>> I.C.E.

ACTIVITY INCREASES IN CENTRAL OHIO.

WELCOME TO COLUMBUS ON THE RECORD, I'M MIKE THOMPSON.

IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT AGENTS HAVE BEEN DETAINING PEOPLE IN OHIO FOR CLOSE TO YEAR, BUT REPORTS THIS WEEK INDICATE THAT ICE ACTIVITY HAS INCREASED SHARPLY.

IMMIGRATION ADVOCATES REPORT AN INCREASE IN DETENTIONS.

SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS FEATURE AN INCREASE OF IMAGES AND VIDEOS OF WHAT APPEAR TO BE ICE ARRESTS IN THE COLUMBUS AREA.

POLICE AND CITY OFFICIALS CONFIRMED THE ACTIVITY AND RENEWED THEIR VOW NOT TO HELP FEDERAL AGENTS CONDUCT IMMIGRATION OPERATIONS.

ICE SAYS THE EFFORTS ARE TO UPHOLD PUBLIC SAFETY.

.

BUT MAYOR ANDREW GINTHER POINTED TO CRIME STATS THAT SHOW THE CITY'S MURDER RATE IS DOWN AND MURDER SOLVE RATES ARE UP.

>> THESE STATISTICS ARE IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY SHOW OUR CITY IS THE SAFEST IT'S BEEN IN YEARS AND THEY PAINT A PICTURE OF TRUST.

TRUST BETWEEN COLUMBUS RESIDENTS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT IS THE STRONGEST IT'S BEEN IN SOME TIME.

WE ARE BUILDING THE RAPPORT BETWEEN POLICE AND RESIDENTS THAT WE HAVE LONG SOUGHT, AND THIS QUESTIONABLE FEDERAL OPERATION COULD ERODE AND UNDERMINE THAT HARD EARNED TRUST.

> >> THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS CARRYING OUT TO DEPORT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.

WHY SHOULDN'T THE CITY PROVIDE SOME SUPPORT TO THAT OPERATION IF IT'S JUST ADHERING TO THE LAW?

>> WELL, IT'S NOT IN THE CITY CHARTER.

SO YOU KNOW, I FIRST APPLAUD THE CITY FOR THEIR STANCE IN WHAT THEY ARE DOING TO MAKE SURE THAT RESIDENTS ARE SAFE.

THIS COUNTRY WAS FOUNDED BY IMMIGRANTS.

FOLKS AT THIS TABLE, MOST LIKELY YOUR PARENTS, YOUR GRANDPARENTS CAME FROM A DIFFERENT COUNTRY.

WHEN WE LOOK AT THE RESEARCH, I SAW A STAT THAT 1/3 NATIONALLY, AND OVER A HALF OF THE CITIES THAT WERE DOING THESE CRACKDOWNS INVOLVE NONCRIMINALS, SO I THINK WHEN WE GO BACK TO THE ROOT OF WHAT FOLKS TALK ABOUT, THE BLACK COMMUNITY, WE KNOW THE STORY VERY WELL OF GOVERNMENT GOING UNCHECKED.

IT HAS BEEN TOLD THAT IT IS FOR OUR OWN GOOD.

YOU KNOW, AND WHETHER THAT IS SLAVE CATCHING, STOP AND FRISK, HISTORY HAS SHOWN ENFORCEMENT WITHOUT TRUST MAKES JUSTICE DISAPPEAR.

>> HOW IS THIS TARGETING HAS BEEN BENEFITED PEOPLE FOR THE MOST PEOPLE?

HOW IS THIS NOT RACIAL PROFILING?

THEY ARE HERE LEGALLY ON WORK AGREEMENTS OR ON ASYLUM.

THEY ARE HERE LEGALLY, BUT THEY ARE STILL BEING DETAINED.

>> I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THEY ARE TARGETING OR NOT.

ONE KEY PERSON SAID GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE TAPE AGAIN.

I DID AND I REALIZED WHAT HE SAID, IF YOU CAREFULLY READ IT, HE REALLY WASN'T THREATENING TO IMPEDE OR STOP WHAT ICE IS DOING.

WE SAW IT HAPPEN IN THE BOSTON, RHODE ISLAND AREA WITH TWO SHOOTINGS.

HAVING LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL COOPERATION IS IMPORTANT.

AS LONG AS THE CITY IS NOT DOING ANYTHING TO IMPEDE FEDERAL OPERATIONS, ENFORCEMENT OF FEDERAL LAW, OR THERE'S ANY OTHER VIOLENCE OR OTHER THINGS, I DON'T THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE A PROBLEM.

PART OF IT IS POSTURING.

REMEMBER, HE WANTS TO STAY TO THE LEFT OF THE CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT WHO WANTS TO RUN AGAINST HIM IN '27.

I THINK THE MAYOR IS POSTURING, BUT HE DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING THAT IS TOO OVER THE LINE.

HE DOESN'T WANT TO THREATEN THE FLOW OF FEDERAL MONEY IN THE FUTURE BY BEING SOMEONE VIOLATING THE LAW.

>> THE CITY OFFICIALS REALLY CAN'T DO ANYTHING.

THE FEDERAL AGENTS ARE HERE.

THEY ARE OPERATING LAWFULLY.

YOU MAY DISAGREE WITH THEM AND THEIR TACTICS, BUT THE CITY CAN'T TELL THEM NOT TO, YOU KNOW, ENFORCE THE LAW, RIGHT?

>> I THINK THE CITY IS DOING ALL IT CAN, DISTANCING ITSELF FROM WHAT IS HAPPENING.

AND PART OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, WE ARE GOING AFTER THE WORST OF THE WORST.

WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT THESE, I DON'T WANT TO TALK TOO OUT OF LINE.

WHO KNOWS WHO THESE PEOPLE ARE.

SOME NEWS REPORTS ARE SITING ICE ACTIVITY AT SCHOOLS.

THERE WAS A REPORT AT THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH A MAN WAS TACKLED ON A BICYCLE.

WHAT CRIME CAN SOMEONE BE COMMITTING WHILE ON A BICYCLE?

IF THESE ARE THE WORST OF THE WORST, IT IS INCUMBENT TO PROVE THAT AND THE EVIDENCE BEFORE US, THE LIMITED EVIDENCE THAT YOU CAN GET FROM AN AGENCY WHERE ITS AGENTS ARE WEARING MASKS AT ANY GIVEN TIME, IS LIMITED.

THAT CASE HAS NOT BEEN MADE.

>> 53% OF OHIOANS DONE IN BOSTON SAID THEY SUPPORT MASS DEPORTATIONS IN OHIO.

THEY SAY IT'S A GOOD THING.

IS THIS NOT WHAT VOTERS IN O VOTE FOR DONALD TRUMP WANT?

>> THIS IS WHAT VOTERS WANT.

BUT I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S NOT WHAT SHOULD BE HAPPENING, RIGHT?

JAKE JUST SAID IT, FOLKS SHOULD NOT BE AFRAID TO CALL 911.

THEY SHOULD NOT BE AFRAID TO GO TO SCHOOL.

THEY SHOULDN'T BE AFRAID TO GO TO WORK.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT'S WHAT IS HAPPENING.

FOLKS GOING TO THE SHADOWS AND RUNNING FROM FOLKS.

>> THEY ARE HERE ON ASYLUM.

THEY ARE HERE LEGALLY.

THEY HAVE APPOINTMENTS WITH IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES AND THEY ARE AFRAID TO GO TO THE APPOINTMENTS, WHICH THEY ARE REQUIRED TO GO TO.

IF THEY GO THERE, THEY ARE AFRAID THEY WILL GET DETAINED.

WHAT IS AN IMMIGRANT THAT IS HERE LEGALLY TO DO?

>> I'M NOT SURE.

THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF CATEGORIES.

THERE ARE CLEARLY MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WHO CAME IN WHEN THEY OPENED BORDERS.

HAPPENING WHEN BIDEN WAS PRESIDENT.

THERE'S THE QUESTION OF WHAT DO YOU DO TO FIX, BECAUSE CLEARLY, SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT CAME IN ILLEGALLY ARE WORKING HARD PAYING TAXES AND BEING PRODUCTIVE.

SOME ARE NOT.

SOME ARE COSTING TAXPAYERS A LOT.

IT'S HARD TO GENERALIZE AND SAY IT'S ONE WAY OR THE OTHER WAY, BECAUSE REALLY THE FAILURE WE'VE HAD FOR DECADES IS CONGRESS HASN'T REALLY ADDRESSED THE LAWS AND CHANGED THEM TO ADAPT TO THE CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES.

>> IT'S HARD TO PREDICT THE FUTURE.

WE HAVE NOT SEEN THE ACTIVITY THAT CHICAGO HAS SEEN, OR L. A. HAS SEEN, AND OTHER CITIES HAVE SEEN.

IF WE START TO SEE THOSE VIDEOS HERE IN COLUMBUS, THAT 53% THAT SUPPORTS DEPORTATION DROP A LITTLE BIT FURTHER?

MIGHT WE SEE SOME LEGISLATION PROPOSED TO SAY, LET'S FIND A SOLUTION FOR THIS?

>> I THINK MASS DEPORTATION IS SOMETHING PEOPLE CONCEIVE OF DIFFERENTLY IN THE ABSTRACT OF HECK YEAH, MASS DEPORTATION.

WHEN YOU ACTUALLY SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.

WHEN YOU SEE MASKED FEDERAL AGENTS WHO WON'T IDENTIFY THEMSELVES AND THROWING SOMETIMES LEGAL CITIZENS OR PEOPLE WITH LEGAL RIGHTS TO BE HERE INTO VANS, THOSE OPINIONS CHANGE.

AND YEAH, THOSE OPINIONS CHANGE.

>> ALL RIGHT.

LET'S GET TO OUR NEXT TOPIC.

>> DATA CENTERS HAVE BECOME THE LATEST CONTROVERSY PITTING DEVELOPERS AGAINST LOCAL RESIDENTS.

BECAUSE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE NEEDS COMPUTING POWER, DATA CENTERS ARE POPPING UP ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY DATA CENTERS ARE BASICALLY HUGE COMPUTER WAREHOUSES FILLED WITH SERVERS, HARD DRIVES, ROUTERS, AND THE GENERATORS AND BATTERIES TO POWER THEM.

THEY CONSUME A LOT OF ENERGY TO POWER THEM AND A LOT OF WATER TO REGULATE HEATING AND COOLING.

UP UNTIL RECENTLY, COMMUNITIES HAVE WELCOMED THEM, BUT LATELY COMMUNITIES ARE PUSHING BACK.

JEROME TOWNSHIP AND WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP TRUSTEES HAVE PASSED TEMPORARY MORATORIUMS ON DATA CENTER.

> >> WHAT'S HAPPENING?

THESE THINGS POPPED UP LIKE TEN YEARS AGO.

I SAW ONE NEAR WHERE I LIVE.

HARMLESS, LOOKS LIKE A WAREHOUSE, NO BIG DEAL.

NOW, THEY ARE EVIL IN SOME COMMUNITIES.

WHAT'S GOING ON?

>> LET'S THINK ABOUT THEM.

FOR ONE, YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND FOR 10, 20 YEARS, THE CITY OF COLUMBUS, OUR POWER DEMAND WAS FLAT, BECAUSE AS MORE PEOPLE COME, WE'VE GOTTEN MORE EFFICIENT.

SO WE DON'T NEED MORE POWER FOR THOSE MORE PEOPLE HERE.

ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE CITY OF COLUMBUS NEEDS MORE POWER.

IT'S A SKYROCKETING DEMAND FOR ELECTRICITY.

THAT PUTS UPWARD PRESSURE ON ALL OF OUR ELECTRIC BILLS.

THE STATE IS SUBSIDIZING.

THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE GIVING PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENTS.

ALL OF THAT PUSHES THE TAX BURDEN ON PEOPLE.

IT PUSHES AN ELECTRIC BILL BURDEN ON PEOPLE.

WHAT DO THESE THINGS PROVIDE?

THEY DON'T EMPLOY VERY MANY PEOPLE.

THEY DON'T DO A WHOLE LOT FOR ANYONE.

WHAT'S THE POINT?

WHAT IS IN IT FOR THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE TO LIVE NEARBY THEM AND DEAL WITH THE NOISE AND DEAL WITH SOME OF THE EXTRA THAT YOU MENTIONED.

>> THE COMPUTERS ARE HERE TO STAY.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS HERE TO STAY.

WE NEED THESE DATA CENTERS TO MAKE THESE NEW SYSTEMS WORK.

WHERE DO WE PUT THEM?

>> WELL, THERE'S A LOT OF ARGUMENTS AND I TALKED TO SOMEBODY THAT LIVES NEAR ONE OF THE PROPOSALS IN THE AREA.

THERE'S CONCERN ABOUT THE NOISE OR BUZZ ASSOCIATED WITH THESE CENTERS, WHICH MIGHT OR MIGHT NOT BE TRUE DEPENDING UPON HOW IT IS SET UP AND OPERATED.

PART OF IT, IT SEEMS LIKE NEW ALBANY IS DOING WELL WITH TONS OF DATA CENTERS THERE.

THEY TEND TO BE AT A DISTANCE ON THE FAR EAST SIDE, AWAY FROM THE RESIDENTIAL AREAS.

SO CLEARLY, THERE ARE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE NEGOTIATED OR WORKED OUT.

ON THE POWER SIDE, THE GOOD NEWS THAT A NUMBER OF THESE LOCATIONS ARE BEING LOCATED ON OR NEAR MAJOR GAS LINES, BECAUSE THEY WANT TO PRODUCE THEIR OWN ELECTRICITY.

SO SOME OF THE ESTIMATES WON'T NEED AS MUCH ELECTRICITY HERE AS MANHATTAN, MAY NOT COME OUT TRUE.

THERE ARE THINGS PROPOSED THAT MAY NOT HAPPEN.

IF THEY CAN GENERATE THEIR OWN POWER.

IF THEY ARE PROFICIENT IN WATER USE.

HOW DO YOU POSITION THEM, PARTICULARLY IF THEY ARE TOO CLOSE TO RESIDENTIAL AREAS?

>> IS THIS GOING TO BE A CASE WHERE THE DATA CENTERS END UP BEING IN RURAL AREAS OR IN LOWER INCOME AREAS?

THEY WON'T BE IN A COMMUNITY OF WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, WHICH IS DUBLIN, OR JEROME TOWNSHIP WHICH IS NEAR DUBLIN.

>> THEY ARE STARTING TO POP UP ALL OVER THE STATE.

I LIKEN THESE DATA CENTERS TO LIKE RAILROADS.

THEY ARE THE RAILROADS OF THE 21st CENTURY.

WE ARE SHIPPING INFORMATION.

SO IT'S SOMETHING TO WATCH.

I THINK WITH THE TAX BREAKS THAT ARE BEING GIVEN OUT, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, FOLKS BE AROUND.

>> AND I THINK YOU MAKE A GOOD POINT.

IT'S THE RAILROAD OF THE FUTURE, SO YOU CAN'T IGNORE IT.

IT ALSO BRINGS LOTS OF JOBS AND THERE ARE A LOT OF DATA CENTERS, HUGE NUMBERS OF JOBS AND REVENUE CREATED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THEM.

THE ACTUAL JOBS, I TALKED TO THE MAYOR OF NEW ALBANY.

THE OPERATING JOBS ARE LIMIT.

IT HELPS ATTRACT OTHER TECHNOLOGY RELATED THINGS, WHICH GENERATES MORE JOBS.

SO YOU JUST CAN'T RELY ON THE PAST, BECAUSE SADLY, THERE'S PEOPLE IN YOUNGSTOWN WAITING FOR THE STEEL MILLS TO COME BACK.

THEY AREN'T COMING BACK.

THIS IS PART OF THE FUTURE, BUT HOW DO YOU MANAGE IT SO IT IMPACTS IN A POSITIVE MANNER?

>> SPRINGFIELD IS A COMMUNITY THAT WANTS THESE DATA CENTERS.

THEY WANT TO PUT A DATA CENTER THERE.

SO THEY OFFERED TAX ABATEMENTS.

1 00% PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT FOR 15 YEARS.

THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT SAYS IT WILL START TO COLLECT THE TAX MONEY 15 YEARS FROM NOW.

ARE DATA CENTERS GO INC.

TO BE WHAT THEY ARE 15 YEARS FROM NOW WHAT THEY ARE NOW?

15 YEARS IS A LIFETIME IN THIS TECHNOLOGY.

>> THE DATA CENTERS, IT'S BASICALLY A GIANT OPEN WAREHOUSE AND IT EASY FOR A CEO SOME PLACE ELSE TO SNAP THEIR FINGERS HAVE ALL THE EQUIPMENT MOVED OUT IN A FEW DAYS.

SO THERE ARE SOME QUESTIONS.

IT'S NOT LIKE A STEEL MILL OR AN AUTOPLANT WHERE THEY HAVE A HUGE AMOUNT OF FIXED ASSETS THERE.

SO, THERE ARE A LOT OF POLICY QUESTIONS, AGAIN, THERE'S PRO AND CON TO CONSIDER.

>> SO, PEOPLE WANT THE INVESTMENT, TOO.

I THINK THAT'S THE OTHER PART.

SOME OF THE COMPANIES, GOOGLE IS ANOTHER ONE, WHERE THEY ARE INVESTIGATING IN THE COMMUNITY.

THEY ARE LISTENING AND WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITIES, TOO.

AND SO YOU KNOW, FOLKS WANT IN ON THAT.

SPRINGFIELD IS ONE.

>> THERE IS RELATIVELY FEW JOBS, JAKE, AND LIKE TERRY SAID, WAREHOUSES CAN BE TAKEN APART PRETTY EASILY.

SHOULD COMMUNITIES SAY, YOU CAN PUT YOUR DATA CENTER HERE.

YOU CAN YOUR THE WATER AND ELECTRICITY, BUT WE AREN'T GOING TO GIVE YOU A TAX BREAK.

IS THE DATA CENTER NOT GOING TO LOCATE THERE?

>> I MEAN, THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT QUESTIONS BAKED IN THERE.

THERE'S THE QUESTION OF, SHOULD THESE DATA CENTERS BE HERE AT ALL?

I DON'T THINK ANYONE IS WAVING THE FLAG, SAYING BURN THEM ALL DOWN.

I THINK THERE'S A QUESTION HERE OF WHY ARE WE --THESE ARE THE WEALTHIEST, THESE ARE COMPANIES THAT HAVE MARKET CAPS BIGGER THAN MOST COUNTRIES.

WHY ARE WE GIVING THEM THESE PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENTS.

IF THE ANSWER IS BECAUSE THEY MIGHT GO ELSEWHERE, WHO REALLY LOSES?

I REALLY QUESTION THE LOSS TO THE CITIZENRY IF GOOGLE CHOOSES NOT TO INVEST HERE.

>> IF YOU'RE A STATE THAT IS KNOWN, PART OF THE QUESTION HAS BEEN DRUG OUT ON THE INTELL PLANT, IT WILL COME AND PRODUCE THE JOBS.

IF YOU'RE INTO SOME FORMS OF TECHNOLOGY, IT DOES SEND A MESSAGE OUT THAT YOU'RE WITH IT AND FOCUSED ON THE FUTURE.

SO IT DOES ATTRACT OTHER JOBS, PLUS THE CONSTRUCTION JOBS ARE MAJOR AND ALL THE SPINOFFS OF THE SUPPLIERS.

SO, THERE'S TRADEOFFS, BUT AGAIN, WHAT'S THE ALTERNATIVE BECAUSE YOU CAN'T SIT THERE AND WAIT FOR A RETURN TO THE PAST.

>> I WOULD ADHERE, TO ADD ON THAT POINT, BESIDES THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE FACILITIES, THERE'S APPARENTLY A TON OF WORK.

THE CHIPS NEED TO BE REPLACED.

THEY ONLY LAST A FEW YEARS.

THAT BRINGS A TON OF UNION WORK.

THE UNIONS SUPPORT THESE.

>> AN ISSUE THAT WILL CONTINUE TO PERCOLATE.

ESPECIALLY IN THE RURAL AREAS OF OHIO.

ANYWAY.

>> AS 2025 COMES TO A CLOSE, THE CAMPAINING FOR THE 2026 ELECTION WILL BEGIN TO INTENSIFY.

IT APPEARS THE TWO MAJOR PARTY CANDIDATES FOR GOVERNOR ARE SET, EVEN THOUGHT THE FILIING DEADLINE IS STILL SEVERAL WEEKS AWAY.

A LOT OF TOP REPUBLICANS HAVE LINED UP BEHIND VIVEK RAMASWAMY IN HIS RACE AGAINST AMY ACTON.

BUT TWO NOTABLE REPUBLICANS HAVE SO FAR NOT ENDORSED HIM.

DAVE YOST, WHO BRIEFLY RAN AGAINST HIM, AND GOVERNOR DEWINE, WHO SAYS HE'S WAITING TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RAMASWAMY'S VISION.

ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDES, TWO NOTABLE DEMOCRATS HAVE NOT ENDORSED ACTON.

FORMER CONGRESSMAN, TIM RYAN, HAS YET TO ENDORSE AMY ACTON.

RYAN, OF COURSE, ANNOUNCED RECENTLY HE WOULD RUN AGAINST HER IN THE PRIMARY, AND SHERROD BROWN HAS NOT OFFICIALLY ENDORSED HER.

>> TO GOVERNOR DEWINE, RELUCTANT TO ENDORSE RAHM RAMASWAMY, IS THAT WHY HE'S NOT ENDORSING HIM?

>> I THINK PART OF IT, THERE'S NEGOTIATIONS THAT GO ON, THERE'S PROGRAMS THAT HE STARTED.

THERE'S PEOPLE THAT WORK IN HIS ADMINISTRATION, SO THIS IS ALL PART OF THE NEGOTIATION, BUT THE GOOD NEWS FROM MY SOURCES, THEY ARE TALKING AND THEY ARE TALKING VERY FREQUENTLY ABOUT DIFFERENT ISSUES AND ASPECTS AROUND THE STATE GOVERNMENT.

AND ALSO SOMETIMES ON BOTH SIDES, DEMOCRAT AND REPUBLICAN, YOU FIGURE I'M GOING TO WAIT WHEN PEOPLE ARE PAYING MORE ATTENTION.

WHY ANNOUNCE AN ENDORSEMENT BETWEEN THANKSGIVING AND CHRISTMAS WHEN NOBODY IS PAYING ATTENTION?

WAIT UNTIL A LITTLE LATER WHEN IT'S MORE IMPORTANT.

THE BIGGEST THING ON THE WHOLE BUSINESS OF THE GOVERNOR'S RACE IS WE'RE GETTING VERY CLOSE, PROBABLY BY MID JANUARY IS THE CUTOFF POINT, BEFORE THE EARLY FEBRUARY FILING.

WHERE YOU HAVE TO ANNOUNCE YOUR LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR RUNNINGMATE.

YOU CAN'T FILE A PETITION FOR GOVERNOR.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE A RUNNING MATE THERE.

I HEARD NAMES AROUND, BUT WE'RE GETTING AWFUL CLOSE BY MID JANUARY.

THEY WILL HAVE TO HAVE THEM ANNOUNCED.

>> I THINK IT'S THE SAME THING WHAT TERRY JUST SAID.

IT'S GOING TO COME.

REALISTICALLY, TIM RYAN WILL JUMP IN, SHEROD BROWN IS GOING TO JUMP IN.

ESSENTIALLY PUT KATHLEEN OVER THE OHIO DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO COME AT SOME POINT.

I THINK IT'S A MATTER OF WHEN.

>> MENTIONED IN ONE OF THE INTERVIEWS THAT THE FILING DEADLINE IS A WAYS AWAY, JAKE, IS HE STILL HOLDING OUT HOPE THAT THERE WILL BE A COMPETITIVE PRIMARY?

SOMEONE WHO IS IN THE ESTABLISHMENT LANE LIKE HE IS?

>> HE HASN'T ENDORSED, BUT HE DID SAY I'M GOING TO ENDORSE THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE, AND IT SEEMS ALL BUT CERTAIN THAT VIVEK IS THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE.

I THINK ONE OF THE MORE INTERESTING THINGS GOING ON IS THIS REPUBLICAN ATTACK LINE OF AMY ACTON.

SHE IS LOCKED DOWN AMY, ETCETERA, ETCETERA, BUT BEHIND EVERY SINGLE DECISION SHE MADE, OFTEN THE SIGNATURE ON THE PAGE NEXT TO HERS WAS GOVERNOR MIKE DEWINE.

I THINK THAT'S AT LEAST SOMETHING.

THE GOVERNOR WOULD HAVE TO TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IF ALL HER ACTIONS WERE HIS EMPLOYEE, STOP BEATING UP ON MY EMPLOYEE, IF I'M GOING TO ENDORSE YOU.

>> HE SAID IT AGAIN RECENTLY IN REPORTS THAT THE BUCK STOPS WITH HIM, TERRY, SHE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING THAT I DIDN'T SAY WAS OKAY.

OF COURSE, HE'S THE GOVERNOR.

SHE WORKED FOR HIM.

SO, IS PART OF THE NEGOTIATIONS, YOU KNOW, DON'T PICK ON AMY ACTON ABOUT COVID TOO MUCH?

>> PART OF THAT WILL HAPPEN ANYWAY.

IN POLITICS ON BOTH SIDES, PEOPLE DO THINGS TO FEED THE BASE.

THERE ARE THINGS PEOPLE DO TO GO AFTER TICKET SPLITTERS AND MORE MODERATES.

SO, THERE'S LOTS OF MESSAGING THROWN AROUND THERE.

AND THE BIG THING IS, WHEN YOU RUN FOR GOVERNOR, PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOUR VISION FOR THE FUTURE, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?

HOW CAN YOU ANSWER QUESTIONS ON SCHOOL FUNDING, ON HOW YOU'RE GOING TO RUN THE PRISONS, KEEPING THE HIGHWAYS CLEAR, THIS LITTLE THING CALLED PROPERTY TAXES.

GOVERNORS, YOU CAN'T JUST DO THE NATIONAL IDEOLOGY AND SPIN.

YOU HAVE TO DO SPECIFICS, INCLUDING FOR AREAS OF OHIO.

>> THAT'S WHAT AMY ACTON WILL HAVE TO START DOING.

WE KNOW HER AS HEALTH DIRECTOR.

WE KNOW SHE IS SOLID ON HEALTH.

BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHERE SHE REALLY STANDS ON EDUCATION, AT LEAST MOST PEOPLE DON'T.

EDUCATION, WORK FORCE DEVELOPMENT, YOU KNOW, PROPERTY TAXES, AND HOW TO KEEP THEM FROM RISING.

>> AFFORDABILITY.

I THINK THAT'S ANOTHER ONE THAT WILL BE --THAT SHOULD BE ONE OF HER TOP PRIORITIES AND TOP PLATFORMS.

I THINK THE PLATFORM HOPEFULLY COMES OUT AROUND JANUARY AND HOPEFULLY RIGHT AFTER THAT, YOU SEE MORE ENDORSEMENTS ROLL IN AS SHE ALSO BUILDS MOMENTUM TO ANNOUNCE WHO WILL BE HER LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR AS WELL.

>> I'VE SEEN SOME DIGITAL ADS.

I COULDN'T TELL IF IT WAS A NEGATIVE AD OR A POSITIVE AD.

>> YOU'RE GOING TO SEE SOME OF IT, BUT WITH PROBABILITY OF NO MEANINGFUL OR SIGNIFICANT PRIMARY, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE WAITING THEIR MONEY UNTIL LATER ON, MORE IN THE SUMMER AND MORE IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER.

BECAUSE WHY WASTE IT?

BECAUSE POLITICAL THINGS CHANGE SO FAST THESE DAYS, THE SHELF LIFE GOES OUT IN A DAY OR TWO.

YOU DON'T WANT TO WASTE TOO MUCH, TOO EARLY.

>> THE POLL SHOWED 38% ARE UNSURE ABOUT JOHN HOUSTON.

THAT GIVES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR HOUSTON TO INTRODUCE HIMSELF OR HIS OPPONENTS TO GIVE ANOTHER SIDE OF JOHN HOUSTON, ON A NEGATIVE LIGHT.

>> BUT YOU CAN ALSO ARGUE IN THE POLL WHERE THERE WERE SOME TIGHTENING IN THE GOVERNOR'S RACE, THINGS DIDN'T TIGHTEN MUCH FOR SHEROD BROWN.

HE STILL LOOKS LIKE THE OLD GENERATION AND AN AWFUL LOT OF VOTERS.

THE GOOD THING, DEPENDING UPON YOUR VIEWPOINT, WE'LL HAVE A FRESH FACE AND NEW IDEAS.

BOTH CANDIDATES COME FROM THAT DIRECTION.

BUT IN THE SENATE RACE, IT'S THE GUY THAT WAS THERE IN CONGRESS FOR THREE OR FOUR DECADES VERSUS THE GUY THAT JUST GOT THERE AND WANTS CHANGE AND CLEARLY YOUNGER.

>> OR IS IN STATE GOVERNMENT FOR TWO AND A HALF DECADES.

ANYWAY.

>> IN THE PAST COUPLE YEARS STATE LAWMAKERS HAVE BECOME VERY INVOLVED IN WHAT IS TAUGHT ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES.

THE ANTI-DEI LAW PASSED LAST YEAR BANS DIVERSITY PROGRAMS ON PUBLIC CAMPUSES AND ENACTED POLICIES DESIGNED TO ENCOURAGE MORE CONSERATIVE TEACHING AND DIALOGUE.

A COUPLE YEARS AGO LAWMAKERS MANDATED OHIO COLLEGES TRAIN FUTURE TEACHERS IN THE SCIENCE OF READING, BASICALLY PHONICS.

IT BANNED TEACHING PROGRAMS FROM INCLUDING OTHER READING METHODS FROM THEIR CURRIUCULUM THIS WEEK GOVERNOR DEWINE PONTED OUT THAT ABOUT A THIRD OF OHIO COLLEGES ARE NOT COMPLYING WITH THE LAW.

AND DOES NOT SIT WELL WITH THE GOVERNOR.

> >> FOR SOME UNIVERSITIES, CULTURAL HAS SET IN.

THEY TAUGHT ANOTHER WAY FOR A LONG, LONG PERIOD OF TIME.

IT'S TOUGH TO CHANGE.

LOOK, IT'S TOUGH FOR PROFESSORS THAT HAVE BEEN TEACHING ONE WAY TO TEACH ANOTHER WAY.

BUT IT'S ALSO TOUGH FOR TEACHERS WHO ARE OUT IN THE CLASSROOM WHO NOW HAVE TO SWITCH OVER AND SO YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST A MORAL IMPERTY THAT WE GET THIS RIGHT, AND WE GET IT RIGHT FAST.

>> JAKE ZUCKERMAN, THIS IS WHAT GETS HIM FIRED UP.

REDISTRICTING OR PROPERTY TAXES, IT'S THE SCIENCE OF READING.

WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?

>> YEAH, WELL I MEAN, IF WE TAKE IT ON ITS FACE, WHAT COLLEGES HAVE TO DO, THEY ARE NOT DOING THAT.

THE GOVERNOR SITED AND HERE HE IS TRYING TO USE --THERE IS AN INTERESTING SUB TEXT.

YOU MENTIONED SENATE BILL ONE.

A LOT OF WHAT SENATE BILL ONE IS GIVING STATE THIS NEW VIEW OF ALL COLLEGES AND SAYING, YOU KNOW, IF WE DON'T LIKE WHAT YOU'RE TEACHING, YOU ARE ENGRAINING IDEOLOGY, WITH E CAN TAKE YOUR MONEY AWAY.

AND THIS DOES FEEL LIKE A SHOT ACROSS THE COLLEGES, OF HEY, WE ARE WATCHING.

WE PASS THESE LAWS AND WE PLAN TO ENFORCE THEM.

>> BIG COLLEGES ARE ON THE LIST OF NONCOMPLIANCE.

OHIO STATE, OHIO UNIVERSITY, BOLING GREEN, DEFIANCE COLLEGE IS DEFYING THE STATE LAW.

WHAT DO YOU THINK IS GOING ON THERE?

ARE THEY RELUCTANT TO CHANGE OR DEFYING THE LAW?

>> I THINK THEY CURRENTLY ARE RELUCTANT TO THE CHANGE.

I THINK IT WILL HAPPEN.

YOU LOOK AT OHIO STATE, THEY WERE ONE OF THE FIRST ONES TO IMPLEMENT SENATE BILL ONE BEFORE IT WAS SENATE BILL ONE.

I THINK WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SEE THEM START TO ROLL IN AND HAVE DEFIANCE.

BUT, I THINK THE INTERESTING PART ABOUT ALL OF THIS IS THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS IN THE LEGISLATURE WHO HAVE NEVER BEEN IN CLASSROOMS.

THEY ARE ESSENTIALLY DEMANDING THAT TEACHERS AND EDUCATION TEACH A CERTAIN WAY.

SO FOR ME, THAT'S ALWAYS IRONIC.

>> THE BANNING METHODS FROM BEING TAUGHT, I UNDERSTAND WANTING THE SCIENCE OF READING SEEMS TO BE PROVEN A ESTABLISHED FACT FOR KIDS FROM DISADVANTAGED BACKGROUNDS TO LEARN HOW TO READ.

THERE ARE OTHER ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS THAT MAY BENEFIT FROM OTHER METHODS.

WHY BAN THE OTHER SIDE FROM BEING TAUGHT?

>> I DON'T KNOW THAT BANNING IS RIGHT, BUT CLEARLY ENCOURAGING.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT EDUCATION, THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THE STATE OF OHIO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR.

GETTING READING RIGHT IS SO IMPORTANT.

I REMEMBER OUR SON, MY WIFE AND I TALKED ABOUT IT THIS WEEK, INITIALLY, HE WAS DOING IT THE ONE WAY AND WHEN THEY SWITCHED TO THE PHONICS, IT REALLY PICKED UP AND CLICKED.

SO CLEARLY, BUT FOR STUDENTS, YOU'RE LITERALLY SHORTCHANGING THEM, IF THEY CAN'T COME OUT, ESPECIALLY AROUND THIRD OR FOURTH GRADE, BEING ABLE TO READ, BECAUSE YOU ARE LITERALLY HANDICAPPING THEM FOR LIFE AND HOW ARE THEY EVER GOING TO RECOVER?

SO THIS IS AN IMPORTANT TOPIC AND HAVING THE GOVERNOR USING THE PULPIT IS A GOOD THING TO WAKE PEOPLE UP.

ALSO WHEN YOU READ THE STORY, SOME OF THE UNIVERSITIES AREN'T QUITE UP TO WHERE THEY ARE.

A LOT OF THEM ARE MAKING PROGRESS.

>> STILL MAD, HE IS SWEARING THERE.

>> IT ISN'T ALL BAD TO GET FIRED UP.

>> LAWMAKERS, IS THIS IT FOR JAKE, OR OTHER THINGS THAT LAWMAKERS WANT TO GET INVOLVED WITH HOW COLLEGES TEACH?

>> I MEAN, IT'S AN INTERESTING QUESTION.

DOES THIS TAKE A LONG TIME FOR INSTITUTIONS TO CHANGE?

THAT WILL BECOME CLEAR AND I THINK IF IT TURNS OUT TO BE THE LADDER.

HOW HARD ARE LAWMAKERS GOING TO WIELD THE STICK?

I GUESS THAT'S A 2026 QUESTION.

>> AND ALSO, SENATE BILL ONE, ENROLLMENT SUDDENLY DIDN'T DROP OFF BECAUSE OF SENATE BILL ONE.

THERE WAS DOOM AND GLOOM PREDICTIONS.

SOME OF THE COLLEGES, THIS COULD HELP THEM, BECAUSE THE ARTS AND SCIENCE CHAIR WAS MAKING A COMMENT, A PROGRAM I WATCHED EARLIER THIS YEAR, AND HE BASICALLY WAS ACKNOWLEDGING, WE HAVE A LOT OF, INCLUDING FOREIGN LANGUAGES, PROGRAMS OF VERY FEW STUDENTS IN.

WE'LL TAKE MONEY FROM THE OTHER PROGRAMS AND SUBSIDIZE THEM.

THE UNIVERSITIES COULD BE MORE EFFICIENT AND SERVE THE STUDENTS BETTER IF YOU FOCUS IN TO WHERE THE MARKET DEMAND, WHERE THE STUDENTS ARE INTERESTED.

>> THE QUESTION IS, SHOULD THE MARKET DECIDE THAT OR SHOULD LAWMAKERS DECIDE THAT?

>> SOMETIMES IN THE ACADEMIC WORLD, THEY IGNORE THE MARKETPLACE.

>> LET'S GET TO OUR FINAL OFF THE RECORD SHOTS.

>> YOU KNOW, I WISH I COULD SAY MERRY CHRISTMAS.

IN COLUMBUS, SIX DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS, SOME FAMILIES ARE BEING TORN APART.

SOME FAMILIES ARE WORRIED THEY WILL BE ABLE TO SEE THEIR FAMILY DURING CHRISTMAS, AND SO YOU KNOW, FOR ME, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS KNOW AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS ISN'T SAFETY.

THIS IS TRAUMA THAT IS HAPPENING CURRENTLY IN COLUMBUS AND OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY AND I JUST WANT TO SAY, I PROUDLY STAND WITH OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY.

>> THIS PAST WEEK, THERE'S A LOT OF MEDIA ATTENTION ON JEFFREY EPSTEIN, OSU, AND DR.

STRAUSS.

SOME OF THEM ARE NOT THAT CONNECTED.

THEY DID A MEDIA CONFERENCE IN FRONT OF THE WOODY HAYES CENTER, AND SHOW A BIG CHECK.

REALLY, THIS IS A POWER PLAY AND MAYBE THEY WILL GET IT RESOLVED IN '26 AND HOW MUCH OHIO STATE IS WILLING TO PAY OUT TO THE TRIAL LAWYERS OF THE VICTIMS OF THE CASE.

THERE'S A LOT OF PR SPIN GOING ON AND TODAY WHEN WE SEE MORE RELIEF FROM THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, MAYBE THERE WILL BE SOMETHING WITH THE COLUMBUS CONNECTION.

MAYBE NOT.

BUT THE STORY IS GOING TO GO AND MAYBE GET RESOLVED NEXT YEAR.

JAKE.

>> GOVERNOR MIKE DEWINE IS ENDING HIS YEAR BY THE USE OF THE VETO PEN TO GET RID OF HEMP BEVERAGES AND SIGNING INTO LAW OR ALLOWING INTO LAW RESTRICTIONS ON VOTING RIGHTS IN OHIO.

WHAT A WAY TO END THE YEAR.

>> WE SAY GOOD-BYE TO SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN WITH THIS SHOW FOR 20 YEARS.

SOMEONE WHO YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN ON THIS SHOW, OUR DIRECTOR, GEORGE LEVERT, RETIRES, HAS PRODUCED PROGRAMS LIKE IN THE KNOW, THE QUIZ SHOW, WOSU'S AUCTION.

REMEMBER THAT?

HE PRODUCED PIECES FOR COLUMBUS NEIGHBORHOODS, WHERE HE ALSO PORTRAYED A CIGAR DRINKING, HISTORICAL FIGURE.

FOR US, HE HAS BEEN THE STEADY HAND PICKING THE SHOT, LIGHTING UP THE VIDEO AND GRAPHIC AND MAKE SURE THE SHOW RUNS SMOOTHLY.

THANK HIM FOR HIS WORK AND WISH HIM WELL.

THAT'S IT FOR THIS WEEK.

THANKS TO OUR PANEL AND OUR GUESTS.

I'M MIKE THOMPSON.

HAVE A GOOD WEEK.