Jason Snead, Executive Director of Honest Elections Project Action, released the following statement:
“Honest Elections Project Action applauds the Ohio Senate for passing legislation to ban direct and indirect foreign influence on ballot initiatives. Ballot issue campaigns should not be a backdoor for foreign influence in American elections. Foreign nationals are not allowed to contribute to individual candidates. This bill brings the same protections to ballot measure elections.
“Foreign nationals, like left-wing billionaire Hansjörg Wyss, are exploiting a complicated web of liberal political groups to influence American politics on a massive scale. Wyss has contributed nearly a quarter billion dollars to the Sixteen Thirty Fund, a left-wing dark money outfit that has spent nearly $80 million to influence ballot initiatives in 18 states, including in Ohio, where it spent $14 million in 2023. American elections should be decided by Americans, free of corrosive foreign influence.
“HEP Action thanks Senators Rob McColley and Theresa Gavarone for their leadership on this important issue. We urge the House to quickly take up this bill and protect Ohio elections from foreign influence without delay.”