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from CityBeat | June 1-14, 2022

by Chava Communications

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Ohio Statehouse

PHOTO: NIAGARA66, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Ohio Supreme Court Rejects Partisan Redistricting Maps for Fifth Time

Republicans continue to push unconstitutional maps ahead of upcoming elections.

BY OHIO CAPITAL JOURNAL STAFF

Ohio House and Senate district maps previously passed by Republican members of the Ohio Redistricting Commission and previously ruled unconstitutional remain invalid, a bipartisan 4-3 majority on the Ohio Supreme Court ruled May 25.

Declining to hold commissioners in contempt, the court ordered the Ohio Redistricting Commission be reconstituted to draft and adopt new General Assembly maps that meet the requirements of the Ohio Constitution. e court set a new deadline of June 3. is date is past the May 28 date a federal court has set as a deadline for when it will implement the maps that were just rejected for the second time by the state high court.

In between their original adoption by the commission and the court’s rst rejection of them as unconstitutional, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose ordered boards of elections to load the maps into their systems and prepare to use them.

Republicans on the redistricting commission used the fact that elections o cials were already ordered to use the maps as part of their decision to pass the maps a second time.

LaRose is among the four commissioners who voted for the maps both times. Others were Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Republican legislative leaders representing the Ohio House and Senate (originally Ohio House Speaker Bob Cupp and Senate President Matt Hu man, then their chosen replacements on the commission, state Rep. Je LaRe, and state Sen. Sen. Rob McColley).

Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor and Justices Michael P. Donnelly, Melody Stewart, and Jennifer Brunner joined the majority opinion.

“ e respondents who voted in favor of readopting Map 3 defend the commission’s action, arguing that Map 3 is the only viable option for use in the 2022 election cycle,” the majority wrote. “ e fact remains that Map 3 still violates Article XI, Sections 6(A) and 6(B) of the Ohio Constitution.” e majority noted that they had ordered the commission to adopt an

entirely new map.

“Neither the current election deadlines, the General Assembly’s inability or unwillingness to alter those deadlines, nor the question whether the map would be a viable option for use in the 2022 election cycle prevented the commission from adopting a new, constitutional district plan,” they wrote.

In a concurring opinion, Chief Justice O’Connor, joined by Justice Donnelly, wrote that with the federal court’s reassurance that continuing delays and inactions would be rewarded, the commission has “engaged in a stunning rebuke of the rule of law” by readopting Map 3.

“ is court has been placed in a remarkable position,” O’Connor wrote. “With the reassurance provided by a federal district court in (the federal case) that continuing delays and inaction would be rewarded with the implementation of a previously rejected map, respondent Ohio Redistricting Commission has, contrary to this court’s clear order, resubmitted an unconstitutional General Assembly district plan and, in doing so, has engaged in a stunning rebuke of the rule of law.”

She said the federal court “did not stay its hand until May 28 as it stated it would,” but rather “provided the Republican commission members not only a roadmap of how to avoid discharging their duties but also a green light to further delay these proceedings by stating its intention to implement ‘Map 3’ … all the while acknowledging that this court had declared Map 3 to be invalid and unconstitutional.”

Each of the federal court’s concerns about conducting the election, O’Connor said, were “created by the commission’s lack of action — which is in direct de ance of its constitutional duties and this court’s four prior judgments — and all those concerns were then, and are now, fully capable of resolution by the commission or the General Assembly.”

“Lamentably, the federal court’s optimism that the commission members ‘are public servants who still view partisan advantage as subordinate to the rule of the law,’ proved to be unfounded,” she said.

O’Connor even referenced a recent Columbus Dispatch pro le of Senate President Matt Hu man.

O’Connor wrote, “ e Republican dominance of the General Assembly gave rise to a telling boast by President of the Senate Matt Hu man: ‘We can kind of do what we want.’ Do what we want apparently translates into the Republican-majority members of the redistricting commission ignoring rulings of this state’s highest court and the mandates of Ohio’s Constitution.

“Americans’ belief that no one is above the law — no individual, no organization, no political party — is a bedrock of our nation’s legal system, and one which makes it the envy of many other countries,” O’Connor wrote. “In light of this court’s limited role in the redistricting process, setting aside di erences and working together is the responsibility of the commission members in upholding their oaths of o ce as elected o cials — oaths that are taken not to ensure that one political party has a supermajority but to obey Ohio’s Constitution.”

O’Connor said that the Ohio Supreme Court and the Ohio Constitution “should not be held hostage by a redistricting commission acting according to partisan directives and a legislature that has created a crisis due to its own inaction.”

“Any threat to Ohioans’ right to vote in this scenario stems entirely from the commission’s repeated failures to comply with this court’s rulings and the General Assembly’s refusal to set a workable primary date,” she wrote. “ e remedy, then, should not be the approval of an unconstitutional map that rewards those who created the crisis to begin with. e remedy, instead, must be to craft a resolution of the manufactured crisis by those with the authority to do so — the commission and the legislature.”

Finally, O’Connor o ered advice to Ohio voters: “Having witnessed the ways in which constitutional reforms may be frustrated by hyper-partisanship and the power of inertia, Ohioans have the power to change those dynamics. at opportunity must not be squandered.”

Justices Sharon L. Kennedy and Patrick F. Fischer wrote separate dissenting opinions. Justice Kennedy stated the court has overstepped its limited authority to review the commission’s maps. Justice R. Patrick DeWine joined Justice Kennedy’s opinion. Justice Fischer wrote the state constitution contains provisions for when the bipartisan commission reaches an impasse and cannot agree on a map. He also maintained that the court has never had the constitutional authority to review the disputed commission plans.

is story was originally published by the Ohio Capital Journal and is republished here with permission. See more at ohiocapitaljournal.com.

Pride Events Planned for June

BY LAUREN SERGE AND LINDSAY WIELONSKI

2019 Cincinnati Pride Parade

PHOTO: BRITTANY THORNTON

Greater Cincinnati organizations, shops and nightlife destinations will celebrate Pride Month in June with a bevy of commemorations and events. Here’s a small sampling.

Pride Flag Raising at City Hall

A ceremony, hosted by Cincinnati Pride in partnership with the City of Cincinnati, will honor LGBTQ+ citizens with the raising of the inclusive Pride ag, redesigned in 2018 by Daniel Quasar to represent more people. 3:30-4 p.m. June 1. 801 Plum St., Downtown, cincinnatipride.org. (Lauren Serge)

Pride Kick-O Block Party at City Hall

Following the ag raising, Cincinnati Pride and city o cials will host a Pride Kick-O Block Party at City Hall. e party will feature music from DJ Bard as well as several drag performances. Food trucks will also will be on hand. 4-6:30 p.m. June 1. Free admission. 801 Plum St., Downtown, cincinnatipride.org. (LS)

Block Party After-Party at e Birdcage

Head to e Birdcage, an LGBTQ+ bar and lounge, to celebrate Pride Month with dancing and music. 7-11 p.m. June 1. 927 Race St., Downtown, cincinnatipride.org. (LS)

Rainbow Challah Bake at Mayerson Jewish Community Center

Participants in the rainbow challah bake will make and braid their own rainbow dough. e event will include singing and light refreshments, as well as crafts and a photo booth for kids ages 8 and up. Doors 5:30 p.m., event 6-8:30 p.m. June 1. $18 for non-members, $15 for members. Mayerson Jewish Community Center, 8485 Ridge Ave., Amberly, cincinnatipride.org (Lindsay Wielonski).

Pride Film Series at e Esquire

e Esquire is hosting a series of LGBTQ+-centric lms for Pride Month on ursdays in June. Each week, Cincinnati Pride will partner with OutReels Cincinnati and Esquire eatre to debut lms throughout the month, including Saving Face, Mala Mala, I Carry You With Me (Te Llevo Conmigo) and Shortbus. Free tickets are available at the Esquire Box O ce. 6:30-8:30 p.m. ursdays throughout June. Free admission. 320 Ludlow Ave., Clifton, cincinnatipride.org. (LS)

2019 Cincinnati Pride Parade

PHOTO: BRITTANY THORNTON

Over the Rainbow Pride Cabaret

e Queen City Cabaret will host a Pride-themed cabaret event in celebration of Pride Month at e Redmoor. On June 3, Sarah Folsom, Matthew Umphreys and several guest performers will entertain guests with music and comedy. e event will feature food and drinks and will raise funds for the nonpro t Transform Cincy, which provides transgender youth with free clothing that suits their preferred gender identity. Doors 6 p.m., show 7-9 p.m. June 3. Tickets $15-$120. e Redmoor, 3187 Linwood Ave., Mt. Lookout, cincinnatipride.org. (LS)

Pride Community Night at Great American Ball Park

During Pride Community Night, the Cincinnati Reds will celebrate Pride Month by recognizing local LGBTQ+organizations and citizens at the ballpark. ere are several special ticket packages for the event, and the rst 1,500 guests to purchase one will receive a Cincinnati Reds Pride hat. A portion of proceeds from special ticket packages will be donated to Cincinnati Pride. 6:40 p.m. June 3. Ticket package prices vary. 100 Joe Nuxhall Way, Downtown, reds.com. (LS)

Pride Night at Grainworks Brewing

Grainworks Brewing Company will host an “Absolutely Grainworks Pride Night” in honor of Pride Month. e party will include festivities such as a drag revue, dance party and costume contest. A portion of the night’s proceeds will bene t PFLAG Cincinnati, a nonpro t organization that o ers support, education and advocacy for LGBTQ+ individuals, families and friends. 8 p.m.midnight. June 4. Grainworks Brewing Company Taproom, 7790 Service Center Dr., West Chester. cincinnatipride.org. (LW).

Northern Kentucky Pride Parade and Festival

Northern Kentucky will celebrate Pride Month at MainStrasse and Goebel Park on June 5. e parade and festival will feature a variety of local LGBTQ+ organizations and community services. e parade will begin at the Covington Riverfront at 1 p.m. Noon-5 p.m. June 5. Free admission. 501 Philadelphia St., Covington, nkypridecenter.org. (LS)

Rainbow Shabbat at Sample Space

On June 10, Jewish Cincinnati Bicentennial, ish and the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati will collaborate to host Rainbow Shabbat. e event will “honor and celebrate Cincinnati Pride month and LGBTQ+ identity as an important part of the Jewish experience, and engage with the broader civic community,” according to the event’s Facebook event page. e event will be hosted by Miz Cracker, who was featured on Rupaul’s Drag Race. All proceeds will bene t Transform Cincy, an organization that provides clothing to transgender and gender non-conforming youth. Tickets include Shabbat dinner, wine, a drink ticket and a performance. 7-10 p.m. June 10. Suggested donation of $36 per person. Sample Space, 140 Marian Spencer Way, Downtown, jewishcincy200. org. (LW).

Pride Prom at Hard Rock Casino

Midwestern Lesbian will host a Pride Prom at the Hard Rock Casino. Guests will enjoy performances by Kora Sline and PHDee. Reservations are required. 10 p.m. June 18. Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati 1000 Broadway St., Downtown. hardrockcasinocincinnati.com. (LW).

Cincinnati Pride Parade and Festival

Cincinnati will celebrate 49 years of Cincinnati Pride this year. e parade will begin at 11 a.m. at 7th St. and Plum and will end at Sawyer Point and Yeatman’s Cove, the location for the Pride festival. e festival will include vendors as well as entertainment provided by Shea Diamond, Jordy, Alex Newell and Daya. 11 a.m. June 25. Free. 705 E. Pete Rose Way, Downtown, cincinnatipride. org. (LS)

Legally Blonde at Washington Park

Cincinnati Pride’s edition of the Summer Cinema series will feature Legally Blonde on June 22 at Washington Park. Food trucks and a bar will be available. Washington Park sells Coca-Cola products, beer, wine, seltzer and liquor from local businesses, according to the Cincinnati Pride website. 7:30 p.m. June 22. Movie starts at 9 p.m. Free. Washington Park, 1230 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine, washingtonpark.org. (LW).