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The Ohio Senate voted Wednesday along party lines to advance an emergency dark money proposal that would ban foreign contributions to the pros and cons of voting issues in the state.
Senate Bill 215, introduced in January by Sens. Rob McCauley (R-Napoleon) and Teresa Gavarone (R-Bowling Green), had its first committee hearing just last Wednesday. The bill’s introduction comes two weeks after Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose (R) called for “immediate action” on the issue in a letter to legislative leaders.
Supporters of SB 215 say it would create consistency in state law. McCauley and Gavarone said candidates in Ohio are prohibited from accepting money from foreign nationals, a ban that has been in place since 2000, but that prohibition does not exist for ballot issues.
The state defines aliens as individual non-U.S. citizens or permanent residents, foreign governments, and foreign political parties. An earlier version of the bill would have added legal permanent residents, or green card holders, to the list of individuals prohibited from donating.
“It’s not often that you’re faced with an issue that’s so black and white,” Gavarone said on the floor Wednesday.
But a group of Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Nikki Antonio (D-Lakewood), argued that SB215 doesn’t actually address black finance. Antonio said she feels the bill is more a result of recent successes in citizen-initiated ballot issues.
“This really looks like a loser bill,” Antonio said on the floor.
This follows Ohio voters passing a constitutional amendment in November that enshrines the right to abortion. As the bill moves forward, proponents point to the Sixteen Thirty Fund, a liberal black-finance nonprofit that funneled money to the original effort.
SB 215 passed a government committee early Wednesday morning.
Before that vote, Sen. Bill DeMola (D-Columbus), the only Democrat on the committee, introduced two amendments. One is to appropriate $500,000 for the Ohio Board of Elections to hire additional legal counsel for related investigations, and the other is to require the Ballot Circulation Committee to act as a political action committee (PAC). It was to remove the clause requiring registration. Committee members voted to put both items on the agenda.
DeMola said he is concerned that SB 215 could have unintended consequences, noting that even Ohio residents who are putting together a petition calling for local liquor sales would have to register with a PAC. He said that there is a possibility that it will not be possible.
“What this actually does is stifle the voices of Ohioans,” Demola said on the floor.
But Mr. McCauley said Mr. DeMola’s criticisms went too far.
“Ultimately, as Sen. Gavarone elaborated, this is a simple question: Do you oppose foreign influence in our elections? No matter which side it is on or where it comes from. No,” McCauley said on the floor.
Four national conservative groups filed testimony in favor of the measure between last Wednesday and Tuesday, but so far there have been no public opponents. SB 215 now heads to the Ohio House.
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