Equal Districts Event Highlights Ongoing Republican Lawbreaking as Another Deadline Passes
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 19, 2022
Contact:
Rachel Coyle, coyle@innovationohio.org
On Friday, the Equal Districts Coalition — a group of over 30 Ohio advocacy organizations and labor unions engaged in the redistricting process — held a press conference at the Statehouse in advance of Ohio's next congressional map deadline, which the Republican-led Redistricting Commission chose to ignore.
Event speakers included Desiree Tims (Innovation Ohio), Amina Barhumi (CAIR Ohio), Kathryn Poe (Equality Ohio), Deidra Reese (Ohio Unity Coalition), Akii Butler (Ohio Student Association), Aileen Day (Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio), Sam Gresham (Common Cause Ohio), and Rev. Derrick Holmes (Ohio Organizing Collaborative, AMOS Project).
Prominent Republican members of the Redistricting Commission, such as Governor Mike DeWine and Secretary of State Frank LaRose, made time for Trump/Vance events this weekend. Yet they refused to make time to fulfill their constitutional obligation to pass fair district maps.
"As you know, Donald Trump is holding a MAGA rally in Ohio to try and save JD Vance’s failing Senate campaign," said Desiree Tims, President and CEO of Innovation Ohio. "Trump recently endorsed Mike DeWine for re-election. DeWine eagerly accepted — even though Trump is being investigated for crimes against our nation. MAGA Republicans stick together. Ohio deserves so much better."
More than a year into Ohio’s redistricting process, Republican mappers continue to ignore orders from a bipartisan majority on the state’s highest court to obey the constitution and adopt fair maps. They have successfully forced Ohioans to vote under illegally rigged maps in 2022, and seem intent on doing the same for future elections.
"Yet another court-ordered deadline is missed in violation of Ohio Law. As a civil rights organization, we see every day how ordinary citizens, workers, educators, and black, brown, and immigrant families, are unjustly held to a higher standard of the law than our lawmakers and elected officials in fulfilling their duties and responsibilities. Ohioans deserve better," said Amina Barhumi, Acting Executive Director, CAIR-Ohio.
At Friday's event, coalition members unrolled a long scroll, depicting every missed mapping deadline since Ohio's redistricting process began. Every missed deadline marks an instance when the Republican mappers actively chose to ignore state law.
"The Gerrymandering in our state has allowed politicians to use their positions in public office, not to serve our communities, but use LGBTQ+ youth as political pawns. We cannot continue to allow state sanctioned bullying of our kids. We must continue to push for fair maps by voting for judges that will uphold the rule of law this fall," said Kathryn Poe, Public Policy & Digital Manager, Equality Ohio.
Ten of Ohio's top Republican officials have repeatedly violated state law without consequences.
The Equal Districts Coalition is naming these villains — lawbreakers who do not deserve to hold elected office:
Governor Mike DeWine
Secretary of State Frank LaRose
State Auditor Keith Faber
Supreme Court Justice Sharon Kennedy
Supreme Court Justice Pat Fischer
Supreme Court Justice Pat DeWine
Senate President Matt Huffman
House Speaker Bob Cupp
Senator Rob McColley
State Rep Jeff LaRe
The Equal Districts Coalition will not let these politicians off the hook. We will continue naming the Republican villains and fighting back until Ohio voters receive the fair, constitutional districts they demanded.
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The Equal Districts Coalition is the largest redistricting coalition in Ohio, with over 30 member organizations. It includes the Ohio State Conference of the NAACP, Ohio Organizing Collaborative, OAPSE/AFSCME, Ohio Farmers Union, AFSCME Ohio Council 8, the Ohio Environmental Council, OFUPAC, Innovation Ohio, the Ohio Student Association, ProgressOhio, All On the Line-Ohio, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio, Ohio Council of Churches, NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio, URGE – Unite for Reproductive and Gender Equity, LEAD Ohio, the Ohio Women’s Alliance, the Ohio Federation of Teachers, Ohio Education Association, CAIR-Ohio, Campus Vote Project, For Our Future Ohio, Ohio Unity Coalition, Equality Ohio, The Freedom Bloc, and more.
