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Decisions from the Ohio Supreme Court and the state ballot board.

Lock in language for issue one.

It was another rough week in Springfield.

And the state and its farmers are wrestling with a historic drought.

That's all this week in the state of Ohio.

That's all this week in the state of Ohio.

Welcome to the state of Ohio.

I'm Karen Kasler.

The three page summary that Republicans approved for voters to read on issue one in November has been set.

Though the backers of the redistricting overhaul say it's biased and unfair.

of the redistricting overhaul say it's biased and unfair.

On Monday, the Ohio Supreme Court split along party lines over the issue.

One language written by Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRosa, ordering rewrites of sections on filing lawsuits over maps and on offering public input.

on filing lawsuits over maps and on offering public input.

Among the sections Republicans upheld is one saying the amendment's 15 member commission would have to draw maps that give an advantage to specific parties in certain districts, which the court said fits the definition of gerrymandering.

which the court said fits the definition of gerrymandering.

The court's three Democrats agreed the two sections should be rewritten, but that's not enough, they said.

Justice Jennifer Brunner wrote, quote, we should be requiring a nearly complete redrafting of what is perhaps the most stunningly stilted ballot language that Ohio voters will have ever seen and, quote.

Larose said in a statement, again, quoting this decision is a huge win for Ohio voters who deserve an honest explanation of what they're being asked to decide.

It won't stop the false advertising that's about to get dumped on the airwaves, but at least the voters will know the facts if they read the accurate summary on their ballot.

Citizens.

Not politicians, which created issue one and sued over the ballot language, said in a statement, again quoting.

the ballot language, said in a statement, again quoting.

Everyone knows what's happening here.

Citizens are going to fire politicians and lobbyists from drawing maps by voting yes on issue one.

And the politicians hate that.

So politicians are lying and doing everything they can to confuse voters.

and doing everything they can to confuse voters.

The rewritten language for the two sections was approved over Democrats objections by Republicans on the ballot board on Wednesday.

Military and overseas ballots are being sent out on Friday.

Military and overseas ballots are being sent out on Friday.

The fallout from false and racist rumors about illegal immigrants in Springfield continues about illegal immigrants in Springfield continues with three dozen Ohio state troopers doing daily bomb sweeps at schools and observation towers, with cameras put up to reassure residents in a city that's received more than 33 bomb threats in a week.

that's received more than 33 bomb threats in a week.

these threats, have all been hoaxes.

these threats, have all been hoaxes.

None of them have panned out.

We have people, unfortunately, overseas, We have people, unfortunately, overseas, who are taking these actions.

who are taking these actions.

Some of them are coming from one particular country.

Some of them are coming from one particular country.

We think that this is, you know, one more opportunity to mess with the United States, one more opportunity to mess with the United States, and they're they're continuing to do that.

and they're they're continuing to do that.

So we cannot let the bad guys win.

So we cannot let the bad guys win.

But the rumors persist and were amplified by not only U.S.

Senator and Republican vice presidential nominee J.D.

Vance, but also former President Trump in his debate with Vice President Kamala Harris.

Trump in his debate with Vice President Kamala Harris.

City officials say they're trying to debunk them and turn attention to the strain that around 15,000 legal immigrants in a short period of time 15,000 legal immigrants in a short period of time have brought to health care, access, education and housing in Springfield.

access, education and housing in Springfield.

We did not have threats seven days ago.

We did not have these concerns seven days ago.

We did not have these hundreds and hundreds of thousands of dollars spent in Springfield, in from the state of Ohio support seven days ago.

We do today.

We'd like those that stand on the national stage that can bring peace, that could tamper their words and speak truth.

That's what we're Springfield is asking.

We need peace.

We need help, not hate.

Andrew, who is a Republican, says if Trump comes to Springfield as he has said he wants to do.

It would be an extreme strain on the city's already stretched resources.

on the city's already stretched resources.

Last weekend, Vance said on CNN's state of the Union that he's been trying to put the Springfield immigration issue and the strain that is happening because of the Haitian immigrants into the spotlight.

I've been trying to talk about the problems in Springfield for months, and the American media ignored it.

There was a congressional hearing just last week of angel moms who lost children because Kamala Harris let criminal migrants into this country, who then murdered their children.

The American media totally ignored this stuff until Donald Trump and I started talking about cat memes.

If I have to.

But it wasn't just to create stories so that the American media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people, then that's what I'm going to do, Dana, because you guys are completely letting Kamala Harris coast.

You had one interview with her.

You talk about pushing back against me, Dana.

You didn't push back against the fact that she cast the deciding vote on the Inflation Reduction Act, which is why a lot of Americans can't afford food and housing.

You just said that you're creating public policy.

You just said that you're creating public policy.

So you just said that you're creating the story.

It's that, Dana, you just said that this is a story that you created.

So so then that eating dog, we are eating is not we are creating.

We are Dana.

It comes from firsthand accounts from my constituents.

I say that we're creating a story, meaning we're creating the American media, focusing on it.

I didn't create 20,000 illegal migrants coming into Springfield thanks to Kamala Harris's policies.

coming into Springfield thanks to Kamala Harris's policies.

Her policies did that.

But yes, we created the actual focus But yes, we created the actual focus that allowed the American media to talk about this story and the suffering caused by Kamala Harris's policies.

Governor Mike DeWine has also been doing national interviews, saying the unsubstantiated rumors need to stop so the focus can be turned to important issues.

so the focus can be turned to important issues.

He was on ABC's This Week last weekend.

these people are here legally.

They're here legally and they want to work.

And they are in fact working.

And when you talk to the employers, what the employers tell you is, you know, we don't know what we would do without them.

They are working and they are working very hard, and they're fitting in with our native people from Springfield with our native people from Springfield who have been working in the shop or working in this manufacturing company for for a long, long time.

So that's what we need to focus on.

And, you know, this idea that we have hate groups coming in and this this discussion just has to stop.

We need to focus on moving forward and not We need to focus on moving forward and not dogs and cats.

It's just ridiculous.

DeWine was also asked if he still supports the Republican presidential ticket, even as the candidates have continued to spread these false rumors.

And he said he would, because he is a Republican.

And he said he would, because he is a Republican.

As DeWine mentioned, hate groups are among the visitors to Springfield in the last few days.

I talked about that with historian who monitors extremist and hate groups in Ohio and around the country.

As a senior research fellow for the Anti-Defamation League.

The idea of of of immigrants, eating, The idea of of of immigrants, eating, pets is a longstanding anti-immigrant trope that, pets is a longstanding anti-immigrant trope that, I've been able to trace back 50 years and other people have been able to trace longer 50 years and other people have been able to trace longer used to actually incite, used to actually incite, hatred and fear against immigrants.

hatred and fear against immigrants.

So it's not like, it's not like, as bad as they are.

It's not like, false allegations leveled against a politician or a celebrity.

leveled against a politician or a celebrity.

It's something that's leveled against an entire community with malice intended.

against an entire community with malice intended.

And there are other tropes like that.

Like another longstanding one is the idea that immigrants bring disease.

And people have also tried to make that claim about, And people have also tried to make that claim about, folks in Springfield, and it's also false.

folks in Springfield, and it's also false.

But, you know, the whole idea is to attempt to demonize But, you know, the whole idea is to attempt to demonize immigrants, to make them see other, to, immigrants, to make them see other, to, arouse people's anger or fear, against them, arouse people's anger or fear, against them, to get, in some cases, to get them to leave, to intimidate them, to leave.

And so it's a really pernicious, damaging sort of hope.

damaging sort of hope.

Do you think that there's a distinction made between legal immigrants and illegal immigrants or some of these things, just all immigrants.

or some of these things, just all immigrants.

So anti-immigrant sentiment, So anti-immigrant sentiment, United States tends in terms of the rhetoric, tends to focus on undocumented migrants.

tends to focus on undocumented migrants.

However, the people who, However, the people who, use such tropes actually try it.

When you look at the targets that they're being used against, they really make any effort to distinguish between undocumented migrants or migrants with legal status.

undocumented migrants or migrants with legal status.

And so, for example, you know, the vast majority of the Haitians in Springfield have legal status, but they're routinely being called illegal immigrants and and demonized as being people their, immigrants and and demonized as being people their, who are there unlawful.

And so, you know, that's another you know, that's another way that people are trying to obscure the facts.

You know, in order to incite the sort of immigrant sentiment.

to incite the sort of immigrant sentiment.

And those rumors are really bringing out the, the neo-Nazi white supremacist groups, I mean, Blood Trot, Patriot Front, Proud Boys, even the KKK.

Patriot Front, Proud Boys, even the KKK.

That's really not true to the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan.

Yeah.

Yes.

Yeah.

Yes.

Vance even kind of minimized the Proud Boys as about a dozen of them.

minimized the Proud Boys as about a dozen of them.

But there's a lot of these groups that have shown interest in this, right?

that have shown interest in this, right?

Well, white supremacists, are always quick to try to exploit any sort of division that they can find or any sort of issue that's in the news that they can fall.

or any sort of issue that's in the news that they can fall.

And since white supremacists are anti-immigrant to begin with, something like this, people raising us, with, something like this, people raising us, these false allegations about Haitian immigrants and, these false allegations about Haitian immigrants and, Springfield is basically, a gift to them.

Springfield is basically, a gift to them.

And so, so why do you different white supremacist groups have rush to try to exploit that in different ways?

Ones further away have done it through online, rhetoric and demonization.

online, rhetoric and demonization.

The ones closer have actually, put out fliers or put up, The ones closer have actually, put out fliers or put up, the idea how many show up doesn't really matter.

I mean, most extremist groups comparatively small.

When you compare them to mainstream groups.

But does it really matter if there are five or 10 or 20 neo-Nazis marching in your neighborhood?

or 10 or 20 neo-Nazis marching in your neighborhood?

That's going to be intimidating and scaring.

That's going to be intimidating and scaring.

The scary, you know, no matter what the exact number is.

you know, no matter what the exact number is.

One thing I thought was interesting is Benny Johnson boosted the rumors early on.

Taylor Hanson has gone to Springfield, is putting up videos on X showing interviews with residents Matt Christianson and Tim Poole, shared memes.

These are all right wing commentators who were also named in an indictment.

The Department of Justice is alleging that in working for tenant media, they were unknown to them, in working for tenant media, they were unknown to them, financed by Russian nationals to distribute Russian government messaging to American audiences.

But I think looking at just what has happened since these folks kind of boosted this early.

It shows how quickly this stuff can be circulated, and we don't really know where some of this is coming from.

and we don't really know where some of this is coming from.

Well that's true.

I say with an issue like this, I say with an issue like this, I'm sure there are, I'm sure there are, Russians who would like to exploit issues like this because they try to find anything divisive in America because they try to find anything divisive in America to increase division and cause problems.

But.

But.

Xenophobic, nativist and anti-immigrant sentiment is so strong now, naturally, in the United States right now, we've been having a burst, of this sort of sentiment in recent years, of this sort of sentiment in recent years, that, you know, any amount that they can, you know, whatever they any amount that they can, you know, whatever they they could do to add to that is sort of like bringing calls to Newcastle.

There's already so much of it that would be there, regardless of whether or not they're paying someone.

regardless of whether or not they're paying someone.

And the people that are paying would be doing those exact same things anyway.

Because they themselves have anti-immigrant sentiments.

Because they themselves have anti-immigrant sentiments.

So I, I, you know, I think it's important to note that, you know, in the case of anti anti-immigrant sentiment in United States and anti-immigrant demonization, United States, the call is coming from inside the building.

Right?

We have plenty of intolerant and hateful people here in this country, who can't stand the thought of someone who was a migrant living in their community or in any community.

in their community or in any community.

The court I want to ask you about one other thing that happened this week.

And the Portage County Sheriff's had posted on Facebook, and this is a quote.

Write down the addresses of the people who had her meaning.

Kamala Harris's signs in their yards.

So when the illegal human locust and that's in quotes what she supports, he says he places to live will already have the addresses of their new families who supported their arrival.

In a lot of ways, that's not just problematic.

That's scary.

Right?

That's scary.

Right?

Yeah, that that is Yeah, that that is that's scary on two different levels.

First of all, and again, this is another longstanding trope using dehumanizing words like locusts trope using dehumanizing words like locusts to refer to immigrants.

Is another thing that incites harm Is another thing that incites harm against immigrants and can help inspire hate crimes.

against immigrants and can help inspire hate crimes.

And the other aspect of it is to take down the names of political opponents, like people who make have Kamala Harris street signs, signs on their front yards.

Harris street signs, signs on their front yards.

That is something that is intimidating, you know, to anybody, you know, in that area and that is using the authority of the sheriff.

Don't know.

Ohio sheriffs have lots of power.

That is using the, authority of law enforcement to intimidate people for political reasons.

enforcement to intimidate people for political reasons.

And it's not surprising that many Republicans in Portage County have spoken out against it, in Portage County have spoken out against it, that they also found that very objectionable, because I think any reasonable person would find language like that objectionable.

would find language like that objectionable.

As we come closer to Election Day, we've heard a lot of talk about election security.

And I'm wondering, should we be concerned about And I'm wondering, should we be concerned about not just election security, but also voter intimidation not just election security, but also voter intimidation and also about potential violence on Election Day, bomb threats at polling places?

Should these be concerns for us as we go toward the election?

be concerns for us as we go toward the election?

Well, we're such a polarized, divided country right now.

So much.

There's so much suspicion.

There's, a There's, a there's so much suspicion and distrust.

there's so much suspicion and distrust.

On both sides that it's very easy for a non event.

Someone sees someone special on some polling place and, Someone sees someone special on some polling place and, and misinterprets that to mean something and misinterprets that to mean something or to make a small actual event, a much larger event or, or to make a small actual event, a much larger event or, you know, there's there's all sorts of ways that problems can emerge.

I will say in terms of events leading up to Election Day or on Election Day, leading up to Election Day or on Election Day, over the past two election cycles, those have been relatively limited and divisions are greater now than they were before.

and divisions are greater now than they were before.

But but I think it will probably still be, But but I think it will probably still be, the odds are, and I'm a historian, not a, the odds are, and I'm a historian, not a, psychic.

So I'm much better at predicting the past than predicting the future.

But I think the odds are that the chances for serious incidents, up to, Election day, are relatively low.

incidents, up to, Election day, are relatively low.

I think there's more of a chance, on election day, I think there's more of a chance, on election day, during a vote counting the vote counting period, especially if that becomes extended, like an a very close race where you can't necessarily call a winner very easily, or there may be a recount or something like that.

And then depending upon, who is declared the winner in a particular state, who is declared the winner in a particular state, there a there, there may be a much greater chance for something to happen.

From, from the time the election, you know, from, from election Day onward.

the election, you know, from, from election Day onward.

But Kavanaugh notes the riot and attempted insurrection on January 6th, 2021. and attempted insurrection on January 6th, 2021.

As an example, 80 people from Ohio faced charges from the attack on the US Capitol that day.

faced charges from the attack on the US Capitol that day.

Ohio is in the midst of a historic drought.

With 22 counties declared federal disaster areas.

With 22 counties declared federal disaster areas.

77% of Ohio is currently in a drought condition, 77% of Ohio is currently in a drought condition, and a quarter of the state is in extreme or extraordinary drought, the worst drought situation since the U.S. Drought Monitor map was created in 2000.

Drought Monitor map was created in 2000.

I talked about that with Ty Higgins from the Ohio Farm Bureau.

affects all farmers, but it affects them differently.

And I can tell you that, when it comes to our row crop farmers talking about corn and soybeans, that harvest started a month to maybe six weeks early because the rain wasn't there and the crops died off.

because the rain wasn't there and the crops died off.

And it was just time to go and harvest those crops.

Unfortunately, the yields aren't going to be nearly what those farmers are used to.

We're talking 50% or more, less than it was just last year.

For those corn and soybean crops.

So that's how it affects row crop farmers, livestock producers, which when you get into the southeast part of the state, big livestock part of Ohio, those farmers are having to take some pretty drastic measures.

They cut hay in the summer to feed in the winter.

They had to start feeding that winter hay in August because the pastures were dried up and there was no forage for that.

Cattle, they even have to truck water from off the farm to the farm because their springs and their wells have dried up.

So it's impacting different farmers in different ways.

But no doubt that all farmers across the state, certainly being challenged by the drought of 2024.

And we're also seeing like Columbus is starting to use some of its reserve water supply because it's it's that's what's available.

because it's it's that's what's available.

There just hasn't been enough rainfall to reinforce that water supply.

Yeah.

You don't have to go very far from Columbus to see these challenges in rural Ohio.

Licking County and Pickaway County, some of the hardest hit that we've seen on the drought Monitor that are in central Ohio right now.

So, certainly, challenges for sure.

But there are things out there to be able to help farmers get through these challenges, at least in the short term.

I want to ask you about that.

But, what are the effects that we consumers are going to see?

You said that the yields are going to be smaller.

They came earlier.

What are are we going to see higher prices?

Are certain things just not going to be available?

Well it's interesting because, people like to correlate the price of their groceries to the farm.

It's not that easy anymore because of everything that happens between the farm and the grocery store.

Inflation is one of the reasons we're seeing higher prices in the store.

Everybody knows that.

But look at everything else that costs more to get that food from the farm to the grocery store.

And I'm talking about transportation and labor and processing.

The reason I bring that up is because farmers aren't price makers.

They're price takers.

They give them what the market bears.

And right now we're seeing the same price for corn that we saw in 1974. for corn that we saw in 1974.

So farmers aren't making as much money as people might think because food prices are higher.

There's a big disconnect there.

So and really, that adds insult to injury.

We're seeing lower yields for corn and soybeans, and we're seeing prices from 50 years ago.

It's really a tough time for agriculture.

And so to talk about the consumer and how they're going to be impacted, sure.

There will be some impacts down the road because of what's happening now.

But, really it comes down to, what's happening between the farm and the grocery store as to why we're seeing those higher prices now.

And, you know, really as far as what we might see, in Ohio, agriculture's our number one, driver of the economy.

So when farmers are challenged and not doing well, our economy is not going to be doing as well.

What will it take to end this?

I mean, steady rain for a couple of days.

Months?

What's it going to take to get back to where we were before all this started?

Let's put it in perspective.

We're about 7 to 10in of deficit for the year in rainfall.

about 7 to 10in of deficit for the year in rainfall.

That's not going to happen overnight.

That's not going to happen.

A week is not going to happen in a month.

It could take, until next spring to really get us back to the levels of moisture we need.

And we need it because if we don't see that moisture and we're dry again in the spring and we plant into that dry, and then those tough conditions of soil and then those tough conditions of soil not going to be a great crop again next year.

We're going to need to see a lot of moisture here as we get into fall and even the early part of winter.

So what resources are available, state and federal resources are available to farmers who are dealing with all this.

Yeah.

So again, it depends on what you do in agriculture.

So get into the row crop farmers talk about things in the farm bill.

So the crop insurance program commodity programs, safety net programs, things of that nature will help those farmers again, not become whole, but help them get some of the, losses they have seen because of the drought.

Much like you and I buy insurance for our car and house, they buy insurance for their crops.

And when something catastrophic, God forbid, happens, they have to take out policies on those, particular crops they have to take out policies on those, particular crops for the livestock.

Not quite as, easy as of process because, Not quite as, easy as of process because, they don't have parts of the farm bill that the real crop farmers have.

That's why we have disaster assistance programs and, 22 counties in Ohio have been declared disaster by USDA and 16 contiguous counties by USDA and 16 contiguous counties across the drought part of the region that we're talking about now, also available for those programs.

So those are low interest loans that farmers can take out and try to, get back some of the losses they've had here in the short term, whether that's equipment or hay or feed or the cost of transporting that water from, or hay or feed or the cost of transporting that water from, the fire station to the farm, if you will.

Some of it is just disaster programs that farmers can take advantage of if they've had dry pastures or if they've had to haul water to kind of recoup some of those losses.

So again, depending on what you do in agriculture, the programs are there.

what you do in agriculture, the programs are there.

But the best thing you can do, the first thing you can do is contact your farm service agency.

Every county has has an FSA office, call, make an appointment, go into FSA and find out what programs are there for you.

Not a one size fits all approach.

There are about 10 to 12 different programs that farmers can look at and figure out which one could work for them to get them, to get them through these challenges.

You mentioned the farm bill.

The farm bill has a deadline of September 30th.

The farm bill has a deadline of September 30th.

Is it going to happen?

Is it going to be agreed upon and go forward by September 30th, or is there going to have to be a continuing resolution?

In our opinion, it has to happen.

Look at everything that's changed since 2018 when this farm bill was enacted.

We had that wet spring I mentioned we had the pandemic, we have inflation, we have, war half a world away.

we have inflation, we have, war half a world away.

There are so many things that have changed since 2018, where this current farm bill just does not make sense for what we need in the agriculture space.

Not to mention 80% of the farm bill is for food nutrition programs.

A lot of change in our society on that front as well.

We need to make sure we update both the food and the farm bill before the end of September, because it's important and vital to keep our farmers sustainable in more ways than one for as long as we possibly can.

The farm Bill used to be something that was pretty much agreed upon that it went through no problem.

And now it's become kind of it's been held hostage in a way, by what's been happening politically is, is that that has to be a concern for you.

Sure.

And it's something that has happened over the last few years, without a doubt.

You mentioned it.

It used to be a bipartisan bill, didn't take much effort to get the farm bill through because they understood the importance of it.

Now it's being used as that political football.

And someone said it best last week.

We can't keep kicking the can down the road because there's not any road left for the farm.

Bill, it is time to get it passed, not just to continue it, continue the resolution.

We have to get a brand new five year farm bill that matches up with the times that we're in right now.

the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation has also endorsed the three Republicans running for Ohio's Supreme Court, saying they have an understanding of the state constitution and how it affects agriculture.

But the Farm Bureau says it's a nonpartisan organization.

But the Farm Bureau says it's a nonpartisan organization.

And the fact that all three Supreme Court candidates who have been endorsed are Republic runs is a coincidence.

endorsed are Republic runs is a coincidence.

And that's it for this week for my colleagues at the Statehouse News Bureau of Ohio Public Radio and Television.

Thanks for watching.

Please check out our website at State News Talk or find us online by searching the State of Ohio Show.

or find us online by searching the State of Ohio Show.

You can also hear more from the Bureau on our podcast, The Ohio State House scoop.

Look for it every Monday morning wherever you get your podcasts.

And please join us again next time here for the State of Ohio.

here for the State of Ohio.

Okay.

Okay.

This is.

This is.

A.

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The law offices of Porter, right, Morris and Arthur LLP.

Porter Wright is dedicated to bringing inspired legal outcomes to the Ohio business community.

More at porterwright.com.

Porter Wright inspired Every day in Ohio Education Association, representing 120,000 educators who are united in their mission to create the excellent public schools.

Every child deserves more at OHEA.org.

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