Misbehaving politicians erode public confidence, DeWine says
LANCASTER — Mike DeWine is tired of politicians behaving badly.
Ohio’s attorney general, one of four Republican candidates for governor, lashed out Wednesday at the likes of Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore and now-departed state Rep. Wes Goodman.
Establishment Republicans have called on Moore to resign following reports of sexual behavior with five under-age girls. Goodman, a Cardington Republican, became the latest state lawmaker to resign for “inappropriate behavior.”
“These things should shock people and anger people,” DeWine said in an interview on Wednesday following a campaign appearance. “It shouldn’t take (sexual harassment) training to do the right thing.
“It erodes the public confidence in government ... for an elected official to abuse the trust they have been given by the electorate is disgusting. I find this whole thing disgusting and sickening.”
DeWine now says, without adding “if” the charges were substantiated, that “Moore needs to pull out of that race. These women are credible and the weight of the evidence appears to be very, very strong. The guy needs to go away.”
DeWine spoke to about three dozen supporters at the Four Reasons Bakery & Deli on Wednesday, focusing on the opioid epidemic as he wound down a threeday campaign tour of the state.
The attorney general has sued five drug manufacturers. They, along with three distributors including Dublin’s Cardinal Health, were given 30 days Oct. 30 by DeWine to begin negotiating a settlement to improve opioid treatment and prevention. He wants them to pay their “fair share” for an opioid crisis rooted in prescription painkillers that claimed 4,050 lives last year.
DeWine declined to say whether the drug makers and distributors have responded to his invitation.
“For them to not be part of the solution and to force us to drag them to the table is just wrong. Do what’s right, do what’s morally right,” he said.
One person asked him about the slayings of eight family members in Pike County, a crime that remains unsolved more than 18 months later.
“I think eventually we’ll have enough evidence to go to a grand jury and get an indictment. I’m not ready to announce anything yet,” DeWine said.
Earlier in the day, DeWine traveled to Clinton County, where he accepted the endorsement of House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger, R-Clarksville, at a Wilmington event.
Secretary of State Jon Husted, U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci of Wadsworth and Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor also are seeking the GOP nomination for governor next year.