On Election Eve, Frank LaRose’s Efforts To Silence, Mislead Ohioans And Ban Abortion Are Front and Center
November 6, 2023
Frank LaRose “Has Demonstrated He Will Stop At Nothing To Keep Ohio Women From Making Their Own Private Medical Decisions”
Columbus, OH – Tomorrow, Ohioans will decide on an amendment to protect reproductive rights and overturn the state’s current abortion ban and Frank LaRose’s efforts to intentionally silence and mislead Ohioans to ban abortion are front and center.
First, LaRose made himself the face of August’s State Issue 1, costing taxpayers $18 million to move the goalposts ahead of the November election and admitting August’s State Issue 1 was “100%” about abortion. When that failed, LaRose rewrote the ballot language for the abortion amendment to “intentionally mislead” and confuse Ohioans. Then, LaRose “quietly purged” thousands of voters ahead of the November election, leaving purged voters little-to-no time to re-register and cast their ballots.
On Election Eve, here’s what Ohioans are watching about LaRose’s attempts to ban abortion in Ohio:
WATCH HERE: LaRose Supports National Abortion Ban
Frank LaRose: “I’m pro-life and if a pro-life measure comes before the Senate, then I would vote as a pro-life American.”
On Election Eve, here’s what Ohioans are reading about LaRose’s attempts to ban abortion in Ohio:
- WVXU: “Now, the Republican majority of his five-member Ohio Ballot Board — chaired by LaRose and tasked with the job of approving ballot language — stands accused of trying to stack the deck against the abortion rights amendment by inserting what abortion rights groups call misleading, inaccurate and inflammatory language into what should be a simple statement of fact.”
- Huffington Post: “Republicans in Ohio are still trying to pass their anti-choice agenda, even after voters in the state successfully thwarted a ballot initiative earlier this month that would have made it harder to pass a pro-choice constitutional amendment this fall… led by anti-choice advocate and Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, on Thursday approved anti-choice language to be used in the initiative, which may confuse voters. The approved summary language uses “unborn child” instead of “fetus.” It does not include any language about the right to make decisions about miscarriages, fertility treatments or contraception — even though that’s a significant part of the proposed amendment.”
- The New York Times: “But that language does not appear on the ballot. Instead, voters see a summary from the Secretary of State, Frank LaRose, a Republican who opposes abortion and pushed the August ballot measure to try to thwart the abortion rights amendment. That summary turns the provision on viability on its head, saying the amendment ‘would always allow an unborn child to be aborted at any stage of pregnancy, regardless of viability.’”
- TIME: “Put simply: the way the question is appearing on the ballot could thwart the efforts to keep abortion legal in Ohio.”
- The Guardian: “Voting rights advocates say the process lacked transparency and departed from Frank LaRose’s usual practice of alerting groups before removing registrations from the rolls. And it comes as LaRose campaigns hard against the 7 November constitutional amendment vote – when Ohio voters will decide whether to enshrine the right to abortion in the state constitution – as well as a vote on a separate measure to legalize marijuana.”
- Ohio Capital Journal: “Ohio Democrats criticize LaRose for squeezing removals between an August vote on an issue he favored and a November election with an issue he opposes.”
- Heartland Signal: Ohio Secretary of State LaRose purges almost 27,000 voters from rolls right before reproductive rights vote
On Election Eve, here’s what Ohioans are saying about LaRose’s attempts to ban abortion in Ohio:
- Marilou Johanek, Ohio Capital Journal: “LaRose has demonstrated he will stop at nothing to keep Ohio women from making their own private medical decisions.”
- Cleveland.com Editorial Board: “The issue’s supporters say the Ballot Board summary is intentionally misleading and fails to meet the standards required by Ohio law. At the least, it’s an attempt by LaRose to have his thumb on the scale of fairness – again.”
- Cleveland.com Editorial Board: “Explanations from LaRose’s office citing federal deadlines don’t quite add up….Frank LaRose’s decision…raises red flags.”
- The Chronicle Telegram Editorial Board: “Frank LaRose and his fellow Republicans on the Ohio Ballot Board are up to their old tricks again, massaging ballot language for political advantage.”
- Veronica Strevel, Ohio Veteran: “But then − in a slap in the face to all Ohioans, let alone the hundreds of thousands of Ohioans who signed on to that language − LaRose abused his elected office by recently rewriting the language voters will see when they enter the voting booth this November.”
- Angie Charles, Stow: “[LaRose] dove deep into their bag of tricks in their attempt to sway votes for an unpopular amendment to the state constitution in August. They failed. They’re going to reach even deeper into that soiled bag to defeat Issue 1, the reproductive rights amendment, in November.”
- Joy Bennett, Mason: “LaRose’s attempt to deceive us by changing the abortion amendment’s ballot language is disgraceful. He’s abusing his position as secretary of state to overrule us. What will stop him from doing the same as senator?”
- Toba Feldman, Columbus: “Stop the games. Run a fair election and debate the facts not the fear.”
- Bethany Double, Farmdale: “LaRose is using his role as Ohio Secretary of State to push his own agenda, and he will do the same if he is elected to the U.S. Senate. We cannot forget he has openly voiced his support for a national abortion ban. He does not care what Ohioans want and would override us if he goes to the Senate.”
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