Shontel Brown

Rotunda Rumblings

Sale under scrutiny: A federal watchdog is taking a closer look at the Trump administration’s plan to sell Cleveland’s Anthony J. Celebrezze Federal Building, with the General Services Administration inspector general launching an audit of whether the sale complies with the law and would actually save taxpayers money, Sabrina Eaton writes. U.S. Rep. Shontel Brown is urging auditors to examine her longstanding concerns that the plan lacks transparency, could disrupt services for thousands of federal workers, and may not be the most cost-effective option.

Solidarity forever: Unionized Cleveland Public Library employees are voting on whether to authorize a strike after more than eight months of contract negotiations, Mary Frances McGowan and Kaylee Remington report. Members of SEIU District 1199 began voting Wednesday, following more than 30 bargaining sessions, according to the union. Voting will conclude Sunday. A strike authorization does not mean workers will immediately go on strike. It will allow union leaders to call a strike if negotiations fail to produce a new contract.

Read more Ohio politics stories

Max Miller keeps making his legal problems worse with the women who accused him of abuse

Akron gets more than $3M from feds to upgrade historic airport

Ohio was named America’s No. 1 place for business in 2026; Here’s why

Ad blitz: Political ad spending in Ohio is climbing as national groups pour millions into the state’s competitive U.S. Senate and governor’s races. A new $28 million ad campaign backs Republican Jon Husted’s work for veterans, while Democrat Sherrod Brown is attacking Husted over data centers and rising electric bills. Anna Staver reports that the latest spending underscores Ohio’s growing importance in the fight for control of the Senate.

Business is good: CNBC on Thursday named Ohio the nation’s No. 1 state to do business in, giving state officials and business leaders both a powerful marketing tool and an opportunity to argue that their economic-development strategies are paying off. As Jeremy Pelzer reports, the Buckeye State’s first-ever No. 1 finish in the 19-year history of the annual rankings was due partly to improvements in categories like the cost of doing business, the state economy, and access to capital. But Ohio also benefited from how the rankings’ methodology evolved to favor categories Ohio has long excelled at (like its transportation system) while deemphasizing some of its weaknesses (like education and workforce development).

Runway rescue: Akron Fulton International Airport is getting nearly $3.2 million in federal funding to rehabilitate 6,000 feet of aging taxiways and improve safety for pilots, businesses and flight training operations, Eaton writes. U.S. Rep. Emilia Sykes said the FAA grant will help preserve a key transportation asset and extend the life of infrastructure at the historic Akron airport, home to Goodyear’s original airship hangar.

Cat fight: A Massachusetts social media influencer whose online persona grew out of Vice President JD Vance’s “childless cat ladies” remarks has sued the Trump administration, alleging she was barred from a public Vance event in Maine because of her political views, WGME reports. Although Amanda McGonigle, who operates the popular CatsOnACouch accounts, was able to register for the taxpayer-funded event, she says Secret Service agents told her, “We know where you stand,” and refused to admit her. The lawsuit seeks a ruling that excluding people from official government events based on their viewpoints violates the First Amendment.

Soul searching: Vance’s new book, Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith, offers a compelling account of his conversion to Catholicism but falls short of explaining how those beliefs shape his actions in public office, writes National Catholic Reporter executive editor Michael J. O’Loughlin. He argues the Cincinnati Republican’s newly released memoir treats faith largely as a private matter while sidestepping difficult questions about immigration and other policies where the Trump administration has clashed with Catholic teaching. O’Loughlin calls the book “a missed opportunity” to explore how a Catholic vice president reconciles faith and governing.

Competency check: A federal judge has ordered a competency evaluation for an Ohio man accused of threatening to kill Vance ahead of the vice president’s January visit to Toledo, WKYC reports. Shannon Mathre, 34, faces a federal charge of threatening the vice president as well as child pornography charges stemming from evidence allegedly found during the investigation, and he’s also accused of assaulting two corrections officers while jailed awaiting trial.

DEI dispute: U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno is warning Cincinnati that its newly created Department of Economic Inclusion and Procurement could jeopardize federal funding, WLWT reports. In a letter to Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval, the Westlake Republican argued the new office expands DEI policies in a way that conflicts with Trump administration’s directives. He asked Pureval to provide details on the program’s costs, contracting practices and compliance with federal anti-DEI guidance, while the mayor says he’ll respond to the senator’s concerns.

Buckeye Brain Tease

Question: When did Ohio officially ratify the 14th Amendment?

Email your response to [email protected]. The first correct respondent will be mentioned in next week’s newsletter.

Thanks to everyone who answered our last trivia question: Which of Ohio’s governors served the most terms in office?

Answer: Gov. Frank Lausche, who served from 1945-1947 and from 1949-1957, was elected to five two-year terms that totaled 10 years of service. Gov. Jim Rhodes served 16 years, but only four terms.

Capitol Letter reader Rob Kirchstein was the first to email with the correct response.

Birthdays

Friday, July 10: State Rep. Latyna Humphrey

Saturday, July 11: Ex-state Rep. Gil Blair; Ryleigh Brady, legislative aide to state Sen. Shane Wilkin; Maria Bruno, executive director of Ohioans Against Extremism

Sunday, July 12: Ben Coyle, the Ohio House IT Help Desk manager; Dionna Herbert, Ohio House Democrats’ personnel officer; Ohio Second Lady Tina Husted; State Rep. Justin Pizzulli

Straight from the Source

“I mean, that’s way out there. I don’t think that works. And they got to find a better message.”

-Former Ohio Gov. John Kasich on President Donald Trump’s midterm strategy to paint Democrats as communists. Kasich laughed when asked about the idea during an interview with MS NOW‘s Katy Tur.