Interested Parties Meeting with the Attorney General on Monday
COLUMBUS - State Rep. Teresa Fedor (D-Toledo), two Ohio citizens who were not let in to the Ohio Statehouse earlier this week, and Brian Rothenberg from ProgressOhio announced today that they are filing a suit to avoid being shut out of the statehouse in the future. Teachers Hazel Hicks and Mark Baumgartner joined Rep. Fedor and Brian Rothenberg in filing the suit, which will allow for quicker legal action in the future if citizen-access to the statehouse is denied again.
"In my 34 years of service to this state and country, I have never seen citizens denied access to their government like I saw on Tuesday here at the Ohio Statehouse," said Rep. Fedor. "Hundreds of citizens - teachers, firefighters and police officers - were denied the right enter the statehouse and voice their concerns about a bill that would have far reaching effects on their families and their communities. Today we stand together to make sure this never happens again."
Also on Friday, the Office of the Attorney General offered to meet with Plaintiffs to review last week's events and discuss the case moving forward.
Brian Rothenberg of ProgressOhio said, "Any agreement we reach by law or negotiation must state that the doors of the Statehouse will never be locked during business hours; all people must be treated equally; the same standards must apply to every event; and excessive permit costs must not be used as a way to disenfranchise citizens."
On Tuesday, February 22, the Ohio Senate continued hearings on Senate Bill 5, the controversial anti-working family bill which has brought thousands of people to the Statehouse in protest. Citizens rallied on the Statehouse lawn and then proceeded to enter the building like they had done the prior week. Upon arrival they found uniformed State Highway Patrol troopers stationed at all entrances. They were advised only 700 individuals would be allowed to enter the public building which according to the State Fire Marshal can hold 5,000.
"We are simply asking that the taxpaying citizens of Ohio have a right to enter the building and participate in the democratic process," said Rep. Fedor. "I am greatly concerned that individuals in this government made calculated decisions to limit speech, deny access and prevent individual citizens who opposed Senate Bill 5 from voicing their concerns. These hard working individuals were literally and figuratively left out in the cold on Tuesday."
The lawsuit will be filed in Franklin County Court of Common Pleas on Monday. By doing so, it will allow quicker action to acquire a temporary restraining order to keep the Statehouse open if access is denied during future hearings. It will also provide an opportunity through the discovery process to find out who made the decisions to limit public access to the statehouse and the committee room.
Also participating in the press conference today were representatives of the American Federation of Teachers and the Ohio Federation of Teachers.
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