Statehouse News Bureau

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Ohio Secretary of State stands behind impeachment comments about Chief Justice

By Karen Kasler

Published April 4, 2022 at 9:18 PM EDT

Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose, a member of the Ohio Redistricting Commission, talks to reporters about the work that group will do in drawing maps for districts for Ohio's state representatives and senators after a meeting of the Ohio Ballot Board on August 30, 2021. [Karen Kasler / Statehouse News Bureau ] — Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose, a member of the Ohio Redistricting Commission, talks to reporters about the work that group will do in drawing maps for districts for Ohio's state representatives and senators after a meeting of the Ohio Ballot Board on August 30, 2021.

The state’s chief elections officer says he stands by what he said at a GOP gathering over the weekend when he was asked if his fellow Republican, Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor, should be impeached over redistricting.

The Ohio Capital Journalgot audio of Secretary of State Frank LaRose saying O’Connor hasn’t upheld her oath of office and if she were impeached as some Republican lawmakers have called for, he “certainly wouldn’t oppose it”.

In an interview with the Statehouse News Bureau Monday morning, LaRose said he stands by those comments.

“Someone asked me the question and I answered it honestly. I have concerns that the court has delved very deeply into politics and starting to do things that are really not in the Constitution, like ordering us to have hired out of state independent map maker and some of these other things," LaRose said. "That's up to the legislature to decide. All I said was that I would be fine with it.”

O’Connor and the court’s three Democrats have struck down as unconstitutionally gerrymandered maps approved by LaRose and other Republicans on the redistricting commission. Three legislative maps and a congressional map have been struck down. The court's three other Republicans have upheld those district maps, which have all given Republicans an advantage.

One of the other Republicans, Gov. Mike DeWine, has said impeaching O’Connor is “not a good idea”.