Beyond the Lip Exercises: Money, Accountability, and the Real Crisis in Ohio Politics
Photo by Gage Skidmore
As the political landscape heats up across Ohio and nationwide, establishment pundits love to talk in terms of millions of dollars, media markets, and strategic campaign leverage. In a recent analysis regarding potential shifts in the U.S. House, political observers noted that unless a challenger can attract significant funding—some estimating upwards of $2 million for heavy advertising—any talk of flipping certain seats amounts to little more than "lip exercises." Yet while consultants obsess over fundraising thresholds and television ad buys, a much deeper moral and institutional failure continues to plague our political system. We must look past the superficial metrics of campaigns and examine the glaring double standards maintained by the Republican Party across every level of government. Let us be entirely clear about where priorities lie.
While Republican officials routinely posture as the guardians of morality – hyper-focusing on transgender citizens and actively working to undermine their civil, human, and constitutional rights – a darker and far more pervasive pattern of institutional protectionism surrounds real predators within their own ranks. The public sees the uncomfortable truths emerging from files and investigations regarding powerful networks, but we do not even have to look beyond our own borders to see the devastating cost of looking the other way.
Consider Ohio's 4th Congressional District and the legacy of Jim Jordan. The horrific sexual abuse scandal at the Ohio State University—which recently culminated in a massive $100 million settlement to victims—stands as a monument to institutional betrayal. Former student-athletes, many of whom were under 18 at the time, stepped forward with harrowing testimonies stating they went directly to Jim Jordan during his tenure as an assistant coach, and that he did absolutely nothing to protect them from sexual violence.
Now, look closer at Ohio's political establishment and the deafening silence surrounding U.S. Representative Max Miller. Court documents, police reports, and investigative findings have detailed shocking allegations of domestic violence and abuse. These records lay bare horrific claims – including allegations that Miller threw hot water from a pan of eggs on his ex-wife Emily Moreno, held a gun to her head, and subjected her to physical assaults that left visible bruising. Even more agonizing are the horrifying details surrounding their 2-year-old daughter, who suffered a fractured collarbone amid troubling circumstances that sparked child welfare investigations. Where are the domestic violence organizations demanding true justice? Where is the aggressive institutional response? One has to ask: why isn't Child Protective Services aggressively pursuing every angle of these allegations with the full weight of the law? If anyone else—anyone lacking political protection or powerful connections—faced such stacked and severe claims of abuse, the state would have intervened instantly.
The glaring lack of immediate, punitive state action raises inescapable questions about a two-tiered justice system that shields the politically connected—even when the individuals involved include a sitting congressman or touch the family of high-ranking political figures like U.S. Senator Bernie Moreno. Where is the outrage from party leadership over real, documented predation? Where is the accountability for leaders who turn a blind eye when vulnerable individuals and children face abuse under their own noses? Instead of addressing these systemic failures, the apparatus of power pours its energy into culture wars, targeting marginalized communities, and weaponizing governance to restrict fundamental rights. They manufacture crises to distract from an establishment culture that shields the powerful while failing the vulnerable.
If we want genuine change in our political system, we cannot limit our critique to how much money a campaign raises for television commercials. Real reform requires confronting the rot at the foundation of our institutions. Accountability cannot be bought for $2 million, and justice cannot be achieved through political spin. It demands independent voices, uncompromising transparency, and a relentless refusal to let those in power sweep abuse under the rug.
Miss Cynthia Brown is the founder of Heartbeat Movement Inc., chair of the Protecting Ohioans' Constitutional Rights committee, and founder of The Ohio Coalition for Police Accountability and Transparency. Learn more at oceqi.org.
Reference: https://abcnews.com/Politics/wireStory/democrats-chance-flip-us-house-seat-abuse-claims-135283671