Category: News

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

Columbus, Ohio — Today, Ohioans called out Senator Jon Husted outside his Columbus office 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. 

The rally in Columbus follows mounting criticism from across the state. In Norwalk yesterday, Ohioans called out Husted for being a “pedophile protector.” Husted declined to answer questions about voting to block the release of the Epstein files after taking the maximum donation from an Epstein co-conspirator — instead turning his head and refusing to respond.

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.

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NEWS 5 CLEVELAND: Sen. Husted met with man accused of bribery 2 days before H.B. 6 was introduced, according to schedule

Columbus, Ohio — New reporting from News 5 Cleveland reveals that Senator Jon Husted’s ties to the FirstEnergy bribery scandal, the largest corruption scheme in Ohio history, are much deeper than previously known.

The new reporting underscores Husted’s key role in the $61 million dollar bribery scandal — revealing previously unreported secret meetings between Husted and the “mastermind” of the scandal just days before “scandal-ridden bribery legislation” was introduced.

On the first day of proceedings in the criminal trial of former FirstEnergy executives Chuck Jones and Mike Dowling, Husted was mentioned twenty one times, with his first mention coming less than twenty minutes after opening statements began.

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

“Ohio families are learning that Jon Husted’s ties to the FirstEnergy bribery scandal run even deeper than previously known. With new reporting exposing secret meetings linking Husted to the largest corruption scandal in Ohio history, there is one question on the minds of Ohioans: what else is Jon Husted hiding?”

News 5 Cleveland: Sen. Husted met with man accused of bribery 2 days before H.B. 6 was introduced, according to schedule

• U.S. Senator Jon Husted met with the alleged mastermind of Ohio’s largest public corruption scheme two days before scandal-ridden bribery legislation was introduced, according to his official calendar.

• As former FirstEnergy CEO Chuck Jones and VP Mike Dowling are on trial for bribery, their close ties to major political players continue to be revealed.

• “He had access to Jon Husted, the lieutenant governor of the state of Ohio,” Steven Grimes, the attorney for Dowling, said during the opening statements.

• A brand new records request shows Husted’s calendar from 2019. Two days before H.B. 6 was introduced, Husted had a scheduled meeting with Randazzo, the bill drafter. Combined with our records received in 2024, the calendar lines up dates and times, giving more legitimacy to texts between FirstEnergy officials that Husted was talking to them as frequently as they said.

• Call logs showed dozens of conversations between Husted, Randazzo and leaders within FirstEnergy.

• Throughout the hearing process, Husted had reported a dozen meetings related to energy policy, H.B. 6, more than any specific bill on his calendar. 

• We reached out to Husted’s team on Monday morning and asked them half a dozen questions, including why he was so involved in this legislation. By Tuesday evening, his team still hadn’t responded to comment.

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

• Jon Husted is listed as a potential defense witness in the criminal trial of Chuck Jones and Mike Dowling, underscoring his role in the scheme that delivered a billion dollar bailout to corporations while sticking Ohio families with higher energy bills.

• 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.”

• Indicted FirstEnergy CEO Chuck Jones said Husted was a “good friend of FirstEnergy” who was “highly engaged” and “fighting to the end” in support of the massive bail out.

• 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 BOMBSHELL REPORTING: Jon Husted’s Ties to $61 Million Dollar Bribery Scandal Much Deeper Than Previously Known appeared first on Ohio Democrats.

Columbus, Ohio – As questions continue to rise around Ohio Republicans’ associations with Jeffrey Epstein and people close to Epstein, Vivek Ramaswamy needs to explain why his allied Super PAC never returned a $100k donation from known Epstein associate Glenn Dubin after pledging to return the contribution.

Glenn Dubin, a billionaire hedge fund manager and close associate of Jeffrey Epstein, donated $100,000 to Ramaswamy’s American Exceptionalism PAC. After Dubin’s associations with Epstein came to light, American Exceptionalism pledged to refund the contribution but folded without doing so.

During Ramaswamy’s presidential campaign, he claimed to be the “first and most vocal proponent of releasing the Epstein list” and said he would release the client list “without exception.” But in his run for governor he has gone silent,” running from reporters, and trying to change the subject while flying around the country in his private jet.

“Instead of focusing on the sky-high cost of living, Vivek Ramaswamy is jetting around Ohio calling workers lazy, saying Medicare and Medicaid a mistake, and giving cover to Epstein associates, said Ohio Democratic Party spokeswoman Katie Seewer. “Ohioans can’t trust Vivek Ramaswamy.”

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The post REMINDER: Vivek Ramaswamy Super PAC Never Returned $100K from Epstein Associate appeared first on Ohio Democrats.

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

Columbus, Ohio — After taking more than $116,000 directly from Epstein co-conspirator Les Wexner — including the maximum donation just a few weeks before he voted to block the release of the Epstein files — Jon Husted is now attempting to erase his record of protecting pedophiles and his billionaire donor.

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

“Jon Husted is desperately trying to bury the fact that he took more than $116,000 directly from an Epstein co-conspirator and then voted to block the release of the Epstein files. But Ohioans know exactly what’s going on — Husted was bought off and is protecting pedophiles and his billionaire donor — and they will hold him accountable in November.”

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.

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The post Jon Husted Scrambles Following Report He Took $116K Directly From Epstein Co-Conspirator appeared first on Ohio Democrats.

Columbus, Ohio – New reporting has revealed that Vivek Ramaswamy’s campaign accepted a $500 contribution from notorious Nazi reenactor and former Ohio Congressional candidate Richard Iott. Ramaswamy’s campaign has not refunded the contribution.

READ: Vivek Ramaswamy pocketed cash from notorious Nazi reenactor as his Ohio campaign hits the skids

• Vivek Ramaswamy, a 2024 presidential candidate now running for Ohio governor, is the latest Republican politician who has accepted a campaign donation from a former GOP congressional hopeful who liked to cosplay as a Nazi.

• The Daily Mail has learned that the Ramaswamy campaign accepted a $500 donation on August 15 from Richard Iott using public campaign disclosure data.

• Several attempts to contact Ramaswamy’s campaign on Friday went unreturned. 

• Iott was among the Tea Party-aligned hopefuls to try to enter Congress in the 2010 election, but his campaign was upended when the Atlantic published photographs of him in a 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking uniform. 

• That division was part of Nazi leader Adolf Hitler’s military in World War II, mostly fighting along the Eastern Front, and assisted in the genocide of Hungarian Jews. At the time, Iott didn’t deny participation in the reenactment group.

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The post ICYMI: Vivek Ramaswamy Accepted Donation from Known Nazi Reenactor  appeared first on Ohio Democrats.

Columbus, Ohio – Vivek Ramaswamy’s campaign got off to a not so flying start this week as new reporting shined a spotlight on his private jet, his own party noted how much his property tax scheme will raise prices for Ohioans, and he continued to face criticism from Ohioans for calling Medicare and Medicaid a mistake.

(More) Plane Problems: Vivek Ramaswamy’s affinity for private aviation continues to give him trouble on the campaign trail. This week, new reporting for Heartland Signal highlighted Ramaswamy’s extensive campaign spending. Almost 11% of his total campaign spending was on travel by private jet.

Tax Trouble: Even Ramaswamy’s own party is warning his property tax scheme could cause already rising costs to skyrocket for working families. Reporting from the Dayton Daily News highlighted how Vivek Ramaswamy’s tax on working families could cost hardworking Ohioans by as much as 15% more in income tax and raise prices by 18% on all goods.

The Mistake that Won’t Go Away: Ramaswamy is still haunted by his comments calling Medicaid and Medicare a mistake. Dr Amy Acton and David Pepper joined Ohio healthcare workers earlier this week to make it clear that Ohioans can’t trust Vivek Ramaswamy to lower the cost of healthcare. 

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The post  This Week in #OHGov: More Plane More Problems appeared first on Ohio Democrats.

Columbus, Ohio – New reporting from Heartland Signal continues to shine a spotlight on Vivek Ramaswamy’s nonstop private jet usage as he calls Ohioans lazy and says rising prices are in our imagination.

READ: Records show Ohio governor candidate Vivek Ramaswamy dropped $780K on private jet flights last year

• Campaign expenditure filings for Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy show that the Republican spent more than $780,000 on private jet travel in 2025.

• A Heartland Signal analysis of Ramaswamy’s expenditures filed through the Secretary of State’s Office show that the candidate spent $469,885.45 on aircraft leasing and $312,264.21 in costs associated with flying his own jet.

• Ramaswamy’s campaign spent a total of $7,126,693.93 in 2025, making 10.97% of his total spending went to private jet travel. 

• The former biotech pharmaceutical executive spent $10,721.97 more on private jet travel while campaigning in Ohio — the 34th largest state in the U.S. in square miles — than U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) spent on all air travel (public and private) during his Fighting Oligarchy Tour last year, during which he visited 29 cities across the country.

• Before launching his campaign, Ramaswamy made a post on X in December 2024 arguing that the reason top tech companies often hire foreign-born and first-generation engineers is because “our culture has venerated mediocrity over excellence.

• The former Republican presidential candidate also said one of the best ways to combat child hunger is to teach children to read faster.Ramaswamy also suggested that increasing take home pay is the number one way Ohioans can combat rising costs, and that he plans to accomplish this by slashing property and income taxes.

• Republicans have controlled Ohio’s governorship and state legislature since 2011, and the state has steadily fallen in education rankings, while economic policies have generally favored the wealthiest individuals during that time.

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NEW REPORTING: Husted Voted Against Epstein Files Release After Taking $116,892 From Jeffrey Epstein Co-Conspirator Les Wexner

Columbus, Ohio — New reporting reveals Senator Jon Husted has taken $116,892 from Les Wexner, the longtime friend and benefactor of pedophile and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Further, Husted even took the maximum donation from the Epstein confidant just last July, only weeks before he voted against releasing the Epstein files.

The new reporting comes after Husted voted last year against a bipartisan effort to release the files related to Jeffrey Epstein. 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.

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

“Jon Husted has been bankrolled by Jeffrey Epstein’s largest supporter and has even taken his money just last year as he voted  to block the release of the Epstein files. Ohioans deserve truth and someone who’s actually working for them — not a Senator who protects pedophiles and sides with the rich and powerful. The question is simple: what else is Jon Husted hiding?”

Read more:

Punchbowl News:

• Donation watch. Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) has a lengthy history of accepting donations from the former CEO of Victoria Secret parent-company, L Brands, Leslie Wexner. Wexner is also a former Jeffrey Epstein associate whose name appears repeatedly in FBI files on the disgraced financier. Wexner’s most recent $3,500 donation to Husted came in July 2025.

• Husted’s campaign committees have directly received a total of $79,900 from Wexner dating back to 2001. Wexner also donated $10,000 to Husted and Ohio GOP Gov. Mike DeWine’s transition fund, in addition to $27,000 to DeWine’s campaign after Husted was named his lieutenant governor.

• An FBI document from 2019, recently released as part of the Epstein files, listed Wexner as a co-conspirator for Epstein. Wexner’s legal team has insisted Wexner was “neither a co-conspirator nor target in any respect” to the Epstein probe. Wexner hired Epstein to manage his personal finances in the 1980s. Wexner cut ties with Epstein following Epstein’s 2007 Florida indictment.

• Wexner is a prominent GOP megadonor who’s given to scores of Ohio pols over the years. Husted’s team didn’t respond to a request for comment and hasn’t previously commented on the Wexner donations.

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Columbus, Ohio – New reporting from the Dayton Daily News highlighted how Vivek Ramaswamy’s tax on working families could cost hardworking Ohioans by as much as 15% more in income tax and raise prices by 18% on all goods.

On day one of his campaign, billionaire Vivek Ramaswamy vowed to eliminate income and property taxes, which even Mike DeWine said would be “absolutely devastating” for Ohio families. Ramaswamy’s high-cost campaign strategy also includes saying Ohioans struggling to make ends meet should just earn more and that rising costs are only in Ohioans’ imaginations.

If Ohio replaced property taxes with income taxes, rural Ohioans will be among the hardest hit. Harrison County residents could see their income tax increase as much as 27.01%, while Monroe County residents could see an increase of 26.75% along with an increase of 21.17% for residents of Noble County.

“The cost of living is higher than ever, and Vivek Ramaswamy’s tax scheme would fall entirely on Ohio’s working families,” said Ohio Democratic Party spokeswoman Katie Seewer. “Under Ramaswamy, Ohioans would struggle even more to make ends meet while he cruises above them in his private jet and calls them lazy.”

READ: Nixing Ohio property tax could lead to 15% income tax, 18% sales tax

• Kimberly Murnieks, director of the Ohio Office of Budget and Management, said that filling the $24 billion property tax void with income or sales taxes would be “fiscally impractical and economically harmful.” 
• She wrote income tax rates “would need to quadruple or more reaching 11% to 15%” and the state sales tax would have to increase from 5.75% to 15% to 18% which “is significantly higher than any other state.”
• To put things in perspective, the 5.75% rate adds $1,725 to the price of a $30,000 car and $5,400 if the sales tax rate jumped to 18%. For a $1,300 refrigerator, the sales tax would jump from $75 to $234.

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Columbus, Ohio – As working families in Ohio are struggling to make ends meet as costs rise, Vivek Ramaswamy called Medicaid and Medicare a “mistake” and said Ohioans have only “perceived” rising costs. Earlier this week, Dr. Amy Acton joined David Pepper and Ohio healthcare providers to discuss the rising cost of healthcare.

Statehouse News Bureau: Candidates for Ohio governor talk about the cure for Ohio’s health care affordability 

• “Four out of ten births are on Medicaid. Three out of eight children receive their health insurance through Medicaid,” Acton said. Acton said 11 Ohio hospitals are in danger of closing, which she blames on Republicans in Congress and lack of affordable healthcare has hurt rural providers.

• “I keep hearing stories from Ohioans that they have to travel in many parts of the state now an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes to deliver a baby or to have their kid’s cavity filled. I’m actually hearing stories that babies are being born roadside again,” Acton said.

Columbus Dispatch: Amy Acton, Vivek Ramaswamy spar over Medicaid, health care costs

• Ohioans are hurting from the cost of health care. Dr. Amy Acton, a Democrat running to replace Gov. Mike DeWine, says she’ll work on a cure.

• Pepper said Ramaswamy’s comment shows a disconnect with Ohio voters who rely on these programs. “It’s quite clear that he’s someone who has no purpose for Medicaid and Medicare, and if you take that seriously, that (not) only doesn’t help the crisis, it makes it far, far worse,” he said.

Toledo Blade: Rising cost of health care top issue in Ohio, Acton says 

• Ohioans across the state are worried about the increased costs of housing, child care, energy prices, and property taxes — but one issue trumps all of those, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton said Tuesday.

• “The number one thing I’m hearing about … it’s the rising cost of health care that is really putting people over the edge in this state,” Acton said during a news conference outside the OhioHealth Grant Medical Center in downtown Columbus. She was joined by running mate David Pepper, former nurse Jan Lanier, and other supporters.

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