Today, ProgressOhio filed a complaint against the organization that advocated for the passage of Ohio's constitutional ban onsame-sex marriage in 2004. The complaint, filed with Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner's Office, raises questions about the financial disclosures of Citizens for Community Values Action (CCVA), chaired by Phil Burress.
The complaint alleges that CCVA raised and spent more than $1.4 million specifically to promote the amendment, known as Issue 1, but did not file appropriate campaign finance reports. "The timing of the creation of CCVA, and the money it spent topromote Issue 1, suggest it was created to try and end-run campaign disclosure laws," said Brian Rothenberg of ProgressOhio in a prepared statement.
Non-profits can give to ballot issue campaigns, but if they are created for the sole purpose of a ballot issue campaign, they have to follow Ohio election law requiring Political Action Committees (PACs) to detail the sources of their donations and expenditures, something they did not do.
Regardless of the final findings, Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner's investigation into CCVA's finances will not impact the ultimate outcome of the 2004 vote on the amendment and cannot reverse the ballot measure's passage.
We want you to know that Equality Ohio strives to comply with the letter and spirit of Ohio election law. We believe that honesty and transparency in elections are important values that must be upheld, and we await the Secretary of State's findings in this investigation.
We promise to keep you updated about this as it moves through the process.
-- Lynne Bowman, Executive Director
