Month: March 2022

Ohio GOP Statement on Eric Holder’s Latest Interference in Ohio Redistricting

Posted on by tmclaughlin

Columbus, OH—Today, Ohio GOP Chairman Bob Paduchik released the following statement regarding Eric Holder’s latest redistricting lawsuit:

“Even before the 2018 election, Obama Attorney General Eric Holder used out-of-state and foreign money to control Ohio’s redistricting process, and this latest lawsuit is an insult to Ohio voters who elected a Republican majority to the Ohio Redistricting Commission in accordance with the Ohio Constitution. Voters and candidates deserve maps, not more roadblocks from far-left interest groups.“—Chairman Bob Paduchik, Ohio Republican Party

Background:

National Democratic Redistricting Committee “plan to favorably position Democrats for the redistricting process”

Posted on by tmclaughlin
Obama Attorney General Eric Holder and controversial attorney Marc Elias are relentless in their partisan effort to fundamentally change the political makeup of this country. They are using their nearly endless financial resources to influence redistricting outcomes and undermine Ohio elections. But don’t take our word for it, just look at the “purpose of the organization” for their National Democratic Redistricting Committee (NDRC):
National Democratic Redistricting Committee Form 8871
Among NDRC’s funding sources, potentially the most concerning are reports of over $3 million from liberal Swiss megadonor Hansjörg Wyss that went to the National Redistricting Action Fund (NRAF), the 501(c)(4) lobbying arm of Eric Holder’s National Democratic Redistricting Committee, between 2018 and 2020.

In fact, Wyss’s contributions reveal that the foreign billionaire supplied as much as 40 percent of the NRAF’s total funding in 2017-2018 and 24 percent in 2018-2019.

So how is this money being used to achieve their purpose here in Ohio?

First, in 2018, they used their left-wing dark money to try to elect Democrats who would eventually end up on the Ohio Redistricting Commission. Donations included:

  • Zach Space for Ohio: $12,707.79 on 9/12/2018
  • Cordray/Sutton Committee: $12,707.79 on 9/12/2018
  • Kathleen Clyde Committee: $12,707.79 on 9/12/2018
  • Ohio Senate Democratic Caucus: $19,061 on 10/24/2018
  • Ohio House Democratic Caucus: $19,061 on 10/24/2018
  • Ohio Democratic Party State Candidate Fund: $38,123 on 10/23/2018

Had the election gone differently, Cordray, Space and Clyde would all serve on the Ohio Redistricting Commission and, like Justice Jennifer Brunner, could be accused of doing the bidding of the NDRC.

Ohio voters, with full knowledge that whichever party won in 2018 would make up the majority on the Commission in the redistricting process, chose to elect Republicans.

Since Ohio voters rejected Democrats in 2018, NDRC began implementing their legal strategy to “sue until it’s blue,” directly funding Democrats who would fight for their cause in future redistricting lawsuits. Some of their 2020 donations included:

  • Ohio Democratic Party State Campaign Account: $30,000 on 10/13/2020
  • Ohio Democratic Party Supreme Court Fund, i.e. Brunner’s Campaign: $39,877.05 on 9/25/2020
  • Ohio Senate Democrats: $19,938.53 on 9/23/2020
  • Emilia Sykes Campaign: $13,292.35 on 2/6/2020
  • Ohio House Democratic Campaign Committee: $19,938.53 on 2/6/2020
Not only does Eric Holder have close political and financial ties to Justice Brunner, but to the Ohio Democratic Party organization as a whole. These direct contributions don’t even take into account the tens of thousands of dollars that Eric Holder raised for Justice Brunner as her “special guest” at an October 2020 fundraiser. Not to mention the fact Brunner’s campaign recently lied about Holder’s involvement, saying he was simply “in attendance.”

Now, information is circulating that NDRC coordination may run even deeper than financial backing, and they are directly coordinating with the Ohio Democrat Party and members of the Democrat Caucuses in the House and Senate (who they donated thousands to) to determine how they should vote on issues around redistricting.

Bottom Line: What we are seeing is a nationally organized and highly coordinated Democrat power grab, funded by out-of-state and foreign interests.

Brunner Campaign Misleads Public About Eric Holder Financial Ties

Posted on by tmclaughlin

Yesterday, Jennifer Brunner‘s campaign released a statement that downplayed Eric Holder’s role in her 2020 fundraiser.  In doing so, Jennifer Brunner is covering up the fact that Eric Holder and affiliated groups financially supported Justice Brunner‘s campaign.  Let’s look at the facts: here is yesterday’s statement from the Brunner campaign and the actual invitation for their fundraiser:

 

       

 

Downplaying that he was simply “in attendance,” when he was clearly a special guest meant to attract donations is a comical thing to lie about. But what is worse is implying that no contributions from Eric Holder made its way to the Ohio Supreme Court race.  The Ohio Democratic Party reported contributions from Eric Holder’s National Democratic Redistricting PAC in their state candidate fund, conveniently omitting what the funds were intended for.

 

 

 

 

However, the National Democratic Redistricting PAC’s FEC reports paint a much clearer picture. This report plainly shows that their donation went to an Ohio Democratic Party Supreme Court Fund to help elect Democrats to the Ohio Supreme Court, including Justice Brunner, so that they could all but guarantee favorable outcomes in future redistricting cases.

 

 

 

Bottom Line: Jennifer Brunner claims Eric Holder and his affiliated groups never donated to her 2020 campaign. Clearly this is downplaying the truth at best, and an outright lie at worst. Either way, she clearly is not being upfront with her close political and financial ties with plaintiffs in the redistricting cases, and should do the right thing and recuse herself.