Uncategorized

In Case You Missed It, today Cleveland.com reported that dark-money Super PAC USA Freedom Fund is going on the air this weekend with ads in support of dark money darling Josh Mandel that will only make the already messy Ohio Senate Republican primary even messier. In what’s surely a sign of things to come, the Freedom Fund ad goes after J.D. Vance for his flip-flops on Trump; Jane Timken for outsourcing that occurred at TimkenSteel, where her husband previously served as CEO; and Mike Gibbons for investing in overseas companies with questionable political ties.

It also hilariously attempts to portray Josh Mandel as a ‘proven winner’ after he lost the 2012 Senate race and dropped out of the race in 2018.

“Republican candidates are doing a great job of helping to make our case for us. As they tie themselves in knots attacking each other and increasing the level of vitriol in their primary daily, they’re reminding voters just how uniquely unqualified each of them are to serve in the U.S. Senate,” said Matt Keyes, spokesperson for the Ohio Democratic Party.

Adding even more intrigue to the Republican infighting is the connection of USA Freedom Fund to Rep. Jim Jordan, whose campaign treasurer also works for political groups connected to the Super PAC.

Read more about the attack ads HERE and below:

• More than a year before the election, the first attack ads in what’s expected to be a nasty Republican U.S. Senate primary in Ohio are hitting the airwaves this weekend.
• A group called the USA Freedom Fund is running the ads, which boost former State Treasurer Josh Mandel while attacking some of his Republican opponents, former Ohio Republican Party Chairman Jane Timken, investment banker Mike Gibbons and author/investor JD Vance, who hasn’t declared his candidacy but is expected to do so. Tom Datwyler, the treasurer for USA Freedom Fund, also is the treasurer for Mandel’s Senate campaign.
•  It’s expected to be among the most expensive primaries of the 2022 election season.
• USA Freedom Fund is a Super PAC, which means it’s allowed to accept and spend unlimited amounts of money to support political candidates, as long as it doesn’t coordinate with any candidate or political party. It appears to be structured as a dark money group, a term that applies to political organizations that attempt to make it difficult to track the source of their money.
• The group was created on April 29, 2020, and funded shortly after that by a $320,000 contribution from a different Super PAC called the Ohio Freedom Fund. 
• The Ohio Freedom Fund got much of its money for the 2020 election — about $257,500 out of $299,000 raised — from another group called Invest in Ohio, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that doesn’t have to disclose its donors. The Ohio Freedom Fund’s only named donor is Leo Hawk of Lima, who gave $12,500 in October 2020.
• The Ohio Freedom Fund’s treasurer is Datwyler, who also is Invest in Ohio’s principal officer. Datwyler also serves as campaign treasurer for U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan.

###

Columbus, OH — Today, the Ohio Democratic Party welcomed Vice President Kamala Harris to Ohio as she visits Cincinnati to talk about critical infrastructure investments that will not only fix Ohio’s roads and bridges, but will also lead to more jobs for Ohio workers. 

Vice President Harris’ visit comes on the heels of President Biden’s first 100 days in office during which — with the help of Sen. Brown and Ohio Democrats — the American Rescue Plan was signed into law, which has already helped millions of Ohioans get their COVID-19 vaccines, helped small businesses reopen and put money back in the pockets of working Ohioans. 

“Just 100 days in, Ohio has already benefited from President Biden’s and Vice President Harris’ commitment to Ohio working families and their focus on helping our state recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Ohioans are seeing shots in arms, money in pockets and small businesses around the state reopening. Building on that success, Vice President Harris came to Ohio today to talk infrastructure, because she knows that our state is in dire need of infrastructure investments and that we have the best workers in the world to make our infrastructure the envy of the world once again,” said Matt Keyes, spokesperson for the Ohio Democratic Party. 

###

Columbus, OH — As President Biden marks his first 100 days in office today, Ohio is on the road to recovery and building back better thanks to the American Rescue Plan passed with the help of Sen. Brown and Ohio Democrats. The Rescue Plan is enjoying wide bipartisan support across the state as millions of Ohioans have now gotten their shots, have received $1,400 checks to make ends meet and have watched small businesses in their neighborhoods open up and hire more Ohio workers. 

Yet Republicans vying to represent those Ohioans in the Senate all remain firmly against it. 

“Ohio voters deserve to hear from Republicans running for Senate about why they opposed critical help for our state at a time when we needed that help the most. What else are these candidates willing to play politics with, besides a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic?” said Matt Keyes, spokesperson for the Ohio Democratic Party. 

Read more below about what Republicans are saying about the critical relief package: 

Jane Timken Said “We have to stand up and fight against” COVID Relief and “I would vote against it” 

Josh Mandel Attacked Provisions in the Package that will Secure Retirements for Ohio Workers: 

Bernie Moreno just went the conspiracy theory route:

As they’re traveling around Ohio, attempting to talk about anything other than actual policy proposals, Republican candidates should be held accountable for their opposition to the Rescue Plan and be asked to explain why they oppose critical relief that has done so much to put  Ohio on the road to recovery. 

###

Columbus, OH — Today, venture capitalist J.D. Vance went on a long-winded rant against help for working Ohioans who are struggling to pay for child care, unable to understand why they too can’t turn to their billionaire Big Tech donors, as he always has. Back here on Earth, a recent study placed Ohio as one of the top three states in the country for average increase in child care costs since the start of the pandemic. The study showed a 102% increase in cost for child care in Ohio, moving from $7,554 per child to $15,230 per child.

Calling universal day care ‘class war against normal people,’ Vance clearly showed just how out of touch he really is with the needs of working Ohioans.

“J.D. Vance has been living in his Big Tech bubble too long. As venture capitalists like J.D. game the system to line their own pockets, working Ohioans playing by the rules are being forced to choose between paying for child care or putting groceries on the table. If J.D. can’t understand why child care help would be welcome news for Ohio families, he certainly doesn’t deserve to represent them in Congress,” said Matt Keyes, spokesperson for the Ohio Democratic Party.

Last night, President Biden released his American Families Plan, which among other things, would provide investments to help Ohio families afford child care and provide universal kindergarten. The proposal would also include paid sick and medical leave for working Ohioans and help with the cost of higher education for Ohio students and families.

###

Columbus, OH — Today, Ohio Democrats held a virtual press conference to mark President Biden’s first 100 days in office and talk about the victories for our state since Biden has taken office. The press event follows the President’s address to Congress on Wednesday and comes ahead of Vice President Kamala Harris’ visit to Ohio on Friday.

“President Biden’s presidency has made a critical difference in getting Ohio back on the road to recovery as we look to move past the status quo, COVID, and to build back better. Thanks to President Biden’s leadership and the American Rescue Plan he signed into law, help is here, more is coming and the Ohio Promise of better lives and brighter futures is on the horizon,” said Ohio Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes.

“Ohio knows all too well how badly infrastructure improvements are needed in our state. We look forward to the Vice President’s visit to southwest Ohio tomorrow and hearing more about the infrastructure planning that’s already under way as we look to build back better in Ohio under President Biden and Vice President Harris’ leadership,” said Hamilton County Commissioner Denise Driehaus.

“I was excited to hear President Biden announce his American Families Plan last night. President Biden’s plan includes funding for child care, paid family and medical leave, free universal preschool and funding for higher education. These are the kinds of investments that Ohioans have been calling for and now they have a champion in the White House who’s committed to fighting for them,” said Chillicothe Mayor Luke Feeney.

Since President Biden took office, Ohio is back on the road to recovery. Examples of important wins for Ohio include:

• The passage of the American Rescue Plan, which has helped millions of Ohioans get vaccinated, provided $1,400 stimulus checks for Ohioans to make ends meet and included critical help for small businesses to reopen and stay open. 
• President Biden has also outlined an infrastructure package that will not only fix Ohio’s roads and bridges, it will put Ohioans back to work by investing in American workers. 

And for President Biden, this is only a start, after he previewed his American Families Plan last night, which will include funding for child care, paid family and medical leave, free universal preschool and funding for higher education.

###