From the Largest Public Corruption Scandal in State History to Major Tax Breaks for the Wealthy, Ohioans are Paying Billions for Republican Corruption
Youngstown, OH — Today, Ohio Democratic Party Chair Elizabeth Walters and Ohio Young Democrats President Christopher Anderson brought the “Cost of Corruption” tour to Youngstown 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.
Ohio Democrats are offering a better way forward.
“While Republicans are costing you billions, Ohio Democrats are investing over $9 billion federal dollars to fix highways across Ohio, $100 million to bring broadband to those that don’t have it and $1.4 billion to assure clean and safe drinking water is available every time you turn on the tap,” said President Anderson.
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.
- $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.
Gerrymandered maps struck down by the OH Supreme Court for the FOURTH time
For the FOURTH time, the Ohio Supreme Court struck down GOP-gerrymandered maps. For months, Republican politicians have tried to blatantly cement an electoral advantage for themselves while overriding the will of the voters and have cost Ohioans millions of dollars in the process.
This is a win for democracy, but the fight is far from over. We’re only months away from Election Day, and we still don’t know what districts will look like!
We’re working overtime to protect the fairness of our maps, but this uncertainty means we have to be ready for ANYTHING when we do get the final version.
