Letter to David Yost, Attorney General of Ohio - Brown, Kaptur, Beatty, Fudge, Ryan Demand Answers From Ohio Attorney General Yost Regarding His Affiliation With Voter Suppression Advocate

Letter

Dear Attorney General Yost:

As Ohio's Chief Law Enforcement Officer, you play an integral role in ensuring that our election laws are followed so that all eligible Ohioans can vote freely, fairly, and safely. In this role, you complement and support the Secretary of State's efforts as he seeks to administer Ohio's elections. We were disappointed when his office withdrew its request for your guidance regarding the legality of secure ballot boxes and remain concerned with the litigation you have pursued -- litigation that will limit options for eligible Ohioans seeking to vote in the means best for them.

Sadly, efforts by state officials in Ohio and nationally to suppress the vote is not a coincidence and it is certainly not an accident. We were concerned to learn that Ohio's Secretary of State and his staff met with Hans Von Spakovsky -- the nation's leading voter suppression advocate -- multiple times before making critical decisions that affected Ohioan's access to the ballot box. Mr. Von Spakovsky's life work is to help erect barriers to voting -- barriers that impede the ability of U.S. citizens to vote. Given the Secretary of State's repeat meetings, we wrote to him seeking to learn more about his meetings with Mr. Von Spakovsky and his associates. A copy of that letter is enclosed.

Given the essential role that your office plays in supporting the Secretary's litigation efforts, we believe it equally important to learn about any interactions your office might have had with Mr. Von Spakovsky and his associates. Citizens of our state have the right to know whether the voter suppression tactics perpetuated by Hans Van Spakovsky and his allies have influenced your defense of Ohio's restrictive voting laws. Therefore, we respectfully request that you, produce the following records within seven business days:

1) What communications have you or your staff had with Hans Van Spakovsky or his staff at the Heritage Foundation?

2) What communications have your or your staff had with representatives from any of Ohio's other executive state offices about Hans Van Spakovsky, his work, or his staff at the Heritage Foundation?

3) Have you or your staff received any materials produced by Hans Van Spakovsky or his staff at the Heritage Foundation? If yes, please provide copies of any such documents and detail when and from whom you received them.

4) Has Hans Van Spakovsky or his staff at the Heritage Foundation informed any of the legal strategies that you have pursued in the name of the people of Ohio? If so, what legal advice has he given you, and of that advice, what have you relied upon?

It is imperative that the people of Ohio know that their elected officials are working on behalf of the state and not on behalf of well-funded, out-of-state entities with a history of vote suppression. Your prompt attention to these questions is appreciated.