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Health & Fitness

Opponents of Ohio Internet cafe ban claim harassment by 'casino interests'

By Maggie Thurber | for Ohio Watchdog

Individuals collecting signatures to put a repeal ofOhio’s Internet sweepstakes ban on the ballot claim they’re being harassed by “corporate casino interests.”

The Committee to Protect Ohio Jobs recently issued a press release noting that police reports were filed in ColumbusCleveland and Toledo “because people hired by the corporate casino interests to oppose the referendum are physically blocking Ohioans who want to sign and threatening signature gatherers.”

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In Columbus, a referendum supporter was allegedly run off the road. In another incident, a signature gatherer received a temporary civil protection order againstMatthew Cane, alleging that he sat outside her place of employment every day, followed her when she left her office and almost hit the back of her company van, scaring her and her passengers. At a hearing on the matter today in Franklin County Common Pleas Court, the temporary protection order was withdrawn and the case dismissed without further action.

In Toledo, “two vehicles with four individuals in each were parked outside our office in our private lot observing our office and activity,” an internal report states. “When the Deputy Director left for the day, one of the vehicles (white Chevy Malibu) followed him for approximately one mile while video recording him.”

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