying the federal government for the development and approval of COVID-19 drugs. Ramaswamy wanted to “segregate” Americans based on immunity status and made more than two billion dollars off of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ohioans can’t believe a word Ramaswamy says after he scrubbed his record on the pandemic and lied to Ohioans all while lining his own pockets.

Bodyguard blues: New reporting from TiffinOhio.net revealed that Vivek Ramaswamy’s campaign continued paying his security firm even after his personal bodyguard was arrested with enough fentanyl to kill 132,000 Ohioans. Ramaswamy giving a pass to criminal drug traffickers isn’t just dangerous; it’s disqualifying.

Start spreading the news: Longtime New Yorker Vivek Ramaswamy had a great time watching the Knicks game from his private jet. Donation records listed Ramaswamy as a New York resident as recently as 2019, and his company’s executives are still based there. He allegedly attempted to celebrate with the Knicks in their locker room following their win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, but was denied in humiliating fashion.

Ramaswamy’s running mate “gave in” on child marriage: Legislation banning child marriage failed to advance in the Ohio Senate thanks to the opposition of Ramaswamy running mate Senate President Rob McColley. After McColley said legislation to end child marriage in Ohio needed “further exploration,” he “gave in” to arguments against the bill made by members of his caucus. Ohio families can’t trust Ramaswamy and McColley to keep their kids safe.

With Friends Like These: Vivek Ramaswamy and his best friend Dr. Oz are both known for their focus on making healthcare more expensive and less accessible for working families. After Ramaswamy called Medicaid and Medicare “mistakes,” Oz called Medicaid expansion, which has allowed millions more hardworking Ohioans to afford health insurance, a “program with great danger.” Does Ramaswamy agree?

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NEW INTERVIEW: Jon Husted Says Iran War Going ‘Very Well’ While Ohioans Get Crushed With Skyrocketing Costs

Husted has voted eight times to back expensive and unnecessary Iran war

COLUMBUS, OHIO — In a new interview this week, Jon Husted doubled down on his support of the Iran war that is crushing Ohioans with skyrocketing food and energy prices. 

  • Husted claimed the military aspect of the war “went very well,” even though the Strait of Hormuz remains shut down and gas prices have soared.
  • Husted admitted the conflict that he has voted to support eight times has caused gas prices in Ohio to skyrocket.
  • Husted refused to answer what his red line would be to support ending the war, including if he supported sending in American ground troops.

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

“Jon Husted could not be more out of touch with Ohioans who are getting crushed by soaring gas and diesel prices because of the endless war he supports. Instead of actually working to lower costs, Husted is backing more money for war overseas while insulting his constituents and lecturing Ohioans to work harder.”

Husted’s comments continue his long trend of insulting hardworking Ohioans who are getting crushed by soaring costs caused by policies he supports:

  • When asked what he was doing to address rising gas prices for his constituents, Husted responded: “What do you want me to do?” 
  • When a truck driver asked about soaring diesel costs, Husted brushed him off and responded by asking if he was comfortable with Iran being a nuclear power. 
  • When asked about the pain that Ohio families are feeling at the pump, Jon Husted’s campaign “declined to comment.”
  • Husted promised that higher prices would be “returned” as soon as the U.S. was “done” with the war in Iran, even though experts have asserted that gas “won’t return to pre-war levels any time soon.”
  • Jon Husted has voted eight times to continue the war in Iran while costs continue to skyrocket.

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Ohio Democratic Party Chair Kathleen Clyde Issues Statement on Reported FBI Raids on Ohio Voting Rights Organization

COLUMBUS, OH – Ohio Democratic Party Chair Kathleen Clyde issued the following statement on reports of FBI raids on an Ohio voting rights organization:

“The reports of FBI raids involving civil rights leaders and their staff are deeply concerning. Organizations that help eligible Ohioans register to vote and participate in our democracy play an important role in our communities.

“With Election Day approaching, it is critical that eligible voters feel confident that they can register, cast a ballot, and participate in our democratic process without fear or confusion. Ohio’s democracy is strongest when every eligible voter is able to make their voice heard.”

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NEW: Vivek Ramaswamy’s Company Spent Over $70,000 Lobbying the Federal Government for Development & Approval of COVID-19 Drugs

Columbus, Ohio- New reporting from Politico’s Influence newsletter revealed that Vivek Ramaswamy’s company spent more than $70,000 lobbying the federal government for the development and approval of COVID-19 drugs. Federal lobbying records show Ramaswamy’s company spent approximately $50,000 lobbying the National Institutes of Health and the Executive Office of the President as well as approximately $20,000 lobbying Congress.

This new reporting from Politico follows bombshell reporting from the Associated Press that revealed Ramaswamy pushed for a national COVID-19 registry to segregate Americans based on immunity status. Ramaswamy’s company profited over $2.2 billion from the COVID-19 vaccine. He served on Ohio’s COVID-19 response team, then paid a Wikipedia editor to scrub his involvement. 

“Scam artist Vivek Ramaswamy has given Ohioans yet another reason to not believe a word he says,” said Ohio Democratic Party spokeswoman Katie Seewer. “His extreme proposal to ‘segregate’ Americans based on immunity status, his billions in profit from the COVID-19 vaccine, and now his massive investment in lobbying the federal government are all more proof that the only person Vivek Ramaswamy is looking out for is Vivek Ramaswamy.”

READ: FIRST IN PI — RAMASWAMY’S COVID LOBBYING:

  • A biotech company founded by Vivek Ramaswamy spent more than $70,000 in 2020 and 2021 to lobby the federal government for the development and approval of COVID-19 drugs, Jacob reports.
  • Acton’s campaign says Ramaswamy’s rhetoric contradicts his actions as a biotech executive at the time. Democrats have also criticized another one of Ramaswamy’s companies that pushed for a national COVID registry that would have segregated Americans based on COVID-19 vaccine status during the pandemic. Ramaswamy also reportedly paid to have his role on the state’s COVID response team scrubbed from his Wikipedia page.
  • Ramaswamy’s campaign and Roivant didn’t respond to requests for comment.

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