Free Press Hero – State Representative Bernadine Kennedy Kent

Rep. Kent is a Freep Hero for introducing House Bill 137. Currently, 49 states require law enforcement officers to be mandatory reporters of child abuse and neglect. Ohio stands alone as the only state without this requirement. Teachers, medical personnel, attorneys and other professionals are already required under Ohio law to report cases of child abuse and neglect. Kent has firsthand knowledge, as a former school administrator and tutor, witnessing credible evidence that young children were being molested and raped. The police detective assigned to the case never wrote up an incident report or contacted Children’s Services. Kent and House Bill 137 will correct this large oversight.

The Free Press Salutes – Yes We Can win the primary elections

The Yes We Can political coalition advanced their two City Council candidates and three School Board candidates in the Columbus primary this May 2nd. This proves these grassroots progressive Democrats are a force to be reckoned with. Council candidates Will Petrik and Jasmine Ayres and School Board candidates Erin Upchurch, Anny Vaile and Amy Harkins will be on the November ballot. The fact that five Yes We Can candidates and only one local Republican won the primary, along with the Democratic incumbents, shows that the battle in Columbus is now between corporatists and progressive activists.

Enemies of the People – Congressmen Pat Tiberi and Steve Stivers

U.S. House Representatives Steve Stivers (R-15th) and Patrick Tiberi (R-12th) both voted in favor of the Trump healthcare bill that would ultimately threaten 23 million people’s health insurance – including an estimated one million people in Ohio. The federal bill would repeal and replace the Affordable Health Care Act passed during the Obama administration. Tiberi and Stivers notoriously refused to attend recent healthcare town hall meetings in their districts to face their constituents’ questions and complaints. They don’t have enough courage to look people in the eye and explain why they’re giving them a death sentence. They have chosen Trump over Kasich, and profit over people.