Ohio Republican Party Chairman Robert Paduchik Violates Party Rules Keeping The Public from Attending February 4th Candidate Endorsement Meeting

For Immediate Release
January 31, 2022
Media Contact: Doris Peters, 216-659-3362


Ohio Republican Party Chairman Robert Paduchik Violates Party Rules Keeping The Public from Attending February 4th Candidate Endorsement Meeting
Paduchik Falsely Claims Public Interfered and Instilled Fear in the Hearts of Members at the December 3rd meeting


Columbus, Ohio — January 31, Ohio Republican Party (ORP) Chairman Bob Paduchik released the Agenda for the February 4th meeting announcing it will be held privately behind closed doors in violation of committee bylaws. The Party’s Permanent Rules clearly state, “All meetings of the Committee shall be open to the public and press.” Twenty members of the ORP Policy Committee and Chairman Paduchik, a former political operative and strong supporter of Governor Mike DeWine, appear to be manipulating meeting rules as part of their efforts to have the State Central Committee (SCC) endorse DeWine for reelection in Columbus February 4th.
The ORP has sunk to new lows as the embattled Chairman continues his unprecedented violations of ORP Permanent Rules. He now mimics Nancy Pelosi who silenced the voices of millions of disenfranchised Trump supporters upset about the 2020 election. Pelosi’s wall building around the US Capitol was meant to keep dissenters away and mirrors what Paduchik is doing today – building a wall around Ohio’s GOP to “protect” them from politically engaged Ohio Republicans demanding an end to ORP corruption and primary endorsements.
“Prior to the last ORP meeting, committee members received over 200 e-mails from Ohioans requesting no ORP primary endorsements,” shared committee member Lisa Cooper, District 26. “There are also almost 1,000 signatures on a CitizenGo https://citizengo.org/en/node/203900?utm_source=em&utm_medium=e-mail&utm_campaign=&utm_content=typage on-line petition asking the ORP to stay away from primary endorsements and letting the people decide who the candidates will be in the 2022 General Election. We need to listen to our constituents,” added Cooper.
“It appears Chairman Paduchik and the Policy Committee have orchestrated the February 4th meeting to purposefully exclude concerned Republican constituents from attending, so State Central Committee members don’t have to face the public. This is not how Republicans act, it’s how Democrats act,” stated Jim Burgess from District 15. In addition to shutting out the public, the Chairman has silenced the voices of four SCC members who pre-submitted in writing motions against ORP endorsements, voter data requests, improved financial accountability and transparency, and unapproved candidate funding.
Cooper and Burgess pose a good snapshot of other SCC who are extremely upset that a small faction of their colleagues have rubber-stamped Paduchik’s bylaw violations and have voted to end all appearances of transparency. Chairman Paduchik, perceived by many to be unwilling to address public concern over ORP financial and organization troubles, abruptly ended the December meeting before finishing party business because some party members feigned concern about the public attendees they “claim” were threatening and out of control.
“With the disruptions during the September and December meetings there are serious public safety concerns. At the December meeting, several people received a lawful order from Delaware Sheriff’s Deputies to leave the meeting and they refused. Public attendees do not have a right to participate in and disrupt our meetings,” wrote Justin Bis, ORP Executive Director, in his meeting announcement email. Barring Republican constituents from attending an ORP meeting, that according to the bylaws should be open to the public and press, creates division and distrust within our party. This is something that is NOT NEEDED before the important elections in 2022.