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Feb 16 2023

Norfolk Southern advocated against railway safety measures at Ohio statehouse, cut campaign checks.

On February 3, a Norfolk Southern train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio. The 150-car train was carrying large quantities of dangerous chemicals which caused vinyl chloride to be released into the ground and air. Vinyl chloride exposure is associated with an increased risk of liver, brain and lung cancers, as well as lymphoma and leukemia. Governor DeWine approved the release of chemicals, forcing an evacuation of residents within a mile and blackening the sky with a toxic cloud of unknown composition. Upon their return, residents found domestic animals dead or ill and thousands of fish killed in local waterways.

With a community displaced and environmental factors unknown, we have to ask…How did we get here? Many are asking if failures of federal regulators or President Trump’s deregulation of the industry are to blame. ProgressOhio found that, perhaps thanks to intense lobbying and political campaign giving, railroads avoided new safety legislation from being imposed at the state level as well.

We took a look into the lobbying and campaign contribution history of Norfolk Southern Railway in Ohio. We found that Norfolk Southern has been a prolific campaign contributor while it actively lobbied on policy and legislation at the state level.

According to the Ohio Secretary of State’s website, Norfolk Southern and its affiliates made over 100 contributions to Ohio state officials and candidates over the last five years. Including $29,000 to Gov. DeWine’s campaign and transition team, totaling nearly $100,000.

Norfolk Southern – Ohio ContributionsDownload

Since DeWine took office, Norfolk Southern has given him and other Ohio lawmakers $73,000 and successfully killed bipartisan railway safety legislation that would have helped protect railroad workers and the communities their trains passed through. 

Since 2019, lobbyists for Norfolk Southern reported efforts to influence the outcome of lawmaking and policymaking in Ohio’s legislative and executive branches of government. Activity reports on file with the Joint Legislative Ethics Commission show that Norfolk Southern lobbyists reported 26 attempts to influence the Attorney General, Governor DeWine and the Departments of Transportation and the Ohio Rail Development Commission on issues ranging from safety to taxation. 

In addition to attempts to lobby the executive branch, the company’s hired guns sought to influence lawmakers on 20 pieces of legislation ranging from taxation to safety, including one proposal to require trains to have a minimum of two crew members on board. In 2019, the company testified in opposition to the bipartisan rail safety legislation, supported by rail workers, saying it was unnecessary and unjustified. The bill died in committee without becoming law. In 2021, the company’s political action committee continued its giving to Ohio lawmakers, including the Chair and Vice Chair of the transportation committee, and an identical bill failed to move during that legislative session.

As it supported both federal and state politicians with campaign cash, Norfolk Southern has been able to evade safety regulations and reduce its costs, resulting in higher profits. In 2022, Northfolk Southern reported earning $4.8B, up 8% from the year prior. However, the consequences of deregulation have been disastrous for the people of East Palestine. 

As the trial of Former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and FirstEnergy has shown us, corporate giving to campaigns occasionally comes with a clear expectation of favorable policy outcomes. And in Ohio, Norfolk Southern got what it wanted.

Written by Nick Tuell · Categorized: Uncategorized

Aug 06 2022

MAGA Republicans have been planning to overturn Roe for decades

“That’s why we need to overturn that horrific Roe vs. Wade decision and many of us have been working for years and years now to do that.” – Rep. Steve Chabot

With the United States Supreme Court ruling to overturn Roe vs. Wade, we must remember how we got here. It wasn’t by accident or chance but by decades of planning and scheming by MAGA Republicans who have been working towards this very moment. 

“Someday, Roe v. Wade will no longer be the law in this country.” – Rep. Jim Jordan.

Now that abortion access is severely diminished by MAGA Republican in Ohio, Ohio Supreme Court Justice Kennedy plans to keep it that way. Justice Kennedy has signaled that she believes Roe v. Wade should be overturned. Not only that, she spoke at a ‘Greater Toledo Right to Life’ event when the city’s surgical abolition clinic had a case before her court, a case she ultimately ruled against the abolition clinic. 

DeWine on signing Ohio’s 6-week abortion ban: “Purpose of this bill is really to have a vehicle for the United States Supreme Court that should it be ready to do so, it could revisit some its prior rulings.” – Gov. Mike DeWine

They’ve been planning it for years…

You can bet MAGA Republicans are going to do everything they can to prevent federal abortion protections from ever coming back. That is why we need you to join us and chip in $25, $50, $100, or $250 now to ensure we hold these MAGA Republicans accountable! 

This November 8th, we have a choice between Democrats who protect your rights and MAGA Republicans who repeal them. It’s that simple. 

Written by admin · Categorized: Uncategorized

Jul 07 2022

In latest Innovation Ohio poll, Tim Ryan leads Vance by 3%

Have you seen the latest poll? InnovationOhio/GrowProgress latest poll shows Tim Ryan leading JD Vance by 3% with Ryan showing significant leads among women, black voters, young people, and those with a college degree. 

Even after winning the Republican party’s nomination, MAGA extremist JD Vance still lacks the full backing of his GOP base when he only captures 79% of GOP voters while Ryan earns 91% of Democrat voters. JD’s comments on replacement theory, calling rape an “inconvenience”, and his opposition to the bipartisan infrastructure package are not doing him any favors among Ohio voters.

Written by Sha'Tisha Young · Categorized: Uncategorized

Jun 30 2022

Welcome, Nick Tuell!

We are pleased to welcome our new Managing Director, Nick Tuell! Nick Tuell is a political professional with experience in government and campaigns. He worked for President Obama’s reelection campaign in southeast Ohio and four election cycles for the Ohio House Democratic Caucus where he eventually ran the statewide field, digital, and communications programs. 

Nick’s public service began at the Ohio Statehouse, serving as Legislative Aide to State Representative Stephen Slesnick and eventually Senior Legislative Aide to Ohio House Minority Leader Fred Strahorn. Focusing on state policy, research, and community outreach. Most recently, Nick served as Chief Spokesperson for the Franklin County Clerk of Courts, Maryellen O’Shaughnessy.

Nick has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science with certificates in Political Communications and Gender Studies from the Ohio University. 

Welcome!

Written by Sha'Tisha Young · Categorized: Uncategorized

Jul 22 2021

Mike DeWine, Republican Leadership Further Tied to Massive Bribery Scandal

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Admin@ProgressOhio.org
July 22, 2021

COLUMBUS — Today, as FirstEnergy agreed to pay $230 million for bribing former PUCO Chair Sam Randazzo to help pass a utility bailout on Ohioans’ dime, Mike DeWine and Ohio’s Republican leadership continue to become further linked to the ongoing scandal.

Mike DeWine was aware of Randazzo’s close ties to FirstEnergy when he selected him to lead the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO). Despite repeated warnings, DeWine appointed Randazzo to oversee the very utility company that was in the process of bribing him.

“Randazzo had deep business ties with the state’s largest electric utility and had long been hostile to the development of wind and solar power, making him unsuitable for the role, critics warned early on,” notes the Associated Press.

Within days of his appointment by Mike DeWine to the utilities commission, Randazzo received a $4.3 million payment from FirstEnergy. FirstEnergy later acknowledged the money was likely used to influence Randazzo’s work.

Mike DeWine later met with Randazzo several times, including the day before signing the utility bailout bill (HB 6) into law.

Recent shifts within Governor DeWine’s staff also point to his close ties to this massive scandal. In May of this year, Mike DeWine removed his chief-of-staff, “who played a key role in the appointment of [Randazzo],” and moved her down to an advisory role.

When asked about Mike DeWine’s connection to the ongoing scandal, Acting US Attorney Vidal Patel would only say he can’t and won’t discuss this matter today.

Mike DeWine is the latest Ohio Republican to be intimately tied to this growing scandal. Last year, then-Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives Larry Householder was arrested by the FBI for “likely the largest bribery, money laundering scheme ever perpetrated” in Ohio.

Householder is accused of funneling money to help several Republican candidates in order to win his House Speaker race and pass the massive utility bailout bill (HB 6).

The Ohio House and Senate are both currently controlled by a supermajority of Republican members. Progress Ohio encourages Ohioans to contact House and Senate leadership to demand a full repeal of HB 6. 

Contact Ohio House and Senate leadership. Demand a full repeal of HB 6.

  • House Speaker Cupp: 614-466-9624 Rep04@OhioHouse.gov
  • Senate President Matt Huffman: 614-466-7584 Huffman@OhioSenate.gov

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Written by admin · Categorized: Uncategorized

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