To the Editors of the Columbus Free Press:
Protecting Ohioans Constitutional Rights Committee is united in protecting the Constitutional rights of Ohioans. As depicted in our movement’s imagery, the commitment is to ensure that "everyone deserves a fair trial" and to advocate for the protection of constitutional rights across rural, suburban, and urban communities. Whether individuals live in a rural farmstead, a suburban neighborhood, or the heart of urban centers, Ohio is one, and unity makes the movement powerful.
Protecting Ohioans Constitutional Rights Committee shares a breaking update regarding efforts. While the citizen-led ballot amendment initiative will not be on the November 2026 ballot, profound gratitude is expressed to the Ohioans who have physically signed petitions and to the volunteers across the state for their tireless dedication. Despite our best efforts, we did not double our goal of hundreds of thousands of signatures to secure the ballot spot this cycle. The love and support received from volunteers across every corner of Ohio is greatly appreciated; their commitment is the heartbeat of this movement. The committee has been actively circulating petitions while operating under a preliminary injunction.
There has been a long wait for the Honorable Senior District Judge James L. Graham’s ruling in Brown v. Yost. This lawsuit is vital because it challenges the legal barriers that prevent citizens from holding those in power accountable, aiming to set a foundational legal precedent. The fact that this battle has been fought through the Ohio Supreme Court, the Third District Court, the Six Circuit, and up to the United States Supreme Court is truly historic in the fight for constitutional Rights. All these legal efforts underscore the irreparable harm caused by former Attorney General Dave Yost’s repeated, antagonistic interference, that served as a clear First Amendment violation of core political speech.
This ballot initiative is essential to protecting the constitutional, civil, human, and God-given rights of Ohioans at the state level. The movement is fighting for true government accountability for all government actors—there must be no immunity for oath violators, law enforcement officers, correctional officers, mayors, prosecutors, corporations, or even members of the Ohio General Assembly when they pass laws that are not in the best interest of their constituents or when they violate the constitutional rights of Ohioans.
Currently, qualified immunity and other legal doctrines act as an "impenetrable shield" for government officials. Under the proposed initiative, elected officials who violate the constitutional rights of Ohioans will lose their immunity, ensuring that the people—not politicians—have the final say in upholding laws. The Ohio Coalition To End Qualified Immunity (OCEQI) is a vital, frontline grassroots organization dedicated to ending qualified immunity statewide. The profound importance of OCEQI lies in a foundational structure: the organization is entirely powered by the people, working deeply within local communities to disrupt systemic legal protections for wrongdoers. This grassroots momentum is the defining mechanism capable of forcing real accountability when the statehouse fails.
Direct ballot initiatives provide an opportunity for direct action to create historic change in this lifetime. They allow citizens—not politicians—to decide the law. Ohio is one of the states where citizens still hold the power to change the constitution, and this language can serve as case precedent for others across the nation to follow, especially as the nation faces an environment where civil rights protections are being dismantled, gerrymandering is rampant, and political power is being stripped from communities across America. Join this historic movement.
No matter where Ohioans live, their voices are essential to this fight. The movement represents the next Civil Rights Movement. Those who stand with the cause are invited to join at AbolishQualifiedImmunity.org or support the mission at https://abolishqualifiedimmunity.org/donate.
Why We Stand Today
The movement stands today because of the broad, bipartisan, and diverse coalition of support identified in "1000013094.png," which shows 78 percent overall support for the initiative. This support spans across key demographics, including 74 percent of Independents, 72 percent of white men, 65 percent of Republicans, and 55 percent of the general ballot.
The movement is bolstered by a dedicated network of leaders and partners, including Heartbeat Movement Inc., Move to Amend Ohio, Black Social Workers of Akron, Ohio, and legal counsel Mark Brown and Oliver Hall. The movement remains steadfast in its mission. Ohio is "one Ohio," and unity makes this fight for rights and communities powerful. There is hope and determination for the work ahead.
Sincerely, Miss Cynthia Brown Founder, Heartbeat Movement Inc. Founder, Protecting Ohioans' Constitutional Rights Committee Chair, The Ohio Coalition for Police Accountability and Transparency
