The Ohio Scoop is your political fix, filled with the most up-to-date information about Ohio Democrats and everything happening on the campaign trail here in Ohio. We’re here so you can get your political scoop, all in one place.
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We need to fill you in on everything that happened, so let’s jump right in.
Yost is Still Gross
On any given day, Attorney General Dave Yost and Secretary of State Frank LaRose seem to be in a never ending contest for worst statewide Republican politician. While LaRose has been leading for quite a while, Yost is gaining ground.
You may remember when Attorney General Dave Yost took legal action to activate Ohio’s 6-week abortion ban minutes after Roe was overturned. Now, he’s back playing the same old stupid games and trying to overrule the will of Ohio voters.
In a desperate attempt to persuade voters leading up to November’s election, Yost said that issue 1 passing would be the end of the GOP’s six-week abortion ban. Now that Ohioans overwhelmingly voted yes on Issue 1 last November and protected abortion access, he says it’s up to a judge to decide whether he has a right to regulate womens’ reproductive freedoms and uphold parts of his 6-week ban.
Are you as tired as I am of extreme politicians like Yost sticking their noses in your private, personal healthcare decisions?
Flag on the Play
It’s almost Superbowl Sunday, and on top of the fact that we won’t see the Cleveland Browns or the Cincinnati Bengals win the big game, Ohioans recently suffered another big loss.
You may remember that Mike DeWine and 19 of his family members traveled to the Super Bowl in 2022. The state of Ohio sent state troopers with DeWine on the trip on the taxpayers dime. In 2022, the Ohio Department of Public Safety denied a public records request for the flight, hotel, meal, vehicle rental and overtime expenses for troopers who made the trip.
Now, in a party line decision this week, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled that taxpayers don’t deserve to know how much money DeWine spent on his trip to California. Among the decision makers is Justice Deters, a close personal friend of DeWine who was appointed to the Supreme Court despite having never been a judge before.
When the Governor appointed Deters after years of close political ties, questions were rightfully raised about Deters’ ability to be impartial. It’s clear those questions have been answered: Deters will always put politics over people.
The Insider
The GOP Senate primary continues to crawl on, setting a record for what feels like the longest-running clown-show primary in history.
Millionaire Moreno is still facing scrutiny after reports showed he destroyed evidence he was legally required to keep to get out of paying his employees the overtime they earned. And this week, new reports came out that show that self-proclaimed “outsider” Bernie Moreno is a major political insider after all.
An AP article released this week shows that Moreno sat on two government boards, one in Columbus, one in Cleveland, and found that Moreno used his position to steer government contracts towards his blockchain company, padding his own pockets in the process.
It turns out that Moreno is just as bad as his opponents. Who would have guessed?! Not me! Maybe next week we’ll find out that Moreno is actually just six ducks disguised as a human.
ICYMI
Cleveland.com: Mitch McConnell allies plan massive $83M ad campaign to take down Sherrod Brown
AP: Bernie Moreno calls himself an ‘outsider,’ but has served ‘inside’
WKYC-TV Cleveland: Matt Dolan, Frank LaRose on abortion, Bernie Moreno lawsuit; Henry J. Gomez on Ohio US Senate race
Massillon Independent: U.S. EPA, Sykes highlight federal money helping Canton water project
Loveland Magazine: Ohio Congresswoman, Dem caucus use Ohio miscarriage case to push against pregnancy criminalization
Until Next Time
2023 was a monumental and hopeful chapter of Ohio’s story that deserves much celebration. But it’s time to turn our focus to 2024. Redistricting and wage are on the line. Control of the U.S. Senate and U.S. House will undoubtedly run through Ohio in 2024. Ohio will also be the only state in the nation with an opportunity to gain control of the state Supreme Court. With two statewide wins under our belt, Ohio Dems are ready to win – again. Consider chipping in to help us win in 2024 and beyond!
If you’re unsure about how much more you can contribute, simply reply to this email. We’d be happy to help.
As always, thank you for standing with us. I am immensely grateful for your partnership.
Onward,
Emily Feltz
Finance Director, Ohio Democrats
