CLEVELAND — With the Nov. 7 general election just a week and a half away, tens of millions of dollars are pouring into ads on TV, radio, and social media about statewide Issue 1, which is an amendment to enshrine abortion rights in the Ohio Constitution.
On Thursday, campaign groups had to file electronic reports detailing their financial activities, including contributions received and expenditures through Oct. 18. 3News Investigates found that there are millions of dollars flowing in from out of state on both sides of Issue 1.
The reports show that the largest group backing Issue 1 has raised nearly three times more than the largest group opposing the amendment. According to filings, Protect Women Ohio, a conservative group opposing Issue 1, received $9.9 million in contributions. PWO also backed the effort in August to make it more difficult for voters to pass a constitutional amendment.
Most of the funding came from Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, a leading Virginia-based national anti-abortion group which successfully fought for the overturning of Roe v. Wade. SBA Pro-Life America contributed $6.1 million toward the defeat of Issue 1.
Other big donors include groups tied to the Catholic Church. For instance, the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal order based in Connecticut, donated $1 million to Protect Women Ohio.
The Catholic Diocese of Columbus also contributed $300,000 to fight Issue 1. Of note, 3News did not see a contribution from the Diocese of Cleveland, which donated $200,000 to the failed ballot issue in August.
Meanwhile, the largest backer of Issue 1 raised nearly three times more than Protect Women Ohio.
Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights received $28.7 million in contributions. The largest donations came from the Sixteen Thirty Fund, a left-learning non-profit in Washington, D.C. which contributed $5.3 million to support the passage of Issue 1.
Another large contribution came from New York's Open Society Policy Center, a lobbying group for the philanthropic foundation of billionaire George Soros. The center has contributed $3.5 million to Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights.
Also on Thursday, the latest report from Columbus-based ad tracker Medium Buying shows supporters for Issue 1 have outspent opponents more than two to one. Both sides have spent more than $23 million in ads so far.