Court OK’s Ban On Foreign Cash In Ohio Ballot Campaigns For Now
**Ohio’s Prohibition on Foreign Cash in Ballot Initiative Campaigns Upheld by Court**
On Tuesday, a federal appellate court ruled that Ohio’s ban on foreign money in state ballot measure campaigns can take effect for the time being. The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals issued a brief order placing an administrative stay on a previous ruling by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, which had temporarily blocked enforcement of the law (HB 1).
The court’s decision comes ahead of the upcoming 2024 general election and aims to ensure that the legislation is in place while further legal deliberations continue. The order will remain in effect until October 8, 2024, allowing for a thorough examination of the case’s merits.
The law, which was approved by Ohio lawmakers earlier this year, explicitly prohibits both direct and indirect contributions from foreign nationals to any statewide ballot issues, regardless of whether those issues have been certified for the ballot. Additionally, it bars foreign funds from being accepted by political parties, candidates, or campaigns.
This move is seen as a protective measure against foreign interference in Ohio’s electoral processes. Officials, including Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, have expressed support for the stay, claiming it safeguards the integrity of Ohio’s elections from foreign influence, particularly from wealthy outsiders with vested interests in shaping the state’s political landscape.
As the case proceeds, discussions surrounding the implications of foreign funding in U.S. elections continue to gain traction, highlighting the increasing scrutiny over dark money and external influences in American democracy.
For more updates and in-depth election coverage, visit [electionbriefing.com](https://electionbriefing.com/) and follow the developments in Ohio’s legislative landscape as the 2024 election season unfolds.
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Ohio’s prohibition on foreign money in state ballot measure campaigns may take effect for now, a federal appellate court ruled on Tuesday.
In its short order, the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals placed an administrative stay on a preliminary injunction issued by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio Eastern Division last month. That ruling barred the law (HB 1) from taking effect in time for the 2024 general election.
“To provide sufficient opportunity to consider the merits of the motion, we conclude that a brief administrative stay is warranted,” Tuesday’s order reads. “Accordingly, the district court’s order is hereby temporarily STAYED until October 8, 2024.”
Approved by lawmakers earlier this year, HB 1 stipulates that foreign nationals are directly and indirectly prohibited from making “a contribution, expenditure, or independent expenditure in support of or opposition to a statewide ballot issue or question, regardless of whether the ballot issue or question has yet been certified to appear on the ballot.” The legislation further barred foreign money from being given to political parties, candidates, or campaigns — all of which are prohibited from “knowingly” accepting such funds.
The law was passed with the purpose of warding off interference by foreign actors such as Hansjörg Wyss, a Swiss national whose Berger Action Fund has gifted hundreds of millions of dollars to left-wing dark money groups such as the Sixteen Thirty Fund, as noted in an Americans for Public Trust April report. Last year, the latter organization dumped more than $11 million into the pockets of left-wing groups backing a pro-abortion ballot initiative and aiming to defeat a ballot measure that sought to raise the threshold to amend the Ohio Constitution, according to a local ABC affiliate.
Concerns about such interference in the state’s 2024 elections is equally notable. As I previously wrote in these pages, “A review of Ohio’s campaign finance database shows the Sixteen Thirty Fund gave $6 million to the group behind a Democrat-backed redistricting amendment on the same day Gov. Mike DeWine announced a special legislative session to pass the prohibition” on foreign funding in state ballot measure campaigns.
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose responded positively to Tuesday’s court order, calling the issuance of a stay “a win for Ohioans who believe our elections shouldn’t be decided by foreign billionaires trying to hijack our state constitution.”
“I’m grateful the court has allowed the statute to take effect while we continue to litigate this case,” the secretary said in a statement. “We’ll keep fighting to make sure Ohio’s law is upheld on appeal, and my office is ready to begin its immediate enforcement.”
For more election news and updates, visit electionbriefing.com.
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