ICO Newsletter - 3/26/25

Written By Indivisible OH12

Indivisible Central Ohio Empty Chair Town Hall 
Now that’s what I call a town hall! Senators Husted and Moreno might not have shown up, but YOU sure did! We had around 1400 packing out the Valley Dale Ballroom, standing room only, cars being turned away when the parking lots were full. Impressive all around.

First, some heartfelt thank yous.

  • THANK YOU to the amazing team of organizers: John Gatiss, Heather Lauderback, Mary Klain, Alissa Freidman, Meryl Neiman, Colleen Crook, Barb Fleeter, Ann Shroyer, Linda Wagner, Sue Haidle, Mary Mynatt, Jackie Bird and more. 

  • THANK YOU to the volunteers who helped with parking, set up, registration, videography, streaming and more: Angelica Aguilar, Teresa Avila, Ted Barrows, Kirsten Chan, Lynn Cory, Laura Dachenbach, Susan Dlouhy, Phyllis Elmo, Sally Francis, Stephanie Harris, Noah Keppers, Mitch Lerner, Barbara Lubberger, Vicki Nichols, Patty Nussle, Emily O'Connor, Kate O’Connor, Corey Reid and family, Barb Seckler, April Swain and Kristina Weaver – plus others who stepped up in the moment. 

  • THANK YOU to our amazing speakers!

    • Leah Hackleman-Good: Fired employee due to federal cuts;

    • Arnold Scott: District 6 National Vice President of the American Federation of Government Employees, representing federal employees in Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio, on the impact of devastating federal job cuts;

    • Reverend Catherine Duffy: Co-Founder of non-profit The Garden for All, on the threat to farmers & food pantries because of federal program cuts;

    • Retired Major General Dennis Laich & Colonel Adam Miller: on the negative impact on military readiness because of current leadership, and hardship for veterans as a result of VA cuts;

    • Norm Wernet: Ohio State Director at Alliance for Retired Americans, on threat to Medicaid and consequences thereof;

    • State Representatives Anita Somani & Beryl Brown Piccoloantonio: on impact of federal cuts on the Ohio state budget; and

    • Jason Perlman: political director at Ohio AFL-CIO, on the importance of unions and fighting back against fascism, encouraging attendance at Tesla protests.

    • Plus Ann Shroyer summing up the state of affairs, “Tech Support” Meryl Neiman & John Gatiss using ChatGPT to stand in for our missing Senators, and Karen Adams & Bailey Culp reading statements. 

  •  AND, THANK YOU above all to everyone who attended. Your energy, your anger, your patriotism, your concern for your country, your care for all people, your determination to stand up for decency and democracy – that’s what gives us hope!

We Made Maddow
Here are a few press hits, starting with… 

And more to come (Dispatch article expected today, and something from Spectrum news on Friday)

If you missed the main event…
If you couldn’t be there on Saturday, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Here’s:

  • A press release that summarizes the event;

  • A 7-minute video of highlights, plus another video with clips of interviews with attendees (thank you John & Mishka Griffin);

  • Two live streams of the event, on YouTube and on Facebook (thank you Barb Fleeter & Sylke Krell);

  • A photo album with a million amazing photos (thank you Bob Ohrstedt, Christina Paolucci, Madison Hyer, Paul Becker and others).

What’s Next
We wrote a lot of postcards & pink slips on Saturday! Delivery started Tuesday when the cards for Carey were dropped off at his office. You can join the Wednesday delivery to Moreno's office at 12:30, 200 N High Street. More info HERE. 

Husted’s cards will be delivered to DC since he STILL doesn’t have an office in Columbus.

Linktree & Follow up

  • Indivisible Central Ohio now has a Linktree. It’s one handy link that has a list of all the other links you need. Check it out HERE. 

  • And here’s a link to the handout we shared at the town hall.

  • Last but not least, here’s our new “Join us” interest form where you can tell us your skills and interests and get more connected and involved with our team. 

  • Don’t forget to mention the Town Hall when you call Husted, Moreno, Carey & Beatty. Ask why they weren’t there! 

Are these yours? Lost and found items from the town hall now at 437 Piedmont. Reply to this email to claim.

WE NEED YOU AT PROTESTS & RALLIES
Find info about these protests & more in the Events section of our website, indivisible central ohio.org.

Wednesday, 3/26/2025: Town Hall Postcard Delivery
12:30pm, Bricker Federal Building, 200 N. High Street. Following Saturday's HUGE town hall with over 1,400 constituents, but no sign of our spineless Senators, we will be delivering the many postcards attendees filled out for Bernie Moreno. Join us! Bring your signs and letters. If you happen to have a chicken costume, you might want to throw that on!.

Saturday, 3/29/2025: Tesla Protest!
Join the weekly Tesla Takedown protest at the Easton Tesla Dealership, 4:30-5:30pm. 

Tuesday, 4/1/2025: Support Veterans Rush Hour Rally
4:30-5:30 at the Chalmers P. Wylie Ambulatory Care Center, 420 N James Rd, Columbus

Saturday, 4/5: Hands Off Rallies! 
Mass Mobilization nationwide! This action is being coordinated with Indivisible, 5050/1, Common Cause, and other groups. 

WE NEED YOU HOLDING SIGNS OVER THE HIGHWAYS! 
Every week we plan to have a new highway sign project. Bookmark this Sign Up Genius and join the team! (We have the signs. You bring the manpower.) We are also looking for more team leaders to help recruit additional sign holders and organize events. Sign-making parties are scheduled for 3/30 and 4/03. 

Take Action this Week: Bills at the Ohio Statehouse

SB 1 – OPPOSE the Ohio Higher Education Act

What’s new: Despite vigorous opposition, a substitute version of SB 1 has passed in the House. It will return to the Senate for concurrence before heading to Gov. DeWine’s desk. Once he receives the bill, Gov. DeWine will have 10 days to sign or veto it. If he vetoes, lawmakers would need three-fifths vote from each chamber to override. 

What to do ( URGENT): Contact Governor DeWine AND his top staff 
 
Sample script:
My name is ______ and I’m calling from [full address if leaving a message]. I want Gov. DeWine to know I strongly oppose SB1. Signing this bill into law would damage Ohio’s public colleges and universities and the free exchange of ideas in classrooms. State officials could overrule trained educators’ professional judgments, and ask them to reject the consensus-based, foundational beliefs of their academic disciplines. The bill also bans ‘DEI' efforts, without even defining “diversity, equity, and inclusion”! Ohio has drawn top-notch professors and students from around the world, but this bill would harm our reputation for higher education excellence, damaging Ohio’s economy for years to come. Entire departments and majors are at risk, as are workers' rights, including tenure for professors. Gov. DeWine has touted big plans to improve mental health care in Ohio, but this bill would impact university programs that train mental health providers such as social workers and counselors. These programs would lose accreditation and graduates would not be able to become licensed. I urge Gov. DeWine to veto SB 1 if and when it comes to his desk. Thanks for your consideration.

Want to know more?
Watch this short video from Rachel Coyle or review these slides 


Federal Mirror Language — Allows Ohio to gut state programs if federal gov’t guts related programs (currently included in Ohio’s budget bill)

What this language does: If the federal government does anything to a federal program (pauses, suspends, reduces, etc.) and Ohio has a similar state program that uses federal funds, Ohio would be able to take the same action (pause, suspend, reduce) to that state program (e.g., if the federal government guts Medicaid, Ohio could also gut Medicaid).

What to do: Tell these legislators to REMOVE sections 126.70 and 126.10 (federal mirror language) from the state budget:
 

  • Ohio House Finance Committee Chair — Brian Stewart:                      (614) 466-1464; rep12@ohiohouse.gov

  • Ohio House Finance Committee Vice Chair — Mike Dovilla:                (614) 466-4895; rep17@ohiohouse.gov

  • Ohio House Medicaid Committee Vice Chair — Tim Barhorst:                 (614) 466-1507; rep85@OhioHouse.gov  

  • Ohio House Medicaid Committee Chair — Jennifer Gross:                  (614) 466-8550; rep45@ohioHouse.gov 


Sample script:
Hello, My name is ________________ and I live at  [full address if leaving a message].  I’m calling to tell [elected official]  that I strongly oppose the federal mirror language – sections 126.70 and 126.10 - in the state budget. Millions of Ohioans depend on state programs that get federal funds. Those Ohioans could immediately be impacted if similar federal-level programs are paused, suspended or reduced. For example, if the federal government guts Medicaid, Ohio would be able to do the same. According to the Kaiser Foundation 2.9 million Ohioans are enrolled in Medicaid. A change could be devastating for rural areas and regions of Ohio with higher concentrations of the poor, including Appalachia. Please, work to remove sections 126.70 and 126.10 from the state budget. Thanks for your consideration.


SB 63 – Prohibits Use of Ranked Choice Voting; Withhold Funding for Use

What this bill does: SB 63 would generally prohibit the use of ranked choice voting and withhold Local Government Fund distributions from a municipality or chartered county that uses ranked choice voting.

What's new: SB 63 received a third proponent/opponent/interested party hearing in the Senate General Government Committee on 3/25/25,

What to do: Contact these members of the Senate General Government Committee and tell them you OPPOSE a ban of ranked choice voting: 


Sample script:
My name is ____________ and I’m calling from [provide your address if leaving a message].  Banning ranked choice voting prevents localities from making elections freer and fairer. Ohioans are losing faith in democracy because it limits voter choices and does not require a majority to win. When Ranked Choice Voting is used, candidates can win with support from a majority of voters. Also, it rewards more positive, issues-focused campaigning. Local governments should be able to make decisions based on their needs, and not on a voting approach dictated by state government. I urge [elected official] to say no to SB 63. Thanks for your consideration.

Want to know more? Stop the Ban

Ideas and Inspirations for You
A few words from Robert Reich to express our gratitude to all of you who are persevering despite the difficulty and distress: 

“It’s been another terrible week for America. Not only is the nation being severely tested, we as individuals are being tested as almost never before. I know how hard it is to keep up your strength and determination in light of the daily onslaught from Trump, Musk, and their horrendous regime. It’s devastating and depressing to witness their attempts to intimidate lawyers, law firms, universities, the media, and every other institution of civil society.

I thank you for hanging in there, nonetheless — protecting those who are most vulnerable, appearing at political town halls and demanding that Republicans be held accountable, demanding that Democrats speak out, holding “empty chair” town halls when your representative doesn’t show up, showing up for Bernie and AOC, organizing and mobilizing in Wisconsin and elsewhere, jamming the White House switchboard, and making good trouble when and however you can.”

Upcoming Events (Calendar view) 

Thursday, 3/27/2025: Thursday Action Group Meeting, noon-1:30. Please join us for a Zoom meeting where we will welcome Laurie VanBalen and Tom VanBalen, founders of Columbus Crossing Borders, as well as Teresa Gibson of Community Refugee & Immigration Services (CRIS). Join the Zoom call HERE. 

Friday, 3/28/2025: Oil & Gas Land Management Commission Meeting, 1-3pm, Ohio Department of Public Safety, 1970 W. Broad Street. Save Ohio Parks will hold a press conference in advance of the meeting. The press conference will begin at noon on the plaza outside 1970 W. Broad St. Please join us! We need people to pack the room to show this commission that Ohioans do not want our parks and wildlife areas to be fracked.

Saturday, 3/29/2025: Clothing Swap for Abortion Access, 10am-4pm, Holy Trinity Lutheran, 404 S 3rd Street, Columbus. Abortion Fund of Ohio & Wild Cat Gift and Party are holding a clothing swap for abortion access. (Masks required and provided.) Purchase tickets HERE. More information about tickets and swap rules HERE. 

Saturday, 3/29/2025: Columbus Safety Collective Campaign Petition Launch, 12-3pm, Old First Presbyterian Church, 1101 Bryden Rd, Columbus. Join the Columbus Safety Collective Campaign as we launch our petition drive to win an independent nonpolice emergency response program that serves all Columbus residents.

Saturday, 3/29/25: Ohio Roller Derby is hosting a cereal box donation drive for Motherful, a grassroots collective of single mothers in Columbus at its doubleheader at the Ohio state fairgrounds. Doors open at 4 pm, face offs at 5 & 7 pm. Cereal boxes of any size can be dropped off upon arrival at the ticket table. More info here. Unable to attend? Donate directly to Motherful.  

Sunday, 3/30/2025: Postcard Party for Democracy! 6-8pm, 219 W Dublin Granville Rd, Worthington. Let’s stand up for democracy while building a community via a postcard writing party. We will supply cards, snacks and drinks. Feel free to bring anything to make the postcards more fun to read with stickers or markers. For those who are able, stamps are appreciated. Register HERE. [NOTE: this event is at capacity but there are repeat events 4/27, 5/18, 6/29. 

Monday, 3/31/25: Trans Day of Visibility Big Gay Dance Party 3pm, 77 S. High St. Joy is resistance. Join others outside the Governor's office for a dance party with music and fun.

Wednesday, 4/2/2025: Voter Registration Training with Indivisible Central Ohio, 7-8pm via Zoom. Learn the ins and outs of registering voters in Ohio, including recent changes to the law. Register HERE. 

Tuesday, 4/8/2025: Clintonville Area Progressives Columbus School Board Candidate Forum, 7pm att he First UU Church, 93 W Weisheimer, Columbus. “For our April 8th meeting, we are welcoming 2025 candidates for Columbus School Board---with a different location than usual. We're going to be meeting at the First Unitarian Universalist Church. Candidates will talk about their priorities, and will be on hand to take your questions. Event starts at 7pm, doors OPEN at 6:30pm.”


Mia for the OHCentral Team

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