Dark Money Mailers Target Michelle Dillingham Days Before Election
On the Friday before Election Day, there had been weeks of enthusiasm in the Michelle Dillingham for Cincinnati City Council campaign. Fundraising had surpassed expectations, a flurry of endorsements had amassed and rumors were swirling among Cincinnati politicos of a recent conservative-leaning Chamber of Commerce poll placing her 5th in favorability among a crowded field of 35 candidates vying for 9 seats in the non-partisan race.
Dillingham, a lifelong Democrat, is one of 18 not officially endorsed by her party in 2021. She finished 10th in the most recent council election of 2017, edged out by a Republican competitor on a mere margin of 223 votes. Her campaigns have been focused around integrity, transparency in government, equity, affordable housing and tax abatement reform. As a labor organizer for more than a decade, she has championed better public schools for students and better paying jobs for their parents. She garnered the endorsements from the Friends of the Sentinels, the Black Fire PAC as well as the local AFLCIO. Michelle had been very clear in her support of public safety, sharing in a recent interview:
“I have this theory if we were to collect taxes the way we’re supposed to that we don’t have to make cuts to public safety,” Dillingham said. “I’m convinced there is enough for everything we need if we truly prioritize things that taxpayers want to prioritize.” – Michelle Dillingham, Cincinnati Business Courier, 10/18/21
That’s what made the election-eve mailers branding her with accusations of a “looney radical defund agenda” that would “cut 200 police officers, 50 firefighters” and “slowed(sic) 911 response times” so perplexing. The mailers also offered two barely noticeable, tiny text “sources” for the claims: This op-ed penned by Dillingham in April, 2021 about the affordable housing crisis which warns of groups that use false claims of “Defund the Police” to hamper affordable housing efforts; and the "issues" section of her campaign website which makes no mention of police, firefighters or 911 at all.
The mailers were sent from: Stand With Cops P.O. Box 8062 Columbus, Ohio 43201. A review of Ohio Secretary of State Records reveals that Stand With Cops is incorporated as both a traditional corporation and as an LLC. No filings could be found with the Cincinnati, Hamilton County, State of Ohio or Federal Elections Commissions for Stand With Cops. A search of IRS records for the 501(c)4 status listed in one of the state filings also produced no results.
The filings for both entities reveal the statutory agent is (or was) current Marion, Ohio Chief of Police and former Ohio FOP President Jay McDonald. The incorporator listed for both Mike DeWine’s former Senior Policy Advisor is GOP Strategist, Ryan Stubenrauch.
On Election Day, Cincinnati voters need to ask themselves why such dubious mailers would be sent from out-of-towners against just one candidate for a Cincinnati City Council race? The answer is “plausible deniability” from whomever facilitated this hit piece locally. I’m sure eventually, long after Election Day, we’ll find the answers by following the money. In the meantime, we must reject ridiculous lies conveyed in dark money mailers that seek to disenfranchise the voters of our fair city.
Join me in continuing to support Michelle Dillingham for City Council on Tuesday November 2nd!
