Ohio’s Republicans ultimately passed a bill that would both allow President Biden to appear on Ohio’s general election ballot in November, but also bar foreign contributions to ballot issue campaigns. The latter was a direct response to GOP objections to the “Issue 1” campaign last year that constitutionally protected abortion in the state. The move came without Democratic support as the DNC will hold a virtual certification of Biden since the Ohio law signed by DeWine does not go into affect until August 31, 2024. This legislative ‘fix’ is still after the Ohio certification deadline of August 7th for presidential candidates to be on Ohio’s ballot. Disingenuous of Ohio Republicans – no surprise.

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While Lt. Governor Jon Husted refuses to comment on the $1 million dark money contribution made to a group who supported him for governor, now Governor Mike DeWine admits that Sam Randazzo’s connections to FirstEnergy were well known around Capitol Square.  There are multiple ties between DeWine’s administration – especially his Chief of Staff whom Randazzo advised that he had received $4.3 million from FirstEnergy, which he claimed was final payment of a ‘consulting agreement.’ DeWine’s former Chief of Staff and current trusted counselor to DeWine, Laurel Dawson, is cooperating with the state prosecution.

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Two Republican state House lawmakers have introduced another bill to make Ohio a “closed primary” state, which would require voters to declare a party affiliation while banning them from voting or running for office in another party’s primary election. House Bill 437 is in response to a state appeals court judge who previously ran and voted in Democratic primaries, but is now seeking re-election as a Republican. Gee. Sounds like a local county commissioner can identify with this judge. Ohio has had 111 years of open primaries. Now Republicans want to have closed primaries that only elevate extremists and party machines over the power and freedom of voters.

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In its latest move, the Biden administration announced Wednesday that it’s canceling $1.2 billion in debt for nearly 153,000 people enrolled in Saving on a Valuable Education, or SAVE. In Ohio, 7,540 borrowers will have a combined $60 million forgiven, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

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A record 477,793 Ohioans have enrolled in the Affordable Care Act health plan for 2024. Ohio’s increased enrollment is one example of a larger national trend. On January 24, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced that 21.3 million people nationwide selected a Marketplace plan during the open enrollment period. Of those, 16 million renewed their coverage, while 5 million were new users. All three of the GOP U.S. Senate candidates have stated they would vote to repeal the ACA while Senate Sherrod Brown has consistently voted against any efforts to repeal it.

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Embarrassing. Infuriating. Oppressing. Take your pick. They all describe the performative do-nothings in Columbus and Washington. Dodgy politicians who aspire not to serve the greater good but to grandstand in the extreme for notoriety. It’s not for nothing that Ohio’s General Assembly and the U.S. House of Representatives (both under the loosely defined management of MAGA Republicans) were historically unproductive last year in terms of lawmaking.

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Plaintiffs in a civil suit related to the HB6 First Energy massive $61 million bribery and money-laundering scandal have subpoenaed documents from Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine. In addition, they’re scheduling a sworn deposition with Lt. Gov. Jon Husted.

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Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose (R) told a GOP group that he allowed several anti-abortion groups to assist in the rewrite of the ballot language of Issue 1. Thus, Ohio’s top elections official invited opponents to write ballot language that mischaracterized the abortion-rights amendment that supporters gathered a half-million registered voters’ signatures to put to on the November General Election ballot.

In addition, HB341 — which would change how Issue 2 revenue funds would be allocated and allow municipalities to ban marijuana dispensaries and home grow. The bill wipes out an entire section of the new law that prohibits municipalities from banning home grow, marijuana use and levying special taxes or fees on marijuana businesses.

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COMMENTARY: Ohio voters just took firm positions on abortion and reproductive rights and adult-use recreational marijuana Tuesday, but gerrymandered Ohio lawmakers are already planning to flout, ignore, challenge, and abuse the voters’ wishes. This is what gerrymandering brings. This is why it’s a fundamental poison in the lifeblood of our republic.

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YES on Issue 1 – The Right To Reproductive Freedom With Protections For Health And Safety and An Act To Control and YES on Issue 2 – Regulate Adult Use Cannabis both WON as Ohioans made their voices – and votes – heard! Ohioans rejected the extreme republican abortion ban – 6 week ban with no exceptions for rape or incest – that Governor Mike DeWine (R) and the Ohio GOP had put into law. Women and their families with their doctors can now make their own reproductive health care choices.

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