Hagan co-sponsors legislation to recall Kasich, others

COLUMBUS — Ohio voters would have the power to recall the governor, other statewide elected officials and lawmakers, under legislation being introduced by two Democrats in the Ohio House.

Reps. Bob Hagan, from Youngstown, and Mike Foley, from Cleveland, said the law change is needed to enable Ohioans to remove elected officials "who do not follow through on their promises."

The bill would establish a process for voters to collect signatures and place office-holders on the ballot to replace them with another candidate partway through their terms.

The legislation is, in part, a response to controversial collective bargaining reform that was passed by Republican lawmakers and signed into law by Gov. John Kasich.

"We have seen throughout the United States an attack on the working people, an attack on organized labor and an attack on the ability to collective bargain," Hagan said. "This isn't just in this state."

He added, "This has a lot to do with this governor [Kasich]. We think that he is relying on bad advice and what he thinks is working is not working. He's dividing the state."