Ohio votes on abortion receive millions in out-of-state donations.

Millions of Dollars Pouring ‌into Ohio Special Elections on Abortion and Reproductive Rights

Advocacy ​groups on both sides of the abortion debate are locked in a fierce battle ahead of Ohio’s ‍special elections. These elections will determine ​whether the‌ state will adopt an amendment to prohibit state ⁣intervention in ​abortion and reproductive rights, including access to contraception.

Implications for the Future

The first referendum⁤ in this series is​ set to​ take place​ on Tuesday,‍ and ⁣its outcome will have significant implications for the success of the abortion amendment on ‍the November ballot. This amendment aims to prevent the⁤ state legislature from interfering with or discriminating⁣ against obtaining an abortion or‍ reproductive healthcare.

Funding and Support

Mid-year⁤ financial reports released this week⁣ reveal that Ohioans for Reproductive Freedom has‍ raised approximately $8.5 million from various pro-abortion⁢ groups, including Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio, the​ American Civil Liberties Union of ⁣Ohio,​ and Unite for Reproductive and Gender Equity⁤ (URGE). The majority of these funds have been used to‌ certify the citizen signature results to officially ‍place the ⁤amendment on the ‌November ballot.

On⁤ the other side, Ohio Physicians ⁢for Reproductive Rights, a smaller pro-abortion group, raised $1.16 million, with 92.7%​ of the donations coming from ‌Ohio residents.

Controversy and Lawsuits

Anti-abortion advocates argue that the amendment’s broad language⁢ would invalidate several existing​ state ⁣laws, such as parental consent and safety protocols for abortions. Abortion rights advocates have filed a lawsuit against Secretary of ‌State Frank LaRose, claiming that the amendment‍ violates state statute by not disclosing which ‍laws it would invalidate if passed in November.

Opposition and Campaigns

Leading the opposition to the amendment is Protect Women Ohio (PWO), which raised a⁤ total of $9.74 million in 2023. PWO received a ⁢significant donation‌ of $6.14 million from Susan B. Anthony ​Pro-Life America and $900,000 from​ the Catholic dioceses of Ohio. Their ⁢campaign expenses have primarily focused on⁢ television and radio advertisements urging voters to increase‌ the difficulty of amending ⁢the state constitution to protect against out-of-state⁢ political influence.

PWO’s most recent advertisement campaign, costing $5.5 million, will‌ run until ‍the end of the special⁣ election on Tuesday.

Ohio as a Test Case

Stephen Billy,‌ vice president for state affairs at ‍SBA ⁢Pro-Life America, stated that⁤ Ohio serves as ⁤a test case for national-level pro-abortion groups. ⁤These groups ​are​ making similar moves to vote in abortion ​amendments to state constitutions across the ​country, recognizing the challenges​ they face in Republican-controlled states like Ohio.

“Ohio has some of ​the weakest requirements in the​ country for passing constitutional amendments, and⁢ greedy, out-of-state special interest groups ‌with deep pockets know ‌it,” said Molly Smith, a‍ board member of Protect Women Ohio. “That makes Ohio a prime target for radical special ‍interest groups, like the ACLU, to parachute into the state and strip parents of their rights. Enough is ⁤enough. It’s time to⁤ pass Issue 1 and put long⁤ overdue, ​common-sense protections‍ in place.”

For more information, click here to read the full article from The Washington Examiner.

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