COLUMBUS, Ohio — One of Ohio's most outspoken state representatives is now the subject of an official complaint accusing him of violating the state's campaign finance laws.
Rep. Nino Vitale (R-Urbana) is alleged to have used campaign fund for his personal use, according to a report filed by the Ohio Secretary of State's Office. In addition, his fund "Friends to Elect Nino Vitale" is charged with failing to report certain contributions to the Ohio Elections Commission.
Read the entire complaint here
The allegations against Vitale partly stem from a concealed carry firearm class he teaches. Several advertisements for the classes were posted on the campaign's social media pages (including Facebook), and investigators say customers were directed votevitale.com for payment, which would be against ethics regulations.
In addition, Friends to Elect Nino Vitale is specifically accused of turning in a blank finance report past the June 5 deadline when it is highly unlikely they received no contributions. The campaign also apparently spent hundreds of dollars on Facebook ads last year, but did not report these expenses.
"I swore an oath to uphold the law, so when I see an apparent violation of our state’s campaign finance statutes, I am duty bound to refer it to the Ohio Elections Commission." Secretary of State Frank LaRose said in a statement. "All public officials must be held accountable."
In recent months, Vitale has emerged as one of the most vocal Statehouse critics of Gov. Mike DeWine, calling him a "dictator" for his health orders and this week signing on to an effort to impeach him. He has also raised eyebrows for his conspiracy theories and, at times, false statements regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and face masks.
3News has reached out to Vitale for comment, but the Cleveland native and Hudson High School grad denied any wrongdoing in an interview with the Dayton Daily News. He is running unopposed for reelection in Ohio's 85th House district.
