>>> THE GOVERNOR'S RACE IS NECK AND NECK AND THE PROPERTY TAX REPEAL EFFORT HAS A LOT OF WORK TO DO.

>>> THE OHIO GOVERNOR'S RACE IS NECK AND NECK, AND THE PROPERTY TAX REPEAL EFFORT HAS A LOT OF WORK TO DO.

WELCOME TO COLUMBUS ON THE RECORD I'M MIKE THOMPSON.

WORD ON THE STREET, AND INDICATIONS FROM PUBLICALLY KNOWN INTERNAL POLLS WAS THAT THE RACE FOR OHIO GOVERNOR IS CLOSE.

A NEW INDEPENDENT POLL OUT THIS WEEK CONFIRMS THAT.

A POLL DONE BY BOWLING GREEN STATE UNIVERSITY SHOWS REPUBLICAN VIVEK RAMASWAMY AND DEMOCRAT AMY ACTON BASICALLY TIED.

RAMASWAMY HAS 48% SUPPORT, ACTON 47%.

THAT ONE POINT MARGIN IS WELL WITHIN THE POLLS 3% MARGIN OF ERROR.

LOU GENTILE, I LOOK BACK.

LEADING MIKE DEWINE.

DO YOU BELIEVE THESE NUMBERS AND WILL IT MATTER?

>> WE SEE THAT HERE IN OHIO WITH THE ENTHUSIASM.

WE SEE IT ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

WHAT'S TELLING TO ME, THOUGH, IN THIS RECENT POLL THAT CAME OUT.

IT'S A NECK AND NECK, DEAD HEAT.

THIS IS A REPUBLICAN LEANING STATE, OBVIOUSLY.

THE RAMASWAMY CAMPAIGN HAS SPENT $10 MILLION PLUS DOLLARS IN ADVERTISEMENTS IN THE LAST SIX WEEKS, PERHAPS.

AND IT HASN'T MOVED A NEEDLE.

SO IN POLITICS, I THINK LIKE ABILITY IS A HUGE FACTOR.

THE PEOPLE IN OHIO IS NOT BUYING WHAT VIVEK IS TRYING TO SELL THEM.

WHAT IS HAPPENING NATIONALLY, THE PRESIDENT IS UNDER WATER.

IT IS CREATING A GREAT ENVIRONMENT, I THINK FOR THE DEMOCRAT, THE POLLS ARE SHOWING THAT.

AND SHE, MINUS THE $25 MILLION OF HIS OWN MONEY THAT VIVEK PUT IN, SHE IS OUT RAISING HIM.

WE'LL BE COMPETITIVE IN THE FALL.

I'M ENCOURAGED BY THESE POLLS.

>> BOB, THE ORGANIZERS, THE OFFICE OF THIS POLL, THEY BUILT IN 11% WEIGHTED MARGIN TO SUPPORT REPUBLICANS.

IT LEANS TO THE REPUBLICANS BY 11%.

>> THEY DID A REMAKE OF THE 2024.

>> YEAH, SO GIVEN THAT, IS THAT WORRY SOME IF VIVEK IS TIED WITH A 1 POINT LEAD?

>> YOU HAVE TWO PEOPLE.

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1928 THAT WE'VE HAD TWO PEOPLE RUN FOR GOVERNOR THAT HAVE NEVER HELD PUBLIC OFFICE.

THEY ARE BOTH NOT WELL KNOWN, PERIOD.

AND WHEN YOU HAVE JUST PARTY LABELS, AND YOU DON'T KNOW A WHOLE LOT ABOUT EITHER ONE OF THEM, I MEAN, THERE'S SOME AWARENESS.

I MEAN, IT'S NOT LIKE THEY ARE TOTAL UNKNOWNS.

SHE WAS DIRECTOR OF HEALTH DURING COVID.

HE RAN FOR PRESIDENT AND IS A BILLIONAIRE.

SO YEAH, THERE'S SOME SURFACE KNOWLEDGE, BUT NORMAL PEOPLE, THEY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION ABOUT BOTH OF THESE.

SO IT SHAKES OUT, YOU KNOW, >> JAKE, THE UNKNOWN FACTORS ARE HIGH, NOT TERRIBLY HIGH FOR THESE FOLKS.

UNSURE.

BOTH PEOPLE --THE PEOPLE WHO PARTICIPATED IN THIS WERE ON ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER FOR THE MOST PART.

>> MY SUSPICION IS PEOPLE AREN'T PAYING A LOT OF ATTENTION.

WE HAVE ALL GOTTEN TIRED OF THE CAMPAIGN.

I THINK YOU SEE WHAT APPEAR, IF YOU PUT YOUR NOSE TOO CLOSE TO THE SCREEN, IT SHIFTS IN VOTER MOMENTUM FOR A CANDIDATE.

WHAT'S HAPPENING IS VOTERS ARE BEGINNING TO PAY ATTENTION AND QUESTION WHO TWO PEOPLE REALLY ARE.

THE NUMBER THAT CAUGHT MY EYE, AND WE CAN GET INTO THE $25 MILLION THAT VIVEK RAMASWAMY LOANED HIMSELF.

>> WE'LL LOOK INTO THE NUMBERS AND GET INTO THE FINANCES.

DONALD TRUMP'S APPROVAL RATING IN OHIO IS 46%.

WHICH IS BELOW 50, BUT NOT AS BAD AS IT IS NATIONALLY.

HE IS STILL HOLDING ON TO HIS SUPPORT HERE IN OHIO FOR THE MOST PART.

>> LOOK WHERE HE'S AT WITH INDEPENDENTS, HE IS UNPOPULAR.

THE SIGNATURE ISSUE THAT THE REPUBLICAN, DONALD TRUMP ALL THE WAY DOWN CAMPAIGNED ON, THEY WERE GOING TO GET RID OF INFLATION.

THEY WERE GOING TO BRING THE HIGH COST DOWN.

THE PEOPLE IN THIS STATE ARE STILL STRUGGLING WITH HIGH COST, WHETHER IT BE AT THE GROCERY STORE, AT THE GAS PUMP, WHICH THE PRESIDENT HAD A BIG HAND IN DOING.

OR THEIR ELECTRIC BILLS.

I THINK THAT WILL CARRY A MAJOR LOAD HERE IN THE FALL, AND YOU KNOW, THE MOMENTUM IS ON THE SIDE OF THE DEMOCRATS.

I THINK WE'LL BE SUPER COMPETITIVE, AND JUST LOOKING AT IN TERMS OF VIVEK, WHERE HE STANDS WITH INDEPENDENTS IN PARTICULAR, AGAIN, 50% UNFAVORABILITY.

IF I WERE THE INCUMBENT, I WOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT I WOULD BE SEEING.

>> THERE ARE NO INCUMBENTS.

IF THERE WAS AN INCUMBENT, THE INCUMBENT WOULD BE IN TROUBLE.

SO, IS THAT WORRISOME?

>> WE HAD THE SAME POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT IN 2018.

PEOPLE NOT BEING HAPPY ABOUT THE WAY THE STATE WAS BEING RUN, AND MIKE DEWINE WON AGAINST A GOOD, PROBABLY THE BEST DEMOCRAT CANDIDATE THAT DEMOCRATS HAVE HAD IN THE LAST TWENTY YEARS.

BEAT HIM BY FOUR OR FIVE POINTS.

I DON'T THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE MUCH OF AN ISSUE.

THIS IS A RED STATE.

IT'S A REALLY RED STATE.

YOU DON'T HAVE A STATE THAT VOTED BY DONALD TRUMP BY OVER 11 POINTS THEN TURN AROUND AND VOTE FOR AMY ACTON FOR GOVERNOR IN TWO YEARS.

>> I'M SORRY, BROWN WON IN 2018.

>> GETTING TO THE MONEY, THEN WE'LL GET TO THE U.S.

SENATE RACE IN A MINUTE.

FUND RAISING CAME OUT TODAY, ACTON RAISED $5 MILLION IN THE FIRST THREE MONTHS.

VIVEK RAISED $5 MILLION IN THE FIRST THREE MONTHS, THEN HE GAVE HIMSELF $25 MILLION TO MAKE THE TOTAL NUMBER SEEM HIGHER.

>> YEAH, YOU'RE RIGHT.

A COUPLE WAYS TO LOOK AT THIS SET OF NUMBERS YOU JUST ROLLED OUT.

AMY ACTON AND VIVEK RAMASWAMY AMOUNT OF MONEY.

VIVEK HAS TIES TO THE WHITE HOUSE, AMY ACTON HAD NATIONAL MEDIA PROFILE COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC.

IT'S INTERESTING TO SEE THEM BOTH COMPETITIVE.

THAT WAS MY TAKE AWAY.

THE $25 MILLION NUMBER, I'M PUZZLED.

THE DEMOCRATS ARE PUSHING THIS IDEA THAT IS EVIDENCE OF FEAR.

HE IS GIVING HIMSELF THIS MONEY BECAUSE HE IS SCARED OF HER, WHICH IS HOW I THINK NORMAL EARNERS, LIKE THE PEOPLE AT THIS TABLE PERCEIVE $25 MILLION.

IF YOU USE $2 BILLION, THAT IS .0125% OF HIS WEALTH.

IT'S HARD TO CONCEIVE OF A NUMBER LIKE THAT.

>> I CAN SEE IN A PRIMARY, LOANING YOURSELF $25 MILLION TO SCARE AWAY COMPETITORS, WHICH HE DID EARLY ON TO SCARE AWAY ANY POSSIBLE REPUBLICAN CHALLENGERS IN THE PRIMARY.

>> HE WILL BE ON TV UNTIL ELECTION DAY IN NOVEMBER.

THAT'S WHY.

WHEN YOU HAVE TWO UNKNOWNS IN A RACE, MONEY MEANS A LOT MORE.

MONEY WILL MEAN MORE GOVERNOR'S RACE THAN IT WILL IN THE U.S.

SENATE RACE.

I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT WHEN WE GET TO THE RACE.

RIGHT NOW, IT'S ABOUT DEFINING YOURSELF AND DEFINING YOUR OPPONENT.

SO, YOU HAVE TO DO TWO THINGS AT THE SAME TIME.

AND THAT TAKES A LOT OF MONEY.

AND YOU KNOW, VIVEK SAID HE WOULD PUT IN THIS MONEY.

WHY ARE WE SURPRISED ABOUT THIS?

WE KNEW HE WAS GOING TO DO THIS.

IT COULD HAVE BEEN ANY DEMOCRAT CANDIDATE THAT WOULD RUN AGAINST HIM.

HE STILL WOULD HAVE DUMPED IN $25 MILLION.

>> REAL QUICK, DEMOCRATS ARE LIKE, HEY, A BILLIONAIRE TRYING TO BUY THE ELECTION.

>> THE BIGGER CONCERN, AND JAKE MAKES A GREAT POINT.

TO ME, IT FEELS LIKE THEY ARE PANICKED.

WHEN I SEE THEIR STATE CHAIRMAN TRYING TO PROP UP THE CANDIDATE THEY HAVE.

THEY HAVE BEEN SPENDING MONEY ON AIR.

IT HASN'T SEEMED TO MOVE THE NEEDLE.

SO, A LONG WAY TO GO, I THINK AGAIN, THE HEAD WINDS IN THE MIDTERM ARE GOOD FOR DEMOCRATS, WE JUST HAVE TO KEEP THE PEDAL TO THE MEDAL.

IN THE RACE OF US SENATE, THE SAME POLL SHOWED THAT RACE IS STILL BASICALLY TIED.

JON HUSTED HAS A THREE POINT LEAD OVER HIS DEMOCRATIC CHALLENGER SHERROD BROWN, STILL WITHIN THE POLL'S MARGIN OF ERROR.

WHAT DO WE MAKE OF THAT?

WELL KNOWN OPPONENT?

>> DOESN'T SURPRISE ME, BECAUSE GO BACK, EVEN BACK TO 2024.

SHERROD SEEMS TO BE STUCK IN THIS 43 TO 46 RANGE.

AND THAT'S A PROBLEM, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO BE AT 50 PLUS ONE TO WIN.

HE'S BEEN ON THE BALLOT FOR 52 YEARS.

THERE'S NOTHING NEW OR DIFFERENT.

WE'RE GOING TO FIND OUT ABOUT SHERROD BROWN IN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS.

JON, FAIRLY WELL KNOWN.

MAYBE NOT QUITE AS MUCH.

BUT WHERE THE MONEY THERE, IT WON'T MAKE THAT MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE, BECAUSE WE THIS.

I MEAN, 24 RACE WAS ONLY TWO YEARS AGO.

>> SHOULD HE BE WORRIED HE IS DOWN?

>> HE IS WITHIN THE MARGIN OF ERROR.

SHERROD BROWN IS A WELL KNOWN CANDIDATE.

BLUE COLLAR FAMILIES KNOW HE HAS BEEN FIGHTING FOR THEM.

HE HAS A SOLID BASE.

>> DID HE WIN JEFFERSON COUNTY?

>> THIS RACE WILL HAVE NATIONAL IMPLICATIONS, SO I THINK YOU LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE SHAPE OF THE U.S.

SENATE NATIONALLY, HE'LL HAVE THE RESOURCES HE NEEDS.

AND LOOK, I THINK JON IS UNFAVORABLE WITH INDEPENDENTS, NOT A GREAT PLACE TO BE HEADING INTO THIS ELECTION.

I THINK WE WILL DRAW GREAT CONTRAST BETWEEN SOMEONE WORKING FOR DONALD TRUMP AND SOMEONE WHO IS WORKING FOR THE PEOPLE OF OHIO.

>> IT IS NOT MAY YET.

WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO.

THE EFFORT TO GET AN AMENDMENT TO ABOLISH PROPERTY TAXES ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT HAS A LOT OF WORK DO TO.

THE GROUP NEEDS TO COLLECT SOME 400,000 VALID SIGNATURES TO QUALIFY.

TO OVERCOME BAD SIGNATURES, THAT MEANS THE GROUP PROBABLY NEEDS TO COLLECT AT LEAST 700,000 SIGNATURES.

THIS WEEK THE GROUP ANNOUNCEED IT HAS JUST MORE THAN 300,000, AND JUST TWO MONTHS LEFT TO GET THE REST.

THE GROUP HELD A NEWS CONFERENCE IN NORTHEAST OHIO THAT LOOKED VERY MUCH LIKE A PRESIDENT TRUMP EXECUTIVE ORDER SIGNING EVENT IN THE OVAL OFFICE.

THE LEADERS SAID IF THEY DON'T MAKE THIS YEAR'S DEADLINE, THEY WILL LOOK TO NEXT YEAR.

>> I WANT THE CITIZENS OF OHIO TO HEAR THIS.

THEY CAN REST ASSURED THAT WE WILL NOT STOP UNTIL WE GET THIS AMENDMENT ON THE BALLOT.

>>> BOB CLEGG, YOU'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THESE ELECTION CAMPAIGNS, ARE THEY GOING TO MAKE IT?

>> IF THEY CARED ABOUT GETTING IT ON THE BALLOT, YOU KNOW HOW THEY DO IT?

YOU PAY PEOPLE TO BE CIRCUMSTANCEULATORS OF YOUR PETITION.

THAT'S THE ONLY WAY TO GET SOMETHING LIKE THIS ON THE BALLOT.

MONEY?

YOU HAVE TO RAISE MONEY TO PAY PEOPLE.

WHY HAVEN'T THEY BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT?

>> A LOT OF CONSERVATIVE CAUSES, HAVE PEOPLE, AND NOT MONEY.

IT HAPPENED OVER THE YEARS WITH OTHER CONSTITUTIONAL, AND NOT JUST CONSERVATIVE.

REMEMBER THE MARIJUANA ISSUES, WHERE YOU KNOW, MARIJUANA, YOU KNOW, ADVOCATES DOING IT ON THEIR OWN.

YOU NEED SO MANY SIGNATURES.

AND HOW MANY OF THESE 305,000 ARE GOOD?

IF THEY ARE LUCKY, MAYBE HALF.

>> YOU WATCH THE NEWS EVENT WHEN THEY ANNOUNCED THIS.

IT WAS ODD, I WOULD SAY.

IT WASN'T SLICK.

IT WAS SORT OF, YOU KNOW, I WOULDN'T SAY AMATEUR, BUT IT WASN'T SLICK.

>> IT WAS AMATEUR.

THAT SOUNDS LIKE A BAD THING, BUT THE OLYMPIC SPORTS IN THIS COUNTRY WERE AMATEUR AT ONE TIME.

BRIAN MASSIE TOOK THEM OFF.

I NEVER SAW THAT IN TEN YEARS IN JOURNALISM.

305,000 SIGNATURES I COULDN'T GET 305,000 PEOPLE AGREE ON THE DAY OF THE WEEK.

HE TOOK THE BEAR CASE AND TAKE THE BULL CASE HERE.

THEY CAN WAIT A YEAR.

THERE'S NOTHING THAT SAYS THEY MUST GO THIS YEAR, YOU RISK VOTERS MOVING, VOTERS DYING, BUT FOR TWO, THEY KNEW THAT THEY ARE ANNOUNCING A NUMBER THAT IS SHORT.

THEY HAVE ATTRACTED STATEWIDE ATTENTION.

THEY CLEARED THE GEOGRAPHICAL REQUIREMENTS.

THEY DON'T HAVE TO FOCUS ON ADAMS COUNTY, THEY CAN GO TO THE POPULATION CENTERS.

NOW TO TEMPER THAT IDEA A LITTLE BIT, THE FIRST 300,000 SIGNATURES ARE EASIER THAN THE SECOND 300,000 SIGNATURES.

I DON'T WANT TO UNDER SELL IT.

>> WE PAY TOO MUCH ATTENTION TO THIS EFFORT?

BECAUSE IT SCARED A LOT OF PEOPLE.

ABOLISH PROPERTY TAXES, HE SCALED THAT BACK A BIT.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S A COALITION THAT FORMED, WORRIED ABOUT THIS GROUP.

THEY WILL NOT MAKE THIS BALLOT.

>> WE ARE WORRIED ABOUT IT, IT WOULD BE DEVASTATING TO THE STATE OF OHIO.

REFERENCED THERE IS A COALITION, BUSINESS LABOR, WHAT YOU REFERENCED IS SOMETHING I EXPECTED ALL ALONG.

ONCE OHIO VOTERS AND THIS CAME OUT IN THE BOWLING GREEN POLL.

ONCE THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT WOULD HAPPEN, PEOPLE WOULD LOSE SERVICES AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.

THEY POLLED THOSE SERVICES.

THEY WERE HUGELY POPULAR, POLICE, FIRE, AND SAFETY.

ONCE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE CONSEQUENCES HERE, THIS ISSUE LOOKS A LOT DIFFERENTLY.

>> TO JAKE'S POINT, THOUGH, THEY COULD BY JULY HAVE 500,000 SIGNATURES.

WE HAVE THE ELECTION COMING UP.

THAT'S LIKE SHOOTING FISH IN THE BARREL.

>> THE KEY HERE FOR THEM, IF THEY WANT TO MAKE THIS, YOU KNOW, JULY 1, OR WHATEVER.

IF THEY ARE SMART AND IF I WAS ADVISING THEM, WHICH I'M NOT, THEY WOULD HAVE INDIVIDUALS AT EVERY POLLING PLACE THAT HAD A SCHOOL LEVEE BALLOT ON THE BALLOT, AND THIS MADE PRIMARY.

THAT'S THE EASY WAY TO GET SIGNATURES.

YOU JUST NEED BODIES.

CERTAIN LEVEL OF SUPPORT, IF NOT ABOLISHING PROPERTY TAXES, SEVERELY CUTTING THEM.

SO, IF THIS DOESN'T SUCCEED, LIKE THE CASINO ISSUE, LIKE THE MARIJUANA ISSUES, SOMETHING IS GOING TO GET ON THE BALLOT SOMETIME.

>> AT SOME TIME, IF REPUBLICANS WERE SMART, THEY WOULD GET THIS ON THE BALLOT, BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO AFFECT OUR TURNOUT LIKE CRAZY.

AND MAYBE IT GETS DOWN TO THAT, WHERE THE PARTY JUMPS IN AT SOME POINT AND DECIDES, YEAH, THIS WOULD BE A GREAT GET OUT THE VOTE EFFORT IF WE COULD GET THIS ON THE BALLOT.

>> NOT A TOTAL ABOLISHMENT, THOUGH, RIGHT?

WOULD THEY GO THAT FAR?

>> I DON'T KNOW.

THE PROBLEM WE HAVE WITH THIS ISSUE, WE HAVE SEEN IT WITH THE LEGISLATURE THIS YEAR, THEY GO AROUND THE EDGES, AND YOU KNOW WHAT?

IT DOESN'T REDUCE THE ANGER.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE --YOU HAVE TO TALK ABOUT CUTTING IN HALF.

YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT, AND CUTTING THEM IN HALF WOULD BE DEVASTATING FOR A LOT OF ELEMENTS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND SCHOOLS.

>> LET'S GET TO OUR NEXT TOPIC.

>>> STATE LAW GOES A LONG WAY IN DETERMINING HOW AND WHERE POWER IS HARVESTED FROM BELOW THE GROUND AND ABOVE THE GROUND IN OHIO BY LAW, LOCAL COMMUNITIES CANNOT PROHIBIT FRACKING WELLS AND OPERATIONS.

THE OHIO SUPREME COURT UPHELD THAT LAW IN 2015, BUT OHIO LAW SPECIFICALLY SAYS LOCAL COMMUNITIES CAN BAN OR RESTRICT SOLAR AND WIND FARMS.

NOW OHIO LAWMAKERS PROPOSE A MEASURE TO KEEP LOCAL GOVERNMENTS FROM BLOCKING NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS FROM THEIR COMMUNITIES.

SUPPORTERS SAY OHIO NEEDS THE ENERGY AND THERE SHOULD BE ONE STANDARD FOR SITING NUCLEAR PLANTS AROUND THE STATE.

LOCAL COMMUNITIES LIKLEY WILL BEG TO DIFFER.

JAKE ZUCKERMAN, WHAT IS MOTIVATING THIS?

>> THERE'S A PUSH, PULL.

WE HAVE THIS HUGE DEMAND FOR NEW ENERGY ON THE GRID.

AI AND CRYPTO ARE DRIVING THIS.

NO ONE WANTS THIS IN THEIR BACKYARD.

OHIO LAW IS ON WHEN STATES IS SUPREME, LOCAL SUPREME, YOU JUST SAID YOURSELF, WE'RE BOTH TALKING ABOUT TWO FORMS OF ENERGY SUPPLY.

SO, I'M INTERESTED TO SEE WHERE THIS ONE LANDS.

I THINK JERRY, THE STATE SENATOR, WAS SAYING SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT, WE'VE CLAIMED AUTHORITY IN THIS FIELD AND PLENTY OF OTHER PLACES AND NOT JUST IN THE ENERGY WORLD, BUT PET MILLS, GUNS, PLASTIC BAG BANS, ALL KINDS OF SPACES.

SO, I THINK WE SHOULD LOOK FOR THE STATE TO MAKE A GRAB HERE FOR AUTHORITY.

>> WE NEED ONE STANDARD FOR A NUCLEAR POWER PLANT AND FRACKING, WHY NOT HAVE WIND FARMS AND SOLAR FARMS, BOB?

>> BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH LEGISLATORS THAT WANT TO DO THAT YET, OKAY?

LEGISLATORS THAT HAVE RURAL AREAS, WHERE YOU KNOW, THAT IS A BIG ISSUE.

I MEAN, I GO THROUGH RURAL OHIO AND I SEE THESE SIGNS, EVEN IN JUST NORTHERN DELAWARE COUNTY, YOU KNOW.

THEY DON'T WANT TO HAVE THIS STUFF IN THEIR BACKYARD.

SOLAR FARMS?

>> YES.

AND WINDMILLS.

>> THEY ARE PROBABLY COMING.

>> YOU HEAR, PEOPLE DON'T WANT FRACKING WELLS OR SILOS IN THEIR BACKYARD.

THEY JUST GET THEM BECAUSE THE STATE CLAIMS AUTHORITY, WE DON'T CARE IF YOU DON'T WANT IT, WE'RE GOING TO PUT IT HERE.

>> NO ONE WANTS ANYTHING IN THEIR BACKYARD.

NO ENERGY SOURCE, THEY DON'T WANT IT.

>> WE'VE DONE ENERGY AND MAKING ELECTRICITY IS A MESSY SPORT.

AND NOBODY WANTS IT IN THEIR BACKYARD, BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM, LOU, DON'T YOU HAVE TO SORT OF FORCE IT ON COMMUNITIES OR GIVE THEM INCENTIVES MAYBE?

>> OHIO ABANDONED THE ALL OF THE ABOVE STRATEGY.

THEY STIFLED WIND AND SOLAR POWER TO NEW JOB, TO CONSTRUCTION, TO LOW ENERGY COSTS.

IT HYPOCRITICAL.

WE JUST PASSED MAJOR ENERGY REFORMS, NATURAL GAS PLANTS ARE SORT OF COLOCATING WITH SOME OF THESE DATA CENTERS AND OTHER FACILITIES.

IT'S THE QUESTION OF ME, WHO IS PUSHING FOR NUCLEAR, AND THE WHOLE HOUSE BILL 6 IS LIKE A SEPARATE CONVERSATION THAT SORT OF MAYBE DETER PEOPLE FROM WANTING TO GET BACK INTO THAT.

SO, WE'LL SEE HOW THAT UNFOLDS.

I THINK POLITICAL STANDPOINT, THE DEMOCRATS MIGHT BE ROOTING FOR THIS DEBATE TO COME BACK UP SO THEY CAN TALK ABOUT THE SCANDAL AND HOUSE BILL 6 FOR AN ELECTION YEAR.

>> IT'S IN THE CONSTITUTION, BOB, BUT IS HOME RULE, I DON'T THINK THE COURTS ARE GETTING INVOLVED IN THIS.

IF YOU CAN BAN PLASTIC --IF YOU CAN BAN COMMUNITIES FROM BANNING PLASTIC BAGS, WHAT'S THE USE IN HAVING HOME RULE IN THE CONSTITUTION?

>> TO DECIDE WHERE THEY WANT TO PUT THEIR STOPLIGHTS.

WE ARE DOWN TO THAT LEVEL.

IT HAS TO BE VERY, VERY LOCAL, AND SOMETHING THAT WOULD NOT AFFECT THE STATE AT ALL.

>> WHERE DOES THIS GO, JAKE?

REPUBLICANS DON'T WANT TO DEAL WITH THIS.

>> I THINK OHIO HAS GONE IN THE DIRECTION.

I THINK THERE'S AN INTERESTING AGE SPLIT WITH NUCLEAR.

BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE ARE OPEN TO NUCLEAR.

THE OLDER PEOPLE WILL REMEMBER THREE MILE ISLAND, SEE NUCLEAR AS THIS BIG ENVIRONMENTAL THREAT, WHICH IS IRONIC, THE YOUNGER CROWD SEES IT AS THE ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTION.

>> THAT'S EUROPE.

A LOT MORE NUCLEAR PLANTS IN EUROPE.

HERE, IT TAKES DECADES TO GET ONE APPROVED AND BUILT.

>> BECAUSE OF WHAT JAKE JUST SAID.

REMEMBERING BACK TO THE 70s AND 80s, AND WE'RE NOWHERE NEAR THAT ANYMORE WITH TECHNOLOGY AND ALL THAT.

I THINK IT'S MORE OF AN EDUCATIONAL ISSUE.

>> GAS POWERED PLANTS ARE COMING ONLINE AT A REAL RAPID PACE IN OHIO AND HAVE BEEN, TOO.

SO IT BECOMES AN ISSUE OF COST AND YOU KNOW, CAN YOU COLOCATE THESE THINGS?

A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT, YOU KNOW, ENERGY IS GOING TO BE A REAL ISSUE HERE IN THE STATE AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

>> FOR YEARS TO COME.

>> RADIOACTIVE WASTE AND ALL THAT.

>> ANYWAY, SIX WEEKS AFTER THE SUDDEN RESIDENTS IGNITION RELEASED ITS INVESTIGATION INTO TED CARTER.

THE 47-PAGE REPORT FOUND CARTER MISUSED HIS POSITION AS PRESIDENT TO HELP A CLOSE PERSONAL ASSOCIATE, KRISANTHE VLACHOS.

THE REPORT SAID CARTER ARRANGED UNIVERSITY TRIPS TO TRAVEL WITH VALACHOS.

IT SAID HE LOBBIED SENIOR UNIVERSITY OFFICIALS AND LOCAL BUSINESS LEADERS TO HELP HER DEVELOP AN UNPROVEN APP FOR VETERANS.

THE REPORT ALLEGES CARTER PLANNED TO SEEK HELP FROM UNIVERSITY DONORS TO INVEST IN VALACHOS VENTURE.

IN THE END, THE REPORT SAID OTHER THAN STAFF TIME AND ATTENTION, NO UNIVERSITY ASSETS SHE DID PAY TO PRODUCE A PODCAST HERE AT WOSU.

JAKE ZUCKERMAN, NOT A LOT NEW HERE, JUST MORE DETAILS AS TO HOW MUCH TED CARTER DID TO HELP HIS ASSOCIATE.

>> MORE DETAILS, AND THESE ARE THE KIND OF DETAILS I'M LOOKING TO WOSU FOR.

THIS IS NOT MY WHEEL HOUSE.

I'M WONDERING, DID ANY OF THIS AMOUNT TO A CRIMINAL VIOLATION?

JOBS OHIO MONEY WAS INVOLVED.

PUBLIC FUNDS ARE CHANGING HANDS.

IT'S ALL IN THE CONTEXT OF AN AFFAIR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER VERBAGE WE WANT TO USE HERE.

IT WAS AN AFFAIR.

SO ARE THESE CRIMINAL VIOLATIONS OR ARE THESE ETHICAL VIOLATIONS?

>> THE REPORT SAYS THEY MAY HAVE VIOLATED ETHICS RULES, BUT OTHER THAN THE MONEY THAT SHE PAID US, WHICH SHE PAID TO USE OUR STUDIOS, NO MONEY CHANGED HANDS.

THIS IS HIM LOBBYING HIS STAFF, YOU KNOW, PUTTING PRESSURE ON HIM PERHAPS.

I MEAN, WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THIS?

HAVE GONE THROUGH THIS IN A LOT MORE DETAIL THAN I HAVE.

THEY HAVE COME TO THE SAME CONCLUSION.

THEY DON'T THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE ANY KIND OF CRIMINAL CHARGES THAT CAN BE, YOU KNOW, LODGED AGAINST HIM.

THIS WAS ALL BASED ON, I THOUGHT I WAS READING SOMETHING FROM TMZ WHEN I'M GOING THROUGH THIS, BECAUSE IT'S LIKE, WHAT IS THIS?

YOU KNOW?

IT'S LIKE A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP THAT HE TRIED TO THEN GET HER TO, YOU KNOW, GET MORE BUSINESS AND I MEAN, IT'S RIDICULOUS.

WHAT I FIND INTERESTING IS THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA IS GOING TO START LOOKING AT HIS TENURE THERE, WHICH WAS TWO OR THREE YEARS.

AND THEY ARE GOING TO SEE IF THERE WAS SOMETHING SIMILAR GOING ON THERE.

>> IT SHOWS, LOU, THAT THE POWER OF THE PRESIDENT THE UNIVERSITY HAS TO INFLUENCE PEOPLE WHO WORK FOR HIM OR FOR HER.

THAT'S WHERE IT GETS, YOU KNOW, CAN'T SAY NO TO YOUR BOSS, BASICALLY.

WE HAD ETHICS TRAININGS.

WE UNDERSTOOD THE BOUNDARIES, WHAT WE COULD AND COULDN'T DO.

WE ADHERED TO THEM.

I WISH THE WHITE HOUSE WOULD ADHERE TO ETHICAL BOUNDARIES, BUT THEY ARE ENRICHING THEMSELVES.

IN THIS CASE, THE WORSE PART OF IT IS THE STUDENTS SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT THE CENTER OF THIS.

YOU KNOW, WHAT MAKES THE INSTITUTION GREAT ARE THE STUDENTS, THE FACULTY, THE STAFF, ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE INVOLVED IN MAKING THAT INSTITUTION RUN.

TO ME, THAT'S WHERE PEOPLE REALLY FEEL BETRAYED IN A WAY FROM THAT.

>> IS THERE ANYTHING --THEY MADE RECOMMENDATIONS.

THE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE BASIC.

KEEP AN EYE ON THE TRAVEL EXPENSES.

IS THERE ANYTHING TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN?

>> IT'S ABOUT PEOPLE.

IT'S ABOUT THEIR CHARACTER.

IT'S ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY THINK THEY CAN AND CANNOT GET AWAY WITH.

I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU CAN TEACH THAT AWAY.

I MEAN, I THINK IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, HUMAN NATURE.

>> SOME ADVICE OUT THERE, $15,000 TO PRODUCE.

>> PER EPISODE.

>> IF YOU WANT ME ON FOR $50,000, GET ME AHOLD OF MY PEOPLE.

>> WE'LL START CHARGING $15,000 AN EPISODE FOR THIS.

ANYWAYS, TIME FOR OUR FINAL OFF THE RECORD PARTING SHOTS.

>> EVERY EPISODE THAT I THINK WILL CONTINUE TO SEE MORE PEOPLE FROM THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO PART ON BAD TERMS.

IT WAS PAM BONDI, MAYBE IT IS CASH PATEL.

MAYBE IT'S OTHERS.

I CONTINUE TO THINK WE'LL SEE MORE AND MORE OF THAT.

AND ANTICIPATE AS WE GET CLOSER TO THE MIDTERM, MORE REPUBLICAN SENATORS WILL DEFECT FROM THE PRESIDENT.

>> BOB.

>> I'M TIRED ABOUT TALKING ABOUT 2026 ELECTIONS.

I WANT TO TALK ABOUT 2027.

WE GOT A PREVIEW THIS WEEK WITH MAYOR GINTHER AND COUNCIL PRESIDENT HARDEN ON THE WHOLE ISSUE OF WOMEN'S SOCCER HEAR IN COLUMBUS, AND I THINK IT'S A PREVIEW OF WHAT WILL BE GOING ON NEXT YEAR.

I THINK A BIG ISSUE IS GOING TO BE TAXPAYER DOLLARS GOING TO BILLIONAIRES.

>> INTERESTING.

JAKE.

>> FROM MY FRIENDS IN THE NEWS BUSINESS, THE AP HAS SPOKEN.

HEALTHCARE IS ACCEPTABLE AS A SINGLE WORD.

WE DON'T HAVE TO PUT THAT SPACE IN THE MIDDLE OF IT.

>> THERE YOU GO.

THIS WEEK, THE NFL DRAFT WAS HELD IN PITTSBURGH.

NORMALLY WHEN YOU CANCEL SCHOOL IN OHIO, YOU CALL THEM CALAMITY DAYS.

IN PITTSBURGH, THEY CANCELED SCHOOL AND MADE THEM WORK FROM HOME SO THEY WOULDN'T HAVE TRAFFIC INVOLVED WITH THE NFL DRAFT.

IF THEY HOLD THE DRAFT IN CLEVELAND, THEY WILL BE ABLE TO SAY, THE HOME OF THE CLEVELAND BROWNS, NFL DRAFT, YOU CAN CANCEL CLASSES AND CALL IT A CALAMITY DAY.

>>> THAT'S "COLUMBUS ON THE RECORD" FOR THIS WEEK.

A REMINDER TO CHECK OUT THE WOSU NEWS YOUTUBE PAGE.

THERE, YOU CAN SEE AND SHARE EVERY EPISODE OF THIS PROGRAM.

GO TO YOUTUBE AND SEARCH WOSU NEWS.

YOU CAN ALSO WATCH US ON DEMAND AT WOSU.ORG, AND THE PBS APP.

I'M MIKE THOMPSON, HAVE A GOOD