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Red paint used by protestors in a demonstration against police brutality in June took several days to remove.
Red paint used by protestors in a demonstration against police brutality in June took several days to remove. [Karen Kasler | Statehouse News Bureau]

Bill Would Allow Attorney General To Prosecute Those Who Damage State Buildings

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — Recent vandalism to the Ohio Statehouse and other high- profile government buildings has prompted an outcry from some of the state’s top leaders. Now, Ohio lawmakers are considering a bill that would allow the Ohio Attorney General to go after those who damage public buildings.

Republican Rep. Jeff LaRe (R-Canal Winchester) says prosecutors ended up dismissing about 60 charges against people accused of damaging the Statehouse and Ohio Supreme Court buildings. So, his bill would allow the AG to handle those situations.

“Hopefully having the attorney general with that authority, we will put a stop to this because essentially not prosecuting these crimes is like endorsing that behavior,”

LaRe says taxpayers should not be footing the bill to repair these state buildings. In the Statehouse alone, 28 windows were broken, totaling almost $159,000.