Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost today cautioned that his office will not tolerate harassment and intimidation in the state’s petition process.

The warning follows reports that signature gatherers for the proposed House Bill 6 (the nuclear subsidy bill) referendum, to repeal the bill, have encountered aggressive “petition blockers” who attempt to deter voters from signing petitions.

“Two different petitions are circulating statewide and their supporters have a right under law to collect signatures without interference,” Yost said. “My job as attorney general is to call balls and strikes like I see them, and this one is a wild pitch. It’s time to knock it off.”

Yost is urging signature gatherers to report incidents of harassment and intimidation to his office

Under state law, the attorney general’s office has the authority to investigate criminal elections violations in the petition process and refer evidence to county prosecutors for possible charges. If a county prosecutor declines to press charges, the attorney general’s office may do so.

In one recent case, a woman hired as a petition blocker allegedly broke a man’s cell phone as he was collecting signatures outside a central Ohio library. Dublin police charged the woman with criminal damaging.

Yost also sent a letter (click here) to Ohio’s U.S. attorneys today informing them that his office is gathering evidence of possible violations. Any cases that could constitute a federal offense will be referred to their offices.

"I have read with great concern recent media and online reports of petition circulators being targeted, harassed and intimidated by individuals opposed to the referendum effort. This activity must stop and I intend to use this Office’s resources to protect the integrity of the petition process," Yost wrote in the letter

Separately, three Ohio Supreme Court Justices have recused themselves from hearing a lawsuit seeking to halt the referendum for a repeal of HB 6, The Daily Record reports (story here)