Ashtabula County Republican Party

Save the Date! March 19th will be our Annual Young Republican Lincoln Day Dinner! More Details to be Released Soon.

Come enjoy an open buffet and bar, while catching up with friends and meeting your local and state candidates.

The evening will begin at 4:30pm doors opening with dinner commencing at 5:30pm at the Jefferson Fairgrounds Expo Building (127 N Elm St Jefferson, Ohio)

Suggested Donation:
$35 Individual/$65 Couple
$15 Young Republicans

Sponsorship Opportunities:
Host Sponsor: $250 (Reserved Table- 6 Tickets)
Contributing Sponsor: $150 (Reserved Table- 4 Tickets)
Supporting Sponsor: $100 (2 Tickets)

Questions or to RSVP by 3/12/22, please contact David Thomas at thomas15david@gmail.com or 440-812-9022

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ashtabula-county-lincoln-day-dinner-tickets-262521578107

Jump ahead to 2024, and Joe Biden loses to Donald Trump by 2 points.

That’s according to a new Emerson College poll that shows a MAGA win 45-43 — with some wiggle room for a third-party candidate.

“With over a tenth of voters voicing support for someone else in another Trump-Biden match-up, 2024 could perhaps witness a third-party candidate reaching the required 15% support to get on the debate stage,” Emerson pollster Spencer Kimball said.

After the week we just had, polls aren’t so popular right now. But this one takes into account the dissatisfaction with President Biden’s agenda. The same poll has the president’s approval rating at a dismal 41%, in what is the lowest of his tenure so far.

Plus, the “greatest” drop in approval is among Black voters — from 72% in February to 52% in November, the poll shows.

FiveThirtyEight, the poll-and-data-crunching site, gives Emerson polling an A- for its prognosticating acumen. It’s never too soon to pitch ahead to a presidential showdown.

Biden has declared he will see re-election. He’s 78 years old now, and polls show Democrats prefer someone else, according to the Washington Post.

The Post states a Marist poll shows Dems are split 41-41 when asked whether “Democrats have a better chance of winning the presidency in 2024 if Joe Biden is the party’s nominee, or if someone else is the party’s nominee.”

Trump is 75 and is considering a run in 2024. Democrat Grover Cleveland is the only president in U.S. history to have won a second term four years after losing re-election, Ballotpedia reports. He was the 22nd and 24th president, according to whitehouse.gov, splitting up his tenures from 1885-1889 and then 1893-1897.

“The results in Virginia this week were a wake up call for our party,” according to a “Team Joe” newsletter Friday. New Jersey’s close call should be on the Dems’ radar, too.

From the Gazzette Newspapers…

Hello, Ashtabula County! This week I wanted to take a moment to speak about some important work that is well underway at the Commissioners’ Office.

In the coming weeks, the Board of Commissioners will begin the work of meeting with county officials and departments, such as the Sheriff’s Department, Prosecutor, Common Pleas Court, and Auditor, to name just a few and hear their budget requests for the 2022 fiscal year.
Each of the budget work sessions gives county officials and department heads an opportunity to present their case to the Board of Commissioners when asking for funding allocations in 2022. This year will be unique since we have several new office holders that will be presenting their first full budget request under their tenure. For the 2021 allocations, those requests primarily came from their predecessors when presented in 2020. We plan to take each budget work session seriously and offer up many questions about their requests and how they plan to allocate funds in their respective departments.

In addition to the Commissioners spending time working through the budget requests and asking questions, we will also have Ashtabula County residents serving again as members of the County Budget Advisory Committee. They participate in all of the work sessions just as the commissioners do and have the ability to ask questions of the departments. We are very appreciative of having residents serving in this capacity as it is an opportunity for them to ask questions from a new and different perspective.
While the budget hearings are set to begin shortly, that is only the first step of many. Following the presentations, the commissioners will be spending time working with all of the departments on their requests and determining funding allocations for the full 2022 budget year. In December, the Board will pass a temporary budget to fund operations for the first quarter of 2022, and a final general revenue fund budget for the full year will be passed in March of 2022.

Ashtabula County operates under an approximate $23-$24 million general revenue fund budget, of which the primary sources of revenue include: sales tax, real-estate tax, casino revenue, grant funding, and fees and charges. We remain very vigilant of the requests from all departments but also recognize that the revenue generated is the total amount of funds that we have to work with when allocating funding requests.
In 2022, we also remain cognizant of how the state operating budget will impact the county. The state biennium budget is passed every two years, and it most certainly will have an impact on our operations at the local level from a funding perspective. We remain committed to lobbying for initiatives and funding that will benefit our county at the Statehouse.

I look forward to continuing to serve you and remain a good steward of your tax dollars. As always, if you have thoughts or ideas, please don’t hesitate to share those with me. I always enjoy hearing your thoughts on the issues. I can be reached in Jefferson at 440-576-3750. Thank you.

Bill Baker met Elizabeth Miles of Geneva when she was doing an internship in Mystic, Connecticut, and he was in the Navy going to school in Groton. They were married in Geneva in July 1986. Bill left the Navy after 11 years of active duty on submarines and instructor duty. He joined the Army National Guard, to finish out his 20 years of military service in 2005. While living in South Carolina, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Michigan, they made numerous trips “home” to Geneva. Bill, Beth, and their two children, Annelise and Samuel, moved to Geneva in 2002 after a downturn in the economy in Michigan. They moved in with Beth’s parents while looking for a place of their own. While searching for their own place, it became evident that they were needed in Geneva to help care for Beth’s parents.

Bill and Beth gave up their search and made their present living situation permanent. While Bill worked as a network engineer for the Coast Guard in Cleveland and NASA in Brookpark, and later as a Project Manager for CDW working from home, Beth took care of her ailing parents until their deaths in 2017 and 2020. Both Annelise and Sam are graduates of Geneva High School, like their mother Beth.

Bill and Beth are both active in the community. Beth has been a PTO president, Den leader for Cub Scouts, committee member of the local Boy Scout Troop. She currently heads up the Board of Christian Education teaching Sunday school and Vacation Bible School at the United Church of Geneva. Bill sings in the choir at church, is a lay reader, trustee, and helps with the church finance committee. Bill has also been on the board of trustees for Koinonia Camp and Conference Center, a Christian-based camp in Madison. Additionally, Bill has been the Scoutmaster of Troop 750B in Geneva for the past three years and has been active in Scouting for 8 years. Bill has achieved the highest level of adult leadership training scouting has to offer. Bill has been active in the city since he first attended a council meeting in 2010 to find out what was going to be done about the closing of the recycling center just north of the Austin Road bridge. He was instrumental in helping the city coming up with a plan that would allow residents to still get rid of their yard waste in an environmentally safe fashion while saving the city money in the process.

Bill has been working from home for the past ten years taking care of customers as a Senior Project Manager for CDW. CDW is a leading multi-brand technology solutions provider to business, government, education and healthcare customers in the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada.

Bill is always approachable and being a Project Manager means that he has experience managing large budgets and driving projects to a successful conclusion. He will be a driving force as a member of the City Council as Geneva embraces the future.

By Bethany Blankley | The Center Square contributor

(The Center Square) – Oil prices hit a 7-year high this week as American oil and gas companies continue to fight the Biden administration over policies restricting production.

As the economy began to reopen this year and the demand for fuel increased, President Joe Biden, through executive order, halted and restricted oil and gas leases on federal lands, stopped construction of the Keystone Pipeline, and redirected U.S. policy to import more oil from Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and Russia (OPEC+) instead of bolstering American oil and gas exploration and production.

The U.S. led the world in oil and gas production for seven consecutive years prior to this year. It produced more oil and petroleum liquids than any other country, with Texas leading the way, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) data.

Texas remains the top crude oil and natural gas-producing state in the U.S. In 2020, Texas accounted for 43% of the nation’s crude oil production and 26% of its marketed natural gas production, EIA reports.

In Texas and across the country, however, gas prices have soared. In Houston, the state’s largest city with close access to refineries, gas prices were historically low last year, hovering at $1.50 a gallon at the pump. Now gas in some areas of the state is $3 a gallon or more. In other states like California, gas prices have already surpassed $5 a gallon.

As of Oct. 6, the average national retail price was $3.22 a gallon for regular gasoline, according to AAA, roughly one dollar more than it was last year. The highest average was $4.42 in California.

On Oct. 4, OPEC+ said it planned to increase oil production by up to 400,000 barrels a day in November, causing a market reaction.

West Texas Intermediate, the U.S. benchmark, rose 2.3%, reaching a seven-year high. Its international counterpart, Brent, rose 2.5%, its highest level in three years. Oil is expected to reach over $100 a barrel by the end of the year, driving prices up even further.

In August, while the administration saw gas prices and inflation rising, and asked OPEC+ to increase oil output, it imposed harsher restrictions on American companies and failed to comply with a court order reversing an executive order.

In an Aug. 11 statement, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said, “While OPEC+ recently agreed to production increases, these increases will not fully offset previous production cuts that OPEC+ imposed during the pandemic until well into 2022. At a critical moment in the global recovery, this is simply not enough.”

At the same time, the Western Energy Alliance and the Petroleum Association of Wyoming were fighting Biden’s ban on oil and natural gas leasing after the Department of the Interior failed to comply with a Louisiana court ruling overturning the ban. As gas prices were going up and many Americans in the oil and gas sector were still out of work, “the Interior Department still had not issued a plan on how it would conduct its reported comprehensive review of the federal oil and natural gas program” as directed by a January executive order, the Alliance argued.

“[F]or six months the leasing ban [was] completely futile, as no progress [was] made on the supposed reason for the ban in the first place,” the Alliance said.

On Oct. 4, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said at a press briefing, “We’re going to continue to use every tool at our disposal to ensure we can keep gas prices down for the American public.” But those in the oil and gas sector argue the surest way to do this is to allow American companies to produce more oil and gas and for the Biden administration to follow the law.

Instead, the federal government has buckled down on not allowing onshore lease sales to be held for the entire year of 2021.

Plaintiffs in Louisiana and Wyoming have asked the judges in their respective cases to force the Department of the Interior to comply with federal law and “meet its obligations under the Mineral Leasing Act. This administration is not above the law. It must comply with laws passed by Congress and orders by the federal judiciary, whether it agrees with them or not.”

Pete Obermueller, president of the Petroleum Association of Wyoming, said, “the Biden Administration must do more than say it will follow the law, it must follow the law in practice.”

COLUMBUS, Ohio) — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost today announced that 161 people were arrested and 51 potential human trafficking victims were helped in a statewide operation for which nearly 100 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies partnered with non-governmental and nonprofit organizations.

Operation Ohio Knows, coordinated through AG Yost’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission (OOCIC), was a collaborative effort that took place from Sept. 24 to Oct. 1 to address issues that fuel sex trafficking in Ohio.

“People who traffic other humans are doing it for a really simple reason — money. And if there’s no demand then there will be no market,” Yost said Monday morning during a press conference at the Statehouse, where he was joined by leaders of law enforcement agencies and social service organizations. “Reducing the demand means we reduce the number of people who are victimized by human trafficking.

“We will not rest until no one in Ohio buys or sells human beings.”

The operation included the arrest of 161 individuals seeking to buy sex – three of who sought to buy sex from minors. During the course of the operation, law enforcement officers also arrested individuals who possessed drugs and/or firearms. Most were charged with engaging in prostitution, a first-degree misdemeanor. A change in state law passed in the spring requires those convicted to undergo human trafficking education, a provision promoted by Attorney General Yost to decrease the demand for prostitution.

Among those arrested were a teacher, a professor, a firefighter, a pilot, municipal employees and a city councilman.

Fifty individuals offering to sell sex – men and women – were arrested. Law enforcement officers interviewed 51 potential human trafficking victims, who were provided services from health care and social services organizations.

A simultaneous operation carried out by the U.S. Marshals Service recovered 10 missing children.

Also participating in the press conference with the attorney general was Mandie Knight, a human trafficking survivor, who spoke about the role law enforcement played on her road to recovery.

“When I was being trafficked, I knew that law enforcement was somewhere I could turn to when I needed a safe way out, and that’s what happened,” said Knight, now resource manager for Freedom a la Cart and a wife, mother and student in forensic criminology. “Had I not been arrested, had I not gone to jail, and had I not suffered some consequences for the decisions I was making, I wouldn’t be here today and I wouldn’t be as successful in life.”

Operation Ohio Knows is the latest anti-human trafficking operation under Attorney General Yost, whose office hosts an annual human trafficking summit and provides coordination, education and outreach on the subject.

Statements from Inside the Operation

FBI – FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge J. William Rivers

“The most important work the FBI does is protecting the most vulnerable in our society. Our goal through these efforts is to work with our partners across Ohio to help recover victims and arrest those responsible for their exploitation.”

Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office – Sheriff Rob Streck

“We know human trafficking may cross several jurisdictions, and thanks to the collaboration between our local, state and federal partners, efforts like Operation Ohio Knows allow us to fight human trafficking more effectively. We are not going to tolerate this egregious behavior and will continue to pursue those who prey on others and hold them accountable.”

Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department – Sheriff Christopher Viland

“Sex trafficking is a multibillion-dollar industry that ravages our community’s most valuable resource, our residents. Human trafficking may appear to be a faceless crime, but its victims are people, people who deserve protection. It is a crime that hides and operates in plain sight. Those who profit off the sale of human beings are a catalyst of devastation towards individuals, families, and communities. Those who buy or rent a person are equally culpable in the degradation of the individual and our communities as those who traffic. Conducting proactive undercover sting operations is an effective tactic used to curtail that devastation.

For our partners in social service and non-governmental agencies, and more importantly, those in the community: We could not do this alone. Partnerships are a vital link to connecting victims and those at risk of being victimized to services that can help address the needs of a friend, neighbor, or family member.”

Summit County Human Trafficking Task Force – Summit County Sheriff Kandy Fatheree

“Human traffickers use force and coercion to lure people who are susceptible into labor or commercial sexual exploitation. We are working to ensure the safety of the public as well as the victims. Using the resources available to use, we are attempting to identify and offer help to the victims, while seeking out the criminal organizations responsible and pursuing criminal prosecution against them.”

Southeastern Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force – Washington County Sheriff Larry Mincks Sr.

“The Southeastern Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force was proud to support and participate in the 2021 fall sting operation.”

Toledo Police Department – Capt. Joseph Heffernan

“Human trafficking, particularly sex trafficking (the illegal use of vulnerable people to make a profit through sex work), is an issue that the Toledo Police Department takes very seriously. The Toledo Police Department has been a partner with the FBI’s Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Task Force for many years combating these types of crimes. By targeting those involved in this crime, we hope to disrupt this activity and provide assistance to human trafficking victims by getting them connected to advocates and resources. We are happy to partner with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office and other law enforcement agencies throughout Ohio in participating in Operation Ohio Knows.”

Bureau of Criminal Investigation – Superintendent Joe Morbitzer

“It is BCI’s mission to help our law enforcement partners keep Ohioans safe. As always, we are proud to assist with any operation that targets human trafficking and child exploitation wherever it is found.”

Elyria Police Department – Chief Duane P. Whitely

“The Elyria Police Department recognizes that sexual exploitation has a dangerous impact on our community. Therefore, we are committed to preventing and reducing human trafficking. The Elyria Police Department is proud to work alongside the Cuyahoga Regional Human Trafficking Task Force, Lorain County Prosecutor’s Office and other state and local agencies that are equally committed to this cause.”

New Albany Police Department – Chief Greg Jones

“The work of the Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force and its many partners not only provides the victims of human trafficking a way out of prostitution but also provides support for the physical, psychological, and emotional toll it takes on some of the most vulnerable of victims. We appreciate the opportunity to partner with other local and state agencies to be part of such an important mission.”

Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force – Sgt. Dana Hess, Director

“Human trafficking is an explicit, organized criminal enterprise. The demand for sexual exploitation comes from unscrupulous buyers at the end of the human trafficking chain. Any person who pays another human being for sex or a sexual act is fueling the crime of human trafficking. Our task force recognizes the importance of reducing the demand for potential victims of human trafficking and limiting the opportunities for criminals who seek to exploit members of our vulnerable populations.”

Columbus City Attorney’s Office – Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein

“The Columbus City Attorney’s Office receives most of these criminal cases in Columbus and is glad to support this operation to reduce the demand for human trafficking. Sexual exploitation has a dangerous impact on our community – whether it’s a child who has witnessed this while walking to school or a young person who could become a victim themselves. We are proud to work alongside the Columbus Division of Police, our suburban police departments, victim services, and all members of the Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force to reduce human trafficking and make our city safer.”

Grandview Heights Division of Police – Chief of Police Ryan Starns

“The Grandview Heights Division of Police is proud to partner with the Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force and assist in Operation Ohio Knows by sharing our resources and personnel.”

Grove City Division of Police – Chief Richard Butsko

“The Grove City Division of Police is committed to investigating and proactively addressing all criminal activity, especially crimes against persons. Human trafficking and prostitution affect a community as a whole, but specifically target potentially vulnerable victims. The intent of Grove City’s participation in this operation is to both enforce violations of the law in the short term and to send the long-term message that Grove City does not tolerate these types of crimes.”

Hilliard Division of Police – Chief Eric Grile

“Prostitution is the product of human trafficking. By targeting those involved in this crime, we hope to disrupt human trafficking as well as provide assistance to human trafficking victims so they can get connected to advocates and resources. We are always grateful for the ability to partner with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office and other law enforcement agencies in central Ohio to address this real problem.”

Marysville Division of Police – Chief Tony Brooks and Retired Chief Floyd K. Golden

“The Marysville Division Police is supportive of Operation Ohio Knows and is proud to collaborate with Ohio law enforcement to address the issues that fuel sex trafficking within the City of Marysville and the State of Ohio.”

Reynoldsburg Division of Police – Chief Curtis Baker, Esq.

“The Reynoldsburg Division of Police is proud to be a partner agency with the Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force for Operation Ohio Knows here in our jurisdiction. We recognize the toll these types of crimes take on our community and are fully supportive of investigating and prosecuting suspects, while at the same time assisting in seeking recovery resources and support for victims. We look forward to our continued partnership toward ending crimes related to human trafficking and prostitution.”