COLUMBUS, Ohio — U.S. Senate candidate Bernie Moreno, is pushing back against measures that would put an end to a practice which protects law enforcement and government officials. It comes as there are efforts at both the state and national levels to end qualified immunity. Qualified immunity makes it harder for victims who suffer police violence to sue the law enforcement officer who may have been responsible.
It’s a law that’s been in place for more than 50 years to prevent frivolous lawsuits.
Since George Floyd’s death four years ago, there’s been a push in Congress to get rid of the law, and there is a group in Ohio that is hoping to put the issue on the ballot in November. But, U.S. Senate candidate Bernie Moreno supports qualified immunity locally and nationally.
Moreno held a roundtable discussion with law enforcement officials on Friday to discuss why he believes the law is so important. He says it serves as a protection for the officers who are in the field, and are serving the community.
Moreno listened in on local law enforcement’s concern, and how they believe Ohio is facing a shortage of officers. Moreno believes that taking away qualified immunity will only add more stress to the police officers.
“If you don’t solve that problem for police officers,” Moreno said. “There’s no way they are going to stay in this profession.”
Moreno believes everything is important for proper training, benefits, and equipment to local police stations to help the officers do their jobs.
Meanwhile, Attorney General Dave Yost was also in attendance at the roundtable discussion. He cited language issues previously when he repeatedly rejected a local petition from making its way onto November’s ballot, that would let voters decide the fate of qualified immunity in the state. Right now, that issue is currently tied up in the court system.
He stated to journalists that he considers qualified immunity crucial, but specifically in a national context rather than a local one.
“I believe that qualified immunity serves a critical and essential purpose for government. Who are you going to hire to do these jobs if you’re personally liable in mind? You people are still held liable. The government for which they work is frequently still held liable.”
“Ending qualified immunity in Ohio would put power back in the hands of the people, not politicians,” Kyle Pierce, the executive director of ‘The Ohio Coalition To End Qualified Immunity’ said in an issued statement to Spectrum News. “We the people should be able to hold our government accountable through the civil courts. Right now, qualified immunity prevents that–it stops civil cases against the government before they even start.”
A federal court is set to hear AG Yost’s appeal to a ruling that would let the initiative appear on November’s ballot.