Re "Absurd attacks against Amy Acton reveal Ramaswamy's desperation," July 24: Ted Strickland popped back into the pages of The Dispatch to defend the Democrats' nominee for governor. Ohioans haven't forgotten why his time as governor ended the way it did. He left the state with an $8 billion budget shortfall and just 89 cents in the Rainy Day Fund.
Now we're being asked to ignore Amy Acton's own record and the things she's said.
It recently came to light that Amy Acton compared ICEto the Ku Klux Klan when asked about making Ohio welcoming to immigrants and refugees during a June 25 City Club of Cleveland forum.
Those weren't words taken out of context. They came from her own mouth, on camera. She compared men and women who put on a badge every
day to one of the most hateful organizations in American history.
She hasn't apologized, and unfortunately, the comment is consistent with her record. During COVID-19, she shut down schools, businesses, county fairs, and much of everyday life in Ohio. At the same time, violent protests erupted across our cities, yet she had little to say. The law enforcement officers who worked through that summer remember the double standard.
There's a reason the Fraternal Order of Police endorsed Vivek Ramaswamy for governor.
As a former law enforcement officer and current state representative, I'll always stand with the men and women who risk their lives to protect our communities, not with politicians who compare them to hate groups.
Amy Acton has shown she's not fit to serve as Ohio's next governor. Having Ted Strickland try to rehabilitate her image doesn't change the facts.
State Rep. Jeff LaRe, Columbus
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Amy Acton compared ICE to Ku Klux Klan. She's not fit to be Ohio governor | Letters
