{"id":2241067,"date":"2024-05-09T15:44:02","date_gmt":"2024-05-09T19:44:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gop-speaker-blocks-bill-keeping-foreign-money-out-of-ohio-ballot-measure-campaigns\/"},"modified":"2024-05-09T15:50:14","modified_gmt":"2024-05-09T19:50:14","slug":"gop-speaker-blocks-bill-keeping-foreign-money-out-of-ohio-ballot-measure-campaigns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gop-speaker-blocks-bill-keeping-foreign-money-out-of-ohio-ballot-measure-campaigns\/","title":{"rendered":"GOP Speaker halts foreign funding ban for Ohio ballot campaigns"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fgop-speaker-blocks-bill-keeping-foreign-money-out-of-ohio-ballot-measure-campaigns%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2241067&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The \u2064article discusses how Ohio&#8217;s\u200c GOP Speaker blocked legislation \u200caimed \u2064at\u200d restricting foreign funding in ballot \u200dcampaigns, impacting Biden&#8217;s 2024 ballot access. The \u200cSenate&#8217;s addition of provisions to\u2062 prevent foreign donations in campaign \u200dfunding sparked controversy, leading to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/sen-joe-manchin-threatens-to-derail-bidens-1-9-trillion-aid-bill-unless-it-receives-bipartisan-support\/\" title=\"Sen. Joe Manchin Threatens To Derail Biden\u2019s .9 Trillion Aid Bill Unless It Receives \u2018Bipartisan\u2019 Support\">party-line vote<\/a>. The Speaker&#8217;s actions\u200b raised questions about foreign money \u200dinfluence in Ohio&#8217;s elections. The\u200c article highlights the GOP Speaker of Ohio blocking a bill targeting\u200c foreign funding in ballot campaigns, affecting Biden&#8217;s 2024 \u200cballot eligibility. Senate&#8217;s inclusion of anti-foreign donation provisions stirred debate, culminating in a partisan \u2063vote. The\u200b Speaker&#8217;s actions have spurred concerns regarding the influence of foreign money in Ohio&#8217;s electoral processes.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"article-content\">\n<p>In a gift to Democrats, Ohio\u2019s Republican House speaker blocked legislation that seeks to prohibit the use of foreign money in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/proposed-legislation-would-ban-foreign-intervention-in-local-ballot-initiatives\/\" title=\"Proposed Legislation Would Ban Foreign Intervention In Local Ballot Initiatives\">ballot measure campaigns<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>On Wednesday, the Republican-controlled Ohio Senate advanced an amended version of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.legislature.ohio.gov\/legislation\/135\/hb114\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">HB 114<\/a> to ensure Biden will be able to appear on the Buckeye State\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/new-arizona-school-choice-law-takes-effect-after-bid-to-repeal-falls-short\/\" title=\"New Arizona School Choice Law Takes Effect After Bid to Repeal Falls Short\">2024 general election ballot<\/a>. As The Federalist previously reported, the office of Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/04\/10\/could-democrat-hubris-and-incompetence-cost-biden-ballot-access-in-these-states\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sent<\/a> a letter last month notifying state Democrat Party Chair Liz Walters that the Democratic National Convention\u2019s current date is more than a week after the date by which presidential candidates must be certified in Ohio. <\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-2-long d-flex justify-content-center\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; \" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-890408540\">\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-1379703300879-0\" class=\"mb-30\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-60c7ce7b1ef6e014dd84275d71d286b2 fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-2\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-60c7ce7b1ef6e014dd84275d71d286b2\"><\/div>\n<p>Legal counsel Paul Disantis warned that the DNC \u201cmust either move up its nominating convention or the Ohio General Assembly must act by May 9, 2024 (90 days prior to a new law\u2019s effective date) to create an exception to this statutory requirement.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>With the expectation already established that Ohio would act to enable Biden to qualify, Senate Republicans attempted to score a boon of their own as they passed a bill to help rectify Democrats\u2019 scheduling mistake. When the Senate passed HB 114, they added provisions prohibiting foreign nationals from expending funds, including \u201cindependent expenditures,\u201d for Ohio ballot measure campaigns. Foreign donors such as Swiss national <a href=\"https:\/\/www.realclearinvestigations.com\/articles\/2023\/08\/22\/the_progressive_benefactor_who_makes_us_barriers_to_foreign_cash_look_like_swiss_cheese_973986.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Hansj<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.influencewatch.org\/person\/hansjorg-wyss\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u00f6<\/a>rg Wyss, who funnels millions to Democrat dark money groups, would be barred under the measure from making expenditures \u201cadvocating support of or opposition to an identified ballot issue or question or to achieve the successful circulation of an initiative or referendum petition in order to place such an issue or question on the ballot.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The provisions were adopted from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.legislature.ohio.gov\/legislation\/135\/sb215\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">SB 215<\/a>, which was passed by the Senate in February but never taken up by the House. <\/p>\n<p>While <a href=\"https:\/\/www.news5cleveland.com\/news\/politics\/ohio-politics\/biden-ballot-debacle-continues-in-ohio-statehouse-as-deadline-passes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reportedly<\/a> satisfied with HB 114\u2019s extension of the presidential nominating deadline, Senate Democrats were adamantly opposed to provisions outlawing foreign nationals from interfering in Ohio ballot measure campaigns. The measure ultimately passed in a party-line vote (24-7), with Republicans supporting and Democrats opposing. <\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-ace72af3fa97d7433f1d18f5ed9ad3ee fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-6\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-ace72af3fa97d7433f1d18f5ed9ad3ee\"><\/div>\n<p>Despite passing HB 114 by the aforementioned May 9 deadline, Senate Republicans\u2019 efforts were stalled once the measure reached the House. GOP Speaker Jason Stephens declined to allow debate on the bill before Wednesday\u2019s session ended. <\/p>\n<p>Speaking with reporters, he <a href=\"https:\/\/www.news5cleveland.com\/news\/politics\/ohio-politics\/biden-ballot-debacle-continues-in-ohio-statehouse-as-deadline-passes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">said<\/a>: \u201cWe had those conversations and ended up not doing it today.\u201d According to The Columbus Dispatch, Stephens <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dispatch.com\/story\/news\/politics\/elections\/2024\/05\/08\/ohio-lawmakers-vote-to-put-joe-biden-on-fall-ballot-after-dnc-snafu\/73601333007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">indicated<\/a> that \u201cthe support [for HB 114] wasn\u2019t there.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A House committee passed a separate bill (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.legislature.ohio.gov\/legislation\/135\/sb92\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">SB 92<\/a>) that included an extension of the state\u2019s presidential nominating deadline on Tuesday. This legislation did not include the provisions added to the Senate measure prohibiting foreign nationals from injecting money into ballot measure campaigns. <\/p>\n<p>The full House \u201cinformally passed\u201d SB 92 on Wednesday, meaning \u201cit stays on the calendar but doesn\u2019t actually pass and isn\u2019t put up for a vote,\u201d according to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.news5cleveland.com\/news\/politics\/ohio-politics\/biden-ballot-debacle-continues-in-ohio-statehouse-as-deadline-passes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">local outlet<\/a>. The bill could be considered at a later date. <\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-00c1fa26180f0d23ebf2bcd17860883b fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-10\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-00c1fa26180f0d23ebf2bcd17860883b\"><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cozy With Democrats<\/h2>\n<p>It\u2019s worth mentioning that Stephens was elected speaker with the help of House Democrats. Months before the lower chamber voted on the position in January 2023, the House GOP conference had chosen Rep. Derek Merrin as speaker. <\/p>\n<p>According to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.news5cleveland.com\/news\/politics\/ohio-politics\/biden-ballot-debacle-continues-in-ohio-statehouse-as-deadline-passes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">local ABC affiliate<\/a>, \u201cTwenty-two Republicans (known \u2018affectionately\u2019 by the other faction as the \u2018Blue 22\u2019) and 32 Democrats voted for Stephens for speaker during the actual vote, while the majority of Republicans voted for Merrin.\u201d The outlet noted how Stephens is \u201csignificantly more moderate than Merrin.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Stephens\u2019 refusal to allow debate on HB 114 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.news5cleveland.com\/news\/politics\/ohio-politics\/biden-ballot-debacle-continues-in-ohio-statehouse-as-deadline-passes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">prompted<\/a> several GOP lawmakers to push for a motion to vacate, although the move didn\u2019t materialize. <\/p>\n<p>Stephens did not respond to The Federalist\u2019s request for comment on why he did not permit HB 114 to be considered by the House or whether he believes foreign money should be allowed to be used in Ohio ballot measure campaigns.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Senate President Matt Huffman, a Republican, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dispatch.com\/story\/news\/politics\/elections\/2024\/05\/08\/ohio-lawmakers-vote-to-put-joe-biden-on-fall-ballot-after-dnc-snafu\/73601333007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">emphasized<\/a> how the Senate-passed version of HB 114 is a great \u201ccompromise\u201d for both sides and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.news5cleveland.com\/news\/politics\/ohio-politics\/biden-ballot-debacle-continues-in-ohio-statehouse-as-deadline-passes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">noted<\/a> that \u201cRepublicans in both the House and the Senate aren\u2019t going to vote for a standalone Biden bill.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Huffman has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.news5cleveland.com\/news\/politics\/ohio-politics\/biden-ballot-debacle-continues-in-ohio-statehouse-as-deadline-passes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sparred<\/a> with Stephens over hot-button issues in the past, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/newlyweds-arrested-after-trying-to-board-cargo-ship-in-attempt-to-join-isis\/\" title=\"Newlyweds Arrested After Trying To Board Cargo Ship In Attempt To Join ISIS\">previously expressed interest<\/a> in ousting Stephens as speaker. <\/p>\n<p>Huffman did not respond to The Federalist\u2019s request for comment. <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Foreign Money in Ohio Ballot Measure Campaigns<\/h2>\n<p>Foreign interference in U.S. elections, particularly in advancing leftist-backed ballot measures, is not a new phenomenon. <\/p>\n<p>One of the most prominent foreign figures to exert his influence in America\u2019s electoral system is Swiss national <a href=\"https:\/\/www.influencewatch.org\/person\/hansjorg-wyss\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Hansj\u00f6rg Wyss<\/a>. As my colleague Brianna Lyman previously <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/04\/18\/dark-money-group-backed-by-foreign-billionaire-has-dumped-100-million-into-state-ballot-initiatives\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reported<\/a>, Wyss, \u201cthrough his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.influencewatch.org\/non-profit\/berger-action-fund\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Berger Action Fund<\/a>, has donated $243 million to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.influencewatch.org\/non-profit\/sixteen-thirty-fund\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sixteen Thirty Fund<\/a>.\u201d According to a recent Americans for Public Trust (APT) <a href=\"https:\/\/americansforpublictrust.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/APT_1630_Ballot_Spending_Report_FINAL.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">report<\/a>, the Sixteen Thirty Fund \u201cuses its war chest \u2026 to support massive get-out-the-vote drives, issue advocacy campaigns bolstering President Biden\u2019s agenda, liberal pet projects from abortion to immigration, and attack ads against Republican lawmakers.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The group is administered by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.influencewatch.org\/for-profit\/arabella-advisors\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Arabella Advisors<\/a>, \u201ca philanthropic consulting company that guides the strategy, advocacy, impact investing, and management for high-dollar left-leaning nonprofits and individuals,\u201d according to InfluenceWatch. The New York Times previously characterized Arabella as a \u201cleading vehicle for [dark money] on the Left.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>[READ:[READ:<a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/04\/10\/arabella-sheds-light-on-the-dark-money-groups-remaking-america-millions-of-dollars-at-a-time\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Arabella<\/em> Sheds Light On The Dark-Money Groups Remaking America Millions Of Dollars At A Time<\/a>]<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Ohio\u2019s campaign finance disclosure portal reportedly shows how the Sixteen Thirty Fund dumped $11.5 million into the coffers of organizations backing efforts to enshrine abortion into Ohio\u2019s constitution and defeat a ballot measure raising the threshold to amend the state\u2019s founding document. According to the <a href=\"https:\/\/ohiocapitaljournal.com\/2024\/03\/04\/ohio-senate-passes-bill-to-stop-foreign-donations-on-ballot-campaigns\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ohio Capital Journal<\/a>, which is part of the left-wing media entity States Newsroom, the left-wing \u201cOhioans United for Reproductive Rights and the organization\u2019s prior name Ohioans For Reproductive Freedom received about $6.4 million\u201d from the group. <\/p>\n<p>Voters <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2023\/11\/07\/abortion-radicals-will-expand-their-schemes-from-ohio-to-your-state-heres-how-to-be-ready\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">passed<\/a> the Democrat-backed pro-abortion amendment in November, while the Republican-backed amendment seeking to raise the threshold to amend the Ohio Constitution was <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2023\/08\/16\/if-pro-lifers-dont-get-back-on-offense-theyll-lose-all-their-dobbs-momentum\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">defeated<\/a> in August. <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Where Things Stand<\/h2>\n<p>While it\u2019s unclear how the Ohio General Assembly intends to fix the nominating deadline debacle Biden and his team created, Republican Gov. Mike DeWine <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dispatch.com\/story\/news\/politics\/elections\/2024\/05\/08\/ohio-lawmakers-vote-to-put-joe-biden-on-fall-ballot-after-dnc-snafu\/73601333007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">told<\/a> reporters he believes Biden will ultimately appear on the state\u2019s 2024 ballot, either through legislation or a court ruling. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t want to minimize that this has to happen, but I do want to minimize anybody thinking that there\u2019s a snowball\u2019s chance in hell that this isn\u2019t going to happen,\u201d DeWine said of the situation. \u201cThe president\u2019s name is going to be on the ballot.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>Speaking with The Federalist, Jason Snead, the executive director of Honest Elections Project Action, said \u201cbanning foreign money in elections should be a simple decision\u201d and called on Stephens to move forward legislation achieving such an objective. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cOhio Democrats have instead chosen to stand with foreign billionaires who want to influence our politics. It is already illegal for foreign nationals to contribute to candidates. The same should be true for ballot measures,\u201d Snead said. \u201cIt\u2019s time for Speaker Stephens to decide if he will stand with Democrats defending foreign influence, or stand with Ohioans who want fair elections.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-d019911b6ba894fb5aaf28c9aa8c2f5b fdrlst__b89e9-after-post-content\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-d019911b6ba894fb5aaf28c9aa8c2f5b\"><\/div>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\">    \t\t\t\t\t   \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ohio&#8217;s GOP House speaker, favoring Democrats, blocked a bill banning foreign funding in ballot campaigns. Meanwhile, the Republican-led Senate amended HB 114, securing Biden&#8217;s 2024 ballot spot<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":539,"featured_media":2241068,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/unnamed-5.png","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[546],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2241067","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-federalist"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/unnamed-5.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2241067","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/539"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2241067"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2241067\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2241068"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2241067"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2241067"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2241067"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}