Recent campaign finance filings show that appointed Rep. Justin Pizzulli took thousands of dollars from left-wing groups that lobbied him for a “no” vote on Senate Bill 83, a bill that would reform higher education by preventing liberal indoctrination on transgender and racial issues, protecting free speech, and banning faculty hiring based on political views. After Pizzulli voted “no,” in line with the left-wing position on the bill, many Republicans questioned the ethics behind his decision to accept thousands of dollars from the liberal groups.
When Pizzulli voted with the Democrats on the Ohio House Higher Education Committee against Senate Bill 83 on December 19, conservative groups across Ohio expressed their concern about his sincerity in running as a “conservative.” Citing this vote, the Ohio Republican Party officially pulled its endorsement of Pizzulli, noting that he “has historically been opposed [by Republican groups] due to his extremely checkered past.”
Concerns about Pizzulli’s integrity were amplified after the most recent campaign finance filing showed that Pizzulli took $1,000 each from the Ohio Education Association (OEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), which are public-sector unions that typically back Democrats over Republicans. Both the OEA and the AFT lobbied against Senate Bill 83, encouraging Pizzulli to vote “no” on the bill, and Pizzulli proceeded to vote “no” after accepting the money.
Additionally, both the OEA and the AFT advocated for school closures and mask mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic, and both organizations support teaching LGBT/transgender ideology to K-12 students.
Other groups that advocated for Pizzulli’s “no” vote include American Atheists, SAIGE (society for sexual, affectional, intersex, and gender expansive identities of Ohio), the Noor Islamic Cultural Center, the NAACP, the ACLU, and Equality Ohio. Several left-wing groups took to social media to thank Pizzulli for his “no” vote. https://x.com/howthingsworkoh/
This isn’t the first time Pizzulli has been accused of ethical violations – in November, an Adams County judge claimed that Pizzulli misrepresented his position on pending legislation. Subsequent House Civil Justice Committee hearings found that he had lied to the Supreme Court of Ohio about the judge’s support for the bill, when in fact the judge had never been consulted.
Pizzulli was appointed state representative for the 90th district in the most divided vote in the history of the Ohio House, receiving “no” votes from 30 Republican members. The appointment of Pizzulli was controversial among statewide and local Republicans after his past Facebook posts surfaced, showing Pizzulli supporting Hillary Clinton for President, opposing Donald Trump in 2016 and 2020, and supporting the LGBT, ANTIFA, and Black Lives Matter movements.
Pizzulli is up for election in the Republican Primary on March 19th. Gina Collinsworth, a conservative small business owner and economic development professional, is running against him for the Republican nomination. Also running in that race is Timothy Wheeler, who has also been criticized for taking thousands of dollars in campaign money from a left-wing donor from outside Ohio.