OHSen

WATCH: Husted refuses to answer questions about corrupt senior staffer

COLUMBUS, OHIO — Today, Jon Husted tried to lie about his senior advisor who “maintained a paid consulting relationship” with a Columbus-based lobbying firm while serving in Husted’s office — and got caught immediately.

When asked if Husted thought Dunn’s role at a major lobbying firm who serves utility and pharmaceutical companies was a conflict of interest, Husted ignored the question and ran away. 

Ohio Democratic Party Senior Communications Advisor Tony Wen released the following statement:

“Jon Husted just tried to lie instead of answering questions about why his top advisor was getting paid by a lobbying firm who helped pass the corrupt FirstEnergy bailout for utilities that’s contributing to families paying thousands of dollars more on their energy bills. Jon Husted isn’t even bothering to hide his corruption anymore, and Ohioans deserve answers.”

Read more about Jon Husted’s corruption: 

• Jon Husted’s senior advisor and general counsel “maintained a paid consulting relationship” with a Columbus-based lobbying firm who serves utility and pharmaceutical companies.

• While working for Husted, Dunn has received at least $22,652 in income in addition to his federal salary.

• An Ohio attorney filed a formal complaint with the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Ethics regarding Sean Dunn, asking the Committee to investigate further and claiming that Husted had failed to prevent conflicts of interest in his office. 

• Previous reporting revealed that the same senior advisor in Husted’s office worked as an opioid and utilities lobbyist whose clients “made millions” off the FirstEnergy corruption scandal.

• The FirstEnergy scandal, the largest public bribery scheme in Ohio history, resulted in a billion dollar bailout for utilities that’s contributing to families paying thousands of dollars more on their energy bills.

• This new interview comes as Husted is under fire for profiting nearly $60,000 from stock sales as part of an insider deal with Heartland Bank. 

• As Husted surrounds himself with corruption, he continues to insult struggling Ohioans as “not very experienced at navigating the real world” and consistently dismisses the mounting affordability crisis by telling Ohioans to fix their “work ethic” and to simply “earn more” money to make ends meet.

###

Husted has now voted NINE TIMES to support Iran war & NINE TIMES to raise health care costs

COLUMBUS, OHIO — This week marked the ninth time that Husted has voted to support the expensive and unnecessary war in Iran, doubling down on a foreign conflict that has sent energy and food prices soaring for Ohioans. 

During his first year and a half in office, Husted has demonstrated a penchant for taking harmful votes over… and over… and over. Last year, he voted nine times against lowering health care premiums, letting premiums double or triple for half a million Ohioans and kicking more than 120,000 off their health insurance altogether. 

Ohio Democratic Party Senior Communications Advisor Tony Wen released the following statement:

“For Jon Husted, screwing over Ohioans once isn’t enough. When it comes to making life more expensive for Ohioans, backing another foreign conflict in the Middle East, and voting against lowering health care costs, Jon Husted has voted for it all nine times — proving how out of touch he really is.” 

While Husted keeps voting to make everything more expensive, he also can’t help himself from insulting hardworking Ohioans struggling because of his votes:

• Husted insulted hardworking Ohioans, claiming that families struggling to make ends meet are “not very experienced at navigating the real world.”

• Husted blamed Ohioans working harder than ever, complaining that their “work ethic is broken.”

• Husted’s solution to the affordability crisis was that Ohioans should just “earn more” money to make ends meet.

• When asked what he was doing to address rising gas prices for his constituents, Husted responded: “What do you want me to do?” 

• When a truck driver asked about soaring diesel costs, Husted brushed him off and responded by asking if he was comfortable with Iran being a nuclear power. 

• Husted has claimed that he thinks the war is “good news for the global economy” and going “much better than anyone thought it would.”

• When asked about the pain that Ohio families are feeling at the pump, Jon Husted’s campaign “declined to comment.”

###

REPORTING: Husted Took $116,892 From Les Wexner, Including A Max Donation Just A Few Weeks Before Blocking Epstein Files Release

LIMA, OHIO — Today, Ohioans in Lima called out Senator Jon Husted for taking more than $116,000 directly from Epstein co-conspirator Les Wexner, including a maximum donation just a few weeks before he voted to block the release of the Epstein files. 

The rally in Steubenville comes as Husted continues to dodge questions and accountability after voting against the release of the Epstein files. Recently, Husted ran away from a reporter when asked why he accepted money from an Epstein co-conspirator. 

Ohioans have also protested Husted in Columbus, Toledo, Youngstown, Westlake, and Steubenville, and Husted was called out for being a “pedophile protector” at an event in Norwalk. Husted is the only Senator up for re-election to take Wexner’s money, and has taken 10 times as much money from the Epstein co-conspirator than any other sitting Senator.

###

Husted refuses to back stock trading ban for members of Congress 

COLUMBUS, OHIO — New reporting from NBC 4’s Colleen Marshall reveals that Jon Husted “sold stock worth nearly $60,000” when he was serving on the board of directors of Heartland Bank after being appointed to the U.S. Senate.

WATCH HERE: 

Transcript: 

Colleen Marshall, NBC 4 Columbus: “We’ve reported before that Husted and his wife made investments in Heartland Bank stock and then in March of 2022, he was appointed to the Heartland Board of Directors, a position for which he received a six-figure salary. Questions were raised back then about a possible conflict of interest because of his economic role within the DeWine-Husted administration — he was serving on the bank board while he was Lieutenant Governor. 

Colleen Marshall, NBC 4 Columbus: [Husted] was on the board when Heartland merged with German American Bank and Husted sold stock worth nearly $60,000. He resigned from the board when he was appointed to the U.S. Senate and his most recent financial disclosure shows a $27,000 payment from the bank at that time.

Ohio Democratic Party Senior Communications Advisor Tony Wen released the following statement:

“Jon Husted refuses to ban stock trading in Congress because he’s personally enriching himself while having access to insider information. While Ohio families are struggling to afford the basics, Husted is cashing in while in office. Ohioans deserve a Senator focused on making life better for them — not enriching themselves.”

Read more about Jon Husted’s corruption:

• Husted’s personal financial disclosure reveals that he profited off of nearly $60,000 in stock sales as part of an insider deal with Heartland Bank. 

• Husted’s disclosure also reveals that he received a sweetheart payout from Heartland Bank after leaving the board — giving him a full year’s salary for just one month of work.

• Husted has long been under fire for secretly joining the board of Heartland Bank while serving as Lt. Governor, in a move that was called “loaded with potential conflicts of interest.”

• In February, NBC 4 reported that Husted refused to back a stock trading ban for members of Congress, while reporting that his wife had investments of up to $15,000 in Intel Corporation stock.

• In a recent interview, Husted admitted to meeting with Intel about the status of the company’s Ohio manufacturing project, suggesting he had access to non-public information.

• As Husted profits off insider information, he continues to insult struggling Ohioans as “not very experienced at navigating the real world” and consistently dismisses the mounting affordability crisis by telling Ohioans to fix their “work ethic” and to simply “earn more” money to make ends meet.

###

Husted has voted eight times to back expensive and unnecessary Iran war

COLUMBUS, OHIO — In a new interview this week, Jon Husted doubled down on his support of the Iran war that is crushing Ohioans with skyrocketing food and energy prices. 

• Husted claimed the military aspect of the war “went very well,” even though the Strait of Hormuz remains shut down and gas prices have soared.

• Husted admitted the conflict that he has voted to support eight times has caused gas prices in Ohio to skyrocket.

• Husted refused to answer what his red line would be to support ending the war, including if he supported sending in American ground troops.

Ohio Democratic Party Senior Communications Advisor Tony Wen released the following statement:

“Jon Husted could not be more out of touch with Ohioans who are getting crushed by soaring gas and diesel prices because of the endless war he supports. Instead of actually working to lower costs, Husted is backing more money for war overseas while insulting his constituents and lecturing Ohioans to work harder.”

Husted’s comments continue his long trend of insulting hardworking Ohioans who are getting crushed by soaring costs caused by policies he supports:

• When asked what he was doing to address rising gas prices for his constituents, Husted responded: “What do you want me to do?” 

• When a truck driver asked about soaring diesel costs, Husted brushed him off and responded by asking if he was comfortable with Iran being a nuclear power. 

• When asked about the pain that Ohio families are feeling at the pump, Jon Husted’s campaign “declined to comment.”

• Jon Husted has claimed that he thinks the war is “good news for the global economy” and going “much better than anyone thought it would.”

• Husted promised that higher prices would be “returned” as soon as the U.S. was “done” with the war in Iran, even though experts have asserted that gas “won’t return to pre-war levels any time soon.”

• Husted argued that Ohioans getting crushed with skyrocketing prices just have to “remain strong,” as gas in Ohio “remains astronomically high.”

• Jon Husted has voted eight times to continue the war in Iran while costs continue to skyrocket.

• Jon Husted continues to insult struggling Ohioans as “not very experienced at navigating the real world” and consistently dismisses the mounting affordability crisis by telling Ohioans to fix their “work ethic” and to simply “earn more” money to make ends meet.

###