Tag: Ohio

Bernie Sanders Calls on Trump to End Federal Contracts for GM During Lordstown Campaign Stop

Anthony Gockowski

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) stopped in Lordstown, Ohio Sunday afternoon during his campaign swing through key battleground states, including Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. “Together, we are going to make sure that does not happen again. We’re going to win here in Wisconsin. We’re going to win in Indiana, We’re going to win in Ohio. We’re going to win in Michigan. We’re going to win in Pennsylvania and together we’re going to win this election,” Sanders said during a Saturday rally in Madison, Wisconsin. On Sunday, the Vermont senator and 2020 hopeful participated in a town hall with the American Federation of Teachers in Lordstown, Ohio, a community that has received significant national attention after the recent closure of its General Motors plant. “This is a really important meeting, and it’s an important meeting not just to discuss the horrific impact on this small town, this community, about GM preferring to give billions of dollars in stock buybacks to make the very rich even richer while they chose to close down this plant and other plants around the country, but the discussion that we are having here today, right here, is a discussion that impacts virtually every state in this…

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Cincinnati Mayor Silent on Trump’s Latest Sanctuary City Proposal

Anthony Gockowski

Cincinnati is one of two self-declared sanctuary municipalities in Ohio, but its mayor has been silent thus far on President Donald Trump’s latest immigration proposal. The Washington Post reported last week that Trump was reconsidering a plan to place migrants in sanctuary cities, such as Cincinnati and Franklin County. Trump later confirmed the report on Twitter Friday morning. “Due to the fact that Democrats are unwilling to change our very dangerous immigration laws, we are indeed, as reported, giving strong consideration to placing illegal immigrants in sanctuary cities,” Trump said. “Only the radical left always seems to have an open borders, open arms policy—so this should make them very happy.” But when The Cincinnati Enquirer called Mayor John Cranley’s office for comment on how the city would respond to Trump’s proposal, he didn’t respond, nor has he released any public statements on the matter. Cranley first declared Cincinnati a sanctuary city in 2017, and said it was something he would wear as a “badge of honor.” According to The Enquirer, Cincinnati and Franklin County are the only sanctuary cities in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. Julie LeMaster, executive director of the Ohio-based Immigration and Refugee Law Center, called Trump’s proposal a…

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New Ohio Bill Proposed to Overhaul Controversial ‘State Takeover’ of Local Public Schools

Andrew Shirley

A new Republican-backed bill is being considered that would dramatically undo a major and controversial education initiative that was supported and signed by former Gov. John Kasich. In 2015, Ohio was facing an epidemic of failing schools. An Ohio Department of Education report for 2014-2015 found that only six of the 607 school districts received an “A rating,” while the majority averaged a “C.” In response to this growing epidemic, Kasich backed a controversial solution. The “Youngstown Plan,” as it’s called, established a system by which any school that receives consistently failing grades would immediately be taken over by a five-person “Academic Distress Commission.” This commission then appoints a “CEO,” who has “complete operational, managerial and instructional control of the district.” This authority includes the ability to hire or fire individuals at will, close schools and allocate funds. On June 24, 2015, House Bill 70 (HB 70) was rewritten, introduced, and passed by both the House and Senate in one day. It was signed later that year. At the time of its passage, a Kasich spokesperson stated the governor’s feelings: Gov. Kasich had been vocal about the need to improve the Youngstown School system in light of the fact that they had been failing for nearly 10…

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Christian Employers Alliance to Launch First State Chapter in Ohio

Anthony Gockowski

  The Christian Employers Alliance (CEA) announced Saturday that it will launch its first state-level chapter in Ohio after a kick-off event scheduled for May 6. The organization was founded when the Little Sisters of the Poor and other religious organizations were forced to defend their freedom of faith and conscience against the Obama-era Department of Health & Human Services (HHS). In the wake of the years-long court battle, a national network of business owners launched the Christian Employers Alliance, a national network of “Christian business owners who are committed to running their businesses in line with their faith, serving their hopeful worldview in word and deed.” On Saturday, the organization announced that it would be starting a state chapter in Ohio and holding a kick-off event on May 6, which will feature several prominent speakers, including Ohio Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH-08) and Citizens for Community Values President Aaron Baer. “Christian business owners face unique and increasing challenges in America today,” the group said in a press release. “Christian business owners in Ohio are coming together to launch CEA’s first state chapter.” According to the press release, the organization will help business owners “connect with other Christian business owners throughout…

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Marcia Fudge Accuses Betsy DeVos of ‘Picking Winners and Losers’ in Education Budget

Anthony Gockowski

Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-OH-11) grilled Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos during a recent hearing before the House Education and Labor Committee over her new “Education Freedom Scholarships” incentive. The scholarship program was included in the Trump administration’s federal education budget, but there has been much debate about how exactly the program will work. The Department of Education describes the program as a dollar-for-dollar tax credit for individuals and businesses that donate to state-identified Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs). “A private donation isn’t a public resource. Is a donation to a non-profit that you claim on your taxes a public resource?” the Department of Education said on Twitter in response to claims that the new program will use public resources to expand school choice. A private donation isn’t a public resource. Is a donation to a non-profit that you claim on your taxes a public resource? — ED Press Secretary (@EDPressSec) April 4, 2019 “Despite what some may try to tell you, Education Freedom Scholarships are privately funded and do not take any money from public schools,” DeVos herself wrote on Twitter along with a graphic explaining how the scholarships are funded. Despite what some may try to tell you…Education Freedom Scholarships…

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Kasich Calls Trump’s Latest Immigration Proposal ‘Wacky’ and ‘Just Crazy’

Anthony Gockowski

Former Gov. John Kasich called President Donald Trump’s latest immigration plan “wacky” and “just crazy” during a CNN interview Friday morning. The Washington Post reported Thursday night that Trump was once again considering a plan to release migrants into self-declared sanctuary cities. Trump confirmed the report in a pair of tweets Friday morning. “Due to the fact that Democrats are unwilling to change our very dangerous immigration laws, we are indeed, as reported, giving strong consideration to placing illegal immigrants in sanctuary cities,” Trump said. “Only the radical left always seems to have an open borders, open arms policy—so this should make them very happy.” Due to the fact that Democrats are unwilling to change our very dangerous immigration laws, we are indeed, as reported, giving strong considerations to placing Illegal Immigrants in Sanctuary Cities only…. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 12, 2019 Trump touted the idea again during a White House event Friday afternoon, according to The Hill. “We can give them an unlimited supply [of migrants] and let’s see if they’re so happy,” he said. “They say ‘we have open arms.’ They’re always saying they have open arms. Let’s see if they have open arms.” Speaker of…

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Founder of The American Evangelicals Association, Kelly Kullberg Urges Tennessee to ‘Come Along With Us’ and Pass the Heartbeat Bill

Julie Carr

On Tuesday’s Tennessee Star Report with Steve Gill and Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – Gill and Leahy talked to Kelly Kullberg who founded the American Evangelicals Association with a first hand account of what occurred in Ohio during the passage of the heartbeat bill in that state. Towards the end of the segment, the group spoke about the protesters and the responses from particular people who have spent several years trying to see this bill pass.  Kullberg urged Tennessee to “Come along with us!” and pass the Heartbeat Bill in the Tennessee Senate. Leahy: We are joined now on the line by our good friend, Kelly Kullberg the founder of the American Evangelicals Association. She lives in Columbus, Ohio. She was there yesterday when the Ohio state legislature did something that the Tennessee General Assembly at least in Tennessee State Senate doesn’t have the courage to do. They passed a fetal heartbeat bill. Welcome Kelly. Kullberg: Hi Mike. Hi Steve. Thanks for having me. Gill: The Ohio legislature showed a lot more courage than the Tennessee legislature. The House moved the heartbeat bill here…

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Tim Ryan Distances Himself from Eliminating Private Health Insurance Despite Being Cosponsor of Bill That Does Just That

Anthony Gockowski

Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH-13), now a candidate for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, said in a recent CNN interview that he doesn’t support the elimination of private health insurance. Ryan, however, is cosponsoring a bill that would eliminate most private insurance, which is one of the explicit goals of the bill’s lead sponsor. Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-07) introduced her “Medicare for All” bill in late February, and explicitly states in the bill that starting on “the effective date described in section 106(a), it shall be unlawful for a private health insurer to sell health insurance coverage that duplicates the benefits provided under this Act.” While speaking with reporters, Jayapal said that her bill “really makes it clear what we mean by ‘Medicare for All.’” “We mean a complete transformation of our health care system, we mean a system where there are no private insurance companies that provide these core comprehensive benefits that will be covered through the government,” she said, according to NBC News. Jayapal’s staffers told Roll Call that the bill would eliminate most private insurance under its prohibition on duplicate coverage. Ryan joined the bill as a cosponsor on February 27 along with 107 of his Democratic colleagues…

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Ohio Lawmakers Look to Come Together on Tax Reform Amid Divisive Abortion Battle

Anthony Gockowski

Ohio House Democrats unveiled a number of proposals Thursday that they claim will “modernize” Ohio’s tax system to “benefit working people, families and small businesses.” They’re calling the set of proposals the “People First Tax Reform,” which will include a “Working Families First” tax incentive. This incentive would reform Ohio’s Earned Income Tax Credit by removing caps and making the credit refundable, according to a press release from the minority caucus. House Democrats claim this incentive could save families up to $212 million each year, and note that similar ideas were included in the biennial transportation budget. “We saw some pieces of the Working Families tax incentive in the transportation budget, so we know there is a bipartisan appetite for these commonsense reforms,” House Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron) said. “We need to work together to get our state on the right track so we can start growing again.” Another proposal calls for fixing the “state’s LLC loophole,” which Democrats describe as a “tax giveaway to Ohio businesses that, when designed, was supposed to create jobs.” Ohio’s job creation has consistently lagged behind the national average in recent years. “Years of tax giveaways and loopholes have held our state…

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DeWine Officially Signs Heartbeat Bill as National Groups Prepare for Legal Battle

Andrew Shirley
FETUS ON Health

Gov. Mike DeWine signed Ohio’s heartbeat bill into law Thursday afternoon, and advocacy groups and legal teams nationwide are all preparing for what is sure to be a major political and legal battle. For the third time in the last decade, a bill that would ban all abortions after a fetal heartbeat can be detected officially made its way to the Ohio governor’s desk. Senate Bill 23 (SB 23) would ban any abortion once a fetal heartbeat can be detected. Though this varies based on available medical technology,  it is generally agreed to be around the six to the nine-week mark. Hence, many consider it a six-week abortion limit. “The essential function of government is to protect the most vulnerable among us, those who don’t have a voice,” DeWine said while signing the bill. “Government’s role should be to protect life from beginning to end.” Past versions of the bill were both vetoed by former Gov. John Kasich, who stated that he agreed with it in principle but felt that “the state of Ohio will be the losing party in that lawsuit and…will be forced to pay hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars to cover the legal fees for the pro-choice activists’ lawyers.” This time,…

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Ohio Rep Proposes Heartbeat Bill Exemption for Black Women, Cites Slavery

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by Grace Carr   A state representative proposed an amendment to Ohio’s heartbeat bill that seeks an exemption for African-American women, citing historical “rape and forced birth imposed on enslaved women.” Democratic state Rep. Janine R. Boyd proposed the amendment to a state House committee Tuesday after the Ohio Senate passed Heartbeat Bill SB23 banning abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected, according to The Hill. A heartbeat usually becomes detectable between six and nine weeks in pregnancy. Many women do not know they’re pregnant at six weeks. The bill advanced through the Ohio House committee Tuesday and will likely be signed into law by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine if it passes the full House. The measure will not only bar women from having an abortion once a fetal heartbeat is detected, but will also fine physicians who violate the law up to $20,000, according to The Hill. During a hearing on the bill Tuesday, Democratic state Boyd proposed an amendment allowing the exemption of African-American women. Boyd says their “history includes rape and forced birth imposed on enslaved women and black women after slavery,” according to her website. “I consider the slave trade and how black slaves were once…

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Heartbeat Bill Set to Become Law in Ohio After Emotional Day at the Statehouse

Anthony Gockowski

One of the most divisive and talked-about bills in Ohio’s history is officially on its way to Gov. Mike DeWine’s desk and is expected to be signed into law at any moment. After months of debate and numerous committee hearings, the heartbeat bill passed the Ohio House Wednesday afternoon in a 56-40 vote along party lines. It then went back to the Senate where changes made to the bill in the House were approved in an 18-13 vote. According to Cleveland-based reporter Laura Hancock, four Republicans voted against the bill in the Senate, since it doesn’t include exceptions for rape or incest. Here is the roll call in the #senate Which quickly voted to go with changes made in the Ohio house to #heartbeat #abortion bill. pic.twitter.com/PscVpnLE9P — Laura Hancock (@laurahancock) April 10, 2019 The House Health Committee was still hearing witness testimony on the bill as early as Tuesday, when several pro-choice religious organizations testified against it, as The Ohio Star reported. Protesters and activists from both sides of the debate gathered in the House chambers during Wednesday’s vote. While representatives were casting their votes, pro-abortion activists held a banner over the upper railings of the chambers, which read:…

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Buckeye Institute Annual Report Identifies $2.5 Billion in Savings for Ohio Taxpayers

Anthony Gockowski

The Buckeye Institute released its annual Piglet Booklet Wednesday, which identifies wasteful government spending across state agencies that could save Ohio taxpayers $2.5 billion. “In this year’s Piglet Booklet, The Buckeye Institute identified at least $2.5 billion that policymakers can save Ohioans. And with the increase in the gas tax, it is critical to cut spending and taxes to relieve the growing burden on Ohio families,” said Greg Lawson, research fellow at The Buckeye Institute and author of the report. “Making these cuts will save Ohio taxpayers money, make government more efficient and effective, and keep the state on solid financial ground to better weather the next economic storm,” Lawson continued. The Piglet Booklet identifies four key areas where government spending and oversight can be reduced, including corporate welfare programs, government philanthropy and advocacy, burdensome occupational licensing regimes, and earmarks in spending bills. “Governments should not engage in crony capitalism by supporting one private company over another—it is ethically inappropriate and economically harmful,” the report says of the corporate welfare category. It identifies eight different “corporate welfare programs that should be eliminated,” such as the $3.1 million that is used to conduct “marketing on behalf of the state’s wine grape…

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Ohio Petition to Bypass Electoral College Abandoned Days After Launching

Andrew Shirley

A push to amend the Ohio State Constitution to negate the electoral college came to an end after just nine days on Tuesday. On March 21, the law firm McTigue & Colombo LLC filed two petitions with Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost to create a new constitutional amendment. The two petitions were for the same amendment, but contained different summaries, officially titled the “Presidential Election Popular Vote.” The proposed constitutional Amendment “would add Article XX, Section 1 to the Ohio Constitution to: Express the will of the people that every vote for President be valued equally and that the candidate who wins the most votes nationally becomes President. Require the General Assembly, within sixty days of the Amendment’s adoption, take all necessary legislative action so that the winner of the national popular vote is elected president. This Amendment may result in Ohio President Electors voting for the Presidential candidate who won the national popular vote but not Ohio’s popular vote. The amendment would ensure that in every future presidential election, the winner of the national popular vote would be guaranteed all of Ohio’s electoral votes, regardless of how the state voted. In the 2016 presidential election, President Donald Trump won 306…

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Two Ohio-Based Nuclear Power Plants Will Receive Bailouts Under Legislators’ New Plan

Andrew Shirley

Ohio legislators revealed Monday their latest plan to save Ohio’s only two nuclear power plants from bankruptcy. As previously reported, FirstEnergy Solutions, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy that manages several power stations across the Midwest, announced that it was closing all three of the nuclear plants it owns and operates throughout the region. Two of these plants are located in Ohio, with the third in Shippingport, Pennsylvania. Due to its close proximity to the Ohio border, many of the Pennsylvania plant’s employees hail from the Buckeye State, meaning that the overwhelming majority of the 2,300 employees set to be laid off from all three plants would be native Ohioans. The organization’s subsequent moves sparked national outrage and condemnation from Democrats, Republicans, and environmental groups: Energy companies like FirstEnergy and its subsidiaries are required to keep enough money in reserve to cover the cost of environmental cleanup should it be necessary. When FES filed for bankruptcy, FirstEnergy, the parent company, immediately began filing extensions with the federal government to discuss these requirements. Simultaneously, they met with private creditors to ensure all personal debts were either paid, nullified, or managed. When this was completed, FirstEnergy then decided to “spin-off” FES and act as if they were a wholly independent…

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Jim Jordan Calls Out Democrats for Having No ‘Legislative Initiatives’ Apart from Attacking Trump

Anthony Gockowski

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH-04) tore into his Democratic colleagues Tuesday for having no “legislative initiatives” apart from attacking President Donald Trump. The comments came during a contentious House Oversight Committee hearing on climate change and its impact on national security. Former Secretary of State John Kerry was called before the committee as a witness, and criticized the Trump administration for the alleged committee it plans to create to study climate change. Kerry called the task force a “council of doubter and deniers,” though Jordan pointed out that it hasn’t even been formed yet. “I’m just asking the fundamental question: how can it be a council of doubters and deniers when it hasn’t even been formed?” Jordan asked. .@JohnKerry calls the President's climate change task force "a council of doubters and deniers." Apparently Mr. Kerry can foretell the future! The task force hasn't even been formed yet! But @OversightDems just spent 4 hours talking about it. pic.twitter.com/6AIX3Tn8It — Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) April 9, 2019 “Well, it would be,” Kerry responded, to which Jordan jokingly said the former Obama diplomat “can foretell the future.” “You already know who’s on the council and you already know the conclusion they’re going to reach…

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Ohio Democratic Catholic Reps Tout Faith in Opposing Heartbeat Bill Before it Clears Committee

Anthony Gockowski

The House version of Ohio’s heartbeat bill passed out of committee Tuesday, but not before a final round of impassioned debate. The House Health Committee heard from four final witnesses, some of whom represented religious organizations opposed to the bill. Gaby Garcia-Vera with Catholics for Choice, for instance, claimed during his testimony that the “majority of Catholics” support abortion. “Catholic teaching reveres individual conscience as the final arbiter in moral decision-making. As Catholics, we are called by our faith to follow our consciences when we make moral decisions about our lives. We also deeply respect the right of others to do the same,” he said. “Catholics support each woman’s ability to make personal choices that are right for herself and her family, including whether to become or remain pregnant, according to her own beliefs and based on her own conscience. Rather than respecting women’s consciences, as our Catholic faith compels us to do, SB 23 would allow politicians to decide whether and when a woman can access abortion care.” Elaina Ramsey, executive director of the Ohio Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, said during her testimony that the heartbeat bill “does not reflect the values of the majority of Ohioans and…

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Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown Blasts Trump on Obamacare Repeal, Calls on Governor and Attorney General to ‘Do More’

Andrew Shirley

Monday, Ohio Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown and Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein, in a joint press conference at PrimaryOne Health in Ohio, pledged to oppose President Trump’s recent efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), nicknamed “Obamacare.” As previously reported, the court case Texas v. Azar ruled that the ACA was unconstitutional. The Supreme Court had previously ruled that the Individual Mandate component of the law was “unconstitutional under the Interstate Commerce Clause, but could fairly be read as an exercise of Congress’ Tax Power,” but upheld the bulk of the law. From this, Texas Federal District Court Judge Reed O’Connor ruled that because the mandate was unconstitutional, the ACA is, by default, unconstitutional. For several months, the ruling has sat pending with the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. In late March, the Department of Justice, at the behest of President Trump sent a letter to the court, stating that they agreed with the Fifth Circuit Court’s ruling and, “Because the United States is not urging that any portion of the district court’s judgment be reversed, the government intends to file a brief on the appellees’ schedule.” Should the court affirm this ruling, the ACA could be overturned within the year. On August…

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Kasich: ‘I’m Not Setting Myself Up to Be a Trump Critic’

Anthony Gockowski

Former Ohio Gov. John Kasich discussed his differences with the president in a recent interview ahead of a speaking appearance at Drew University in New Jersey. After leaving office, Kasich joined CNN as a political commentator and has announced his sixth book, which will be released in the fall. As The Ohio Star reported, he’s also started a new non-profit with several prominent Trump critics, but Kasich claims that his feuds with the president aren’t personal. “Not personally. Go back and take a look at the things I’ve done. It’s been very issue-based. My difference with President Trump is he has been in a position where he’s appealed to his base,” Kasich told USA Today in a recent interview. “I’m more of a uniter than a divider. I don’t like to fight with other people. That’s kind of where our differences are. But as far as calling him names and things like that, I’ve never done.” Kasich said he’s only critical of the president when he “deserves it,” and pointed to the recent controversy surrounding federal funding for the Special Olympics as an example. “I’m not setting myself up to be a Trump critic. But if I have a voice…

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Tim Ryan at First Campaign Rally: The Flyover States Are Taking Back the White House

Anthony Gockowski

Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH-13) hosted his first campaign rally in Youngstown, Ohio Saturday after officially declaring candidacy for president earlier this week. Ryan made the announcement during an appearance on The View Thursday, but returned to his home district Saturday for his first official campaign rally “First, thank my family for allowing me to do this. I’m Tim Ryan and I’m running for President of the United States of America,” Ryan said to cheers from the crowd gathered outside. “We stand here today on April 6 2019 a divided country, as you know. And we’ve been divided for a long time, and that division has prevented us from being able to be the best that we can possibly be,” Ryan said, and continued to emphasize throughout his speech that he wants to work on bringing the country back together. “Things go up and things go down, but if we’re not united we are not going to be able to fix these structural problems that we have in the United States, and I’m running for president first and foremost to try to bring this country back together, because a divided country is a weak country. We have politicians and leaders in…

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Radical Abortionist Martin Haskell’s Dayton Clinic One Step Closer to Shutting Down

Anthony Gockowski

An Ohio court of appeals recently ruled in support of a decision to revoke the license of Martin Haskell’s Dayton-area Women’s Med Center abortion clinic, meaning either the clinic will close or the case will head to the Ohio Supreme Court. Haskell owns and operates three abortion facilities across the country, one in the Dayton suburb of Kettering, another in Cincinnati, and a third in Indianapolis. According to the pro-life organization Operation Rescue, the Women’s Med Center is one of six abortion providers that openly performs abortion throughout all nine months of pregnancy. In 2016, the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) revoked the Kettering clinic’s ambulatory surgical facility license. In order to maintain such a license, abortion clinics are required by state law to have written transfer agreements with a hospital within a 30-minute radius in the event that a patient needs emergency medical care. Abortion clinics can also apply for a “variance” of the written transfer agreement that includes the names of physicians with admitting privileges who have agreed to treat women with abortion complications. Haskell’s Women’s Med Center clinic in Dayton has been unable to ever obtain a written transfer agreement with a local hospital, and its variance…

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Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown Joins Bipartisan Group Introducing Bill Sanctioning China for Opioid Trafficking

Andrew Shirley

Democratic Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown joined a bipartisan group of six Senators Thursday to introduce a bill that would sanction any country involved in the trafficking of illegal opioids into the United States. According to the U.S Department of Justice and Drug Enforcement Administration’s 2018 National Drug Assessment, synthetic opioids, specifically fentanyl, secretly created and trafficked into the United States is “responsible for the ongoing fentanyl epidemic.” The majority of these opioids are produced in China and then trafficked into America through Mexico, making these two countries primarily responsible for the current US epidemic. They noted these drugs are “now the most lethal category of opioids used in the United States…Fentanyl suppliers will continue to experiment with new fentanyl-related substances and adjust supplies in attempts to circumvent new regulations imposed by the United States, China, and Mexico.” Because of this, the highest quality of fentanyl carries the street name: “China White.” S.1044. “A bill to impose sanctions with respect to foreign traffickers of illicit opioids, and for other purposes” intent, per the summary message provided by the bill’s sponsors: This targeted sanctions legislation would give U.S. law enforcement and sanctions officials more tools to combat the trafficking of opioids into the…

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Ohio Republican Joins Cannibus Caucus in Pushing for Greater Marijuana Protection from Federal Government

Andrew Shirley

Ohio Republican Rep. Dave Joyce (R-OH-14), along with the entire Congressional Cannabis Caucus, introduced a bill Wednesday that seeks to protect state marijuana policies by strengthening states’ rights. The Strengthening the Tenth Amendment Through Entrusting States Act, the “STATES Act” for short, would function to amend existing laws, specifically the Controlled Substances Act. It would, essentially, give states that have set their own policies on marijuana regulation the right to have those laws take precedence over the existing federal laws. Even as various forms of marijuana use become legal across the country, it remains illegal at the federal level. As previously reported: The 2018 Farm Bill, passed with bipartisan support, legalized the production of industrial hemp. This is the primary source of CBD Oil. Hemp producers immediately jumped into producing the substance. Though products containing THC cannot cross state lines, THC products derived from hemp face no similar restriction. Supporting the bill, the Drug Enforcement Agency DEA removed CBD as a Schedule 1 narcotic. As a result, it is no longer considered among the most dangerous of drug products. While CBD seemed poised for national expansion, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) still has the authority to regulate the sale of CBD and have aggressively stepped up efforts…

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Ohio’s Lt. Gov. Husted Named as Director of Another Top State Office

Anthony Gockowski

Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted was named director of the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation, a role he will take on in addition to his capacity as director of InnovateOhio. Gov. Mike DeWine announced the appointment during a Thursday Cabinet meeting, saying he was “pleased” to have Husted “serve as the point person for Ohio’s workforce development efforts.” “It is so important that we continue to invest in our state’s most valuable asset—our workforce, and Lt. Gov. Husted will ensure that our efforts in this area are focused and deliver results,” DeWine said, according to a press release. In his new role, Husted will oversee 75 different workforce development programs across 12 state agencies, and will report directly to the governor. The position was previously occupied by Ryan Burgess, but he stepped down after being appointed director of cabinet affairs for DeWine. “Ohio’s economy has a lot of things working in its favor right now, but if we are going to reach our full potential and make our state more attractive to new businesses, we have to close our skills gap,” said Husted, who worked as vice president of the Dayton-area Chamber of Commerce before entering public office. “If we…

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State Rep. Sedrick Denson Pleads Guilty to Lesser Charge, Lawyer Claims It’s ‘Not a Sweetheart Deal’

Anthony Gockowski

State Rep. Sedrick Denson (D-Bond Hill) pleaded guilty Thursday to having physical control of a vehicle while under the influence, a lesser charge than the OVI he initially faced. Under a plea agreement, charges of driving on a suspended license and driving outside of marked lanes were dropped. The freshman lawmaker will be required to complete a driver’s intervention program, pay a $250 fine and court fees, and will face an 180-day driver’s license suspension, according to The Cincinnati Enquirer. Denson, who had a single Adderall pill in his car when he was pulled over, still faces felony drug possession charges. “This isn’t a sweetheart deal,” attorney Brandon Shroy said of the plea agreement. “This is a normal outcome.” “My advice to him was that this is a case I don’t believe the state of Ohio could prove,” Shroy added. “But in this case, he accepted the offer to get back to his work and stop being on the news for this.” Denson maintains that he’s “not prescribed” Adderall and does “not use” the drug. “The fact that it was in my vehicle is concerning and very serious,” he said. Denson will appear back in court on April 15 for…

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Smoking Age Will Jump to 21 Under DeWine Budget

Andrew Shirley

In a move to improve health quality in the state, Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine has included a provision in his proposed 2020-2021 Executive Budget that would increase the age for purchasing cigarettes from 18 to 21. The intent is to further discourage the use of cigarettes overall throughout the Buckeye State. Governor DeWine’s proposed budget was officially released on March 15.  Outlined in the Executive Budget: The fiscal years 2020-2021 Executive Budget proposes an important change to the cigarette and OTP taxes. The Budget would change Ohio law by increasing the minimum legal age – from age 18 to age 21 – for purchasing cigarettes, other tobacco products, alternative nicotine products, and cigarette papers. Although the proposed age increase does not constitute a change in how these products are taxed, it would reduce the quantity of purchased items because of the age change and therefore result in a modest decline in cigarette and OTP tax revenue. By the governor’s own assessment, the move would cut cigarette revenues by more than $20 million over the two year budget period. Despite this, a 2017 poll found that 58 percent of Ohioans favor this change. The measure has significant precedent throughout the country.…

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Commentary: A Bad Idea for Ohio and a Terrible Idea for America

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by CHQ Staff   A proposal making its way through the Ohio Statehouse would award Ohio’s electoral votes to the winner of the popular vote in presidential elections if it passes. According to reporting by Breitbart’s Katherine Rodriguez, the constitutional amendment, which state lawmakers certified on Monday, would require state lawmakers to ensure state electoral votes would go to the winner of the national popular vote instead of the candidate who wins the most votes within Ohio. If Ohio’s legislature approves the measure, it would be the 14th state legislative body to pass a bill agreeing to award Electoral College votes to a presidential candidate who wins the popular vote, noted Ms. Rodriguez. No Republican has ever been elected President without Ohio, and Ohio has furnished eight Presidents with Ohio roots – all Republicans. So why the Buckeye State’s Republican-controlled legislature and Governor would want to dilute their state’s Electoral College votes via this Democrat proposal is a complete mystery to us. As we explained in our article “Far Left Anti-Electoral College Plan Building Momentum” Democrats have long opposed the Electoral College because with overwhelming margins of victory in high-population states like California they could dominate future presidential elections based…

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Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan Announces 2020 Candidacy, Pledges to Send Trump ‘Back to Mar-A-Lago’

Andrew Shirley

In an appearance on The View, Ohio Democratic Congressman Tim Ryan (OH-17), announced Thursday his candidacy for the 2020 presidential election. The nine-term representative from Ohio’s 13th district (formerly 17th) pointed to the recent closure of the Lordstown Assembly Complex in his district as evidence that President Donald Trump is failing in his central campaign promise to revive and renew America’s economy and manufacturing sector. When Co-Host Abby Huntsman cited a poll that found 70% percent of Americans were optimistic about America’s economy, Rep. Ryan replied “Not in my district.” Throughout his appearance, Ryan articulated his appeal with the midwest and blue-collar voters as his chief competitive advantage over other candidates. Republican National Committee (RNC) Communications Director Michael Ahrens, however, wasted no time in blasting the candidate in a message stating: Tim Ryan is a Congressional backbencher who has no chance of becoming president. You can just add him to the long list of liberal candidates demanding government-run health care, and it underscores how radical and out-of-touch this Democratic field truly is. Rep. Ryan has just concluded a multi-state tour of key battleground states including Iowa and New Hampshire. This left little doubt for most that the Ohio native was considering running…

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Kasich Launches New Non-Profit With Fellow Never-Trumpers, Announces Fifth Book

Anthony Gockowski

Former Gov. John Kasich has launched a new non-profit with several fellow never-Trumpers and is planning to release his fifth book amid endless speculation that he may make another run for the White House. Almost immediately after leaving the Ohio Governor’s Residence, Kasich announced that he was joining CNN as a senior political commentator. Now he has launched a non-profit with several prominent Trump critics called “Two Paths America,” based on the title of his 2017 book “Two Paths: America Divided or United.” “A dozen of America’s most prominent thought leaders have been named as members of a new National Advisory Committee for Two Paths America, helping to promote center-right solutions to some of the major issues facing our nation,” the non-profit’s website states. Among those who have joined the effort are Bill Kristol, former editor-at-large of the now-defunct Weekly Standard, former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, former Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, and former New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman. “Two Paths America is a non-profit 501(c)4 organization created to promote reasonable and proven solutions to America’s challenges,” the group’s website states. “Two Paths America is focused broadly on public policy that encourages a Balanced Budget Amendment to the United States…

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Ohio Lawmakers Look to Institute $10,000 Fines for Violations of Heartbeat Bill, Use Money Collected for Adoption Efforts

Anthony Gockowski

Ohio House Republicans added substantial new provisions to their version of the “heartbeat bill” that have the potential to make one of the state’s most controversial pieces of legislation even more divisive. While the Senate already passed its version of the bill last month, it is still making its way through the committee process in the House. During its third hearing for the bill Tuesday, the Ohio House Health Committee adopted several changes to the text of the bill. One of those changes would allow the Ohio State Medical Board to fine up to $10,000 for “each separate violation or failure of a person to comply” with the provisions of the bill. Money collected through these fines would then be deposited into a new “Foster Care and Adoption Initiatives Fund,” which would be established upon the bill’s passage. Another change would require the Ohio Director of Health to adopt rules “specifying the appropriate methods of performing an examination for the purpose of determining the presence of a fetal heartbeat of an unborn human individual.” Along those lines, the new changes prevent the exclusion of transvaginal ultrasounds “as a method of detection.” Transvaginal ultrasounds, as opposed to abdominal ultrasounds, can detect…

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Ohio House Democrats Introduce ‘Equal Pay Act’ to End ‘Pay Discrimination’

Anthony Gockowski

Ohio House Democrats unveiled their plans to close the gender wage gap with an “Ohio Equal Pay Act” Tuesday, which marked the annual “Equal Pay Day” in America. Reps. Stephanie Howse (D-Cleveland) and Randi Clites (D-Ravenna) discussed their bill at a press conference alongside several of their Democratic colleagues. “Ohio’s gender wage gap continues to hold back women, families, and our economy. We can’t get ahead as a state if half of our workforce is undervalued and underpaid,” Howse said. “We need real, commonsense reforms to restore our promise as an opportunity state where everyone who works hard, regardless of gender, has a shot at the American dream.” The bill, which has yet to receive an official number, would require companies who contract with the state government to obtain an “Equal Pay Certificate,” which would certify that female employees have the same opportunities for career advancement. It would also require government agencies to conduct evaluations of their employees’ pay scales to “ensure compensation is based on responsibilities and working conditions across job categories,” a press release from the House Democrats explains. “It’s long past time to empower women in the workplace to be what they are—equal,” Clites said during Tuesday’s…

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Proposed Ohio Constitutional Amendment to Award Electoral Votes to Winner of National Popular Vote Clears Initial Hurdle

Zachery Schmidt

A state constitutional amendment to award Ohio’s electoral votes to the winner of the national popular vote cleared of one of its earliest hurdles this week. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost called it a “fair and truthful statement of the proposed law” in an April 1 letter to Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose. The amendment was submitted to Yost’s office by election lawyer Don McTigue, who sent a petition to the Attorney General’s Office with 1,000 signatures. The petition states: This amendment would add Article XX, Section 1 of the Ohio Constitution to: Express the will of the people that every vote for president be valued equally and that the candidate who wins the most votes nationally becomes President. Require the General Assembly, within sixty days of the Amendment’s adoption, take all necessary legislative action so that the winner of the national popular vote is elected President. In his response, Yost said it is his “statutory duty to determine” whether the petition contained a “fair and truthful statement of the proposed law or constitutional amendment.” With Yost ’s certification, the proposal heads to the Ohio Ballot Board, which has 10 days to determine if “the submitted ballot language only contains one…

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Dash-Cam Footage Shows Ohio Legislator Sedrick Denson Repeatedly Telling Officers He’s a ‘State Representative’ During OVI Arrest

Anthony Gockowski

The Ohio Highway Patrol has released dash-cam footage of Rep. Sedrick Denson’s (D-Bond Hill) arrest. The first-term Democratic lawmaker was charged early Friday morning for driving under the influence, driving with a suspended license, and felony drug possession. In the video, Denson repeatedly tells the trooper that he’s a state representative. “Where you heading in a hurry?” the trooper asked Denson towards the beginning of the incident. “Not in a hurry. I’m a state representative here,” Denson replied. In another exchange, after Denson was asked to step out of his vehicle, the officer inquired about whether or not Denson had a “pocket knife or a gun” on him. “I’m an Ohio state representative,” Denson can be heard responding, though his full response is inaudible with the noise of traffic passing by. “OK. What does that have to do with you having a weapon?” the trooper responds. The Ohio Highway Patrol discovered a single prescription Adderall pill inside a plastic bag in Denson’s vehicle, which he said he’s “not prescribed” and does “not use.” In a statement released Monday, Denson apologized to his constituents, but denied that he was actually impaired. “I was pulled over by a State Highway Patrolman for…

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Communities Brace for Diesel Tax Increases After Ohio Gov. DeWine Signs Gas Tax Into Law

Anthony Gockowski
Gas up the car

In one of his first major acts in office, Gov. Mike DeWine (R-OH) signed into law the state’s first gas tax increase since 2005. The issue has been the focal point of his first few months in office, and negotiations with House and Senate Republicans have not been easy. But on Tuesday, all parties finally agreed to a compromise: 10.5 cents on regular fuel, and 19 cents on diesel. That will bring the total gas tax to 38.5 cents, and the total diesel tax to 47 cents, both of which are currently taxed at an equal rate of 28 cents. The increase, set to go into effect July 1, doesn’t seem to have the support of most Ohioans, especially those who rely on diesel fuel. “Diesel fuel powers our economy, because it’s what the trucks that deliver Ohio-made products to market run on. A 19 cent increase on diesel will move Ohio well past the state average of 30.2 cents of tax per gallon and leave us with the sixth highest tax rate on diesel fuel in the country. This does not make Ohio more competitive and will be damaging to Ohio’s economy and to our businesses,” the Ohio Chamber…

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Ohio Dentist Says She Will Torture ‘Zionist Patients’ With ‘Pleasure,’ Expresses Support for Hamas

Anthony Gockowski

A Cincinnati, Ohio dentist was recently exposed for suggesting that she would torture “Zionist patients” and repeatedly expressed support for Hamas, a terrorist organization. According to her LinkedIn page, Nessreen Zayed is a dentist in the Cincinnati area, though it’s unclear where she’s currently employed. https://twitter.com/nzayed07/status/647271722866089984 Canary Mission unearthed dozens of controversial statements made on Zayed’s Twitter page, including one in which she said she “will enjoy doing this to Zionist patients” with “pleasure.” The comment was made in a response to a scene from the movie “A Little Shop of Horrors.” In the scene, Steve Martin joyfully sings and dances while torturing his patients in the dentist’s chair. In several other tweets, Zayed openly praised Hamas and said she “loves” the terrorist organization. “Sorry we still love Hamas,” she wrote in one tweet. “I love Hamas u [sic] can ask Hamas,” she said in another. https://twitter.com/nzayed07/status/660324479885688832 “I know resistance has started before Hamas but right now Hamas is the only one defense the Palestinian that’s a fact we can’t,” she said in yet another tweet with numerous typos and grammatical errors. She also referred to the “funeral of the 17 martyrs killed by Israel last month” as a “heartbreaking”…

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Gas Prices Spike as Ohio Legislature Approves Gas Tax Hike

Andrew Shirley

The American Automobile Association (AAA) announced Monday that only three months into 2019, the nation’s average gas price has spiked by almost 45 cents. Ohio prices increased as well, but by slightly less than the national average. While Ohioans may be relieved, experts are predicting that these price increases are expected to continue indefinitely. According to AAA, the current average gas price is $2.69 for regular unleaded gas. Though this is far from the historical high of $4.16 in May of 2011, it’s still more expensive than gas has been in the previous three years. At the state level: The nation’s top 10 largest weekly increases are: Florida (+13 cents), California (+12 cents), Indiana (+11 cents), Georgia (+11 cents), Idaho (+9 cents), Kentucky (+9 cents), Washington (+9 cents), Oregon (+8 cents), Nevada (+8 cents) and Ohio (+8 cents). “Three months ago motorists could find gas for less than $2.50 at 78 percent of gas stations. Today, you can only find gas for that price at one-third of stations, which is likely giving sticker shock to motorists across the country,” AAA spokesperson Jeanette Casselano said. “Gasoline stocks have been steadily decreasing since early February causing spikes at the pump that are likely…

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Ohio Conference Committee Fails to Reach Deal on Gas Tax, Cancels Monday Meeting

Anthony Gockowski

The Ohio Legislature failed to agree on a transportation budget before its midnight deadline Sunday. While several items were agreed to, a comprise hasn’t yet been reached on the gas tax. As The Ohio Star reported, the Ohio House and Gov. Mike DeWine settled on an 11-cent gas-tax increase, seven cents down from what DeWine initially proposed. “I’m pleased that we have reached an agreement with the Speaker of the House on the transportation budget that will enable the Ohio Department of Transportation to improve and maintain safer roads, bridges, highways, and intersections across Ohio. I am hopeful that the Senate agrees to this plan as well,” DeWine said in a statement after the agreement was announced. But the Ohio Senate is opposed to the 11-cent figure, and previously passed a bill that would institute a six-cent hike. A joint conference committee composed of six members has been meeting since Wednesday, but failed to reach an agreement. Senate President Larry Obhof (R-Medina) has been relatively quiet on the matter, but spoke with reporters Friday about the negotiations. “We will continue conversations and will all be back on Monday or Tuesday of next week. So I think it’s just a matter…

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Following Multi-State Tour, Ohio Democratic Congressman Tim Ryan Mulls 2020 Run

Andrew Shirley

Saturday evening, Ohio Democratic Congressman Tim Ryan made one of his last appearances in a multi-state blitz tour of early presidential primary states. When Ohio Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown decided not to run last month, most Ohioans thought that would be it for Ohio politicians entering the 2020 race. Yet Rep. Ryan, despite not announcing his candidacy or forming an exploratory committee, seems to be making all the moves one would expect from a 2020 candidate. The nine-term representative from Ohio’s 13th district (formerly 17th), has been prominently featured at several Iowa events. Saturday, he appeared at the Heartland Forum. The event was organized and sponsored by the Huffington Post, several Iowa state papers, and Open Markets Action. Ryan was joined by declared and potential candidates; “former U.S. HUD Secretary Julián Castro, Rep. John Delaney, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Rep. Tim Ryan, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren.” While he has found positive support at this and most of his campaign events, some of his recent comments seem to clash with the direction of the Democratic party in 2020. At an event in New Hampshire, the potential 2020 candidates said to Fox News: I think we’ve got to be very careful. We come off sometimes as hostile to business……

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Jim Jordan Goes on Media Blitz Against ‘Collusion Delusion’

Anthony Gockowski

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH-04) blasted his Democratic colleagues for their “collusion delusion” during several cable news appearances this week. Fox and Friends, America’s Newsroom, Hannity, Ingraham Angle—if there was coverage of the Russia investigation, then Jordan was likely there to talk about it, and his message was clear: “no new indictments, no sealed indictments, no collusion, no obstruction.” But he didn’t stop there. Jordan, along with Rep. Mark Meadows (R-SC-11), believes that the other side of the story needs to be investigated. “Let’s do everything we can to work with Chairman Graham to get to the bottom of this and expose how they used one party’s opposition research document to get a secret warrant to spy on the other party’s campaign and launch this whole ridiculous thing that we saw unfold over the last several years,” Jordan said during an appearance on Sean Hannity’s show. During an appearance on Fox New’s Ingraham Angle, Jordan agreed with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich that the Democratic Party is “in denial” after the release of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report. “It was so strong what Bill Barr said about Bob Mueller’s investigation. Remember the numbers – 19, 40, 500, 2,800. 19 lawyers, most…

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New Bill Provides Tax Exemption for Ohio’s Disabled Veterans

Andrew Shirley

A bill currently under consideration by the Ohio Legislature would exempt disability service pay, made to honorably discharged veterans, from state income taxes. House Bill 18 (HB 18) was introduced to the Ohio House of Representatives last month. Wednesday, the bill finally came to a vote where it passed by an almost unprecedented  98-0 votes. It has now been introduced tot he Senate where it is expected to pass with similar support. In a statement,  the bill’s lead sponsor, Rep. Erica Crawley, (D-Columbus) stated: This is a great example of how the legislature can work together to deliver real results that have a minimal fiscal impact on the state and keep Ohio’s promise to our veterans by eliminating hardships, Rep. Crawley is a Navy veteran. The Department of Veterans Affairs defines disability compensation as: Disability compensation is a monetary benefit paid to Veterans who are determined by VA to be disabled by an injury or illness that was incurred or aggravated during active military service. These disabilities are considered to be service connected. To be eligible for compensation, the Veteran must have been separated or discharged under conditions other than dishonorable. As of 2013, over 800,000 of the more than 21…

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Portman Resists Lindsey Graham’s Call for New Special Counsel to Investigate FBI

Anthony Gockowski

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and other Republicans are calling for an investigation, and possibly the appointment of a new special counsel, into the FBI surveillance of the Trump campaign. Graham told reporters on Monday that he wants to investigate the surveillance warrants obtained by the FBI against Carter Page, an adviser to the Trump campaign, which were ultimately used to wiretap Page. The warrants, however, were granted partially based on material contained in the infamous and uncorroborated “dossier” produced by Christopher Steele. Graham and his colleagues on the Senate Judiciary Committee want to get to the bottom of the matter, and determine if the warrants were used as “a back-door to spy on the campaign.” “Whether or not it’s illegal, I don’t yet know,” Graham said. “What makes no sense to me is that all of the abuse by the Department of Justice and the FBI—the unprofessional conduct, the shady behavior—nobody seems to think that’s much important. Well that’s going to change, I hope.” Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH), however, told The Columbus Dispatch that he opposes calls to have Attorney General William Barr appoint a new special counsel to investigate what Graham called “the other side of the story.” Portman…

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Report: Ohio Prison Population Still Growing Despite Bipartisan Criminal Justice Reform

Andrew Shirley

Despite bipartisan calls for a reduction in the prison population and a slew of laws aimed at doing just that, a new report released this week has found that the prison population of Ohio has continued to climb over the past decade. Since 2011, the state has passed several new bills specifically aimed at addressing criminal justice reform. The two most impactful were House Bill 86 (HB 86) and House Bill 49 (HB 49). Both of these laws made a comprehensive list of changes to the criminal code, all aimed at curbing the incredibly high incarceration rates in Ohio. Among the changes were downgraded sentences for smaller offenses, permitting early release for certain types of offenders, shifting some crimes to misdemeanors, and creating financial incentives for rehabilitation as opposed to incarceration. Despite this, the report found that: HB 86’s reforms, alone, may have saved the state $500 million by flattening prison population growth. While HB 86 was expected to significantly reduce the prison population, the prison population dropped just 2 percent. HB 49 was supposed to reduce the prison population to 47,500 by FY 2019, but right now, the prison population stands at 49,051. Projected reduction of the prison population was off by more…

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Tim Ryan Goes After Trump, NRA at Iowa Event Alongside 2020 Dems

Anthony Gockowski

Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH-13) was a panelist Saturday at the Heartland Forum in Iowa, and was the only speaker at the event who hasn’t officially declared candidacy for president. The event, sponsored by Huffington Post, Open Markets Action, and the Iowa Farmers Union, featured panelists such as Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro—all of whom have declared candidacy. Ryan, who said in February that he’s “seriously considering” a run, was asked what his vision for the country would be if he were to do so. “The stock market’s as high as it’s ever been. Unemployment’s as low as it’s ever been, and yet there is a chronic level of stress in our society today because of chronic uncertainty,” he said. “I think it’s time for a new way of doing things.” “The only way forward is for us to come together politically. It’s the division today in our country that’s preventing us from getting to where we need to be, and that’s innovating our way out of this thing, caring about each other, loving each other, being concerned about each other, respecting each other, and then building an…

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Congressman Ryan Slams GM for Displaying Foreign-Made Car on Opening Day

Anthony Gockowski

General Motors is taking some heat after it decided to display a foreign-made car in center field of Comerica Park ahead of the Detroit Tigers’ home opener. Cranes were spotted lifting a 2019 Chevrolet Blazer RS onto an outfield display on Tuesday. Chevrolet is owned by General Motors, and its Blazer RS model is currently manufactured in Mexico. According to MLive, Chevrolet has been the automotive sponsor of the Tigers since 2010, and rotates in a set of new vehicles at the start of each new season. But not everyone was happy with this year’s vehicle choice, since General Motors is in the process of closing down multiple plants in the U.S., including two in Detroit and one in Lordstown, Ohio. One local Detroit outlet said it was contacted by several frustrated residents who wanted to spread the word about General Motors’ decision to display the Chevy Blazer. General Motors, however, claimed in a statement that it selected the Blazer because it’s returning to the market after a 14-year hiatus. Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH-13), who represents the Lordstown area, called the move “a slap in the face for American workers.” “In the wake of GM closing five plants across…

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Ohio Senate Passes Bill to Outlaw Practice of Dumping Aborted Fetal Remains in Public Landfills

Anthony Gockowski

The Ohio Senate passed a bill Wednesday that would require abortion providers in the state to either cremate or bury the fetal remains from an abortion rather than sending them to public landfills, which is the current practice. Senate Bill 27 was sponsored by State Sen. Joe Uecker (R-Miami Township) and passed in a 24-7 vote. “Final disposition of fetal remains from a surgical abortion at an abortion facility shall be by cremation or interment,” the bill states. Additionally, it would give women who have abortions the right to decide “whether the final disposition will be by cremation or interment,” as well as the “location for the final disposition.” “An abortion facility shall develop and maintain a written list of locations at which it provides or arranges for the final disposition of fetal remains from surgical abortions,” the bill adds. After its passage, Uecker said the bill “takes steps to help protect the dignity of babies whose lives ended too soon as a result of abortion.” “Sending dead babies to be cold-heartedly discarded into landfills further demonstrates the total lack of respect for the sanctity of human life that is shown,” he continued. “I also hope to see the recently…

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Ohio Attorney General Opposes Scrapping All of Obamacare, Breaking With President Trump

Andrew Shirley

Ohio Republican Attorney General Dave Yost announced Wednesday he would oppose President Donald Trump’s plan to completely repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), better known as Obamacare. On December 14, 2018, shortly before the 2019 open enrollment period ended, a contentious and controversial case was finally ruled on by the U.S. Supreme Court. Texas v. Azar challenged that the entire Affordable Care Act was unconstitutional. The case noted that the Supreme Court previously ruled “the Individual Mandate was unconstitutional under the Interstate Commerce Clause but could fairly be read as an exercise of Congress’ Tax Power because it triggered a tax.” However, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act “eliminated that tax,” and “thus compels the conclusion that the Individual Mandate may no longer be upheld under the Tax Power.” “And because the Individual Mandate continues to mandate the purchase of health insurance, it remains unsustainable under the Interstate Commerce Clause—as the Supreme Court already held,” the case added. Based on this, Texas Federal District Court Judge Reed O’Connor made three conclusions: First, the Court finds the Parties satisfy the applicable standing requirements. Second, the Court finds the Individual Mandate can no longer be fairly read as an exercise of Congress’s Tax Power and is…

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Ohio Legislators Push for New Missile Defense Site to be Located in Ohio

Andrew Shirley

A group of Ohio Legislators in an open letter Thursday called on Acting U.S. Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan to select Ohio as the location for a new missile defense site and complex. The Continental United States Interceptor Site (CIS) is the only ground-based segment of the total U.S. defense system. It is currently run by the Department of Defense; Missile Defense Agency and is a major component of the “Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD)” segment, which is part of the overall Ballistic Missile Defense System. This system is responsible for protecting the nation from missile attacks, potentially launched by countries like “Iran and North Korea.” The overall missile defense system of the United States consists of three major segments: the Boost Defense Segment (BDS), the Midcourse Defense Segment (MDS), and the Terminal Defense Segment (TDS). Each focuses on different phases of a potential missile attack on the continent. BDS focuses on the detection and interception of a missile at the earliest possible moments, long before it reaches the apex of its launch trajectory. MDS focuses on the interception of a missile at the midpoint of its trajectory. TDS is last line defense for stopping a missile attack; when the missile is past the midpoint…

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Ohio Democrat Mocks Barron Trump, Says He ‘May Need’ the Special Olympics Someday

Anthony Gockowski

An Ohio Democrat suggested Wednesday that President Donald Trump’s administration shouldn’t cut funding for the Special Olympics because his 13-year-old son Barron “may need it someday.” Ellen Connally, former Cuyahoga County Council president and Cleveland Municipal Court judge, made the comments in a Facebook post that has since been deleted, but was obtained by PJ Media. “Trump kills funds for Special Olympics. Baron [sic] may need it someday,” she wrote. In the comments section of her post, another Ohio Democrat, Jocelyn Conwell, said she’s heard “from a reliable source” that Trump’s “kid does have special needs.” “He attend [sic] some school in Maryland. Haven’t you noticed how you hardly ever see this kid, and he never says anything. I am not making light of it, just stating some observations. Even though I can’t stand his father,” Conwell said. Barron’s birthday was last week; he turned 13-years-old. The comments came amid controversy over Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos’ proposed $17.6 million cut to the Special Olympics, which was included in the $4.75 trillion budget the Trump administration submitted to Congress. During a hearing on Capitol Hill Thursday, DeVos defended the cuts to the Special Olympics by noting that it’s not a…

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Ohio Republicans Rally Behind Constitutional Carry Bill

Anthony Gockowski

Ohio House Republicans introduced a bill Wednesday to bring constitutional carry to the state, which allows gun owners to carry concealed weapons without obtaining a permit. The bill, House Bill 174, was introduced by Reps. Ron Hood (R-Ashville) and Tom Brinkman (R-Mt. Lookout) and quickly gained the support of 27 other Republicans. Current Ohio law allows Ohioans to carry concealed weapons only after they obtain a permit from a county sheriff’s office, pass a criminal background check, and complete eight hours of training. House Bill 174 would change all of that. It states that anyone 21 or older “and not prohibited by federal law from firearm possession to carry a concealed deadly weapon” would be able to do so “without needing a license.” In its current form, the bill would take things one step further by allowing Ohioans to conceal and carry legal rifles and shotguns. Ohio Gun Owners Director Chris Dorr spoke with Hood and Brinkman shortly after their bill was introduced. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=8&v=Zu5ewRRJSWw “What’s so exciting is we now have an opportunity to actually pass a bill now with West Virginia and Kentucky going constitutional carry. We’ve got over a dozen states going constitutional carry,” Hood said. “Legislators and…

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A DeWine Campaign Promise Turned Into $176K Salary for Lt. Gov. Husted

Anthony Gockowski

“InnovateOhio” was a central campaign promise of the Mike DeWine/Jon Husted gubernatorial ticket that ended up securing Husted a $176,426 salary. DeWine and Husted, now governor and lieutenant governor, announced the initiative in September 2018 and said it would “bring the best and brightest technology minds” to Ohio to help “improve state and local government.” “The private sector uses innovative ideas and technology to improve their customer service and save money, and there is no reason we can’t bring that approach to the way our government operates,” Husted said at the time. According to a press release from the campaign, InnovateOhio is “about how we make state government a more effective and efficient leader in using technology to improve customer service and save tax dollars.” “In doing so, we make Ohio a state that attracts talent, business, and new investment,” the press release added. Specific proposals under the InnovateOhio initiative included the funding of “at least 10,000 in-demand industry certificates,” which was included in DeWine’s first budget proposal, and the establishment of “opportunity zones for economically-distressed communities.” Republicans, who said they wanted to create a good relationship with the incoming administration, then addressed InnovateOhio in a December 2018 bill. Senate…

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