News In Focus with Chris Long

Bernie Moreno on Issue 1 and the Court Challenge to the Abortion Ballot Issue

Bernie Moreno on Issue 1 and the Court Challenge to the Abortion Ballot Issue

Traveling the state and urging his fellow Ohioans to vote YES on Issue 1 to Protect Ohio's Constitution from the radical left, Cleveland businessman and candidate for the U.S. Senate Bernie Moreno shares the importance of the August 8th Special Election passage of Issue 1 that will raise the Constitutional amendment passage threshold to 60 percent. The polls show the issue neck and neck, but momentum is building in support of Issue 1. 

 

Part 2  Breaking News.....  A lawsuit has been filed, challenging the abortion ballot issue at the Ohio Supreme Court. The radical abortion ballot issue backed by Planned Parenthood and the ACLU has just been challenged in the Ohio Supreme Court.  The Court has granted an expedited hearing on the case. Cincinnati Constitutional Attorney Curt Hartman argues that the abortion ballot amendment proposal is unconstitutional, as it does not state the laws that it would replace if adopted. Legal analysts watching this case say that this is the one to watch. The case has great merit and is stating the facts that are in Ohio law.  Quoting the brief filed by Attorney Hartman: "The law this Court is now called upon to apply is clear and unequivocal: any statewide initiative petition proposing a constitutional amendment must include “the text of any existing statute…that would be amended or repealed if the proposed…constitutional amendment is adopted.”  R.C. 3519.01(A).  Equally clear and undisputed is the fact that the statewide initiative petition at issue herein did not identify or include the text of any existing statute whatsoever.  Yet, the proposed constitutional amendment seeks to radically and fundamentally alter the whole subject-matter relating to reproductive rights (and abortion, in particular), including establishing a new and expansive definition on fetal viability, as well as establishing more liberal standards on abortion.  In so doing, the proposed constitutional amendment will create irreconcilable conflicts or repugnancies with innumerable provisions of existing statute, resulting in such statutes being amended or repealed.  Because the statewide initiative petition at issue herein failed to comply with the law, i.e., R.C. 3519.01(A), by including the text of any existing statute that would be amended or repealed if the proposed constitutional amendment is adopted, the petition failed to comply with all requirements of law and, accordingly, the petition must be declared to be invalid and the proposed constitutional amendment not placed on the ballot at the forthcoming general election."  Click here to read the entire brief

Breaking News - Abortion issue will be on November ballot - We must pass Issue 1 on Aug 8th to save Ohio’s unborn!

Breaking News - Abortion issue will be on November ballot - We must pass Issue 1 on Aug 8th to save Ohio's unborn!

The Ohio SOS today announced that the ACLU-led abortion ballot group has secured enough signatures to be on the November ballot. If this radical abortion ballot proposal passes, it will legalize abortion through the ninth month of pregnancy in Ohio. If it passes, all of Ohio's pro-life reasonable laws will be stricken from the books, including Ohio's ban on partial-birth abortion and Ohio's parental rights notification law. It is an emergency for Ohio Christians to get out and vote YES on Issue 1 on August 8th. Joining me on today's program is the President of Created Equal, Mark Harrington, to discuss the August special election on protecting Ohio's constitution by raising the Constitutional amendment passage threshold to 60 percent. 

Issue 1 Who's for, who's against tells the story with Mike Gonidakis of ORTL

On today's program, we are joined by Ohio Right to Life President Mike Gonidakis who gives us an update on the Issue 1 campaign. Momentum is building in the faith community in support of Issue 1 on the August 8th Special Election. The proposed constitutional amendment will increase the threshold to 60 percent for passage of any future constitutional amendment proposal. It will also require that signatures be gathered from all of Ohio's 88 counties, not just a few. Mike Gonidakis points out the organizations supporting Issue 1 and the radical leftist organizations that oppose its passage. 

Issue 1 Who’s for, who’s against tells the story with Mike Gonidakis of ORTL

Issue 1 Who's for, who's against tells the story with Mike Gonidakis of ORTL

On today's program, we are joined by Ohio Right to Life President Mike Gonidakis who gives us an update on the Issue 1 campaign. Momentum is building in the faith community in support of Issue 1 on the August 8th Special Election. The proposed constitutional amendment will increase the threshold to 60 percent for passage of any future constitutional amendment proposal. It will also require that signatures be gathered from all of Ohio's 88 counties, not just a few. Mike Gonidakis points out the organizations supporting Issue 1 and the radical leftist organizations that oppose its passage. 

Part 2  Mike Spencer and Laura Kern with Project Life Voice share the importance of people of faith getting out and voting YES on Issue 1. Mike and Laura have been meeting with pastors in gatherings to discuss the importance of defense of the unborn and how people of faith can lend their voices to support the life movement and protect the unborn. In the last two months, they have been urging pastors to share with their congregations the importance of the passage of Issue 1 on August 8th. 

On This Independence Day We Celebrate the Court Decision on Religious Liberty

On This Independence Day, We Celebrate the Court Decision on Religious Liberty

Constitutional attorney and former Ohio Senate President Larry Obhoff breaks down the recent SCOTUS decisions on religious liberty. 

Carson v. Makin (2022) - Maine case involving school vouchers. Maine had a broad-based voucher program, in part because Maine has big rural areas where they literally don’t have public schools. The state forbids vouchers from being used at religious schools. The Supreme Court struck down this policy. (I worked on this case for Buckeye Institute.)

Kennedy v Bremerton (2022) - A football coach was fired for saying a silent prayer after games at the 50-yard line. Supreme Court held it violated the Free Exercise Clause.

Shurtleff v Boston (2022) - The city of Boston allowed hundreds of organizations to use the city flagpole to fly their own flags, 284 flags without ever rejecting one. Told a Christian group they could not use the flagpole. Supreme Court said (unanimously) that this violated the Free Speech Clause.

Geoff v DeJoy (2023) - decided last week. The Postal Service repeatedly punished an employee for not working on the Sabbath.  Supreme Court unanimously held that he was protected by federal civil rights laws.

303 Creative v Elenis (2023) decided last week. In a 6-3 opinion, the Court held that the First Amendment prohibits the state of Colorado from forcing a website designer to create expressive designs speaking messages with which she disagrees.

On one hand, these victories suggest a bunch of wins for religious liberty. On the other hand, the fact that five cases like this ended up in front of the court in an 18-month window suggests that government intrusion on religious liberty is widespread.

Part 2   The state budget breakdown with Greg Lawson, Research Fellow with the Buckeye Institute. 

Historic expansion of universal school vouchers is the state school budget 

State Budget with Senator Andy Brenner Chairman of the Education Committee

State Budget with Senator Andy Brenner Chairman of the Education Committee

The biennium budget is due by June 30th by law in the State of Ohio. But Speaker Jason Stephens is calling for a continuing resolution that will carry the budget discussion over into July. State Senator Andy Brenner expresses the frustration that the Ohio Senate members feel, as this is one of the most conservative budgets in recent years that includes an historic universal school choice provision for Ohio students. Senator Andy Brenner of Ohio's 19th District breaks it all down for us. Tune in and tell a friend. 

SOS Frank LaRose discusses Issue 1 and the August 8th Special Election

SOS Frank LaRose discusses Issue 1 and the August 8th Special Election

On this program, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose discusses the August 8th Special Election on Issue 1

The Constitutional Amendment passage increase to 60% would require that any proposed amendment to the Constitution of the State of Ohio receive the approval of at least 60 percent of eligible voters voting on the proposed amendment.

The Founding Fathers understood the importance of the U.S. Constitution. It takes two-thirds of both chambers of the U.S. Congress and three-fourths of the states to amend the U.S. Constitution.

Ohio is one of only eight states that requires a simple majority to amend their constitution. Forty-two other states have higher standards for amending their constitutions than Ohio has. The Ohio Constitution has been amended 172 times, while the U.S. Constitution has only been amended 27 times.

Radical abortion interests are seeking to place on the November ballot in Ohio an amendment that would legalize abortion to the ninth month of pregnancy, taking Ohio back to the dark days of Roe v. Wade. If the November ballot measure is passed, it will wipe out all of Ohio’s pro-life laws that we have fought for over the past thirty years, including Ohio’s ban on partial-birth abortion, Ohio’s 20-week abortion ban, Ohio’s Heartbeat Law, and the parental notification law. All these pro-life laws will be gone if the radical abortion interests have their way on the November ballot. The Voter registration deadline for the August 8th election is July 10th and EARLY VOTING BEGINS JULY 11TH

 

 

Update on the August 8th Special Election Issue 1

Update on the August 8th Special Election Issue 1

Chris Long and Pastor Al Davis discuss the August 8th Special Election. Voter registration deadline for the August 8th Special Election is July 10th. Early and in-person voting starts July 11th. Ohio Supreme Court issued a decision on ballot language with minor language changes.  It's full steam ahead for August 8th Special Election. OCA urges a vote YES on Issue 1 to safeguard Ohio's Constitution from radical special interests. 

Part 2 - State Rep. Brian Stewart discusses the August 8th Special Election Issue 1

State Rep. Stewart was the sponsor of HJR 1, the constitutional amendment passage increase to 60 percent ballot resolution.  The Senate companion bill, SJR 2, is what actually passed both chambers to establish an August 8th Special Election and to place the constitutional amendment passage increase to 60 percent on the ballot for the voters to decide. Rep. Brian Stewart discusses why it is time to protect Ohio's Constitution from special interests and woke agendas. All eyes are on August 8th now, and it's Vote YES on Issue 1. 

D-Day Prayer Dedicated on the 79th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings in Washington, D.C.

D-Day Prayer Dedicated on the 79th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings in Washington, D.C. 

The D-Day Prayer addition to the WWII Memorial was officially dedicated on Tuesday, the 79th anniversary of the D-Day Landings. Three WWII veterans were in attendance, one a veteran of Utah Beach. The Friends of the WWII Memorial and the Parks Service held a D-Day ceremony with the D-Day Prayer officially being dedicated as a permanent addition to the WWII Memorial. Speakers included Senator Rob Portman, U.S. Parks Service Superintendant Jeff Reinbold, and Toby Roosevelt, the great-grandson of FDR. The prayer has been open to the public since January, but today was its official ceremonial dedication. 

Part 2  Diane Stover, state director of Protect Ohio Children discusses the indoctrination and sexualization of our children in the Ohio classroom. Parents and concerned citizens are standing up and taking action. Diane is here to discuss the details. The Mission - Protect Ohio Children Coalition is a state-wide grassroots volunteer organization dedicated to watching schools and school boards across Ohio. When schools take steps to bring indoctrination into Ohio schools through Comprehensive Sex Education (CSE), Critical Race Theory (CRT), and Social Emotional Learning (SEL), we will expose it. Is your school district presenting obscene, radical, or dangerous information in the classroom?

State Rep. Brian Stewart discusses the August 8th Special Election Issue 1

State Rep. Brian Stewart discusses the August 8th Special Election Issue 1

State Rep. Stewart was the sponsor of HJR 1, the constitutional amendment passage increase to 60 percent ballot resolution.  The Senate companion bill, SJR 2, is what actually passed both chambers to establish an August 8th Special Election and to place the constitutional amendment passage increase to 60 percent on the ballot for the voters to decide. Rep. Brian Stewart discusses why it is time to protect Ohio's Constitution from special interests and woke agendas. All eyes are on August 8th now, and it's Vote YES on Issue 1. 

Candidate Spotlight with U.S. Senate Candidate Bernie Moreno

In a surprise development, Special Counsel John Durham delivered his report on the Trump-Russia probe. The report was damaging to the FBI and the Justice Department for their role in continuing to falsify documents and advance the false narrative of the Russian Dossier that was paid for by the Hillary Clinton Campaign. U.S. Senate Candidate Cleveland businessman Bernie Moreno discusses the need for Washington to undergo a major reform, that these agencies have betrayed the American people's trust. He shares his vision and the issues that he is running on. The U.S. Senate race in Ohio is in 2024. Bernie Moreno is one of the first to declare his candidacy for the Republican Primary to challenge Democrat Sherrod Brown. 

Candidate Spotlight with U.S. Senate Candidate Bernie Moreno

Candidate Spotlight with U.S. Senate Candidate Bernie Moreno

In a surprise development, Special Counsel John Durham delivered his report on the Trump-Russia probe. The report was damaging to the FBI and the Justice Department for their role in continuing to falsify documents and advance the false narrative of the Russian Dossier that was paid for by the Hillary Clinton Campaign. U.S. Senate Candidate Cleveland businessman Bernie Moreno discusses the need for Washington to undergo a major reform, that these agencies have betrayed the American people's trust. He shares his vision and the issues that he is running on. The U.S. Senate race in Ohio is in 2024. Bernie Moreno is one of the first to declare his candidacy for the Republican Primary to challenge Democrat Sherrod Brown. 

Part 2  Diane Stover, state director of Protect Ohio Children discusses the indoctrination and sexualization of our children in the Ohio classroom. Parents and concerned citizens are standing up and taking action. Diane is here to discuss the details. The Mission - Protect Ohio Children Coalition is a state-wide grassroots volunteer organization dedicated to watching schools and school boards across Ohio. When schools take steps to bring indoctrination into Ohio schools through Comprehensive Sex Education (CSE), Critical Race Theory (CRT), and Social Emotional Learning (SEL), we will expose it. Is your school district presenting obscene, radical, or dangerous information in the classroom?