Category: News

  • WHAT OHIOANS ARE READING: Vivek Ramaswamy Silent After Donation from Nazi Reenactor 

    Columbus, Ohio – More than a week has passed since reporting revealed billionaire Vivek Ramaswamy accepted a $500 contribution from a Nazi reenactor, and Ramaswamy is still silent. Despite repeated requests for comment, Ramaswamy has not indicated plans to return the funds.

    READ: Vivek Ramaswamy silent after taking $500 from Nazi reenactor

    • Vivek Ramaswamy’s Ohio gubernatorial campaign accepted a $500 donation from Richard Iott, a former Republican congressional candidate whose 2010 House bid collapsed after photographs emerged showing him wearing a Nazi SS Waffen uniform — and the campaign has still said nothing about it.
    • Campaign finance disclosure records first reported by the Daily Mail show the donation was made on Aug. 15. Ramaswamy’s campaign has not responded to requests for comment, has issued no public statement, and has not indicated any plans to return the money.
    • When contacted by The Atlantic at the time, Iott confirmed his participation in the Wiking reenactment group over several years. He said his interest was historical, not ideological, but added: “I’ve always been fascinated by the fact that here was a relatively small country that from a strictly military point of view accomplished incredible things. I mean, they took over most of Europe and Russia, and it really took the combined effort of the free world to defeat them. From a purely historical military point of view, that’s incredible.”
    • Historians pushed back sharply on that framing. Charles W. Sydnor, Jr., a retired history professor and author of “Soldiers of Destruction: The SS Death’s Head Division, 1933-45,” told The Atlantic the group held “a sanitized, romanticized view of what occurred.” Sydnor noted that SS reenactments are illegal in Germany and Austria. Prof. Rob Citino of the Military History Center at the University of North Texas said: “It sends a shiver up my spine to think that people want to dress up and play SS on the weekend.”

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  • JON HUSTED TRIAL TRACKER: Jon Husted Surpasses 100 Mentions in FirstEnergy Criminal Corruption Trial

    Columbus, Ohio — Jon Husted reached a new milestone yesterday — his 100th mention in the ongoing FirstEnergy criminal corruption trial. As the trial continues, Husted’s ties to the largest corruption scandal in Ohio history continue to deepen. 

    Throughout the trial, new phone calls, text messages, and previously unreported secret meetings have surfaced between Husted and indicted FirstEnergy executives, underscoring Husted’s pivotal role in the scheme that delivered a billion dollar bailout to utilities while sticking Ohio families with higher energy bills.

    Here are the latest revelations on Husted’s role in the center of Ohio’s largest corruption scandal: 

    Heartland Signal: Jon Husted had deeper ties to Ohio’s largest bribery scandal than previously thought

    • New reporting from News 5 Cleveland revealed that U.S. Sen. Jon Husted (R-OH) met with one of the architects of Ohio’s largest bribery scandal two days before bribery legislation was introduced in the state legislature.
    • A public records request shows that Husted had a scheduled phone call with former Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) Chairman Sam Randazzo on April 6, 2019. Two days later, House Bill 6 was introduced in the Ohio legislature.
    • HB 6 provided $1 billion in consumer-funded subsidies to FirstEnergy Corp., an electric utility company headquartered in Akron, Ohio. 
    • In 2021, FirstEnergy admitted to federal prosecutors that it paid more than $60 million in bribes to Ohio officials to pass HB 6, including $4.3 million to Randazzo in January 2019.

    Cleveland Plain Dealer: Husted had 9 calls with FirstEnergy exec accused of bribery, records show

    • U.S. Sen. Jon Husted talked with a FirstEnergy executive nine times around the time prosecutors say the executive and his boss paid a $4.3 million bribe to the man Husted and Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine chose to lead the state’s energy regulatory body, trial testimony showed Friday.
    • Husted’s calls came in late 2018 and early 2019, months after he was elected Ohio’s lieutenant governor on DeWine’s Republican ticket. That was around the time the two landed on appointing Sam Randazzo as the chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio.
    • Husted spoke for a total of 51 minutes with FirstEnergy’s then-top lobbyist, Michael Dowling, in the calls made from Nov. 19, 2018 through Jan. 24, 2019. Randazzo was appointed to the commission in February 2019 and began work in April of that year.
    • The phone records were displayed and read into the record in the trial of Dowling and former FirstEnergy CEO Chuck Jones.

    Columbus Dispatch: DeWine, Husted messages to execs come into focus at FirstEnergy trial

    • Jurors viewed text messages and emails on Feb. 19 showing that high-ranking elected Ohio officials worked behind the scenes to pass the $1.3 billion nuclear bailout — House Bill 6 — and appoint Sam Randazzo as Public Utilities Commission of Ohio chair.
    • In another message, Dowling said DeWine and Husted performed “battlefield triage” to get Randazzo elected as PUCO chair.
    • In the lead-up to July 23, 2019, when lawmakers approved HB 6, Dowling spoke to Husted, who wanted to extend the bailout.

    MeidasTouch News: Husted Pushed Energy Bill at The Center of Largest Public Corruption Scandal in Ohio History

    • While Lt. Governor, Republican U.S. Senator Jon Husted pushed for an energy bill in Ohio that was at the forefront of the biggest public corruption scandal in the state’s history.
    • New reporting has revealed that Husted “helped lead the charge” to pass HB 6, with FirstEnergy executives writing to each other that Husted was “a good friend of FirstEnergy” who was “highly engaged” and “fighting to the end” in support of the measure. 
    • Even before coming to office, Husted had been “lobbying [Ohio Governor Mike] DeWine to support the [FirstEnergy] bailout” and was described by FirstEnergy’s CEO as “a good friend of FirstEnergy.”
    • Then, according to Husted’s own calendar, on October 10th, 2019 Husted had a previously unscheduled call with Ohio Public Utilities Commission Chair Sam Randazzo. 
    • Randazzo is accused of authoring the bailout bill after taking millions in bribes from FirstEnergy. Randazzo had been appointed to his position by DeWine with the backing of Husted.

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

    • New evidence at trial 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 reveals 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.”
    • Just weeks after Husted and DeWine were elected in 2018, they had dinner with Jones and Dowling at the Athletic Club of Columbus.
    • Public records show that FirstEnergy funneled $1 million in dark money to a nonprofit backing Husted in 2017 — part of the same corrupt scheme that led to federal indictments.

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  • JON HUSTED TRIAL TRACKER: New Calls Continue To Place Jon Husted At Center of FirstEnergy Bribery Scandal

    Husted mentioned 58 times Friday, 96 times since trial began

    New calls between Husted and FirstEnergy bribery defendant surface during corruption trial

    Columbus, Ohio — Yet again, Jon Husted has taken the spotlight in the ongoing FirstEnergy criminal corruption trial. New court testimony revealed nine calls between Husted and former FirstEnergy executive and “top lobbyist” Mike Dowling during the peak of the bribery scandal. Husted was mentioned 58 times during the trial Friday, shattering Husted’s record from earlier last week. 

    The calls between Husted and Dowling happened around the time FirstEnergy paid a $4.3 million bribe to former Public Utilities Commission Chair Sam Randazzo, emphasizing how Husted played a central role in the largest bribery scandal in Ohio history. 

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

    “It’s clear that Jon Husted was instrumental in the passage of HB 6 — from secret meetings, text messages, and now phone calls between Husted and FirstEnergy’s top lobbyist. Husted was mentioned 58 times at trial Friday, placing him at the center of Ohio’s largest corruption scandal. Ohioans continue to ask: what else is Jon Husted hiding?”

    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 reveals 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.”
    • Just weeks after Husted and DeWine were elected in 2018, they had dinner with Jones and Dowling at the Athletic Club of Columbus.
    • Public records show that FirstEnergy funneled $1 million in dark money to a nonprofit backing Husted in 2017 — part of the same corrupt scheme that led to federal indictments.

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    The post JON HUSTED TRIAL TRACKER: New Calls Continue To Place Jon Husted At Center of FirstEnergy Bribery Scandal appeared first on Ohio Democrats.

  • Ohio Democratic Party Rural Caucus Releases Rural Ohio Listening Tour Report

    Columbus, Ohio- Today, the Ohio Democratic Party in conjunction with the Ohio Democratic Rural Caucus released the findings from its Building Country Roads, Rural Ohio Listening Tour.

    The tour consisted of nine Saturday morning listening sessions across nine rural Ohio counties and took place over the course of October 2025 through December 2025.

    Some of the concerns the report highlights from rural voters are:

    • Political neglect and misconceptions about rural Ohio
    • Public schools
    • Media decline and misinformation
    • Economic uncertainty

    “A critical part of Ohio Democrats’ path to victory up and down the ballot is in rural Ohio. Our listening tour and the report on its findings is just the beginning of our party’s commitment to strengthening our relationships with voters in rural Ohio. I look forward to continuing to work closely with our Rural Caucus Chair Chris Gibbs and partnering with our great rural county leaders across the state,” said Ohio Democratic Party Chair Kathleen Clyde. 

    “For two months I travelled rural Ohio to listen to voters’ concerns for their communities, their state and the country. This report is a culmination of those conversations and my hope is it’s a useful guide for Democratic candidates and operatives as we look to win in 2026. I’m committed to continuing to lead our rural caucus work with Chair Clyde, who I know shares my commitment to getting this right and believes deeply that we can never give up on rural Ohio and need to show up and engage the electorate like never before.” said Ohio Democratic Party Rural Caucus Chair Chris Gibbs. 

    In the coming weeks the Ohio Democratic Party will present the findings of the report to candidates, county chairs, the ODP Executive Committee and the Democratic National Committee. 

    The full report can be read HERE.

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  • This Week In #OHGov: Vivek Ramaswamy’s Past Haunts Him As His Campaign Continues to Unravel 

    Columbus, Ohio-  It was another bad week for Vivek Ramaswamy. His past continues to haunt him, whether it’s Epstein dollars or refusing to return donations from known Nazi impersonators. Meanwhile, Ohioans are continuing to see through his plans to gut affordable healthcare and raise prices for working families.

    Staying Silent: One week has passed since reporting revealed Vivek Ramaswamy’s campaign took $500 from a Nazi reenactor who said that Nazis “accomplished incredible things.” In that time, Ramaswamy has not refunded the contribution or responded to requests for comment.

    Vivek Faces MORE Criticism for Medicaid “Mistake”: Today, Ohioans gathered in Toledo to call out Vivek Ramaswamy for calling Medicaid and Medicare a “mistake.” While Ohioans struggle with the sky-high cost of living, Ramaswamy thinks lowering the cost of healthcare for millions of families on Medicaid and Medicare was a “mistake.”

    $100K More Problems: Ramaswamy’s past Epstein-related donors continue to haunt his campaign. Earlier this week, reporting revealed his running mate Rob McColley accepted $5000 from Les Wexner, an Epstein co-conspirator. This latest revelation follows reporting that Ramaswamy’s Super PAC closed before returning $100,000 from Glenn Dubin, another billionaire Epstein associate, after promising to do so.

    DeWine Tells It Like it Is: Republican Governor Mike DeWine said the quiet part out loud when he admitted Vivek Ramaswamy is more focused on his 2028 presidential campaign than delivering for Ohio’s working families. Ohioans can’t trust Vivek Ramaswamy to lower the sky-high cost of living or stand up for anyone but himself.

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    The post This Week In #OHGov: Vivek Ramaswamy’s Past Haunts Him As His Campaign Continues to Unravel  appeared first on Ohio Democrats.

  • JON HUSTED TRIAL TRACKER: Even More Ties Revealed Between Husted and FirstEnergy

    Husted and the Husted-DeWine administration mentioned 24 times yesterday

    Text messages between Husted and indicted FirstEnergy executives at center of trial

    Columbus, Ohio — Just days after new reporting revealed that Jon Husted held secret, unreported meetings with indicted FirstEnergy executives, Husted once again took center stage in the ongoing criminal corruption trial. Husted and the Husted-DeWine administration were mentioned 24 times yesterday — breaking the record set just the other week and further strengthening his deep ties to the largest corruption scandal in Ohio history. 

    Text messages between Husted and indicted FirstEnergy executives are now at the center of the trial, underscoring how key his role was in the scheme that delivered a billion dollar bailout to utilities while sticking Ohio families with higher energy bills.

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

    “Just days after reports revealed Jon Husted held secret meetings around HB 6, text messages between Husted and indicted executives surfaced in court — and his name was mentioned 24 times at trial. Ohioans deserve answers about why Husted remains at the center of the largest corruption scandal in Ohio history. What else is Jon Husted hiding?”

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

    • New reporting reveals 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.”
    • Just weeks after Husted and DeWine were elected in 2018, they had dinner with Jones and Dowling at the Athletic Club of Columbus.
    • Public records show that FirstEnergy funneled $1 million in dark money to a nonprofit backing Husted in 2017 — part of the same corrupt scheme that led to federal indictments.

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    The post JON HUSTED TRIAL TRACKER: Even More Ties Revealed Between Husted and FirstEnergy appeared first on Ohio Democrats.

  • WATCH: GOV. DEWINE SAYS VIVEK RAMASWAMY MORE FOCUSED ON 2028 THAN DELIVERING FOR OHIOANS 

    Columbus, Ohio-  At the Politico’s 2026 Governors Summit, when asked if Vivek Ramaswamy wants to be a good governor of Ohio or a national political celebrity, Governor Mike DeWine said “I don’t know. I assume he wants to be both.” 

    WATCH THE CLIP HERE

    Ramaswamy has focused his attention on the national spotlight throughout his campaign, including op-eds in the New York Times and Wall Street Journal, numerous appearances on Fox News talking about foreign policy and elections in Virginia and New Jersey, and telling Ohioans they’re just imagining rising costs. His dedication to flying away from Ohio’s working families was so strong he spent more than 10% of his total campaign budget on private jet travel.

    “Even his own party leadership knows Vivek Ramaswamy is only running for Governor of Ohio to jumpstart his 2028 presidential campaign,” said Ohio Democratic Party spokeswoman Katie Seewer. “Vivek Ramaswamy doesn’t care about Ohio’s working families or tackling our affordability crisis and would make the problem worse. Instead, he’s too busy flying over our state in his private jet to listen to the issues facing Ohio.” 

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    The post WATCH: GOV. DEWINE SAYS VIVEK RAMASWAMY MORE FOCUSED ON 2028 THAN DELIVERING FOR OHIOANS  appeared first on Ohio Democrats.

  • BOMBSHELL FOOTAGE: Epstein Co-Conspirator Confirms Backing Jon Husted Politically

    Epstein Co-Conspirator Les Wexner: “I helped him politically”

    Husted Took $116,892 From Wexner, Including A Max Donation Just a Few Weeks Before Blocking Epstein Files Release

    Columbus, Ohio — Newly released deposition footage shows Jeffrey Epstein’s longtime friend and benefactor confirming that he backed Jon Husted politically throughout Husted’s career.

    Husted has taken $116,892 from Epstein co-conspirator Les Wexner. Husted even took the maximum donation from the Epstein confidant just last July, only weeks before he voted against releasing the Epstein files.

    WATCH HERE: 

    Transcript: 

    Les Wexner, Epstein Co-Conspirator: I’m sure I helped him. I helped him politically.

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

    “Jon Husted owes us answers. He’s taken more than $116K from an Epstein co-conspirator and then voted to block the Epstein files. Now Les Wexner has confirmed that he is one of Husted’s biggest supporters. Ohioans deserve a Senator who will fight for transparency and justice — not one who protects pedophiles and his billionaire donors.” 

    Husted is the only Senator up for re-election to take Wexner’s money, and Husted has taken 10 times as much money from the Epstein co-conspirator than any other sitting Senator. Les Wexner’s name appears more than 4,000 times in the released Epstein files and the billionaire was named by the FBI as one of Epstein’s co-conspirators.
     

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  • NEW: Ramaswamy’s Running Mate Received $5K Contribution from Billionaire Epstein Co-Conspirator  

    Ramaswamy super PAC previously received $100K from separate billionaire Epstein associate 

    Columbus, Ohio-  As Ohio Republicans continue to face questions about taking campaign cash from associates of Jeffrey Epstein, new reporting reveals Vivek Ramaswamy’s running mate Rob McColley received $5,000 from longtime Epstein patron Les Wexner. McColley has refused to return the money.

    McColley’s refusal to return funds from Les Wexner, who is named more than 1,000 times in the Epstein files, follows previous reporting that Vivek Ramaswamy’s presidential Super PAC never returned a $100,000 contribution from an Epstein associate despite pledging to do so.

    “Vivek Ramaswamy and Rob McColley holding onto tainted cash from Epstein associates is yet another reminder that they can’t be trusted to do what’s right for Ohio,” said Ohio Democratic Party spokeswoman Katie Seewer. “Instead of focusing on lowering costs or protecting health care for Ohio families, Ramaswamy and McColley are flying high in their private jet and giving cover to friends of pedophiles. It’s disgusting.”

    READ:

    Ohio Statehouse News Bureau: 

    • Senate President Rob McColley (R-Napoleon), who is governor candidate Vivek Ramaswamy’s running mate, got $5,000 from Wexner in 2024, according to Ohio Secretary of State finance records. When asked Wednesday, McColley said members of his caucus “can make their own decision.”

    Cleveland.com:

    • Ramaswamy also attracted some negative headlines during his presidential campaign after a billionaire associate of Epstein, New York City-based hedge fund manager Glenn Dubin, gave $100,000 to the American Exceptionalism PAC, a pro-Ramaswamy political action committee. 
    • American Exceptionalism PAC dissolved late last year without donating or refunding the $100,000 from Dubin.

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  • WHAT OHIOANS ARE WATCHING: Jon Husted Under Fire For Taking More Than $116k From Epstein Co-Conspirator

    Husted Called Out for Being a “Pedophile Protector,” Refuses to Answer Questions

    Columbus, Ohio — Ohioans across the state are calling out Senator Jon Husted for taking more than $116,000 directly from Epstein co-conspirator Les Wexner, including a maximum donation just a few weeks before he voted to block the release of 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.

    See for yourself: 

    Mike McCarthy, ABC 6: Protesters held a demonstration outside Senator Jon Husted’s office in downtown Columbus. He is one of the many lawmakers who took donations for their campaign from Les Wexner. Husted received $3,500 last year and more than $15,000 in 2023. 

    Sue Hanson: And what that tells me is [Husted is] untrustworthy. He is, you know, he is looking out for his own self-interest. He’s up for reelection this year. And so I do not trust his motives. And he’s not identified where [the money is] going […].

    Norwalk Reflector: Husted sidesteps Epstein question

    • U.S. Sen. Jon Husted declined to answer a question Tuesday about campaign donations from billionaire Leslie Wexner and his vote on the release of Epstein-related files while at a campaign stop in Norwalk.
    • A Reflector reporter asked Husted a question about campaign contributions Husted received from Wexner, an Ohio businessman recently named in files related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, and on Husted’s initial vote against releasing files related to the Epstein investigation. 
    • After receiving the question, Husted turned his head and did not respond. 
    • Several people present shouted at Husted, including one who asserted he was a “pedophile protector.”

    Angela An, 10TV Columbus: Today the protesters say that statement from [Husted’s]  office is not enough and they say they want to know more about how much money he’s received from Wexner and where he plans to donate. 

    Sue Hanson: We’re focusing on Jon Husted and what he needs to do as a national leader, and you know, a person who is very visible and needs to step up. 

    Angela An: A [Husted] spokesperson says that they are looking into those questions.

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