ICYMI: Ohioans Continue to Call Out Jon Husted For Taking More Than $116k From Epstein Co-Conspirator

ICYMI: Ohioans Continue to Call Out Jon Husted For Taking More Than $116k From Epstein Co-Conspirator

March 5, 2026

Husted Continues to Dodge Questions From Ohioans Who Deserve Accountability

Toledo, Ohio - Last week, Ohioans in Toledo called out Senator Jon Husted for taking more than $116,000 directly from Epstein co-conspirator Les Wexner, including a maximum donation just a few weeks before he voted to block the release of the Epstein files.

The rally in Toledo follows mounting criticism from across the state. Earlier in the month, Ohioans protested outside Husted's Columbus office, calling on him to return all the contributions from the Epstein co-conspirator. Ohioans in Norwalk also called out Husted for being a "pedophile protector," and Husted declined to answer questions - instead turning his head and refusing to respond.

Husted is the only Senator up for re-election to take Wexner's money, and has taken 10 times as much money from the Epstein co-conspirator than any other sitting Senator.

See for yourself:

WTOL: Ohioans protest outside Husted's Toledo office over donations tied to Les Wexner

• WTOL Anchor: Several people gathered in protest today against Senator Jon Husted outside of his office in downtown Toledo. The protesters say they are calling out Senator Husted for accepting more than $116,000 in donations from Les Wexner, a suspected associate of Jeffrey Epstein.

• Lisa Sobecki, Lucas County Commissioner: I think it's important that people's voices are being heard on this, because I am a grandmother of a daughter. I'm a survivor, a rape survivor. I've met with many that are rape survivors. I've met with many that have been trafficked, and this to me just shows them that we're not going to just sweep this under the rug and ignore it.

Toledo Blade: Demonstrators stage protest outside U.S. Sen. Jon Husted's Toledo office

• Participants condemned Mr. Husted, citing news reports that he has accepted $116,000 in campaign contributions throughout his political career from Columbus businessman and former Victoria's Secret CEO Les Wexner. Mr. Wexner has been tied to Epstein.

• The news conference was led by Lucas County Commissioner Lisa Sobecki, a Democrat who at one point made a passing reference to when she was raped in her 20s.

• "I really wish we didn't have to be here in these times, having these conversations," Ms. Sobecki said. "We have an election coming up soon. And we should be electing folks that aren't going to be supporting people that support people that are pedophiles."

• "To be quite honest, I'm really disappointed to be here today. I'm disappointed that it takes this [demonstration] to implore our elected officials to do the right thing," said Elle Cotterman, an Ottawa Hills mother of three who also holds a degree from Ohio State University's college of engineering.

• She and others noted that he initially voted to block the Epstein files in July, then voted to release them after President Trump instructed lawmakers to do so.

• Neither Mr. Husted nor his campaign spokesman responded to repeated requests for comment.

WTOL: Ohioans protest outside Husted's Toledo office over donations tied to Les Wexner

• Protesters gathered outside U.S. Sen. Jon Husted's Toledo office Thursday, calling on him to return more than $116,000 in campaign contributions they say he received from Les Wexner, who has been described as a co-conspirator of Jeffrey Epstein.

• During Thursday's rally, demonstrators questioned why Husted has not returned the full amount. Organizers claim the senator previously said he would give Wexner's money back but has so far returned only $18,900, roughly 17% of the total, while keeping the remaining $98,000.

• Protesters asked why a portion of the money was deemed problematic but not the rest, and accused Husted of avoiding accountability. The group also questioned why he has not responded publicly to their concerns.

• The Toledo protest follows similar demonstrations at Husted's Columbus office last week. Organizers say residents in Norwalk also confronted the senator, alleging he declined to answer questions.

• Husted's office did not immediately respond to WTOL 11's requests for comment Thursday.

Stay Tuned Sandusky: Coffee House patron calls Sen. Jon Husted a 'pedo protector'

• Husted was appearing with Huron County Commissioner Harry Brady on Tuesday when the carefully managed atmosphere evaporated.

• As Husted moved through the coffee house, a patron called out, "You're a pedo protector." Husted did not respond.

• While the Reflector and the Register reported on the outburst, the event was far from open. No other media outlets were invited, and Husted's office has continued a policy of blacklisting local news, refusing to place StayTunedSandusky.com on its press lists or schedules.

• The "pedo protector" shout points directly to the growing firestorm over Husted's ties to Ohio billionaire Les Wexner. The confrontation occurred just as Wexner was being deposed by a House committee over his decades-long association with Jeffrey Epstein.

• During that testimony, it was revealed that Wexner funneled over $116,000 into Husted's various campaigns. Husted's office announced he would donate his most recent Wexner contributions to a human trafficking charity.

• The timing is telling: the "charity" move only happened after the Norwalk confrontation and the release of unredacted FBI files labeling Wexner a "co-conspirator," which made Wexner and his money a political liability.

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