The Fraternal Order of Police of Ohio endorsed Democratic Ohio Supreme Court Justice Melody Stewart over Republican Justice Joe Deters − in part, because of how he handled the prosecution of former University of Cincinnati police officer Ray Tensing.
The race is unusual: Deters is challenging his colleague Stewart after Gov. Mike DeWine appointed Deters to the court in December 2022. The two justices will face off this November for one of three Ohio Supreme Court seats on the fall ballot.
The Ohio FOP did not endorse Deters, a former Hamilton County prosecutor, because of his lack of judicial experience and how he handled a 2015 police shooting in Cincinnati, the police union’s lobbyist Mike Weinman said.
In July 2015, Tensing fatally shot 43-year-old Sam DuBose, an unarmed Black man, in the head following an off-campus traffic stop.
Immediately following the shooting, Deters charged Tensing with murder. The county prosecutor said Tensing “purposely killed” DuBose and “never should have been a police officer.” At the time, the FOP said it disagreed with “many of the comments made by local politicians, including the prosecutor.”
The Fraternal Order of Police, Ohio Labor Council, filed a grievance against the University of Cincinnati for firing Tensing and ultimately received $350,000 in a settlement.
Deters ultimately dismissed the charges against Tensing after two mistrials and deadlocked juries. Deters did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the endorsement.
The Ohio FOP’s support for Stewart isn’t new. The state’s largest law enforcement union endorsed Stewart in 2018 over Republican Justice Mary DeGenaro.
Ohio FOP doesn’t endorse in Senate race
The Ohio FOP chose not to endorse in the Senate race between incumbent Democrat Sherrod Brown and Republican Bernie Moreno − even though Brown has won the union’s support in past races. The competitive race is being watched nationally as Republicans and Democrats contend for control of the Senate.
Weinman said Brown has worked well with the FOP on legislation and was unanimously backed by the screening committee. Brown was four votes shy of the 60% needed for the FOP to endorse.
However, some members were concerned about a tweet Brown sent shortly after Columbus police fatally shot Ma’Khia Bryant, a 16-year-old Black girl who swung a knife at another young woman.
“While the verdict was being read in the Derek Chauvin trial, Columbus police shot and killed a sixteen-year-old girl. Her name was Ma’Khia Bryant. She should be alive right now,” Brown wrote in 2021. Chauvin was convicted of killing George Floyd in Minneapolis on the same day as the Columbus shooting.
“That tweet, folks felt that it was unnecessary and he should have waited until there was an investigation,” Weinman said.
Brown’s campaign emphasized the senator’s work with the FOP to benefit law enforcement over the years.
“Sherrod proudly worked with the Fraternal Order of Police to pass legislation cracking down on fentanyl trafficking and to secure the resources law enforcement needs to stay safe on the job,” spokesperson Reeves Oyster said. “Sherrod will keep working with the FOP and law enforcement officers across the state to continue advancing their top priorities, including making sure law enforcement can retire with the full social security benefits they’ve earned.”
The police union also endorsed Ohio Supreme Court candidates Judge Dan Hawkins, who is challenging Democratic Judge Lisa Forbes, and Judge Megan Shanahan, who is challenging Democratic Justice Michael Donnelly.
“The Ohio Supreme Court is an important backstop against people seeking to attack law enforcement in the courts we believe our bi-partisan endorsed candidates show our careful consideration,” Ohio FOP President Gary Wolske said in a statement.
Enquirer reporting contributed to this article.
Jessie Balmert is a political reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Ohio FOP doesn’t back Joe Deters, no endorsement in Senate race
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