Attorney: Dave Yost ferociously protects predators' attacks rape victims. Ohio pays cost

An attorney and Upper Arlington City Council member, Michaela Burriss has devoted her career to government and nonprofit work. She is a sexual assault survivor and proud wife and mother to a 16-month-old daughter.

An Ohio man, convicted on nearly 100 charges of child sexual abuse, was taken to court by his victim. Ohio law capped her $20 million award to $250,000.

In a brave act, she challenged the constitutionality of this law in the Supreme Court of Ohio cast Brandt v. Pompa.

Ohio’s Attorney General, Dave Yost, tried to stop her.

Although sworn by oath to do otherwise, Yost used the power of his office and our taxpayer dollars to protect her abuser, not the victim. What makes this callous act even worse? It wasn’t his job. It was a choice.

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The state of Ohio was not a client in the proceeding. Yost was not legally compelled to act. Coming to a serial rapist’s rescue wasn’t necessary, but he did it anyway.

Similarly, this summer, Yost went on national television and denied the existence of a 10-year-old rape victim from Ohio who traveled to Indiana for an abortion. That wasn’t his job, but he did it anyway. He casted doubt on the legitimacy of the victim, publicly questioning “if she exists,” a move once again benefiting the rapist.

Another story from this fall states that a Black female police officer reported feeling taken advantage of sexually by a white male colleague. She was indicted for “making false claims” and for “knowing that such offense did not occur” and pressured to plead guilty and give up her police certification to avoid jail time. Who brought this felony charge?

Dave Yost.

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Let us not forget the vulnerable Medicaid recipients, whose abortions for either rape, incest, or life of the mother, were also investigated by then-auditor Yost in 2015.

Denying the existence of and relief for sexual assault victims, especially child victims, is a disturbing, disgusting, and extremist pattern with Dave Yost.

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This isn’t a matter of being “legally correct.” Attorneys are trained to and capable of arguing both sides of the law. The side we choose usually depends on who is paying the bill.

Ohioans are Yost’s bill payers. We are rightly wondering: Why is he attacking victims, or suggesting a confirmed traumatic rape of a child is a hoax? Rather than atone, Yost goes on the attack.

When asked why he didn’t apologize, Yost arrogantly doubled down in two separate interviews.

Two female journalists endured a derisive, disrespectful response from Ohio’s chief law officer. Yost couldn’t contain the oozing condescension and disregard he felt for these women in their workplace—another reminder that for Yost, media coverage is welcome and wanted, so long as it serves to erase the pain and damage his actions inflict on our children.

Less than an hour after the reversal of Roe, Yost asked federal courts to force Ohio’s heartbeat bill on us. By extension, he forced pregnancy on people and children that don’t want it or could die from it.

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The Ohio Department of Health reports that 538 children under 17 received an abortion in 2021. Fifty-seven were younger than 15. Ohio’s age of consent is 16. If the father is over 18, that’s rape. It is possible that approximately once a week in Ohio, a child sexual assault victim needed an abortion. Dave Yost would force these kids to carry and birth their rapist’s baby.

It’s uncomfortably predictable now that Dave Yost will ferociously protect predators and inflict harm on Ohio’s women and girls. As a mother to a daughter, I won’t stand for this, and you shouldn’t either. He must be voted out on Nov. 8.

An attorney and Upper Arlington City Council member, Michaela Burriss has devoted her career to government and nonprofit work. She is a sexual assault survivor and proud wife and mother to a 16-month-old daughter.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Dave Yost has history of protecting sexual predators, doubting victims