Ohio Officials to Appeal Court Ruling Against Foreign Campaign Funding Ban

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost are actively making moves to defend the state's ban on foreign campaign funding. On the legal front, they've filed for a motion to stay a federal court ruling that took issue with parts of Ohio's law to prevent such financial contributions to statewide ballot campaigns, particularly about lawful permanent residents.

In a recent announcement, LaRose expressed the state's intent to appeal the decision. "We’re asking for the court to either stay the entire decision while the case is appealed or for the authority to enforce at least what the court considers to be the constitutional portions of the law," he said. This legal entanglement follows a two-year-old mandate backed by Ohio voters, which restricted voter registration and participation to only U.S. citizens who are residents of Ohio.

Just this May, the Ohio General Assembly passed legislation, backed by Governor Mike DeWine, to further curb foreign influence by banning contributions from foreign nationals to campaigns relating to statewide ballot issues. However, the enforcement of this law was halted by a federal court last Saturday, prompting the current appeal. LaRose pointed to previous elections compromised by foreign financial involvement, stating, "We’re especially not going to let foreign billionaires try to buy our constitution. It happened in two constitutional amendments on the ballot last year, and we’re seeing clear evidence that it’s happening again with another amendment on this November’s ballot."

As part of their proactive approach, LaRose and Yost are not just challenging the federal court ruling but also appealing to the Six Circuit Court of Appeals, which has jurisdiction over Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, and Tennessee. The specificity of the legal maneuvering reflects the administration's commitment to ensuring that Ohio's elections are perceived as secure and void of foreign financial influence. Readers can find more details on the Ohio Secretary of State's official website.