Tom Zawistowski is calling on the Ohio Republican Party to stop favoring Mike DeWine over other Republican governor candidates:
“The Ohio Republican Party (ORP) has given the 2022 re-election campaign of Governor Mike DeWine (R-OH) $870,968 since January 1, 2021, despite the fact that DeWine has two announced primary challengers for the Republican gubernatorial nomination – former Congressman Jim Renacci (R-OH) and Joe Blystone.
Recent filings by the Ohio Republican Party Central Committee State Candidate Fund with the campaign finance division of Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose’s office show the party gave the 2022 re-election campaign of Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted a $500,000 payment on July 30 without the approval of the party’s fiscal review committee or a formal endorsement of the governor’s campaign against rivals for the GOP nomination.
In addition to the $500,000 campaign contribution, the filings showed the party, through the Ohio Republican Party Central Committee State Candidate Fund, paid another $370,968 of expenses for the DeWine/Husted campaign – including payroll, taxes, consulting and accounting services, credit cards and fundraising expenses – from Jan. 1 to June 30, 2021. Sources have told The Ohio Star neither the contribution nor the apparent reimbursement for joint fundraising activity were vetted by the ORP’s fiscal review committee as required under the party’s bylaws, heightening rising concerns about the financial integrity of the ORP’s accounting practices.
The Star contacted Ohio GOP Treasurer David Johnson and Party Chairman Bob Paduchik for comment about the payments ahead of the planned Sept. 11 candidate endorsement meeting by the ORP’s State Central Committee. Johnson referred questions about the payments to Paduchik, who did not return email messages seeking comment.”
Click HERE to see details from the Ohio Star
Click HERE to Demand that the Republican State Central Committee NOT ENDORSE Candidates in the 2022 Primary Election