OHRA Chair Phil Plummer (L) and Ohio House Speaker Jason Stephens (R). (Photos by Graham Stokes for the Ohio Capital Journal. Republish photo only with original article.)
A Franklin County judge has denied a request from Ohio House Republicans to freeze campaign funds controlled by rival Ohio House Republicans.
On Wednesday, Court of Common Pleas Judge Mark Serrott denied the motion to issue a temporary restraining order against the use of Ohio House Republican Alliance campaign funds, weighing in on the fight between Ohio House leadership and a scorned faction of fellow Republicans.
Republican State Reps. Ron Ferguson (Wintersville), Derek Merrin (Monclova), Phil Plummer (Dayton) and the Ohio House Republican Alliance (OHRA) filed the lawsuit against Speaker Jason Stephens (R-Kitts Hill), state Rep. Jeff LaRe (R-Violet Twp.), treasurer of OHRA J. Matthew Yuskewich and Winterset CPA Group, Inc.
“We’ve always been focused on protecting incumbents and defending conservative values. This decision simply allows us to continue business as usual,” LaRe said in response to the judge’s decision.