Ohio Democratic Party

04/12/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/12/2024 16:05

BAD NEWS BERNIE: Another Bad Week For “Pants On Fire” Bernie Moreno

BAD NEWS BERNIE: Another Bad Week For "Pants On Fire" Bernie Moreno

April 12, 2024

Columbus, OH - It's been another bad week for "pants on fire" Bernie Moreno, as new reporting revealed Moreno has been lying about selling Chinese-made cars, bragged about donating hundreds of thousands of dollars to ban abortion on top of saying he's "100% pro-life," and still refuses to answer the long list of questions piling up about his "dubious claims" and the "inconsistencies" that are "dogg[ing]" his campaign.

NEED-TO-KNOW THIS WEEK:

BERNIE'S BUICKS LIE DEBUNKED: Bernie Moreno was caught lying to Ohioans, again. Moreno repeatedly claimed he "refused to sell a Buick SUV model made in China" - but new reporting found Moreno's dealership "did sell the Chinese-made SUVs," "promoted the vehicles on social media," and even posted a customer testimonial promoting the Envision. More of what they're saying:

❌ BERNIE'S ABORTION BAN: Moreno bragged about donating "hundreds of thousands of dollars" of his own money to try to ban abortion, saying that "spending your own money… tells you what you actually believe" - and in Moreno's case, that means a total ban on abortion. He's also repeatedly supported a national abortion ban - which would overturn the will of Ohio voters, described himself as "100% pro-life with no exceptions," and voted to ban abortion without exceptions for rape or incest in Ohio last year by voting against Issue 1.

RADIO SILENCE FROM MORENO: The list of questions piling up for Bernie Moreno keeps getting longer and longer - but Moreno is still radio silent about the "dubious claims" and "string of inconsistencies" that are "dogg[ing]" his campaign. Reminder of the questions Moreno owes Ohioans answers to:

1. Why are you lying to voters by claiming you never sold Chinese-made SUVs?

2. Why are you lying about shutting down Cleveland State's Confucius Institute?

3. Why are you lying about escaping socialism?

4. Why did you claim you "didn't take handouts" when reporting shows you got your dealership at a steep discount? Will you make documents around the 2005 insider deal available?

️ WHAT OHIOANS ARE READING / WATCHING:

  • Spectrum News: Senate candidate Bernie Moreno sold SUVs made in China for years, but tells Ohio voters he refused to do so
  • Cleveland.com: "Fact check: Spectrum News's Taylor Popielarz reports that auto dealers that Moreno previously owned sold a Buick SUV model manufactured in China, despite the Republican Senate nominee touting his refusal to do so during campaign appearances. The issue has to do with the Buick Envision, which Moreno's dealerships promoted and sold from 2014 until 2019."
  • Cleveland.com: "Bernie Moreno argued for national legislation banning abortion… and previously has described himself as '100% pro-life without exceptions' […] [Moreno] described himself as '100% pro life with no exceptions' and said abortion is 'murder' during an interview that year with Breitbart News."
  • Cincinnati Enquirer: "Moreno's primary campaign was dogged by negative reports surfacing, such as his having settled a series of wage theft lawsuits and getting caught shredding a case document."
  • David Niven: "Sherrod Brown is known and respected. Bernie Moreno's a car dealer with a record of unfair labor practices. It's not a favorable comparison for Moreno."
  • Split Ticket: "Moreno has some skeletons in his closet…Before announcing his run, Moreno was also involved in a series of wage theft lawsuits during which he was formally rebuked by a state judge for shredding potentially relevant documents."
  • Columbus Dispatch: "I am concerned that we voted against a statewide abortion ban only to now have Bernie Moreno running for Senator from Ohio. He has already stated he will vote for a national abortion ban. Remember come November a vote for him is a vote for a national abortion ban."
  • Forbes: "Moreno described himself in a 2021 Breitbart interview as "100% pro-life with no exceptions" and said during a March debate he would support federal restrictions on abortions"
  • American Journal: Bernie Morenobragged at a February forum about donating $100,000 to an anti-abortion group…Moreno pointed to the contribution while touting his anti-abortion record…"I've given hundreds of thousands of dollars of my own money to pro life causes," Moreno said. "I'm 100% pro-life myself, unapologetically pro-life."
  • Split Ticket: "Moreno has…described himself as absolutely pro-life - not necessarily a popular position in a state where pro-choice activists won two consecutive victories in 2023."

TWEET OF THE WEEK:

CODA: "Moreno's campaign, in a statement, acknowledged to Spectrum News that his dealership did sell the Chinese-made SUVs."

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