OHDems

COLUMBUS, OH – While John Kulewicz is showing Ohioans the relentless commitment to taking on corruption that he’ll bring to the Attorney General’s office, Keith Faber is once again refusing to comment. Instead of following John Kulewicz’s lead, calling out potential conflicts of interest and demanding accountability for the big corporations that work to line their pockets at Ohioans’ expense, Keith Faber is making sure Ohioans know that he isn’t willing to answer questions on the matter – and he isn’t willing to stand up for Ohio families.

“Ohioans deserve an Attorney General who will take on the corruption that is raising costs for Ohio families – and Keith Faber makes clear every day that he is not that person,” said Ohio Democratic Party Communications Director Marisa Nahem. “While John Kulewicz is showing his commitment to taking on corruption and protecting Ohio families, Keith Faber is showing time and again that he can’t even be counted on to respond to basic questions, let alone be trusted to take on bad actors that are lining their pockets while Ohioans foot the bill. Ohioans know they can’t trust Faber, and they’re going to reject him and reject Republicans’ culture of corruption in November.”

This isn’t the first time that Faber has refused to comment on the issues that matter most to Ohio families – and refusing to respond to questions has become a staple of Ohio Republicans’ campaigns heading into Election Day. Faber specifically has been slammed as “tone deaf” for his “unconscionable” refusal to commit to continuing the FirstEnergy case, and his response when pushed on it: he conveniently couldn’t be reached for comment. Faber’s campaign also went into hiding after he made comments“that sounded supportive of ending at least some parts of Ohio Medicaid,” with reporting emphasizing that “Faber’s campaign did not clarify his comments.”

Read more on Faber’s latest refusal to comment – and how, in contrast, John Kulewicz isn’t just talking the talk, he’s walking the walk in working to take on the corruption that is raising costs for Ohio families:

Ohio Capital Journal: Ohio attorney general candidate calls for investigation of ties between JobsOhio and Intel

• One candidate for Ohio attorney general is calling for the state inspector general to investigate new revelations about ties between the head of the state’s quasi-public economic development agency JobsOhio, the governor’s office, and Intel, a company that has received millions.
• The other candidate hasn’t responded to questions about the matter.
• John Kulewicz, the Democratic nominee for AG, last week amended his complaint to Ohio Inspector General Randall J. Meyer with details of other possible conflicts of interest on the part of Josh Rubin, a lobbyist who chairs the board of JobsOhio, that were reported last week by the Capital Journal. 
• A spokesman for Keith Faber, Kulewicz’s Republican opponent in the attorney general’s race, didn’t respond to questions for this story.
• A spokesman for DeWine said Rubin’s multiple roles didn’t amount to a conflict. Despite being registered to lobby JobsOhio for Intel, his “activity and expense” filings show he actively lobbied the governor’s office on the Intel project, while he made no such filings regarding JobsOhio, DeWine Press Secretary Dan Tierney said.
• In emailed responses to written questions, Kulewicz disagreed, saying, “This is an apparent conflict of interest. And at a time when we urgently need to restore public confidence in government, this also creates a clear appearance of impropriety. When you take on a job like this and answer the call to public service, you do so knowing that you can only serve the People of Ohio. You can’t serve both the public and the powerful.”
• Faber’s spokesman was sent the same questions as the Kulewicz campaign. He didn’t respond.
   

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In Latest Move, Cook Political Report Shifts OH10 and OH15 Towards Democrats

COLUMBUS, OH – In another alarming sign for Ohio Republicans, Cook Political Report moved OH10 and OH15 congressional races towards Democrats at a time when “Republicans are struggling up and down the ballot in the Rust Belt state.” This follows recent analysis that emphasized that thanks to Donald Trump’s disastrous economic policies, his political problems could have “metastasized and spread to infect Republican candidates on the November ballot in swing states and districts.” In a desperate attempt to overcome the fact that Ohioans are rejecting Ohio Republicans and their devastating economic agenda, “Republicans now say they’ll spend tens of millions of dollars in Ohio races they once were heavily favored to win this fall.”

“If for some reason Ohio Republicans aren’t in full-blown panic mode, they certainly should be,” said Ohio Democratic Party Communications Director Marisa Nahem. “While Republicans like Mike Turner, Mike Carey, and Max Miller are left to own Washington Republicans’ devastating economic policies that are raising costs for Ohio families and ripping away their healthcare, Ohioans are supporting leaders like Kristina Knickerbocker, Don Leonard, and Brian Poindexter. Come November, Ohioans of all political backgrounds are going to send strong Democratic leaders to Washington to lower costs for Ohioans, take on Republicans’ corruption, and make sure Ohio’s 7th, 10th, and 15th districts finally have representatives who put working families first.”

While Ohio “has become one of the GOP’s biggest headaches for the midterms,” Kristina Knickerbocker and Don Leonard continue building momentum in their races to challenge Mike Turner and Mike Carey respectively. In addition to OH10 and OH15, the OH07 congressional race has sparked national attention with all three major nonpartisan race raters — Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, and Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball — shifting the race in Democrat Brian Poindexter’s direction to “Toss-Up” in a span of less than 24 hours. 

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COLUMBUS, OH – Ohio Republican candidates up and down the ballot don’t only have in common their support for deeply unpopular economic policies, they also have in common their commitment to dodging questions on the issues most important to Ohio families. Whether it’s facing scrutiny for past support of the data centers that are causing Ohioans’ energy bills to skyrocket, championing Republicans’ budget bill that ripped healthcare and food assistance from Ohio families, or voting repeatedly for Trump and Washington Republicans’ reckless war with Iran, Ohio Republicans seem to only have one answer to their predicament: no comment.

“Ohio Republicans’ agenda is raising prices for Ohio families and ripping away Ohioans’ healthcare – and it’s so unpopular that Republicans aren’t even trying to answer for it anymore,” said Ohio Democratic Party Communications Director Marisa Nahem. “While Ohio Republicans continue dodging questions left and right, the choice for Ohioans at the ballot box is already clear and they can’t avoid the message that Ohioans are going to send in November when they elect Ohio Democrats up and down the ballot.”

While Ohio Democrats are running to bring transparency and accountability to government, read more about how Ohio Republicans are seemingly in hiding, refusing to answer questions on their harmful economic agenda: 

• Tiffin Ohio: Ohio secretary of state sets sights on state auditor’s office
  In announcing his campaign for state auditor, LaRose said that he plans to bring the same “focus on transparency, efficiency, and accountability” he says he has as Secretary of State to the auditor’s office. The Ohio Capital Journal made multiple requests for an interview with the Republican former state senator and current secretary of state. Requests made both through his campaign website and directly to a campaign communications representative went unanswered.
• WVXU: Analysis: House Bill 6 bribery case is driving this year’s Ohio AG race
  Kulewicz said the millions of Ohio ratepayers who were harmed by picking up the tab for what he called an illegal scheme, deserve an answer in a court of law. The Republican candidate for Ohio AG is Keith Faber, currently the state auditor and a former state representative from Celina. Faber has a much different view of this. We couldn’t reach him for comment, but he has been quoted by numerous news organizations as saying that he would want to consult with the current staff of the AG’s office before deciding whether to move forward with the case.
• Ohio Capital Journal: Challenger to incumbent Ohio Supreme Court justice touts ‘originalism,’ strict immigration rulings
  The Capital Journal reached out to the O’Donnell campaign multiple times requesting a post-primary interview, but the campaign refused. A spokesperson for the O’Donnell campaign referred to comments made in a previous interview O’Donnell did with the Capital Journal prior to the May primary, but follow-up requests with specific questions did not receive a response.
• Ohio Capital Journal: Ohio Republican attorney general candidate appears to advocate ending parts of Medicaid
  In two recent media appearances, Ohio Auditor Keith Faber made statements that sounded supportive of ending at least some parts of Ohio Medicaid. Faber’s campaign did not clarify his comments when asked about them, only saying that Faber supports the lawful use of Medicaid dollars and doesn’t support the unlawful use of them.
• Dayton Daily News: Dayton residents decry Medicaid, SNAP cuts
  The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed by President Donald Trump last year, is estimated to cut $1 trillion over the next decade from the Medicaid program, and billions from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Turner was among Ohio’s federal lawmakers who voted in favor of the federal spending package. Turner’s Office did not immediately return a request for comment about the cuts.
• WKYC: Dark Money Game documentary drops as FirstEnergy bribery scandal continues
  Edwards would not comment on this conversation, and also would not answer my question as to whether he ever received any benefit from money in the Generation Now account. 
• Ohio Capital Journal: Ohio’s 9th Congressional district race: The candidates’ records on data centers
  Merrin, who served four terms as an Ohio state representative for the Toledo district from 2016 to 2024, did not respond to the Ohio Capital Journal’s questions for this story.
• WVXU: Analysis: Fact-checking Robert Sprague’s TV ad on ballot drop boxes
  Sprague’s campaign did not respond to a request for an interview with the candidate.
• Cleveland.com: GOP congressional candidate Carey Coleman files financial disclosure after missing deadline
  Republican congressional candidate Carey Coleman filed a personal financial disclosure this week after cleveland.com reported he had missed the legal deadline to do so and the Summit County Democratic Party asked the Justice Department to investigate him for the lapse…Coleman’s campaign declined to comment on the filing.

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COLUMBUS, OH – Ohioans continue to hear about how the FirstEnergy bribery scandal is “driving this year’s Ohio AG race” with analysis from WVXU emphasizing that “[Keith] Faber and [John] Kulewicz are about as far apart on FirstEnergy as two candidates can possibly be.” While “most Ohio politicians — not to mention millions of electric rate payers — would like to see one of the most embarrassing and costly episodes in the state’s 223-year history put to rest once and for all,” only Democratic candidate for Attorney General John Kulewicz has committed to continuing the FirstEnergy trial. Republican candidate for Attorney General Keith Faber, on the other hand, has been slammed as “tone deaf” for his “unconscionable” refusal to commit to continuing the case – and now he conveniently couldn’t be reached for comment.

“The contrast couldn’t be more clear – while Keith Faber has shown that he isn’t willing to commit to taking on the corruption that is raising Ohioans’ costs, John Kulewicz will hold bad actors accountable for ripping off Ohioans and raising costs for families,” said Ohio Democratic Party Communications Director Marisa Nahem. “With the next Attorney General overseeing the case in the largest public corruption scandal in state history, Ohioans know the stakes couldn’t be higher to elect John Kulewicz in November and put an end to Republicans’ culture of corruption in Columbus.”

Despite Keith Faber’s refusal to commit to continuing the case in the FirstEnergy bribery scheme that has contributed to electricity costs increasing by $663 a year, read more about how John Kulewicz is making clear that “the millions of Ohio ratepayers who were harmed by picking up the tab for what he called an illegal scheme, deserve an answer in a court of law:”

WVXU: Analysis: House Bill 6 bribery case is driving this year’s Ohio AG race

• It was the largest bribery scandal in Ohio political history; most Ohio politicians — not to mention millions of electric rate payers — would like to see one of the most embarrassing and costly episodes in the state’s 223-year history put to rest once and for all.
• Now, with a new attorney general to be chosen by Ohio voters in November, it’s an open question whether that trial will go forward or be dismissed and go away without resolution.
• Regardless of whether the case goes to trial in January, the FirstEnergy scandal will be the central issue in the November election of a new Ohio Attorney General.
• The Democratic candidate for AG is John J. Kulewicz, a former prosecutor from Franklin County. He told WVXU earlier this week that if he’s elected in November, he will sign on to a January trial.
• Kulewicz said the millions of Ohio ratepayers who were harmed by picking up the tab for what he called an illegal scheme, deserve an answer in a court of law.
• The Republican candidate for Ohio AG is Keith Faber, currently the state auditor and a former state representative from Celina.
• Faber has a much different view of this.
• We couldn’t reach him for comment, but he has been quoted by numerous news organizations as saying that he would want to consult with the current staff of the AG’s office before deciding whether to move forward with the case.
• Faber and Kulewicz are about as far apart on FirstEnergy as two candidates can possibly be.

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COLUMBUS, OH – The contrast between the candidates for Ohio’s 9th Congressional District could not be more clear as Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur demands that data centers be held accountable as they drain power resources and cause utility bills to skyrocket, while Republican Derek Merrin has voted in the statehouse to give data centers massive tax breaks. Now Merrin is refusing to comment when asked about his positions.

“While Ohioans continue to voice their concern about how data centers are hurting communities and forcing families to foot the bill for skyrocketing utility costs, Derek Merrin’s refusal to comment when asked about data centers is speaking volumes,” said Ohio Democratic Party Communications Director Marisa Nahem. “Ohioans want a leader who will lower their costs and hold data centers accountable – with his long record of voting for tax breaks for data centers and accepting donations from the very utility companies that are jacking up Ohioans’ energy bills, Derek Merrin is showing every day why Ohioans need Marcy Kaptur fighting for them in Congress.”

This is not the first time that Derek Merrin has refused to comment on data centers, after he voted in the statehouse to give data centers tax breaks. Merrin has also received campaign donations from AEP and other utility special interest groups.

Read more about the contrast between Marcy Kaptur’s resolve to make data centers pay their fair share and Derek Merrin’s refusal to comment:

Ohio Capital Journal: Ohio’s 9th Congressional district race: The candidates’ records on data centers

• The race for Ohio’s 9th U.S. Congressional district is one of the state’s most closely contested, and the candidates have contrasting records and positions when it comes to data center development.
• Derek Merrin, the Republican nominee and former state representative who is facing long-time Ohio Democratic U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur in the November election, voted for Ohio’s data center tax breaks when he was an Ohio state representative in 2017. Kaptur has spoken out against data centers for draining power and water from local communities, saying the companies should pay for that, not the citizens.
• Merrin, who served four terms as an Ohio state representative for the Toledo district from 2016 to 2024, did not respond to the Ohio Capital Journal’s questions for this story.
• Merrin received a $1,000 political donation from the American Electric Power Ohio Committee for Responsible Government in 2021. AEP had received more than $6 million in data center tax breaks in Ohio as of September 2024, according to Policy Matters Ohio. 
• Merrin received a $500 political donation from Windstream Holdings’ PAC in 2022. That same year, Windstream Holdings listed eight “key data center locations” in Ohio. 
• Kaptur raised concerns over data centers at the end of last year.
• “How much more will our citizens be forced to pay for power and water?” Kaptur asked, speaking on the U.S. House floor. 
• “They have a right to know. Will our building trades be true partners in economic growth or just temporary labor while facing higher utility bills at home? And how many permanent jobs will these largely opaque facilities actually provide? … The American people deserve to know how AI data centers will affect their communities.”

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