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

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

May 20, 2026

Husted Continues to Dodge Questions From Ohioans Who Deserve Accountability

YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO - In case you missed it, Ohioans in Youngstown 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 Youngstown comes as Husted continues to dodge questions and accountability after voting against the release of the Epstein files. Last week, Husted ran away from a reporter when asked why he accepted money from an Epstein co-conspirator.

Ohioans have also protested Husted outside his Columbus and Toledo offices, and Husted was called out for being a "pedophile protector" at an event in Norwalk. 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:

WMFJ: Youngstown protest targets U.S. Sen Husted over Epstein vote

• The Ohio Democratic Party is accusing U.S. Sen. Jon Husted of helping block the release of files connected to now deceased convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, pointing to a Senate vote and campaign donations tied to billionaire businessman Les Wexner.

• Democratic activists gathered in Youngstown at Wick Park Monday with signs reading "Vote Husted out," "Husted is busted," and "Pedophile protector," claiming the senator voted against releasing the Epstein files weeks before accepting donations connected to Wexner, who has faced scrutiny over his past ties to Epstein.

• The protest centers around a September 2025 Senate vote in which Husted rejected an amendment that would have directed the Department of Justice to release files tied to Epstein.

• "That initial vote sent the wrong message to society, and it's really more than a partisan issue. It's an issue of ethics and morality," Maria Pappas, Vice Chair of the Mahoning County Democratic Party said.

• Activists also pointed to campaign donations from Wexner made around the same time as the September vote.

Youngstown Vindicator: Local Dems criticize Husted over Wexner contributions

• A group of local Democrats criticized Republican U.S. Sen. Jon Husted for taking more than $116,000 from billionaire Les Wexner, who had a longtime relationship with notorious child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.

• At a Monday news conference at Wick Park Pavilion, organized by the Ohio Democratic Party, retired educators Maria Pappas of Poland - who is also the Mahoning County Democratic Party's vice chairwoman - and Donna Zielinski of Niles said they had serious concerns about Husted's judgment because he took the money from Wexner.

• Pappas and Zielinski criticized Husted for initially not voting to release the Epstein files. Husted voted Sept. 10 against an attempt by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York senator, to attach an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act to release the Epstein files.

• Husted is the only incumbent senator on the ballot this year who took Wexner's money.

• Zielinski said: "My objection is to how Husted handled the files," and as an educator she was responsible for reporting any child abuse.

• She said: "Why are politicians immune to that?"

• Pappas said Husted exercised "bad judgment" by taking Wexner's money and "we need those in leadership roles to lead by example."

• Pappas said: "You can judge a nation by how it treats its most-vulnerable citizens - children, underaged teens, the elderly, the handicapped. This is way bigger than the Epstein files because the Big Beautiful Bill attacks all of those vulnerable populations" and Husted voted for that.

• While Les Wexner hasn't been charged criminally for his relationship with Epstein, he is named as a co-conspirator in the FBI's sex trafficking investigation into Epstein.

###