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For Immediate Release:

Wednesday, March 2, 2022

Ohioans’ Data, Personal Information at Risk as BMV Can’t Answer Questions about Where Ohioans’ Personal Information Goes Once They Sell It

Columbus, OH — In case you missed it, the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles is the latest state agency under Mike DeWine’s leadership that finds itself in the middle of a scandal that could cost Ohioans. WBNS-TV in Columbus published an investigation earlier this week raising questions about whether the Ohio BMV is in violation of federal law as Ohio drivers find their information being used by direct mail solicitors right after they have dealings with the BMV.

In 2020, the agency made more than $40 million selling Ohioans’ personal data to third parties, and as WBNS reports, many of those Ohioans’ personal data is being used to send direct mail solicitations. Similar mailers are often aimed at coercing Ohioans into paying for things they don’t need. Ohioans in the story also raise concerns with how widely their personal data is being shared once the BMV sells it to third parties.

“It’s a day that ends in Y, so Mike DeWine finds his administration at the center of another scandal. As scandal after scandal piles up, it’s clear that Ohioans are paying a steep price for the corruption coming out of Mike DeWine’s statehouse. Ohioans can’t afford four more years of Mike DeWine,” said Ohio Democratic Party spokesperson Matt Keyes.

Interestingly, current BMV registrar Charlie Norman has strong ties to the DeWine family, having served as Chief of Staff to Justice Pat DeWine when he served as Hamilton County Commissioner and as Regional Director for then-Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine.

This is only the latest scandal Mike DeWine’s administration finds itself at the center of, including the largest public corruption scandal in state history, a state unemployment fraud scandal, and a state Medicaid scandal.

Read more about the latest scandal involving the BMV here and below:

• A months-long experiment by 10 Investigates is now helping the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles determine if there has been any illegal misuse of drivers’ personal information.
• Since 2010, the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles has made more than $250 million selling drivers’ personal information to third parties.
• But 10 Investigates wanted to know what happens to drivers’ information after that sale? What are those third parties doing with that information?
• Why does that matter?
• If those mailed solicitations – like those offers for the extended auto warranties – were the result of the Ohio BMV’s sale of driver’s personal data, it could be a violation of a federal law – known as the Drivers Privacy Protection Act.
• As part of our experiment, 10 Investigates tried to narrow the scope of potential leaks of Haeberle’s personal data. His insurance company told him prior to the vehicle purchase that it would not sell his data for direct marketing or solicitations. And there was no dealership involved – Haeberle bought the car in a peer-to-peer sale with the station WBNS-TV.
• That would leave only one entity – the Ohio BMV – which would’ve known that he had recently purchased a vehicle.
• 10 Investigates also found Ohio drivers with similar experiences.
• “None of this was happening until I registered my car,” said Barb Woodruff. “I was looking for ways to opt-out and when someone tells me there is no way to opt-out, I have a problem with that.”

• John Kaminsky got similar mailers weeks after buying car and titling it with the Ohio BMV. He said his dealer assured him they didn’t sell his personal information.
• “I expect the state to have some discretion and have my best interests at heart,” he said.

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For Immediate Release:

Tuesday, March 1, 2022

Columbus, OH — Today, Ohio Democratic Party (ODP) Chair Elizabeth Walters issued the following statement after Republicans yet again released gerrymandered congressional maps that show us all how unserious Republicans on the commission are taking the process.

“The map released by Republicans today is a joke, and one that’s being made at the expense of Ohio voters.”  

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For Immediate Release:

Tuesday, March 1, 2022

Columbus, OH — Today, Ohio Democratic Party Chair Elizabeth Walters released the following statement following President Biden’s State of the Union address:

“As President Biden outlined tonight, Democrats – from the White House to city halls across Ohio – are cutting workers in on the deal. With the help of Ohio Democrats, President Biden is bringing billions of dollars in infrastructure investments to Ohio, cutting child poverty rates, lowering taxes for working families, and helping our communities put the COVID-19 pandemic in the rearview mirror. 

“President Biden’s pro-job, pro-union, and pro-family agenda is helping Ohioans. Because of President Biden and Senator Sherrod Brown, Americans saw 6.5 million of our neighbors go back to work – the largest single-year unemployment drop in American history. Tonight was a good reminder that President Biden and Ohio Democrats are looking out for our families, and Ohio Republicans only care about the corporations funding their reelection campaigns.”  

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  February 28, 2022 

Good Monday afternoon, and welcome back to Mike Check, your weekly source of all the infighting, conspiracy spewing and corruption that’s making headlines in and around the Republican governor’s race and Mike DeWine’s statehouse, courtesy of the Ohio Democratic Party.

As the gubernatorial race heats up, Republicans are in disarray with Mike DeWine’s popularity dropping by the day, facing attacks both inside and outside of the Republican Party and having to answer for the largest public corruption scandal in state history. It’s hard to keep up with all of the corruption and mess surrounding Mike DeWine and the GOP gubernatorial primary, so here are some stories you may have missed:

UNDERSTANDING THE ASSIGNMENT. For the third time, Mike DeWine failed to live up to the promises he made to Ohio voters as he voted to pass yet another set of GOP-gerrymandered maps. DeWine’s failure to stand up to his own party is especially weak, considering his fellow Republican Keith Faber voted against the proposed maps. DeWine, who has already been threatened with contempt of court, has doubled down on buckling to his fellow Republicans on the commission and throwing Ohio voters under the bus to keep extremists in the legislature and special interest donors happy.

HOPPING ON BOARD. Today, Mike DeWine finally hopped on the bandwagon and realized how beneficial the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act will be for Ohio, as he submitted a proposal to help fund repairs of the Brent Spence Bridge with funding from the infrastructure bill championed by Democrats and opposed by Ohio Republicans, including DeWine’s own Ohio Republican Party chair. DeWine was noticeably silent as Democrats pushed the legislation through Congress and never took a stance on the legislation that will have clear benefits for Ohio workers and our state’s economy. Now, however, Mike DeWine is happy to hop on board and tout the benefits of the bill for Ohio, since he’s in election mode and looking desperately for any way to possibly fix his ever-hemorrhaging poll numbers.

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For Immediate Release:

Monday, February 28, 2022

Columbus, OH — Today, Mike DeWine finally hopped on the bandwagon and realized how beneficial the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act will be for Ohio, as he submitted a proposal to help fund repairs of the Brent Spence Bridge with funding from the infrastructure bill championed by Democrats and opposed by Ohio Republicans, including DeWine’s own Ohio Republican Party chair. DeWine was noticeably silent as Democrats pushed the legislation through Congress and never took a stance on the legislation that will have clear benefits for Ohio workers and our state’s economy. Every Republican member of Congress on the ballot this year in Ohio opposed the legislation.

Now, however, Mike DeWine is happy to hop on board and tout the benefits of the bill for Ohio, since he’s in election mode and looking desperately for any way to possibly fix his ever-hemorrhaging poll numbers.

Thanks to the work of Ohio Democrats, and no thanks to Mike DeWine and his fellow Republicans on the ballot, the Brent Spence Bridge – over which three percent of the nation’s GDP travels every day – may finally receive the funding necessary to repair the bridge for good, which is good news for Ohio workers and our state’s economy.

“We’re glad Mike DeWine has finally seen how valuable the infrastructure bill will be to working Ohioans and our state’s economy, and we look forward to his public statements moving forward that condemn his fellow Republicans for voting against the legislation and thanking Ohio Democrats for getting it signed into law,” said Ohio Democratic Party spokesperson Matt Keyes.

This is far from the first time Mike DeWine changed his stance and tried to take a victory lap on legislation championed by Democrats. Earlier this year, DeWine was widely slammed for trying to claim credit for funding secured by the American Rescue Plan, legislation that DeWine and every single Republican in Congress, opposed.

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