Campaign finance records have revealed major financial forces behind Whitehall’s recent recall election, including Franklin County political figures and both the local and state Fraternal Order of Police.
Whitehall Mayor Michael Bivens – who was unsuccessfully targeted for removal along with at-large Council members Amy Harcar and Lori Elmore in the June recall election – brought in more than $115,000 in campaign contributions, according to his campaign finance report filed July 31 with the Franklin County Board of Elections. One donor contributed more than $30,000 to Bivens’ campaign, the filings show.
Harcar, on the other hand, drew smaller amounts in campaign contributions. At the same time, Elmore had not yet filed a report as of Aug. 4. The trio campaigned as a unified ticket, often appearing together in advertisements and video productions promoting the “Yes for Progress” campaign.
Meanwhile, Whitehall for All, the political action committee that brought forward the recall attempt, raised a little more than $11,700 in contributions. The lion’s share of that money came from political action committees for the state Fraternal Order of Police and for Dewey R. Stokes FOP Capital City Lodge No. 9, which represents Whitehall, Columbus and other area law enforcement officers. Most supporters of the committee donated smaller amounts ranging from $6 to $50, filings show.
Bivens brought in more than $115K in contributions
Campaign contributions made to Bivens’ political action committee, Friends of Michael Bivens, totaled $115,888.67, according to campaign finance records filed July 31 with the Franklin County Board of Elections. The largest donation came from Juanita Martinez with QMG Solutions LLC, for $31,000, filings show.
Alex Baker, Bivens’ campaign manager, did not respond to questions from The Dispatch about Martinez’s donation or her association with QMG Solutions LLC. A review of publicly available records and online sources uncovered little information about the firm.
The second-largest donation came from the Central Ohio Realtors Political Action Committee, which contributed $16,615.67 to Bivens’ war chest.
Bivens also had huge success with fundraising and social events. Between April 6 and April 16, he received $23,380 in individual campaign contributions.
These three donation categories – totaling $70,995.67 – account for around 61% of the donations Bivens received between January and June. The remaining contributions from other individual donors totaled $44,893, filings show.
Some notable donors to Bivens during that period include Franklin County Commissioner Kevin Boyce’s own political action committee (PAC) for $2,500, Columbus City Council President Shannon Hardin for $1,000, and Whitehall Council member Lori Elmore’s PAC for $2,000.
As for expenditures, Bivens spent a considerable amount on consultants, advertising and communications. The filings show three separate payments to BattleAx Strategies LLC, a Washington, D.C.-based political consulting company, totaling $19,311; four separate payments to Alexandra Baker, his campaign manager, totaling $17,893.93; and payments to other consulting firms totaling $10,500, filings show.
When including all expenditures made between Jan. 1 and June 30, Bivens’ spending totaled $93,448.79, with a $28,413.78 balance remaining in his fund as of July 31.
Harcar brought in smaller contributions; Elmore report not filed
By comparison, Amy Harcar’s campaign focused on canvassing and fundraising, with her campaign featuring small dollar contributions, according to her campaign filings.
Between January and June, Harcar raised $5,521 and spent more than $4,700, campaign filings show. Her two largest contributions totaled $1,000, while the remaining donations ranged from $1 to $250, including $150 from Bivens’ campaign and $50 each from Columbus City Council member Nancy Day-Achauer and Elmore.
As of the evening of Aug. 4, Elmore had not filed a campaign finance report. Reports for any activities involving political action committees were due July 31, according to the Franklin County campaign finance reporting calendar.
Police unions provided 85% of Whitehall for All’s funding
Whitehall for All received a majority of its funding from the local and state FOP unions, according to the committee’s campaign filings. The committee also owes more than $1,500 to its organizers.
Political action committees for the Fraternal Order of Police Dewey R. Stokes Capital City Lodge #9 and the Ohio Fraternal Order of Police donated a combined amount of at least $10,000 to Whitehall for All, campaign finance records show. These donations made up 85% of all donations that Whitehall for All received between February and June of this year.
The Dispatch reported in May that the local FOP had financially backed the recall campaign. Recent filings show that support extended to the state FOP, which also contributed. The local Capital City FOP donated a total of at least $9,500, while the state FOP donated $500, records show.
In addition to financially backing Whitehall for All, the Capital City FOP also operated a Facebook page called “Whitehall Deserves Better” that mocked Bivens, Harcar and Elmore using AI-generated images and videos. While the page posted daily, it has not posted anything since June 23, the day of the recall election. That Facebook page was operated by Whitehall police officers who are members of Capital City FOP, according to local FOP President Brian Steel.
The remaining donations totaled $1,725, representing 14.7% of contributions. The largest donations were from Holly Stein, one of the architects of the recall. The remaining donations ranged from $6 to $50 from individual contributors.
In total, Whitehall for All PAC brought in $11,725 in contributions. Meanwhile, the committee shelled out more than $11,500 for costs related to the recall election, including a billboard truck for $4,500, postage and stamps for $3,614, and other expenses for yard signs, office supplies, video production, and at least one website.
The PAC ended with $1,091.81 cash on hand and with $1,579.76 in debt to the organizers, according to the filings. Stein is owed a total of $885.41 for yard signs and postcards; Patricia Balser is owed $627.91, also for yard signs; and Trevel Balser, the former City Treasurer, is owed $27.44 for address labels.
Reporter Shahid Meighan can be reached at smeighan@dispatch.com, at ShahidMeighan on X, and at shahidthereporter.dispatch.com on Bluesky.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Campaign finance records shed light on backers in Whitehall recall
Reporting by Shahid Meighan, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Shahid Meighan, Columbus Dispatch | USA TODAY Network
