Ohio Democrats Bring “Cost of Corruption” Tour to Toledo
April 7, 2022
For Immediate Release:
Thursday, April 7, 2022
CONTACT: Cameron Keir, [email protected], 614-506-5413
Ohio Democrats Bring “Cost of Corruption” Tour to Toledo
From the Largest Public Corruption Scandal in State History to Major Tax Breaks for the Wealthy, Ohioans are Paying Billions for Republican Corruption
Toledo, OH — Today, Ohio Democratic Party Chair Elizabeth Walters, Ohio Auditor candidate Taylor Sappington and Lucas County Commissioner Pete Gerken brought Ohio Democrats’ “Cost of Corruption” tour to Toledo to highlight the high costs Ohioans are paying for GOP corruption under Mike DeWine’s leadership.
Ohio Democrats drew the contrast between the high cost of Republican corruption and the Democratic plan to invest in working families and put the interests of working Ohioans first.
“At a time when too many Ohioans are worried about high costs and making ends meet, Mike DeWine and his fellow Republicans are making you pay the price for their corruption while Democrats are laser-focused on investing in working families,” said Chair Walters.
Under Mike DeWine’s leadership, Ohioans are paying billions for GOP corruption as Republican politicians look to line their own pockets and the pockets of dark money interest groups, all while leaving hard-working Ohioans behind.
“I know firsthand how hard it is when you’re struggling to make ends meet – to put food on the table or pay for prescription drugs. The last thing we should be asking hard-working Ohioans to shell out for is GOP corruption that puts working families further and further behind,” said Ohio Auditor candidate Taylor Sappington.
Ohio Democrats are offering a better way forward.
“Every Republican on the Redistricting Commission – from Mike DeWine, President Huffman, Speaker Cupp, on down – broke the law and rubber-stamped gerrymandered maps, and because of their actions, Ohioans will likely pay as much as $25 million to conduct two primaries,” said Lucas County Commissioner Pete Gerken.
Ohioans are paying BILLIONS of dollars for GOP corruption at Mike DeWine’s statehouse, including:
- $287,000 every single day for subsidies that bail out an out-of-state coal plant and are tied to the largest public corruption scandal in state history. The subsidies are estimated to cost Ohioans up to $1.8 billion by 2030.
- $9 billion for special interest tax giveaways that mostly benefit for-profit corporations.
- $1.85 billion in tax breaks for the wealthy and well-connected, including wealthy GOP lawmakers who leave working Ohioans behind.
- $118 million in improper Medicaid payments made to ineligible dead or incarcerated individuals.
- $20 million promised in tax credits to Lordstown Motors, a company currently under investigation by the DOJ and SEC and that employs DeWine’s grandson as its lobbyist.
- $17.5 million settlement for a man who was paralyzed after being tackled by state prison guards.
- $9 million for the election chaos created by Republicans who refuse to pass fair maps. Their refusal to do their jobs will likely make a May 3 primary impossible, likely costing Ohioans another $20 million.
- $763,000 and counting to litigate the GOP-gerrymandered maps in court.
- $39,000 for Mike DeWine’s private airplane travel to taxpayer-funded photo ops in 2019.
At a time when Ohio families are worried about their ability to make ends meet, the last thing they should be spending their hard-earned money on is the corruption running rampant at Mike DeWine’s statehouse. Ohio Democrats are ready to offer a better way forward.
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