Last week, state officials’ position became clear in a court filing by Attorney General Dave Yost on behalf of the Ohio Department of Health. And that stance is that many abortions are allowed under the health order.

For the past two weeks, the administration of Gov. Mike DeWine has declined to specify whether any type of abortion violated the state health directive forbidding nonessential surgery during the coronavirus pandemic.

Groups against abortion rights wondered why the state was continuing to allow abortion if it violated Health Director Dr. Amy Acton’s March 17 order, designed to preserve much-needed personal protective equipment for health-care workers.

On the other side, an attorney for abortion clinics who sued the state to stay open said, "The state was essentially telling us we had to guess at how to comply with it, but they would let us know later if they determined that we had been violating it."

Even the federal judge hearing the case noted state officials’ lack of forthrightness on whether abortion violated the health order: "During the two telephonic conferences that the Court held with the parties on March 30, 2020, Defendants informed the Court that they would offer no such clarification."

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But last week, state officials’ position became clear in a court filing by Attorney General Dave Yost on behalf of the Ohio Department of Health. And that stance is that many abortions are allowed under the health order.

The state would still allow medicinal abortions, in fact requiring them rather than surgical abortions "where that option is safe and available."

Surgical abortions must be delayed, but only if that can be done "without jeopardizing the patient’s ability to secure a previability abortion." Otherwise, a surgical abortion would be allowed.

The state also notes "doctors remain free to perform surgical abortions necessary for a mother’s health or life, and also surgical abortions that cannot be delayed without jeopardizing the patient’s abortion rights."

No viral fundraiser

Last week, we told you about a $250-a-head fundraiser by the Cuyahoga County Republican Party featuring three GOP state senators giving a "virtual legislative briefing" Thursday on the pandemic.

That was news to at least one of the senators, Kirk Schuring of Canton.

Schuring said he had agreed in February to help the county party raise money by speaking on economic development. He found out the topic had changed when he read last Sunday’s Insider column.

Schuring said he canceled his appearance because he didn’t think it was right to exploit a health crisis for political purposes. He said none of the senators, including Stephanie Kunze of Hilliard, wound up on the briefing.

Just Kasich’s type

The case of an ardent 2016 John Kasich supporter is before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Last week, the state of Colorado argued in a legal brief to uphold a state law requiring members of the Electoral College to cast their ballots for the presidential candidate who gets the most votes in Colorado, the Denver Post reported. If they don’t, they can be removed and replaced.

Michael Baca cast his ballot for Kasich instead of the candidate who won Colorado, Hillary Clinton. Baca won in a federal appeals court challenge of the constitutionality of the state law.

Baca seems a man after the former Ohio governor’s own heart: He cast his ballot in a long-shot attempt to deny Donald Trump the presidency.

drowland@dispatch.com

@darreldrowland