Yesterday, Ohio voters passed Issue 1, enshrining abortion as a “right” in the state constitution. Pro-abortion groups spent millions to ensure its passage, spreading false information along the way. And they succeeded.
Issue 1 now means the Ohio constitution includes “an individual right to one’s own reproductive medical treatment, including but not limited to abortion” which will only “allow the state to restrict abortion after fetal viability, except when ‘necessary to protect the pregnant patient’s life or health.'” The measure was roundly criticized by pro-life and parental rights groups; the vague and deceptive language in the ballot made it sound like legislators would still be able to protect preborn babies from abortion late in pregnancy, which most Americans support. Instead, the abortionist will make that determination — the person who will personally profit from the abortion — allowing them to commit abortions throughout any point in pregnancy in Ohio, thanks to vague definitions of “viability” and “health.”
In addition, the Ohio parental notification law will now be null and void, thereby protecting sexual predators who use abortion as a means to cover up their crimes.
Despite all of that, Issue 1 passed — and it was bankrolled heavily by the abortion industry. In an e-mail sent after the election results were released, the pro-life group Protect Women Ohio pointed out that they had been outspent (emphasis added).
We know that Issue 1 does not represent Ohio values. It took $35 million in out-of-state funding and ads filled with fear and deceit to push through the most radical abortion agenda in the country. An agenda that will cement late-term abortion in our Constitution, strip parents of their rights, and wipe out health and safety protections for women. This is not the Ohio way, and we are united in our fight against these extreme policies.
Reports backed up Protect Women Ohio’s claims. The 19th reported that Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights took in $28 million since August; $3.5 million alone came from the Open Society Policy Center, owned by billionaire pro-abortion philanthropist George Soros. The ACLU and Planned Parenthood Action Fund also donated, along with liberal groups like Arabella Advisors and the Fairness Project. Comparatively, Protect Women Ohio raised $9.9 million.
The 19th also reported that, according to AdImpact, $19.9 million was spent supporting Issue 1, compared to $13.4 million opposing it in October.
According to the Washington Stand, many believe that it was the massive amount of funding behind pro-abortion propaganda that caused the measure to pass:
Seasoned politicians say the connecting tissue in each of these successful races is fundraising. “The big story isn’t abortion so much as it is money,” said former Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker (R). The bottom line is that the Democratic Party is spending money on pro-abortion messaging, and demonizing pro-life politicians, while the “GOP is not matching the cash,” said Live Action founder Lila Rose. “If we want to win, the above must change.”
And the majority of this pro-abortion funding did not even come from abortion supporters within Ohio. It came from out-of-state donations. While Protect Women Ohio received some out-of-state donations, they received large amounts from in-state donors, like Protect Women Ohio Action, the Diocese of Columbus, and the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.
Did Ohioans really support Issue 1, or know what they were calling for when they voted ‘yes’? It’s difficult to say, but the abortion industry spent a large amount on money deceiving the public into believing that even miscarriage treatment was somehow at risk, when it was not and never has been. Deception is the native language of the abortion industry, thriving on both money and lies (lying to women about fetal development, abortion risks, and more). Now, Ohio families — and especially, innocent preborn human beings — will pay an unfathomable price for the industry’s deception and greed.
