A southwest Ohio lawmaker found herself the focus of Democratic outrage over her comments on rape and abortion. Misinformation appears to be behind the anger over a wind farm, and a former lawmaker thinks hunting feral cats might be a way to control their population.
We break down what it all means on this week’s episode of Ohio Politics Explained.
It’s a podcast from the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau where we catch you up on the state’s political news in 15 minutes or less. This week, host Anna Staver was joined by reporter Titus Wu.
1) Is misinformation shaping policy in rural Ohio?
A fight over whether to let farmers erect wind turbines on their property has turned ugly, and supporters of the Honey Creek Wind project say misinformation is to blame.
Opponents of the project have claimed turbines can cause cancer, miscarriages and meltdowns in children on the autism spectrum.
2) Why one former lawmaker proposed hunting cats
Bill Hayes, who wants to be a Licking County commissioner, got a question this week about what should be done about his area’s feral cat problem.
Local groups estimate the county has as many as 130 active feral cat colonies.
“This won’t be very popular. We have a squirrel season, various seasons. It would seem to me if you’ve got an animal that’s not a pet for anybody, you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do to make the situation better,” Hayes said.
3) Controversial comments on abortion bill
A state lawmaker from the Cincinnati area made news this week when she said a pregnancy from rape was “an opportunity for that woman, no matter how old or young she is, to make a determination about what she’s going to do to help that life become a productive human being.”
Rep. Jean Schmidt made the comment during sponsored testimony for House Bill 598, which would ban abortions in Ohio if Roe v. Wade is overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court. A ruling is expected this summer.
4) Frank LaRose’s political tightrope
Secretary of State, Frank LaRose, has balanced his support for how Ohio ran the 2020 election while remaining skeptical of how other states counted their ballots.
He’s also recognized President Joe Biden as the winner of the 2020 election while questioning whether “there were things that happened in other states that shouldn’t have happened.”
And that political tightrope was on display at the recent rally former President Donald Trump held in Delaware where LaRose got his endorsement for re-election.
Democrats think LaRose is walking this fine line because he has aspirations of challenging Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown in 2024.
Listen to “Ohio Politics Explained” on Spotify, Apple, Google Podcasts and TuneIn Radio. The episode is also available by clicking the link in this article.
The USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau serves The Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.