“Any issue that is legislatively passed and signed into law by the governor can be overturned by one vote,” says Roger Geiger, Ohio Ex. Dir. NFIB.
That is why the five largest business organizations in the state announced their endorsement of Pat Fischer and Pat DeWine for re-election to the Ohio Supreme Court and Sharon Kennedy for Chief Justice of the court. After interviewing all of the candidates for the justice seats, the business organization felt these candidates would enforce the laws in Ohio and not legislate from the bench and leave business issues to the Ohio General Assembly.
“It is their voice in those chambers, the (Ohio) House and Senate, in shaping Ohio’s economic pathway to growth,” says Justice Sharon Kennedy, candidate for Ohio Supreme Court Justice. “My job when a case comes is to merely say what the law says and apply it to the facts itself.”
“I think it reflects my commitment to apply the law as written so we create an environment in the state where people want to invest and do business, and we have a healthy economy,” says Justice Pat DeWine, up for reelection for his seat. “I think it also reflects the commitment to the rule of law. Because ultimately, if we don’t have safe communities no one is going to want to come to this state. We have to have neighborhoods and cities that are safe.”
“The endorsement is wonderful. It shows that a group of professionals have reviewed my cases, my opinions, and said yes, they are well written and they have good meaning and they enforce the rule of law in Ohio,” says Justice Pat Fischer, running for re-election for his seat. “I think the people of Ohio want to know that about their Justices, that we enforce the law as written.”
The Ohio National Federation of Independent Businesses believes having people in the state’s highest court have that mindset will and have a positive impact on all businesses in Ohio.
“We need a predictable court, we need a stable court, we need one that understands they have a judicial role, not an activist legislative role, why is that important to large and small businesses, because cases like workers comp, unemployment, private property rights, tax issues, all of those issues that confront small businesses and large businesses make their way to the court,” says Roger Geiger Ohio Ex. Dir. NFIB.
Kennedy, DeWine, and Fischer will be facing off against Jennifer Brunner, Marilyn Zayas, and Terri Jamison respectively in the November 2022 general election.
