‘Utterly irresponsible’: Ohio attorney general reacts to ad calling for martial law, new presidential election

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - A Washington Times newspaper ad funded by a Northeast Ohio political group has sparked reaction from the state’s attorney general.

We the People Convention, a tea party-affiliated organization in Akron, recently took out an ad in the Washington Times calling on President Donald Trump to invoke martial law in order to allow military oversight in a new election.

The ad has since been retweeted by the recently-pardoned Michael Flynn, the former national security adviser.

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, a Republican, called the ad “utterly irresponsible.”

This ad, though protected by the First Amendment, is utterly irresponsible, ahistorical and without precedent or legal rationale. https://t.co/P40lfPD7v7
— Attorney General Dave Yost (@Yost4Ohio) December 1, 2020

Since the November election, the president has made multiple claims of fraud in several states that played a key part in projected victory for Democratic President-elect Joe Biden.

Gov. Mike DeWine, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, and other top state officials have publicly defended the integrity of the 2020 election, even with a record amount of mail-in ballots utilized.

President Trump’s legal challenges have yet to be successful.