Common Cause Ohio

On Feb 11 at 6pm at our next Fair Districts All Volunteer Huddle, we will welcome Professor Justin Levitt from Loyola Law School, a national expert on redistricting. He’ll join us to discuss the latest updates on mid-cycle redistricting war
Register HERE:
commoncause-org.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

TAKE ACTION
Keep ICE out of Municipal Courthouses!
People who want to testify in a case now fear that they may be arrested by ICE for simply attending court.
Contact the Franklin County Municipal Judges and tell them to keep ICE out of our Municipal Courthouses!
act.commoncause.org/letters/ice-...

“It’s worth repeating that the administration does not have legal authority to control elections or change the voting process,”
-Catherine Turcer, Common Cause Ohio

“Registering students when they turn 18 helps turn lessons from the classroom into real civic participation. We strongly condemn any efforts to intimidate Ohio students, schools and leaders, and we will continue to monitor this situation closely.”
-Jen Miller, Ohio League of Women Voters

Is DHS investigating voter fraud at Dayton school? Voting advocates question feds’ actions Ohio voting rights advocates say the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has no authority to investigate voter fraud after the department’s Monday visit to Ponitz Career Tech High School in Dayton.

Is DHS investigating voter fraud at Dayton school? Voting advocates question feds’ actions.
ACLU of Ohio: ‘It cannot be overstated how unusual this is’
www.daytondailynews.com/local/why-is...

State Election Officials Hear Echoes of 2020 in Trump’s Call to Nationalize Voting As the president calls for federal control of voting, administrators who endured bomb threats and burnout warn that long-standing guardrails are fraying.

State Election Officials Hear Echoes of 2020 in Trump’s Call to Nationalize Voting
As the president calls for federal control of voting, administrators who endured bomb threats and burnout warn that long-standing guardrails are fraying. 
www.governing.com/politics/sta...

TAKE ACTION
Keep ICE out of Municipal Courthouses!
People who want to testify in a case now fear that they may be arrested by ICE for simply attending court.
Contact the Franklin County Municipal Judges and tell them to keep ICE out of our Municipal Courthouses!
act.commoncause.org/letters/ice-...

Trump officials propose testing a citizenship question amid a push to alter the census The Trump administration proposes to include a question about U.S. citizenship status in this year's field test of the 2030 census, as Republicans push to alter the counts behind voting maps.

Participants in this year's field test of the 2030 census may be asked about their U.S. citizenship status, the Trump administration revealed Thursday.
by Hansi Lo Wang
www.ideastream.org/npr-news/202...

For the first time in decades, the US and Russia have no limits on nuclear weapons Experts warn the expiration of a long-standing nuclear arms control treaty between the two superpowers could mark the start of a new nuclear rivalry.

For the first time in decades, the U.S. and Russia have no limits on nuclear weapons
by Geoff Brumfiel, Charles Maynes
www.ideastream.org/npr-news/202...

Editorial: Speak up, Republicans As many have predicted, President Trump appears to be moving ahead with a scheme to interfere with the 2026 congressional elections on the pretext that ...

Editorial
President Trump appears to be moving ahead w/scheme to interfere w/2026 congressional elections
The scheme is fully in violation of the Constitution
Congress should waste no time informing the President that there will be no “nationalizing” of elections
www.toledoblade.com/opinion/edit...

Supreme Court Clears Way for California Voting Map

Supreme Court Clears Way for California Voting Map
The state’s Republican Party had asked the justices to step in and block the new congressional maps, which give an advantage to Democrats, before the midterms.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/04/u...

Actually, I do know how to do this In retrospect, paying attention to polluters may be one of the best ways to understand what’s currently happening in the United States.

Authoritarianism is fueled by fossil fuel dollars because it's better for fossil fuel business. @emorwee.bsky.social Heated: bit.ly/4qjFSIp

Another reason to stop fracking Ohio's state parks and public lands.

@sherrodbrownoh.bsky.social @ccbecker271.bsky.social @commoncauseohio.bsky.social

House Bill 6 Scandal Timeline: Ohio’s Largest Corruption Case The House Bill 6 scandal—the biggest in Ohio history—was a $60 million scheme by FirstEnergy and other utility companies to buy seats and votes in the Ohio House to secure passage of a billion dollar ...

⚖️ The criminal trial is underway for former FirstEnergy execs accused of bribing a state regulator ($4.3M) in exchange for helping pass scandal-ridden House Bill 6 to bail out two nuclear plants.

⤵️ Catch up on the HB 6 scheme at the center of this case www.commoncause.org/ohio/resourc...

Trump wants Republicans to ‘nationalize’ US elections. The Constitution might get in the way | CNN Politics A wide array of election experts say President Donald Trump’s call for Republicans to “nationalize the voting” is an alarming and potentially dangerous escalation of his continued efforts to transform...

Trump wants Republicans to ‘nationalize’ US elections. The Constitution might get in the way
by Marshall Cohen, Michael Williams
www.cnn.com/2026/02/03/p...

Fear, uncertainty remain for Haitians in Springfield despite ruling on TPS Fear and uncertainty remain among Haitians living in Springfield despite a judge's decision to stall a plan to cancel their Temporary Protected Status.

TPS didn't end Feb. 3, but fear persists among Springfield Haitians
Fear and uncertainty remain among Haitians living in Springfield despite a judge's decision to stall a plan to cancel their Temporary Protected Status
by Danae King and Dan Horn
www.dispatch.com/story/news/p...

‘It’s about greed’: Prosecutors offer scathing opening in FirstEnergy trial Prosecutors told a jury during opening statements that former FirstEnergy CEO Chuck Jones and lobbyist Michael Dowling were driven by greed to bribe a top utility regulator. Defense attorneys say no b...

‘It’s about greed’: Prosecutors offer scathing opening in FirstEnergy trial
by Adam Ferrise
www.cleveland.com/court-justic...

Ohio cities navigate realities of less state revenue sharing For Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz, June 24, 2020, was Toledo’s “Black Wednesday.” That was the day the Ohio Supreme Court struck down the city’s ...

Ohio cities navigate realities of less state revenue sharing
Cities no longer receive revenue from estate tax, the tangible personal property tax and have seen significant decreases from the state’s local government fund.
by Alice Momany
www.toledoblade.com/local/politi...

Trump, in an Escalation, Calls for Republicans to ‘Nationalize’ Elections

Trump, in an Escalation, Calls for Republicans to ‘Nationalize’ Elections
The comments, made on a conservative podcast, follow a string of moves from his administration to try to exert more control over American elections.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/02/u...

Hundreds of Ohioans show support for Haitians, federal judge blocks TPS ending for Haitians • Ohio Capital Journal Hundreds of Ohioans gathered at a church in Springfield on Monday to show support for the Haitian community in Springfield.

Hundreds of Ohioans at a church in Springfield on Monday morning called for an extension of Temporary Protected Status for Haitians that had been set to expire Tuesday.
by Megan Henry
ohiocapitaljournal.com/2026/02/02/h...

Federal judge blocks Trump Administration from ending TPS for Haitians The ruling says the termination of TPS is "null, void and of no legal effect" and will not impact the work authorization of Haitian immigrants.

A federal judge issued a last minute reprieve on Feb. 2, blocking President Donald Trump's attempt to end temporary protected status for hundreds of thousands of Haitian immigrants in the U.S.
by Bethany Bruner
www.dispatch.com/story/news/c...

Springfield prepares for ICE raid it can’t confirm: ‘You become powerless’ Protections for 12,000 Haitian immigrants in the city is set to expire. The fear of federal raids is upending daily life for some.

Springfield prepares for an ICE raid it can’t confirm: ‘You become powerless in a situation like this’
Temporary legal status for 12,000-plus Haitian immigrants in the city is set to expire on Wednesday.
by Andrew Tobias
signalohio.org/springfield-...

Commentary: How a postal rule clarification could cost votes — Tom Lopach Commentary: The truck visits from regional processing and distribution centers have been cut in half. This means your ballot might sit at the post office for days.

The number of mail truck visits to post offices far from regional processing and distribution centers has been cut in half.
With strict postmark deadlines for voter ballots, that delay could be the difference between your vote counting or not
by Tom Lopach
www.myjournalcourier.com/opinion/arti...

Federal judge condemns treatment of child in immigration custody, orders release Judge Biery said ICE’s actions showed “a lust for unbridled power” and warned that “the rule of law be damned” was no way to run a democracy.

Federal judge condemns treatment of child in immigration custody, orders release
Judge Biery said ICE’s actions showed “a lust for unbridled power” and warned that “the rule of law be damned” was no way to run a democracy.
by Justin Boggs
www.news5cleveland.com/politics/imm...

Be careful what you wish for in property-tax abolition - soaring sales taxes are likely result: Thomas Suddes Besides goosing higher sales taxes, new research by the Policy Matters Ohio think tank research strongly suggests repealing the property tax – if such a measure makes it to the ballot– could create a ...

Opinion by Thomas Suddes:
Research by the Policy Matters Ohio think tank research strongly suggests repealing the property tax – if such a measure makes it to the ballot– could create a shambles of Ohio’s now fortress-strong state finances.
www.cleveland.com/opinion/2026...

DeWine: Revoking Haitian immigrants’ status a ‘mistake’, feds mum on enforcement In a Friday press briefing ahead of a looming Tuesday expiration date for the legal status of many Springfield Haitians, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said the federal decision is a mistake and that he’s stil...

In a Friday press briefing ahead of Tuesday's expiration date for the legal status of many Springfield Haitians, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said the federal decision is a mistake and that he’s still unsure if, or when, immigration officers will be deployed in Ohio.
www.daytondailynews.com/local/dewine...

Threats to the Rule of Law should concern us all: Maureen O’Connor and Michael P. Donnelly Waiting until constitutional violations are undeniable and irreversible is not prudence; it is abdication. Preparedness in defense of lawful governance is not radical. It is responsible citizenship, w...

Across the nation, we are also seeing the blurring of lines between law enforcement & political objectives
These are not abstract concerns, nor are they partisan ones. They strike at the foundations of democratic governance.
by Maureen O’Connor & Michael P. Donnelly
www.cleveland.com/opinion/2026...

Opinion
When the United States enacts policies that tear children away from caregivers, requires people to live in limbo or detains parents indefinitely, the psychological harms are predictable and profound.
by Chuck Junkin
www.dispatch.com/story/opinio...

Ex-Ohio Speaker Larry Householder open to plea deal to avoid state corruption trial, say attorneys • Ohio Capital Journal The attorneys for former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder are open to taking a plea deal to avoid his state corruption trial in Cuyahoga County this summer.

Ex-Ohio Speaker Larry Householder open to plea deal to avoid state corruption trial, say attorneys
by Morgan Trau
ohiocapitaljournal.com/2026/01/30/e...

News outlets sue over media restrictions in trial of former FirstEnergy execs
by Jessie Balmert
www.beaconjournal.com/story/news/c...

Ohio, Springfield officials prepare for possible ICE surge Hundreds of thousands of Haitians living in Ohio and the U.S. are set to lose their legal status Tuesday, absent further court action.

Ohio, Springfield officials prepare for possible ICE surge
by Sarah Donaldson
www.wvxu.org/2026-01-28/o...