I kept a mailer supporting hb 6, the law in question. Or rather, a mailer opposing the petition to put a referendum on the ballot that might have overturned the newly passed law. So much about that process was crooked, including the efforts to foil the petition and keep the referendum off the ballot, up to and including organized intimidation of those collecting signatures for the petition. [1]
The mailer says on one side:
Don't give your personal information to the Chinese government! Blah blah several paragraphs of misinformation. Decline to sign! Save our jobs! The other side says, in part: In the coming weeks, don't give the Chinese government your personal information, email, address, cell phone number, or sign your name on their petition.
The thing I noted at the time was that the guy behind that mailing was the former campaign spokesman for our attorney general. The attorney general is sadly still in office, and as far as I know not indicted (yet), but it's nice to know he's not involved in making these prosecutions, which are strictly federal right now.
The chinese "scare" shenanigan is included in the article:
"The corruption allegedly did not end when HB 6 became law. When groups wanted to let the public decide whether to overturn this draconian policy through a petition for a ballot initiative, FirstEnergy wired $38 million in funds to Generation Now. This money funded ads that falsely claimed the Chinese government would use your personal information if you signed the petition. It also paid for bribery, harassment, and even physical assault of people collecting signatures. "
The mailer says on one side: Don't give your personal information to the Chinese government! Blah blah several paragraphs of misinformation. Decline to sign! Save our jobs! The other side says, in part: In the coming weeks, don't give the Chinese government your personal information, email, address, cell phone number, or sign your name on their petition.
The thing I noted at the time was that the guy behind that mailing was the former campaign spokesman for our attorney general. The attorney general is sadly still in office, and as far as I know not indicted (yet), but it's nice to know he's not involved in making these prosecutions, which are strictly federal right now.
[1] https://www.ohiocitizen.org/hb_6_referendum_faqs