Ohio Governor Appoints Civil Attorney Jeffrey Ruple to Lake County Court of Common Pleas

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced this week the appointment of Republican civil litigator Jeffrey Ruple to the general division of the Lake County Court of Common Pleas.

Ruple, of Kirtland, Ohio will be taking the seat formerly held by Republican Judge Eugene Lucci. In order to retain the seat he must win the general election in November 2024. Lucci was elected to the Eleventh District Court of Appeals leaving his seat on the Lake County Court of Common Pleas vacant. Judge-designee Rupe will assume office on April 24th.

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Proposed Biden Administration Rule Would Forbid Schools from Banning Trans Athletes to Compete

A proposed rule from the Biden administration would forbid states from enacting bans on transgender athletes being able to compete in sports that align with their gender identity. 

“Every student should be able to have the full experience of attending school in America, including participating in athletics, free from discrimination,” Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said.

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Trump Indictment ‘Lowers the Bar’ for Other Prosecutions, Experts Say

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s indictment of former President Donald Trump reduces the standard for other potential prosecutions, including of Trump himself, legal experts told the Daily Caller News Foundation.

The indictment accuses Trump of falsifying business records “with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof,” related to allegations that he reimbursed his former lawyer Michael Cohen for hush money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels, over an alleged affair she had with Trump. A variety of legal analysts have argued Bragg’s case is built on shaky ground, and experts who spoke to the DCNF suggested the indictment effectively makes it easier for other prosecutors to launch indictments themselves.

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Ohio Attorney General Yost Files Amicus Brief Pushing Back on Federal Education Overreach

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost filed an amicus brief on Thursday with the United States Supreme Court pushing back on federal education overreach.

Yost claimed that the most recent plan by the United States Secretary of Education to eliminate billions of dollars of student debt “is nothing more than an egregious power grab that tramples all over the separation-of-powers doctrine.”

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Commentary: The GOP Has an Obligation to Protect Its Voters

One of the most startling gaps in the literature on the function of political parties is the lack of discussion about the most important reason they exist: to protect their voters from the abuses of government and the totalitarian temptations of the opposition party.

The formation of political parties grew from a need to organize people and get them to the polls around a set of ideas that could be put into practical action. As they originally functioned, there was a reciprocal relationship between citizens and parties. Yet, on a practical and self-interested level, the party had appeal for voters because of the benefits it bestowed on those who supported it.

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States Are Pushing to Force Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Programs in Higher Education

As Republican-led states fight for laws to cut Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives on college campuses, other state legislatures are pushing to enshrine the programs into law, the Chronicle of Higher Education reported.

At least 29 bills have been filed in 17 states to crack down on DEI programs, but states such as New York, Massachusetts and New Jersey are debating legislation that would do the opposite, the Chronicle reported. DEI has become a point of contention as state lawmakers grapple with the role the programs should have on campus, as Democrats argue that the programs help bolster diversity on campuses while Republicans challenge that they stoke division. 

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