Riedel’s & Majewski’s dishonest ads show depth of unethical devotion to Trump

State Rep Craig Riedel and J.R. Majeski posted dishonest campaign ads against State Senator Theresa Gavarone, raising questions about their ethical values regarding sexual assault of women. It reveals how low the cult-like devotion to Donald Trump can get. All three are candidates in the Republican primary for Ohio’s 9th Congressional district, running against incumbent Marcy Kaptur.

Riedel’s lying campaign ad

In his campaign video, Riedel calls Gavarone a “RINO”, a “never-Trumper” and a “liberal Trump hater” who is “totally & completely against President Trump”, but he’s lying because Gavarone endorsed Trump in 2020, and even served as a Trump delegate. The article cited in the video even says Gavarone introduced the Trump ticket in Rossford, showing the opposite of Riedel’s characterization.

Gavarone fired back with a video where Riedel is heard saying, “You’re allowed to lie in politics.”

(The video clip is only 3 seconds long and lacks surrounding context.)

Gavarone rightly criticized Trump’s adultery and sexual assault

Riedel’s campaign video shows 3 different images of Gavarone with 3 newspaper clippings of her saying something critical about Trump, but that misleadingly chops up a single statement she made from one article:

“As a woman and a mother of two daughters, I can tell you there is nothing funny about what Donald Trump has said. It’s disgusting and offensive. I do not stand by Donald Trump’s comments and I am extremely disappointed and outraged by his rhetoric.”

She was specifically reacting to the Access Hollywood tape that had released just days earlier, in which Trump admitted to seducing a married woman to have sex, and to groping women without their consent:

“I’ll admit it. I did try and fuck [Nancy O’Dell]. She was married. … And I moved on her very heavily. … I moved on her like a bitch.”

“I better use some Tic Tacs just in case I start kissing [Arianne Zucker]. You know I’m automatically attracted to beautiful… I just start kissing them. It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait. And when you’re a star they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab them by the pussy.”

Gavarone was right to call these comments disgusting and outrageous.

Majewski posted similar ad

J.R. Majewski posted a similarly misleading campaign statement on Instagram, saying, “Theresa Gavarone finds Donald Trump ‘disgusting and offensive’ according to her interview in the Sentinel-Tribune,” but leaving out the context of the specific comments she was criticizing. He has also called her a “RINO”.

Do Riedel & Majewski not see sexual assault as worthy of criticism?

If Riedel and Majewski don’t agree that stars being free to “grab [women] by the pussy” is disgusting, then what does that say about their character and ethical values? Does Riedel accept pressuring women to cheat on their husbands? Does Majewski tolerate sexually assaulting women? Do these men believe that a “real” Republican must accept such unethical behavior?

Riedel’s website claims to “protect family values”, and he has a daughter and granddaughters. Shouldn’t he support speaking out against men grabbing women’s private parts without their consent? Majewski promises to uphold “the Judeo-Christian values of our founding”, and he has a wife. Isn’t he against pushing wives into adultery?

Or are they willing to turn a blind eye to immorality and abuses within their own party? Trump once said, “I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, and I wouldn’t lose any voters, OK?”

Maybe Riedel and Majewski are just lying to win an election, in which case, how can we believe anything they say?

Riedel & Majewski support anti-democracy efforts

Riedel had signed on to a Texas lawsuit to overturn the 2020 presidential election. He also boasts of his endorsement from Jim Jordan, a US Representative who was deeply involved in helping Trump try to steal the election. How far will Riedel go to undermine our democracy?

Riedel’s ad blames Gavarone for “making elections less secure”, while giving credence to Trump’s “stolen” election lie, saying, “Gavarone introduced legislation to allow online ballot requests. President Trump warned liberal hackers wanted to steal the election. But Gavarone tried to help them.” Riedel can have his own opinions and speculations about the implications of her bill SB191, but it’s ridiculous to claim she “tried to help liberal hackers steal the election”. She also introduced SB52 to “improve information integrity and security” and SB320 requiring more strict voter ID requirements.

Meanwhile, Majewski repeats the Big Lie, saying the 2020 election was stolen. His notoriety comes from painting Trump’s face on his yard and attending Trump’s rally on January 6th, the day Trump whipped up a mob that attacked the US Capitol and obstructed the electoral count. Majewski has the endorsement of Roger Stone, Wendy Rogers, Paul Gosar, and Michael Flynn, all supporters of Trump’s attempted self-coup.

Gavarone had her own hand in manipulating our democracy

Gavarone is not a “liberal” as Riedel claims. In 2021, she chaired a committee that entrenched Republican power in Congress by gerrymandering the district map. It was so egregious that the Ohio Supreme Court invalidated it for violating the Ohio Constitution’s anti-gerrymandering amendments, which were supported by over 70% of Ohio voters.

What has the Republican party become?

It’s sad that Gavarone has to insist that she’s “a proud supporter of President Trump” after all the disgusting comments he made, let alone his repeated efforts to undermine America’s democracy. Her top endorsements are from Rep Bob Latta, who joined the Texas lawsuit to overturn the election results, and Rep Jim Banks, who voted to reject election results on January 6th.

Has the Republican party been reduced to unquestioning loyalty to Donald Trump, no matter what he does? Can conservatives no longer stand up for principles and decency anymore?

Majewski – QAnon and stolen valor

Majewski has a well-documented history of supporting the ridiculous QAnon conspiracy theory.

• NYT: J.R. Majewski, a G.O.P. House nominee, has expressed fringe views on QAnon and Jan. 6.
• Vice: The QAnon Caucus Could Be Getting a New Member
• Rolling Stone: MAGA Candidate Who Claims He’s Not a QAnon Follower Once Said ‘I Believe in Everything’ Q Has Released
• CNN: J.R. Majewski, an Ohio GOP congressional candidate, was a January 6 participant and has repeatedly shared pro-QAnon material

He said he was deployed to Afghanistan as a combat veteran, but was actually in Qatar. He was also demoted for drunk driving in Japan.

• AP: Majewski misrepresented military service
• AP: Records contradict Majewski’s account of military punishment

Majewski wins the primary, but loses the general election

On 5/3/22, J.R. Majewski won the Republican primary, beating out experienced politicians Gavarone and Riedel. He then lost to incumbent Marcy Kaptur in the November general election.

References

Sentinel-Tribune: Wicks calls on Gavarone to denounce Trump; Republican says she’s outraged

BBC: Full transcript of Donald Trump’s obscene videotape