Dolan: “Sherrod Brown isn’t willing to fight, but I am”
Cleveland, OH: U.S. Senate candidate Matt Dolan launched the first statewide ad campaign in the race for U.S. Senate in Ohio on Tuesday, highlighting Sherrod Brown’s repeated failure to recognize the seriousness of the U.S. border crisis. The ads will run on TV, radio and digital platforms across Ohio.
“Standing shoulder to shoulder with members of Law Enforcement, I have witnessed first-hand how Joe Biden’s open border crisis impacts everyday life in Ohio. As a former prosecutor and state legislator, I worked to protect Ohioans and designate the China-backed cartels as foreign terrorists. Time and time again, Sherrod Brown has put party loyalty ahead of efforts to secure our southern border. When you vote with Joe Biden 98 percent of the time, you’re not focused on protecting Ohio and defending America. In the U.S. Senate, I will take the necessary steps with infrastructure, civilian and military personnel to stop the flow of human trafficking and fentanyl into the country, save American lives and restore our nation’s sovereignty,” said Matt Dolan.
In April, Dolan joined Ohio sheriffs on the border to get an on-the-ground briefing about the current security crisis confronting local, state and federal authorities. Together, with Lake County Sheriff Frank Leonbruno and Union County Sheriff Jamie Patton, Dolan received a policy briefing, SABRE border tour and Cochise County Sheriff’s Office ride along inside the Tucson Sector, one of the busiest sectors of the country in both illegal alien apprehension and narcotic seizures.
“Ohio suffers from a set of clear challenges in crime, addiction and mental health that are a result of the fact that our southern border remains unsecured. Matt Dolan has record of prosecuting violent criminals and drug dealers to keep Ohioans safe. His experience and record as a legislator make him uniquely suited to restore the rule of law, support Ohio law enforcement and protect America in the U.S. Senate,” said Union County Sheriff Jamie Patton. Patton is a 33-year veteran of the Sheriff’s office.
“Matt Dolan not only understands the threat posed by the open southern border, but I am confident that having his experience and solutions-focused approach in the U.S. Senate will help to protect Ohioans from the scourge of fentanyl,” said Lake County Sheriff Frank Leonbruno. Sheriff Leonbruno has been with the Sheriff’s office for 34 years.
Background
On numerous occasions Sherrod Brown has neglected to recognize the borer crisis, even taking actions to oppose commonsense security enhancing measures.
- In a December interview with NBC News, Senator Sherrod Brown said, “I don’t hear a lot about immigration from voters except from people on the far-right.”
- On June 1, Sherrod Brown voted against a border security amendment on the floor of the U.S. Senate.
- In March 2020, Sherrod Brown signed a letter with 26 Democratic Senators calling for the immediate end of Title 42. In 2023, once he was up for reelection, he flip-flopped and called for an extension of Title 42.
In February 2023, more than 80 pounds of fentanyl were seized in Cleveland and Painsville, Ohio, making it one of the largest busts in state history. The fentanyl had a street value of $5.2 million and was enough to kill 20 million people, if ingested. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the drugs were supplied by a nationwide distribution network based out of Mexico. The FBI, State, and local partners including the Lake County Sheriff’s office, took part in the operation which also yielded the arrest of two of the organization’s operatives and seized four firearms, including two assault rifles.
According to the Ohio Department of Health, approximately 76 percent of overdose deaths in Ohio are caused by fentanyl that is coming from China to Mexico and over the border into the United States. That percentage was up from 73 percent in 2018, 71 percent in 2017, and 58 percent in 2016.
In 2021, there was a record amount of fentanyl seizures on our southern border. In some locations, the U.S. Border Patrol, is seeing a 4,000% increase in fentanyl seizures over the last three years.
On June 1, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced that he would dispatch the Ohio Law Enforcement to Texas to help with border surveillance. Un July 2021, Gov. DeWine sent the Ohio National Guard to assist federal operations on the border at the request of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. That same month, it was announced that Ohio would be sending Ohio Highway Patrol to supplement the National Guard presence on the southern border.
The following actions outline Senator Matt Dolan’s work to in the State Senate to urge action on securing the border and address the present fentanyl and human trafficking crises impacting Ohio.
- Dolan voted to designate the Mexican cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.
- Dolan voted to urge the federal government to increase efforts to protect our border to combat drug and human smuggling in the United States.
- Dolan increased penalties for drug trafficking and some other drug offenses when the drug involved is a fentanyl-related compound.
- Dolan voted to define “fentanyl-related compound” as including fentanyl and other related Schedule I and Schedule II narcotics-opiates.
- Dolan fought and helped to provide $180 million in additional funding for the opiate crisis, on top of the nearly $1 billion already spent by the state annually on drug abuse and addiction.
- Dolan helped to stablish opioid abuse prevention programs for educators and school personnel for all content areas and grade levels.
- Dolan voted for nonviolent offenders to receive competency evaluations in outpatient settings, ensuring state psychiatric hospital beds remain available for Ohioans suffering from serious mental illness.
- Dolan voted for enhanced penalties for drug traffickers who sell on the premises or near addiction service providers.
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