East Stark News

Ohio Supreme Court Justice Pat DeWine said Tuesday he would recuse himself if contempt hearings against his father, Gov. Mike DeWine, R-Ohio, and other members of the Ohio Redistricting Commission should proceed. 

"Regarding the pending redistricting cases before the Court, I’ve answered this question several times and nothing has changed," Justice DeWine said in a text message. "In the event that a contempt proceeding is instituted pursuant to R.C. 2705.02 to impose sanctions on the individual members of the redistricting commission, I would recuse myself from that separate proceeding.”

What You Need To Know

• The Ohio Redistricting Commission was told by the Ohio Supreme Court to explain why it could not agree to Ohio House and Senate boundaries
• The court gave the commission until Wednesday to explain the impasse or face contempt
• Justice Pat DeWine, son of Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, said he would recuse himself on potential contempt rulings
• The Ohio Redistricting Commission is also attempting to draw U.S. House districts

The seven-member panel tasked with redistricting is being asked to redraw the Ohio House and Senate seats in addition to the state’s 15 congressional seats. Last week, the commission reached an impasse approving a map for Ohio House and Senate districts, because Republicans said the maps were impossible to draw without breaking the law. 

The impasse came after the Ohio Supreme Court rejected two previous attempts. 

Following last week’s impasse, the Ohio Supreme Court told members of the commission to explain why they could not pass new maps or face contempt.

On Tuesday, during a commission meeting about congressional redistricting, Gov. DeWine and Auditor Keith Faber, R-Ohio, acknowledged conversations were still happening and that the commission should still look at adopting new legislative maps. 

Ohio House Minority Leader Allison Russo, D-Upper Arlington, was shocked. She said, if that is the case, Democrats should be involved because they have not been so far.

“My impression is there are also other members of the commission in the majority who haven’t been involved in those discussions,” Russo said. “So we will see. We’ve certainly opened up the door to make sure that we are available and our staff are available.”

While the commission deals with pressure on the Ohio’s legislative seats, the commission will meet this week to discuss boundaries for Ohio’s 15 U.S. House seats. 

Commission co-chairs Ohio House Speaker Robert Cupp, R-Lima, and State Sen. Vernon Sykes, D-Akron, said they want them done as soon as possible. 

Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman, R-Lima, said he would like the congressional process to be done by Thursday so the March 4 filing deadline for U.S. House candidates can remain.

“Every day is a critical day for election administration, and that’s what matters to us is we want maps that work for the voters but we also need an electoral cycle that really can uphold the good election administration,” said Jen Miller, executive director of the League of Women’s Voters of Ohio.

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, R-Ohio, sent a letter to DeWine and the leaders of the General Assembly saying Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, R-Ohio, certified a ballot Tuesday without the legislative or congressional candidates.

It is possible if there are not approved congressional and legislative maps by the weekend, the state would have no choice but to move the primary or risk breaking federal law.

LaRose also sent a letter to Huffman and Cupp that said he does not see how legislative and congressional maps will be approved in time to have both sets of candidates be a part of the May 3 primary. 

LaRose also said should the General Assembly choose to hold two different primaries, there would need to be 120 days separating the two dates.

Original source can be found here.