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DISHONOR
Two counties censure 22 House Republicans over speaker vote
County Republicans: The twenty-two Republican votes for Stephens dishonors the vote of the Ohio House Republican Caucus, dishonors the historic brand of the Republican Party
by Mike Fry
The Shelby County Republican Party Central Committee (SCRPCC) and the Monroe County Ohio Republican Party Central and Executive Committees both passed resolutions to censure 22 House Republicans on Monday. Both resolutions state that the Ohio House Republican Caucus elected Rep. Derek Merrin (R-Monclova) as its nominee for speaker of the House on Nov. 16, 2022.
The Ohio Press Network (OPN) uncovered the Republican cabal and their effort to collude with Democrats to get Stephens elected.
Merrin was unanimously chosen during the November 16 meeting, but in the “11th hour” before the official speaker vote on January 3, 22 House Republicans defected, joining all 32 House Democrats in voting for GOP Moderate Jason Stephens (R-Kitt Hill) to become speaker. The deal was negotiated between Stephens and House Minority Leader Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington).
Russo told reporters, “There was clearly division on the other side, and they needed our votes. We took the opportunity to make sure that we were going to be working with a speaker who we felt like, at the end of the day, would work with us on the issues we could agree on.”
While claiming “that there was no grand deal struck between the two,” Russo believes that Stephens will work with them in an “honest effort to get to bipartisan maps” in reference to redistricting, among other Democratic Party items, including supporting workers and infrastructure, and implementation of the new school funding formula.
Rep. Brett Hillyer (R-Ulrichsville), one of the 22 Republican defectors, claimed, “We need a speaker who is willing to listen to everyone.”
But Rep. Brian Stewart (R-Ashville) disagrees: “We have a 67-seat Republican majority in which the Democrats have now picked the speaker. It’s absurd.”
Many moderate Republicans in Washington have long claimed that one of the main reasons they govern differently than the campaign promises they make to their conservative constituents, is due to lacking the votes necessary to pass conservative legislation supported by the Republican base. Additionally, in order to win independent voters in subsequent elections, the GOP must be seen as bipartisan on sensitive issues related to culture, education and welfare.
Conservative critics of these explanations routinely point out that the DNC rarely holds the Democratic Party or independent voters to the same premise. And with a supermajority at the state level in the Ohio House, it’s fair to wonder if these moderate Republican talking points hold any weight in the Buckeye State after sweeping victories in the November elections.
While speaking at Monday’s Republican luncheon at the Dan Lew Exchange in Mansfield, Rep. Marilyn John (R-Shelby) delivered scathing remarks about the speaker vote: “What happened is an assault on the Ohio House of Representatives. Twenty-two felt that they knew better than 45 of us.”
She went on to say, “My trust in Columbus is very low. A deal was made. Democrats elected the speaker of the House. We feel the majority should elect their own speaker. The Ohio House is weaker than we have been before.”
A press release from the Shelby County Republican Party stated, “With the largest Republican representation in the Ohio House in decades, the 135th General Assembly was positioned to pursue a conservative agenda in Ohio’s legislature in order to make dramatic improvements in legislation for Ohio’s citizens. The action by the 22 representatives to align with all Democrat representatives to elect Speaker Stephens appears to undermine the work of many conservatives to move the state forward on topics that are critical for Ohio’s future — budgeting, 1st & 2nd Amendments issues, redistricting matters, pro-life measures, etc.”
Both censure resolutions declared, “The twenty-two (22) Republican votes for Stephens dishonors the vote of the Ohio House Republican Caucus, dishonors the historic brand of the Republican Party, and misrepresents the voice and betrays the trust of Ohio Republican voters who collectively voted for these twenty-two (22) members in order to defeat the dangerous and perverse Democratic Party Caucus agenda, not empower it.”
According to the Shelby County resolution, the censure “resolves to prohibit any and all future SCRPCC endorsements and financial or in-kind assistance to these individuals as elected officials or candidates for any office.”
The Monroe County resolution urges the 22 Republican representatives to revisit the speaker vote and elect the caucus’ nominee. It also issued a “vote of no confidence” in those 22 individuals.
An Ohio lawmaker told OPN in a phone interview Tuesday that other county parties will follow suit, noting many county party committees have not yet had the time to convene but when they do Ohioans can expect more reprimands from Republicans around the state.
Those 22 Republican representatives include: Jason Stephens (Kitt Hills), Cindy Abrams (Harrison), Monica R. Blasdel (Columbiana County), Sarah P. Carruthers (Hamilton), Jon Cross (Kenton), Al Cutrona (Canfield), Jay Edwards (Nelsonville), Haraz N. Ghanbari (Perrysburg), Brett Hudson Hillyer (Uhrichsville), Don Jones (Freeport), Jeff LaRe (Violet Township), Mike Loychick (Bazetta), Kevin D. Miller (Newark), Scott Oelslager (North Canton), Tom Patton (Strongsville), Gail K. Pavliga (Portage County), Bob Peterson (Washington Court House), Tracy Richardson (Marysville), Bill Seitz (Cincinnati), D. J. Swearingen (Huron), Bob Young (Green) and Jean Schmidt (Loveland).
“They have betrayed every conservative voter, activist and organization that has worked to establish and defend conservative principles — betrayed them for 30 pieces of silver," a Capitol Square insider told OPN earlier this week.
READ THE ENTIRE OHIO PRESS NETWORK STORY HERE
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