Posted on Mar 16, 2022
Russia business deals muddy GOP US Senate primary in Ohio
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Several Republicans competing for the party’s nomination to run for U.S. Senate in Ohio are facing scrutiny for their ties to Russia as the country intensifies its war against Ukraine.
Much of the attention has focused on former Ohio Republican Party Chair Jane Timken, whose husband's family founded a company that does business in Russia. But other candidates in the race to succeed retiring GOP Sen. Rob Portman, including J.D. Vance and Mike Gibbons, also have links to business deals in Russia that could become vulnerabilities in the May 3 primary.
Much of the attention has focused on former Ohio Republican Party Chair Jane Timken, whose husband's family founded a company that does business in Russia. But other candidates in the race to succeed retiring GOP Sen. Rob Portman, including J.D. Vance and Mike Gibbons, also have links to business deals in Russia that could become vulnerabilities in the May 3 primary.
Russia business deals muddy GOP US Senate primary in Ohio
Posted from abcnews.go.com
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Posted 2 y ago
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."While domestic issues generally dominate midterm political contests, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — with its harrowing images of civilian casualties — has become an animating subject of the competitive Senate race in Ohio, which has a large Ukrainian American population. In a race with several millionaire candidates, the war is highlighting the risks that come with being wealthy and having tangled investment interests involving foreign countries.
The easiest target has long been Timken, whose husband sits on the board of the like-named Fortune 500 ball bearing manufacturer based in North Canton, Ohio. Even before Ukraine, her adversaries sought to pin the Timken Co.'s international business dealings on Timken.
Timken Co. last week suspended its operations in Russia, where it has a manufacturing plant and an 8-year-old relationship with United Wagon Co., a Moscow-based manufacturer and servicer of freight cars. The company signed the deal in 2014, around the time Russia seized Crimea.
Conservative PACs, mostly backing Republican Josh Mandel in the race, pilloried Timken in attack ads as “shameless” for outwardly supporting Ukraine and calling for tough sanctions on Russia while making money off her investments in the company. She has reported owning roughly 2,800 shares in Timken Co., whose stock price initially rose after the Feb. 24 invasion.
Timken campaign spokesperson Mandi Merritt calls the attacks on Timken unfair.
“It’s a nonsense line of attack that Jane is somehow responsible for every business decision of a multibillion-dollar company where she never even worked,” Merritt said in a statement. “Jane’s record of standing up for Ukraine and championing Ohioans is unmatched.”
Portman, a co-chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, has endorsed Timken and campaigned with her around the state earlier this month.
After Timken criticized Vance for voicing indifference to the fate of Ukraine in the days leading up to the invasion, a Vance ally tweeted: "No candidate has business ties in Russia except for Jane Timken. Her husband’s company has provided steel for their tanks, rail, and military.” The attacks continued from the left, with one labor union ally trying to label Timken “Russia Jane.”
But Vance has business interests in Russia of his own."...
..."While domestic issues generally dominate midterm political contests, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — with its harrowing images of civilian casualties — has become an animating subject of the competitive Senate race in Ohio, which has a large Ukrainian American population. In a race with several millionaire candidates, the war is highlighting the risks that come with being wealthy and having tangled investment interests involving foreign countries.
The easiest target has long been Timken, whose husband sits on the board of the like-named Fortune 500 ball bearing manufacturer based in North Canton, Ohio. Even before Ukraine, her adversaries sought to pin the Timken Co.'s international business dealings on Timken.
Timken Co. last week suspended its operations in Russia, where it has a manufacturing plant and an 8-year-old relationship with United Wagon Co., a Moscow-based manufacturer and servicer of freight cars. The company signed the deal in 2014, around the time Russia seized Crimea.
Conservative PACs, mostly backing Republican Josh Mandel in the race, pilloried Timken in attack ads as “shameless” for outwardly supporting Ukraine and calling for tough sanctions on Russia while making money off her investments in the company. She has reported owning roughly 2,800 shares in Timken Co., whose stock price initially rose after the Feb. 24 invasion.
Timken campaign spokesperson Mandi Merritt calls the attacks on Timken unfair.
“It’s a nonsense line of attack that Jane is somehow responsible for every business decision of a multibillion-dollar company where she never even worked,” Merritt said in a statement. “Jane’s record of standing up for Ukraine and championing Ohioans is unmatched.”
Portman, a co-chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, has endorsed Timken and campaigned with her around the state earlier this month.
After Timken criticized Vance for voicing indifference to the fate of Ukraine in the days leading up to the invasion, a Vance ally tweeted: "No candidate has business ties in Russia except for Jane Timken. Her husband’s company has provided steel for their tanks, rail, and military.” The attacks continued from the left, with one labor union ally trying to label Timken “Russia Jane.”
But Vance has business interests in Russia of his own."...
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