Category: News

  • ENDORSEMENT ALERT: Jon Husted Proudly Touts Endorsement of Lawmaker Accused of Sexually Abusing a Minor

    Comes after Husted took $116K from an Epstein co-conspirator and voted against releasing Epstein files

    COLUMBUS, OHIO — This week, Jon Husted’s campaign is under fire for proudly touting the endorsement of Ohio State Representative Rodney Creech, who has been accused of sexually abusing a minor relative. The endorsement is the latest example of Husted surrounding himself with deeply disturbing figures in Ohio politics. 

    Last month, it was revealed that Husted took more than $116,000 from Jeffrey Epstein co-conspirator Les Wexner before voting against releasing the Epstein files. 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. Wexner’s name appears in the released Epstein files more than 4,000 times.

    SEE TEAM HUSTED’S POST:

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

    “After taking $116K from an Epstein co-conspirator and voting against the release of the Epstein files, Jon Husted is now proudly touting the endorsement of a lawmaker accused of sexual abuse of a minor. It’s a disgusting pattern, and Ohioans deserve to know why Husted keeps surrounding himself with some of the most disturbing figures in Ohio politics.”

    Read more: 

    TiffinOhio.net: Husted touts endorsement from lawmaker accused of child sex abuse

    • U.S. Sen. Jon Husted’s campaign publicly promoted an endorsement from state Rep. Rodney Creech (R-West Alexandria) on Wednesday — a lawmaker who was accused of sexual abuse of a minor relative and whose own conduct was described as “concerning” by the prosecutor who reviewed the case.
    • The Husted for Senate campaign posted an endorsement graphic on X on March 19 listing Creech among dozens of Ohio House Republicans backing Husted’s 2026 Senate bid. The campaign reposted the graphic several hours later.
    • In 2023, a minor relative accused Creech of climbing into bed and under the covers with her while erect, wearing only his underwear, according to Bureau of Criminal Investigation documents reported by the Statehouse News Bureau.

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    The post ENDORSEMENT ALERT: Jon Husted Proudly Touts Endorsement of Lawmaker Accused of Sexually Abusing a Minor appeared first on Ohio Democrats.

  • NEW VOTE ALERT: Jon Husted Doubles Down on Endless Foreign Conflicts as Gas Prices Soar for Ohioans

    Husted continues to back prolonged war in the Middle East, has no solutions to cost of living crisis in Ohio

    Washington Post: Pentagon seeks more than $200 billion in budget request for Iran war

    COLUMBUS, OHIO — This week, Jon Husted doubled down in support of the Administration’s military action in Iran, once again backing an expensive foreign intervention in the Middle East that has already claimed 13 American lives and has no end in sight. Husted’s latest vote comes as the Pentagon is reportedly seeking more than $200 billion to continue the conflict. 

    Meanwhile, Ohio families are getting crushed by soaring gas prices and rising costs, and Husted has no solutions. Instead, he has insulted struggling Ohioans as “not very experienced at navigating the real world” and dismissed the mounting affordability crisis by telling Ohioans to “fix their work ethic” and to simply “earn more” money to make ends meet.

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

    “While the Pentagon seeks more than $200 billion for another endless war in the Middle East, Jon Husted is doubling down in support as gas prices soar for Ohio families. Instead of fighting to lower costs at home, Husted is backing more war abroad while lecturing struggling Ohioans to just ‘earn more’ money. If there’s anyone who doesn’t understand the real world, it’s Jon Husted.”

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    The post NEW VOTE ALERT: Jon Husted Doubles Down on Endless Foreign Conflicts as Gas Prices Soar for Ohioans appeared first on Ohio Democrats.

  • HUSTED TRIAL TRACKER: Jon Husted Mentioned Nearly 400 Times as FirstEnergy Criminal Corruption Trial Wraps

    Husted remained at the center of the ongoing criminal trial regarding the largest bribery scandal in Ohio history

    Ohio families paying $663 more a year on utility bills thanks to Husted

    COLUMBUS, OHIO — As the FirstEnergy criminal corruption trial wraps up, FirstEnergy’s “golden boy” Jon Husted has now been mentioned 386 times in the trial over the largest corruption scandal in Ohio history.

    Over the course of the trial, testimony made clear that Husted was at the center of the massive bribery scheme that delivered a billion dollar bailout to utilities and contributed to electricity costs for Ohioans increasing by $663 a year. Last week, Husted was forced to take the stand and answer for his role in the massive scandal, where his testimony raised even more questions.

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

    “As the trial over the largest bribery scandal in Ohio history comes to a close, one thing is clear: Jon Husted didn’t just sell Ohioans out to a big utility company — he set the entire bribery scheme in motion. And now working families are paying the price. Husted was mentioned nearly 400 times, was forced to testify, and tried to downplay his central role in the FirstEnergy scandal. Ohioans won’t forget this, and they will hold him accountable in November.”

    Read more about Jon Husted’s role in Ohio’s largest corruption scandal:

    • New evidence revealed nine calls between Jon Husted and Mike Dowling in the months preceding a $4.3 million bribe to former Utilities Commission Chair Sam Randazzo. 
    • New reporting revealed Jon Husted held secret meetings with indicted FirstEnergy executives, including with the “mastermind of Ohio’s largest public corruption scheme two days before scandal-ridden bribery legislation was introduced.”
    • Neil Clark, a FirstEnergy lobbyist and co-defendant with former House Speaker Larry Householder, referred to Husted as FirstEnergy’s “golden boy.”
    • Text messages between Husted and FirstEnergy Executives reveal that the trio were in constant communication “before, during and after his campaign.”
    • A dinner between Jon Husted, Mike DeWine, and the indicted FirstEnergy executives at the Athletic Club of Columbus has become a focal point of the current criminal trial.
    • Public records show that FirstEnergy funneled $1 million in dark money to a dark money group backing Husted in 2017 — part of the same corrupt scheme that led to federal and state indictments.

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    The post HUSTED TRIAL TRACKER: Jon Husted Mentioned Nearly 400 Times as FirstEnergy Criminal Corruption Trial Wraps appeared first on Ohio Democrats.

  • Five Questions Vivek Ramaswamy Must Answer About His Plan to Close Ohio Colleges & Universities

    Columbus, Ohio- In a recent video, Vivek Ramaswamy rolled out his new plan to shut down Ohio colleges and universities. More than 313,000 students attend public colleges and universities across Ohio. Local communities and families depend on these institutions for economic development, employment and healthcare access.  

    “Ramaswamy’s plan to shut down Ohio colleges and universities would slash jobs, education, and in many cases healthcare that students and families across our state depend on,” said Ohio Democratic Party spokeswoman Katie Seewer. “Ramaswamy should get off his private jet and come clean with Ohioans about exactly which schools he wants to shutter to pay for his destructive tax scheme that even Republican Governor Mike DeWine called ‘absolutely devastating.’”

    Here are five questions Ramaswamy must answer:

    1. Which Ohio colleges and universities do you plan to close?
    1. One in eight jobs in Ohio are supported by the public college and university system. How many of those will be lost under your plan to close colleges and universities? 
    1. Many college and university systems are major providers of healthcare services. Under your plan, how many Ohioans will lose access to their healthcare provider and be forced to pick a more expensive option or go without entirely? 
    1. What’s your message to residents of college towns across Ohio that would lose their main source of jobs and revenue?  
    1. Would your plan to close colleges and universities affect funding for Ohio State football?

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    The post Five Questions Vivek Ramaswamy Must Answer About His Plan to Close Ohio Colleges & Universities appeared first on Ohio Democrats.

  • ICYMI: Vivek Ramaswamy Wants to Shut Down Ohio Colleges and Universities

    Columbus, Ohio- In a new video, Vivek Ramaswamy has rolled out a new plan for Ohio’s future: shutting down colleges and universities. Ramaswamy said Ohio has too many colleges and universities and did not specify which he would shut down. 

    Ramaswamy: “I want us to have the best universities but we have too many of them. They need to be consolidated.”

    This isn’t Ramaswamy’s first time rolling out a costly and wildly unpopular education policy that would harm Ohioans. In November, Ramaswamy faced backlash from his own party after posting a video proposing year-round school in Ohio. Some of his biggest supporters thought it was so absurd that it must have been AI-generated. It was real.

    “Vivek Ramaswamy should get off his private jet, come clean with Ohioans and tell us exactly which schools he wants to shutter, and in the process slash jobs, education, and in many cases healthcare that students and families across our state depend on,” said Ohio Democratic Party spokeswoman Katie Seewer. “From calling Ohioans lazy to telling families that rising costs are all in their heads to shutting down schools, every day Ramaswamy finds a new way to demonstrate how little regard he has for our state.”

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    The post ICYMI: Vivek Ramaswamy Wants to Shut Down Ohio Colleges and Universities appeared first on Ohio Democrats.

  • WHAT OHIOANS ARE WATCHING: Jon Husted At the Center of Ohio’s Largest Corruption Scandal

    Jon Husted: Corrupt billion dollar bailout to utilities was the “right thing”

    Ohio families paying $663 more a year on utility bills thanks to Husted

    COLUMBUS, OHIO — FirstEnergy “golden boy” Jon Husted was across the airwaves this weekend as news outlets covered his desperate attempts to downplay his central role in the largest public corruption scandal in Ohio history after being forced to take the stand.

    Husted’s testimony last week made clear he was at the center of the massive bribery scheme that delivered a billion dollar bailout to utilities and contributed to electricity costs for Ohioans increasing by $663 a year.

    See what Ohioans are watching about Jon Husted being forced to answer for his role in Ohio’s largest corruption scandal:

    NBC 4 Columbus: Sunday Briefing: Husted on House Bill 6 […]

    • Colleen Marshall, WCMH: “It is the latest chapter in the saga known as the HB 6 scandal, the billion dollar bailout of two FirstEnergy power plants paid for with your tax dollars and fueled by a $60 million bribery scheme. In the ongoing trial, Husted’s name has come up more than 100 times.”
    • Colleen Marshall, WCMH: “Testimony revealed that Husted was referred to as FirstEnergy’s ‘Golden Boy’ by accused HB 6 co-conspirator Neil Clark, who died by suicide.
    • Colleen Marshall, WCMH: “And in 2017, FirstEnergy contributed a million dollars to Husted’s then campaign to be Governor of Ohio. The money was funneled through a dark money group, a political 501(c)(4) nonprofit that can accept unlimited funds from corporations without disclosing the source.”
    • Jon Husted: “Ultimately, what we were trying to do was the right thing…”

    10TV Columbus: Face the State | March 15, 2026

    • Ohio Political Strategist: “I think the thing that did hurt Jon Husted in this manner was the fact that he said he was unable to make the first appointment for testimony but still managed to make it home for a fundraiser. […] I think it is the fact that you have a federal case that you are being called back for and you can’t make it because of requirements back in DC, but you get caught at home for a fundraiser.”

    News 5 Cleveland: US Senator Jon Husted testifies in FirstEnergy corruption trial

    • U.S. Senator Jon Husted testified in the trial related to the largest public corruption scheme in Ohio history on Wednesday morning, maintaining his distance from the FirstEnergy executives. However, there were some discrepancies between his testimony and public documents.
    • The FirstEnergy team invited DeWine and Husted to a private meeting at the Athletic Club of Columbus in 2018, after they were elected.
    • Meyer tried to give the jury a picture of what kind of establishment the men met at. The ACC is basically a members-only country club without the golf course. It costs thousands of dollars to join, according to Capitol Square lobbyists. It has a wellness center, spa, bowling alley and even overnight rooms.
    • After Husted downplayed the fanciness of the club, Meyer noted the “wood panelling.” “It’s not like Planet Fitness, or something like that?” Meyer asked Husted.
    • “I’ve never been in a Planet Fitness,” Husted said, seriously, but received laughs.
    • For years, we have been uncovering the close ties between FirstEnergy and major political players. Our previous investigations have shown that FirstEnergy executives say that then-Lt. Gov. Husted worked closely with them to pass H.B. 6 in 2019, after they helped fund his campaign.
    • “There are inconsistencies between what he said and what some of the documents and investigative reporting have shown,” Chaffee said.
    • Husted claimed to have no knowledge of Randazzo’s active relationship with FirstEnergy at that time, saying it hadn’t been disclosed to him. But he later referenced the ‘Randazzo Dossier.’
    • “I recall that one of the other utilities had sent maybe a letter or something to the governor criticizing Sam Randazzo as a potential appointment,” Husted said.
    • In a nearly 200-page document sent by a former colleague who then worked for American Electric Power, the dossier to Husted and DeWine stated, “PUCO applicant Sam Randazzo has opaque, undisclosed financial ties to FirstEnergy that should be fully examined and made public.” The document provided proof of financial, legal and business filings.
    • “If you find a document that provides pretty direct evidence to the contrary of what somebody testified, there is reason to consider the accuracy of the testimony offered by the witness,” Chaffee said.
    • Husted also testified that he couldn’t recall how Randazzo’s name was brought up for the chair, but Randazzo testified in his 2019 Senate confirmation hearing that it was Husted who recruited him, according to a transcript of the meeting.
    • We asked for clarification from the senator’s team, but didn’t hear back.

    Read more about Jon Husted’s role in Ohio’s largest corruption scandal:

    • New evidence revealed nine calls between Jon Husted and Mike Dowling in the months preceding a $4.3 million bribe to former Utilities Commission Chair Sam Randazzo. 
    • New reporting revealed Jon Husted held secret meetings with indicted FirstEnergy executives, including with the “mastermind of Ohio’s largest public corruption scheme two days before scandal-ridden bribery legislation was introduced.”
    • Neil Clark, a FirstEnergy lobbyist and co-defendant with former House Speaker Larry Householder, referred to Husted as FirstEnergy’s “golden boy.”
    • Text messages between Husted and FirstEnergy Executives reveal that the trio were in constant communication “before, during and after his campaign.”
    • A dinner between Jon Husted, Mike DeWine, and the indicted FirstEnergy executives at the Athletic Club of Columbus has become a focal point of the current criminal trial.
    • Public records show that FirstEnergy funneled $1 million in dark money to a dark money group backing Husted in 2017 — part of the same corrupt scheme that led to federal and state indictments.

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    The post WHAT OHIOANS ARE WATCHING: Jon Husted At the Center of Ohio’s Largest Corruption Scandal appeared first on Ohio Democrats.

  • THE GIRLS ARE FIGHTING: Jon Husted’s Out of Touch Comments Spur Bipartisan Backlash

    TiffinOhio.net: Renacci blasts Husted over comments about people in poverty: ‘Should not have been appointed to Senate’

    Jon Husted: “People living in poverty are just not very, they’re not very experienced at navigating the real world”

    COLUMBUS, OHIO — Jon Husted’s latest comments claiming that struggling Ohioans are “not very experienced at navigating the real world” are so insulting that they are now spurring bipartisan backlash. Even Jim Renacci — former Ohio Congressman and the 2018 Republican nominee for U.S. Senate — blasted Husted for his remarks, saying “he should not have been appointed to the Senate” and “needs to never do [another] interview.”

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

    “It takes a lot for Ohioans to agree with Jim Renacci — but Jon Husted has somehow found a way to make it happen. Husted’s comments are so out of touch and arrogant that even Republicans are telling him to stop talking. Ohioans are tired of politicians in Washington voting to make everything more expensive, and they will send Jon Husted packing in November.” 

    Read more: 

    TiffinOhio.net: Renacci blasts Husted over comments about people in poverty: ‘Should not have been appointed to Senate’

    • U.S. Sen. Jon Husted said in a recent interview that people living in poverty are “not very experienced at navigating the real world,” remarks that have drawn criticism from both sides of the aisle — including from a prominent Ohio Republican.
    • Husted made the comments to conservative podcaster Nic Dunn. Speaking about poverty and financial literacy, Husted described a conversation with a woman who, he said, did not know “how money works at a grocery store” because she had spent her entire adult life using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits.
    • The remarks prompted a sharp response from Jim Renacci, the 2018 Republican nominee for U.S. Senate who lost to then-Sen. Sherrod Brown. Writing on Facebook the following day, Renacci said Husted “needs to never do [another] interview.”
    • “I was poor. My parents had very little. We survived. I did well. He is waving a broad brush with stupid comments,” Renacci wrote. “He should not have been appointed to the Senate. He spent his entire life trying to be Governor. He is now in the wrong world and his interviews prove it.”
    • Renacci added: “These interviews can only help Sherrod Brown.”

    This interview is part of a long trend of Senator Husted showing how out of touch he is with hardworking Ohioans and blaming them as they struggle with skyrocketing gas, utility, grocery, and health care costs:

    • Husted has dismissed concerns from struggling Ohioans, claiming that he has helped lower grocery and gas prices and that affordability problems do not exist.
    • Husted revealed he has no solutions to actually lower prices, suggesting that Ohioans should just “earn more” money to make ends meet.
    • Husted insulted Ohioans working harder than ever, complaining that their “work ethic is broken.”
    • Husted defended his friends and donors, complaining about people saying “rich people [are] selfish” while attempting to justify his record of delivering tax breaks to the rich.

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    The post THE GIRLS ARE FIGHTING: Jon Husted’s Out of Touch Comments Spur Bipartisan Backlash appeared first on Ohio Democrats.

  • HUSTED TRIAL TRACKER: Jon Husted Surpasses 300 Mentions in FirstEnergy Criminal Corruption Trial

    Husted has been at the center of the ongoing criminal trial regarding the largest bribery scandal in Ohio history

    Ohio families paying $663 more a year on electric bills thanks to Husted

    COLUMBUS, OHIO — Congratulations to FirstEnergy’s “golden boy” Jon Husted for hitting an impressive milestone yesterday — his 300th mention in the ongoing FirstEnergy criminal corruption trial.

    Husted’s newest accomplishment comes after he was forced to take the stand to answer for his role in the largest public corruption scandal in Ohio history. Husted’s testimony made clear he was at the center of the massive bribery scheme that delivered a billion dollar bailout to utilities and contributed to electricity costs for Ohioans increasing by $663 a year.

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

    “Not every Senator can say they’ve been mentioned 300 times in the trial over the largest bribery scandal in Ohio history — but Jon Husted continues to break new ground. Unfortunately for Ohioans, Husted’s embarrassing milestone is another reminder that he helped set the entire FirstEnergy bribery scheme in motion, and his corruption is costing families hundreds of dollars more each year.” 

    Read more about Jon Husted’s role in Ohio’s largest corruption scandal:

    • New evidence revealed nine calls between Jon Husted and Mike Dowling in the months preceding a $4.3 million bribe to former Utilities Commission Chair Sam Randazzo. 
    • New reporting revealed Jon Husted held secret meetings with indicted FirstEnergy executives, including with the “mastermind of Ohio’s largest public corruption scheme two days before scandal-ridden bribery legislation was introduced.”
    • Neil Clark, a FirstEnergy lobbyist and co-defendant with former House Speaker Larry Householder, referred to Husted as FirstEnergy’s “golden boy.”
    • Text messages between Husted and FirstEnergy Executives reveal that the trio were in constant communication “before, during and after his campaign.”
    • A dinner between Jon Husted, Mike DeWine, and the indicted FirstEnergy executives at the Athletic Club of Columbus has become a focal point of the current criminal trial.
    • Public records show that FirstEnergy funneled $1 million in dark money to a dark money group backing Husted in 2017 — part of the same corrupt scheme that led to federal and state indictments.

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    The post HUSTED TRIAL TRACKER: Jon Husted Surpasses 300 Mentions in FirstEnergy Criminal Corruption Trial appeared first on Ohio Democrats.

  • Ohioans Call Out Jon Husted As He Is Forced to Testify at FirstEnergy Criminal Corruption Trial

    Husted has been mentioned more than 250 times in the ongoing criminal trial regarding the largest bribery scandal in Ohio history

    Ohio families are paying $663 more a year on electric bills thanks to Husted

    AKRON, OHIO — In case you missed it, Ohioans gathered outside the Summit County Common Pleas Courthouse to call out FirstEnergy “golden boy” Jon Husted as he was forced to take the stand to answer for his key role in the largest public corruption scandal in Ohio history. 

    Husted’s testimony made clear he was at the center of the massive bribery scheme that delivered a billion dollar bailout to utilities and contributed to energy rates for Ohioans increasing by $663 a year. 

    Husted has already been mentioned more than 250 times during the corruption trial, with new developments continuing to surface — including phone calls, text messages, and previously unreported secret meetings between Husted and the indicted FirstEnergy executives.

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    The post Ohioans Call Out Jon Husted As He Is Forced to Testify at FirstEnergy Criminal Corruption Trial appeared first on Ohio Democrats.

  • HUSTED TRIAL TRACKER: Jon Husted Forced to Answer for Central Role in Ohio’s Largest Corruption Scandal

    Husted has been mentioned more than 200 times in the ongoing criminal trial regarding the largest bribery scandal in Ohio history

    Husted led the charge for massive utility bailout scheme

    Ohio families paying $663 more a year on electric bills thanks to Husted

    COLUMBUS, OHIO — Today, FirstEnergy “golden boy” Jon Husted was forced to take the stand to answer for his role in the largest public corruption scandal in Ohio history. Husted’s testimony made clear he was at the center of the massive bribery scheme that delivered a billion dollar bailout to utilities and contributed to electricity costs for Ohioans increasing by $663 a year.

    Here are the biggest takeaways from Jon Husted’s testimony on his central role in Ohio’s largest corruption scandal:

    • Husted played a key role in passing the billion dollar FirstEnergy bailout, which has contributed to Ohioans paying $663 a year more in energy costs.
    • New emails between Husted and Sam Randazzo, the disgraced former Public Utilities Commission chair, show the two had an even deeper relationship than previously reported. 
    • Husted tried to downplay his extensive relationship with Chuck Jones and Mike Dowling, the former FirstEnergy executives who helped mastermind the corrupt bailout scheme – despite Chuck Jones calling Husted a “good friend of FirstEnergy” and phone records showing an established line of communication between Husted and the defendants. 

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

    “Jon Husted’s testimony today confirmed what Ohioans already knew: he was at the center of the largest bribery scandal in Ohio history and it’s costing families hundreds of dollars more a year. Husted didn’t just sell Ohioans out to a big utility company — he set the entire bribery scheme in motion, and voters will hold him accountable in November.” 

    Read more about Jon Husted’s role in Ohio’s largest corruption scandal:

    • New evidence revealed nine calls between Jon Husted and Mike Dowling in the months preceding a $4.3 million bribe to former Utilities Commission Chair Sam Randazzo. 
    • New reporting revealed Jon Husted held secret meetings with indicted FirstEnergy executives, including with the “mastermind of Ohio’s largest public corruption scheme two days before scandal-ridden bribery legislation was introduced.”
    • Neil Clark, a FirstEnergy lobbyist and co-defendant with former House Speaker Larry Householder, referred to Husted as FirstEnergy’s “golden boy.”
    • Text messages between Husted and FirstEnergy Executives reveal that the trio were in constant communication “before, during and after his campaign.”
    • A dinner between Jon Husted, Mike DeWine, and the indicted FirstEnergy executives at the Athletic Club of Columbus has become a focal point of the current criminal trial.
    • Public records show that FirstEnergy funneled $1 million in dark money to a dark money group backing Husted in 2017 — part of the same corrupt scheme that led to federal and state indictments.

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    The post HUSTED TRIAL TRACKER: Jon Husted Forced to Answer for Central Role in Ohio’s Largest Corruption Scandal appeared first on Ohio Democrats.