State treasurer, justice tout GOP values at stop in Port Clinton

Republicans in Ottawa County welcomed Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague and Ohio Supreme Court Justices Pat DeWine and Pat Fischer at a meeting at their headquarters in Port Clinton.

"We get to write the new chapter in Ohio history," said Sprague about the upcoming November elections.

The treasurers, who was elected in 2018, is up for re-election. The treasurer remarked Republican candidates, if fully supported in their campaigns, have the opportunity to shape the Ohio political landscape for years to come and implement important changes in all facets of the Ohio life, particularly in terms of law and economy.

Sprague deferred to the justices before giving his own, more expansive address, by first introducing Fischer at the Wednesday event.

Fischer, a 1983 graduate of Harvard Law School and Ohio Supreme Court justice since 2017, said if voters retain him, along with Pat DeWine, and re-elect Gov. Mike DeWine, the governor may be able to appoint a fourth justice to the court when Republican Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor is forced to retire, keeping majority of the court within the Republican party. Ohio law bars anyone over the age of 70 from being appointed to a judgeship.

"I want this to be an Ohio election," Fischer continued, noting 88% of donors to the campaign of his opponent, Ohio 10th District Court of Appeals Judge Terri Jamison, are from out of state.

"They're trying to buy an Ohio election," Fischer said.

'I can't watch 'Seinfeld' anymore'

"I can't watch 'Seinfeld" anymore," said Fischer, explaining Julia Louis Dreyfus, who starred on the popular sitcom, is raising money for his opponent's campaign. He took the matter in stride, however.

"I know this; if Hollywood is against me, I'm doing pretty well."

Fischer characterized himself and the current majority makeup of the court as being, "conservative, constitutional and common-sense."

Fischer also expressed concern over a recent ruling in the DuBose v. McGuffey case, in which the court delivered varied opinions regarding the ability of judges to consider public safety as a factor in determining bail amounts for court defendants. The justice said his interpretation, and that of other conservative members, was that the effect of the decision, to prohibit such considerations, were against the letter of the constitution and had driven the establishment of Ohio Issue 1.

Issue 1 seeks to establish an amendment to the Ohio Constitution to specifically allow judges such leeway in setting bail amounts. Fischer bemoaned the decision, opining it made the amendment issue necessary.

As to his own stand on the state constitution, Fischer said, "Every time an issue comes up, I uphold it."

Ohio Supreme Court is at a crossroads

DeWine agreed with Fischer that the DuBose case amounted to the actions of an activist court rather than a conservative one that simply decides matters based on the law.

"The court this year is really at a crossroads," DeWine said, encouraging those in attendance to support a court that relies on the state constitution, rather than taking an activist approach and attempting to establish matters of public policy. "That's scary," he said.

DeWine encouraged fellow Republicans to get the message out to friends and neighbors regarding Ohio ballot issues.

"They're likely to listen," DeWine said. "Do those things so people know what's at stake in this election."

Lauding Ohio's AAA credit status

Sprague spoke again, addressing last week's announcement by DeWine that the state's credit rating had reached AAA status for the first time in 50 years, as assessed by Fitch Ratings, the global financial services and ratings company.

"It's really the result of a lot of hard work on the part of the government," Sprague said.

Sprague said Ohio successes are the result of positive and conservative financial leadership across its leadership and fly in the face of economic failures he blamed on the president's administration.

"If Joe Biden were trying to run our country into the ground, he could not have done it any better than he has in the last 18 months," Sprague said.

He pointed to skyrocketing inflation, out-of-control fuel and other energy prices, the failed pullout of troops in Afghanistan and soaring grocery bills, while accusing Democrats of ruining the economy and America's military standing on Democrat leadership. Sprague also said liberals in government make no attempt to deny these effects have been implemented purposefully.

Such governmental shortcomings, said Sprague, cannot be curtailed without a concerted effort to get out the vote.

"These elections absolutely matter," he said. "It's incumbent upon us to take actin and get our word out.

"Let's get out there and win in November."

This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Treasurer, fellow Republicans meet in Port Clinton