derek merrin
Ohio state Rep. Derek Merrin lays out ‘competing’ set of Republican priorities
State Rep. Derek Merrin on Wednesday rolled out the priorities he and his supporters will pursue in the coming session. The Monclova Township Republican leads a majority of the Ohio House Republican caucus, but that cohort isn’t big enough to pass legislation on its own. A coalition of Democrats and other Republicans handed the speakership […]
Ohio House Speaker shares priorities: full school funding plan, ‘backpack bill,’ flattening taxes
Ohio House Speaker Jason Stephens Wednesday morning charted a course for the coming House term. The Kitts Hill Republican has a lot on his list — even before considering the budget. There’s just one problem. On Wednesday afternoon, leaders of different, and larger, faction of the GOP laid out a competing vision. That sect, which […]
House, Senate Republicans applaud governor’s plans but eager for details
Republican leadership in the Ohio House and Senate praised Gov. Mike DeWine’s ideas in their responses to his state of the state address. They cautioned, however, that they still need to see the details. DeWine’s pitch leaned heavily into education, putting particular emphasis on literacy. “It opens the door to good jobs,” DeWine argued, “but […]
GOP lawmakers share insight into ongoing rift after ‘chaos’ erupts on Ohio House floor
The following article was originally published on News5Cleveland.com and is published in the Ohio Capital Journal under a content-sharing agreement. Unlike other OCJ articles, it is not available for free republication by other news outlets as it is owned by WEWS in Cleveland. Republicans in the Ohio House can’t stop fighting with each other. After the […]
Ohio House approves rules package over the objection of right-wing GOP bloc
Usually a procedural afterthought, the Ohio House approved a new rules package Tuesday over the bitter objections of right-wing lawmakers. The provisions lay out the ground rules for the coming session. Republicans who backed Rep. Derek Merrin for speaker argue they were locked out of the process. Rejected rules included allowing guns on the floor, […]
Ohio House Republican faction brings back proposal making it harder for voters to pass amendments
After more than an hour behind closed doors, a bloc of Ohio Republicans led by state Rep. Derek Merrin, Monclova Twp., trooped through the Ohio Statehouse. The faction — thirty-odd lawmakers who wound up on the losing side of the House Speaker’s race last week— climbed three floors and squeezed into the clerk’s office. After […]
Ohio’s new Republican crybaby caucus another consequence of gerrymandering
After a weeklong meltdown of moaning, wailing, and gnashing of teeth, a new faction of Ohio House Republicans capped off their temper tantrum Wednesday by revitalizing plans to subject the Ohio Constitution and all Ohioans to extremist minority rule. Last week, 54 adults in the Ohio House came together in a bipartisan vote to elect […]
Statehouse ‘coup’ — Ohio GOP bitterly divided by deal with Democrats to elect House Speaker
The following article was originally published on News5Cleveland.com and is published in the Ohio Capital Journal under a content-sharing agreement. Unlike other OCJ articles, it is not available for free republication by other news outlets as it is owned by WEWS in Cleveland. Late-night phone calls, behind-closed-door bargaining and a deal with the Democrats led to […]
‘Moderate’ Republican Jason Stephens snatches Ohio House Speaker position in surprise upset
The following article was originally published on News5Cleveland.com and is published in the Ohio Capital Journal under a content-sharing agreement. Unlike other OCJ articles, it is not available for free republication by other news outlets as it is owned by WEWS in Cleveland. Moderately conservative Republican Jason Stephens, with the help of the Democratic Party, snatched […]
Who is likely incoming Ohio House speaker Derek Merrin?
This week, the Ohio House will reconvene to begin the 135th general assembly session. When they do, they’ll hold a formal vote to elect the next House speaker. Because Republicans hold a 67-32 majority, the winner of the caucus race, Rep. Derek Merrin, R-Monclova Township, is expected to take the gavel unless further challenges to […]
Ohio House Republicans looking to create states rights ‘Tenth Amendment Center’ in AG’s Office
A group of 14 Ohio House Republicans are putting forward a bill to create a states rights “Tenth Amendment Center” within the office of the state attorney general. Ohio House Bill 506 creates a Tenth Amendment center to “actively monitor federal executive orders, federal statutes, and federal regulations for potential abuse or overreach, including assertion […]
Should Ohio businesses have their COVID-19 health violations expunged?
Last spring, a Tiffin bar was caught serving alcohol for on-site consumption when Ohio bars were supposed to be closed. In the fall, a Parma Heights bar was cited for serving alcohol past 10 p.m. in violation of the pandemic curfew. Two weeks later, it was cited again. On Sunday, an Athens bar was cited […]