Watchdog and Election Integrity Groups File Amicus Brief Supporting Ohio Ban on Foreign Contributions to State Ballot Issue Campaigns

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Jul 31, 2024, 08:00 ET

COLUMBUS, Ohio, July 31, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- This week, Americans for Public Trust (APT) and Honest Elections Project (HEP) filed a joint amicus brief supporting the state of Ohio in its defense of H.B. 1 – legislation banning direct and indirect foreign contributions to state ballot issue campaigns, which was passed and signed into law in June. The bill was almost immediately hit with a lawsuit by left-wing election attorney Marc Elias.

Click here to read the full amicus brief, which was filed today in the United State District Court for the Southern District of Ohio Eastern Division.

Americans for Public Trust Executive Director Caitlin Sutherland and Honest Elections Project Executive Director Jason Snead released the following statement:

"American elections should be decided by Americans, not foreign billionaires like Hansjörg Wyss. Foreign nationals are prohibited from giving to candidates and Super PACs. Why should ballot issue campaigns be any different?

"The majority of Ohioans, and most Americans, do not want foreign meddling in their elections and believe common sense guardrails must be put in place to prevent it. Eight other states, including several that are currently governed by Democrats, have similar bans on foreign donations.

"At the end of the day, Marc Elias wants to overturn this law because he doesn't want state legislatures to turn off his endless spigot of foreign cash. Unfortunately for him, H.B. 1 is a common sense, popular measure that has sound basis in law. It's our hope that the court will deny an injunction so H.B. 1 remains in effect for the November election."

Background:

Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss has given the progressive dark money group Sixteen Thirty Fund $243 million since its inception.
In turn, Sixteen Thirty Fund has spent nearly $100 million on ballot issues across the country in the past 10 years, including nearly $15 million in Ohio, the second most of any state.
- Click here to read APT's report on foreign influence on state ballot issue campaigns.
HEP polling shows that 85% of Ohioans believe foreign nationals shouldn't be allowed to influence elections, and 68% said they would support a ban on indirect foreign influence on elections.