Leader Sykes, Reps. Leland and Weinstein react to inflammatory post comparing state health director's coronavirus response to Nazi Germany

COLUMBUS— Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron), State Rep. David Leland (D-Columbus) and State Rep. Casey Weinstein (D-Hudson) today responded to inflammatory comments made by former colleague and current state Sen. Andrew Brenner (R-Powell) comparing Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton’s coronavirus response to that of Nazi Germany. The comments came Tuesday on Holocaust Remembrance Day. Acton is Jewish.

“Only sick logic could connect Ohio’s policy of saving thousands of lives during this crisis with Nazi Germany’s final solution of destroying 6 million lives,” Rep. Leland and Rep. Weinstein said.

“To make this comparison any day of the year, let alone on Holocaust Remembrance Day, is outright reprehensible. For anyone to think this was acceptable behavior is alarming, most of all a state senator elected to serve Ohioans of all religions and backgrounds,” said Leader Sykes.     

Brenner’s post follows the display of anti-Semitic symbolism at Saturday’s anti-stay-at-home protest at the Ohio Statehouse, which Republican Governor Mike DeWine vehemently denounced at his daily briefing Wednesday, calling the actions “disgusting” and “vile.”