A judge ruled Ohio House Speaker Jason Stephens does not have authority over the GOP caucus’s campaign fund, handing a win to the speaker’s colleague and rival, state Rep. Derek Merrin.

Last October, Merrin filed a lawsuit against his Republican colleague in a bid to control $1 million in campaign funds. The campaign fund, called the Ohio House Republican Alliance, supports campaigns for state Republican lawmakers. In his lawsuit, Merrin alleged a closed-door vote by the majority of the House GOP caucus made him the chairman of the alliance last year. Consequently, Merrin said he should be in charge of the campaign funds. 

Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Mark Serrott agreed. Serrott said in his ruling on Friday that Merrin holds the majority of support from his caucus and consequently should control the campaign’s checkbook. 

“The speaker does not have a majority of the caucus,” Serrott said. “The speaker is never going to call a meeting [of the caucus]. Why would he? He doesn’t have a majority vote. … We’re at a stalemate. The court has to do something or it will never get resolved. … That’s untenable.”

Stephens said that as a speaker, he maintains control of the alliance fund and vowed to appeal the decision “swiftly.” 

“It is imperative for the integrity of the institution of the Ohio House of Representatives that control of the campaign committee not be able to be leveraged against the highest elected official in the House on a whim,” Stephens said in a statement. “The decision potentially sets a concerning precedent that any member at any time can call a vote that undermines the control of the campaign funds.”

Legal experts told the Associated Press that Ohio law does not necessarily require the speaker and caucus leader to be the same person. 

Stephens and Merrin have been at odds ever since battling each other to be speaker in the state House. In January 2023, Merrin lost the fight, while Stephens received more votes from Democrats than Republicans to clinch the victory. After his loss, Merrin urged his Republican colleagues in the House to weaken the speaker’s power by changing House rules. 

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Merrin isn’t the only lawmaker Stephens is sparring with. Last fall, the speaker rejected efforts from fellow GOP lawmakers to strip the court’s power to protect the voter-passed measure to enshrine abortion access into the Ohio Constitution.

More drama went down with Ohio Republicans last September. State Republican Rep. Bob Young wrote a letter to Stephens saying he would step down after being arrested twice in a domestic violence case. His announcement came after Gov. Mike DeWine (R-OH), Stephens, and more than 30 Ohio House GOP members joined Democrats in calling for his resignation.

Two years ago, Justin Haire was not considering leaving Campbell University to take over the Ohio State baseball program. 

When former Ohio State baseball coach Greg Beals was fired after the 2022 season, Haire was leading the Fighting Camels to a Big South Championship and into an NCAA regional. He never reached out to Ohio State. Ohio State never reached out to him. 

“It just didn’t line up,” Haire said. 

But two years later, when Haire began to hear rumblings that the Ohio State baseball job was opening up again, the Hamilton, Ohio native couldn’t pass up the opportunity. 

“I told my wife the night before, ‘Hey, this might be going down,’” Haire said. “‘If it is, I think it’s something I’m going to try to go all in on. I just feel like the timing’s right.’” 

One week after Bill Mosiello resigned to return to TCU as an assistant coach, Haire was announced as Ohio State’s 13th baseball coach in program history. 

Haire spent 10 seasons as Campbell’s baseball coach. The four-time Big South Coach of the Year led the Fighting Camels to 317 wins, five NCAA Regionals and seven NCAA Tournament wins. 

In the interview process, Haire said incoming Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork made it clear he wanted a baseball coach who is “excited about the program how it is, and has a vision of how we can grow it organically and sustainably.” 

But Haire said Bjork did not sugarcoat the baseball program’s standing compared to past programs the athletic director has been a part of. 

“A big piece of knowing who you are is knowing who you’re not,” Haire said. “Mr. Bjork’s been at Texas A&M and Ole Miss. He’s been in some of those SEC places. And he was just very honest, like, ‘Hey, we’re wanting to compete and be at that highest level. But the resources are not that. The NIL capability for baseball is not the same as it is at some of those SEC places.’ ”

Bjork is already beginning to make his mark on Ohio State athletics. 

While his tenure as athletic director officially begins July 1, Bjork has already been instrumental in the hiring of Jake Diebler to lead the Ohio State men’s basketball program, Miami University’s Kirin Kumar as the university’s new softball coach and Haire. And while Haire said that reality brings pressure, “it’s a good pressure.” 

“Of all the people that were interested in this job, that understand that Ohio State baseball is a sleeping giant and ready to, hopefully, turn the corner, (Bjork) gave me this opportunity,” Haire said. “And he believes in me and what will eventually be our staff, and the vision that we have. Because I think he has a vision for what he thinks it might look like too.” 

How Justin Haire introduced himself to Ohio State baseball

Haire said he held a Zoom meeting with 10-to-15 Ohio State baseball players Friday morning. And after the week the program had with an unexpected coaching change, he took a step back and started as simply as he could. 

“That’s really my first question is just like, ‘Hey man, how are you?’” Haire said. “‘Like how are you doing? How has the last week been for you? Where are you at mentally?’ Because it is a lot. And there’s a lot of people that have a lot of opinions about what these 18-to-22, 23-year-old kids should be doing, what staff members should be doing. And that’s uncomfortable.” 

Through those questions, through authentic opening conversations he said would continue into the weekend, Haire said he wanted to make sure the players he’s inheriting know they are wanted at Ohio State.

“It’s my job to assure them that I’m here for their benefit and the benefit of Buckeye baseball, and trying to make sure we marry the two and try to build some excitement back into what they are doing and why they’re here,” Haire said. 

In the past two seasons under Mosiello, Ohio State had a record of 60-51. But the Buckeyes won 21 of their 48 Big Ten games. 

The next step is where Haire comes in. His job, he said, is to put together the best possible product he can, to identify the right players for his program, to keep the best Ohio high school baseball players in state, and developing a program that is “an avenue for pro ball.” 

Haire wants Ohio State baseball to be a program people are proud of. And that process, he said, has already begun. 

“We’re tasked with trying to leave this place better than how we found it every single day,” Haire said. “And today’s day one of what I hope is a very long career here of trying to do that every single day.”

 cgay@dispatch.com 

@_ColinGay

View a previous report on the lawsuit within the Ohio Republican Party in the video player above.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WMCH) — A Franklin County judge blocked Speaker of the Ohio House Jason Stephens’ (R-Kitts Hill) access to campaign money raised in the Ohio House Republican Alliance (OHRA) fund.

Reps. Phil Plummer (R-Dayton), Derek Merrin (R-Monclova), and Ron Ferguson (R-Wintersville) brought the lawsuit forward against the Republican speaker. 

The complaint cites the Ohio Revised Code, which states, “Each legislative campaign fund shall be administered and controlled in a manner designated by the caucus.”

The plaintiffs argue that Stephens was never elected to have control of the fund, though control of OHRA has historically been with the elected speaker. But a faction was created because the speaker was not elected by a majority of republican members.

On April 10, lawmakers held a meeting to vote on OHRA fund control and designate Plummer as chair.

In the decision, the judge writes that the April 10 meeting was scheduled for a date most members would be in Columbus, as it was the governor’s State of the State address, and the invitation was sent five days in advance.

“Speaker Stephens testified he did not receive the meeting invitation but confirmed it was sent to his correct email address five days prior to the meeting. Nonetheless, Speaker Stephens admitted he was aware of the meeting prior to it occurring and chose not to attend.”

This is the latest development in ongoing Republican infighting.