Scott Wiggam: Difference between revisions
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==COVID-19 Pandemic Response== |
==COVID-19 Pandemic Response== |
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Wiggam has been a vocal critic of public health measures instituted to limit the spread of COVID-19. On June 3rd, 2020, Wiggam was one of 19 lawmakers that signed a letter stating “Ohio smashed the curve long ago. Mission Accomplished!” The letter argued that the peak of the virus was well past over and was time for the public health orders to be cancelled. Ohio’s average cases per day skyrocketed in subsequent months, to as high as 27 times what was seen in June. Wiggam has argued that Ohio should pursue a “herd immunity” strategy.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|date=2020-10-27|title=19 lawmakers declared victory over COVID-19 in June. Now it's spreading in their districts.|url=https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2020/10/27/19-lawmakers-declared-victory-over-covid-19-in-june-now-its-spreading-in-their-districts/|access-date=2021-02-01|website=Ohio Capital Journal|language=en-US}}</ref> This approach is not supported by most scientists and would result in up to two million deaths in the United States.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Aschwanden|first=Christie|date=2020-10-21|title=The false promise of herd immunity for COVID-19|url=https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02948-4|journal=Nature|language=en|volume=587|issue=7832|pages=26–28|doi=10.1038/d41586-020-02948-4}}</ref> When asked in an interview about the June letter in October, Wiggam stated that he believed there was “a lot of misconstrued data” and that numbers reported by health officials were inaccurate and “padded by false positives.” Wiggam stated that the nation was only focused on the pandemic because Republicans controlled the White House.<ref name=":1" /> |
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== References == |
== References == |
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Revision as of 00:04, 1 February 2021
Scott Wiggam | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Ohio House of Representatives from the 1st district | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Ron Amstutz |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Katie Wiggam |
| Residence(s) | Wooster, Ohio, US |
| Alma mater | Asbury University University of Akron |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | Air Force |
Scott Wiggam is the state representative for the 1st District of the Ohio House of Representatives. He is a Republican. The district consists of Wayne County.
Life and Political Career
Wiggam was born and raised in Wilmore, Kentucky. [1]
Wiggam is a graduate of Asbury University and was a Bible major. [2] He also received a masters degree in political science from the University of Akron. A veteran of the United States Air Force, Wiggam did a four-year active duty tour where he was honored with an Air Force Commendation Medal for meritorious service.[3]
Wiggam formerly served three terms as a county commissioner for Wayne County. He is married with three children and resides in Wooster, Ohio.
Private Sector Experience
Wiggam owned and operated The Neighborhood Cafe for about one year. The restaurant was closed so that Wiggam could focus on becoming a career politician.[2] The restaurant received five critical food safety violations from the Wayne County Health Department, including employees handling ready to eat food with bare hands and improper storage of raw animal products.[4]
Ohio House of Representatives
State Representative Ron Amstutz, who was serving as Speaker pro Tempore, had served in both the Ohio House and Ohio Senate for over thirty years before being term-limited in 2016. As a result, Wiggam was one of two Republicans to seek the nomination to replace him.[5] With the district being made up of Wayne County, which Wiggam had represented as a commissioner for three terms, he defeated opponent David C. Kiefer by a 66% to 34% margin in the primary.[6]
In the general election, he defeated independent Stephen R. Spoonamore with 67% of the vote.[7] Spoonamore filed a lawsuit against Wiggam and other Republican politicians in Wayne County after he was initially denied permission to appear on the ballot as an independent.[8] Wiggam was sworn into office on January 3, 2017.
Ohio Nuclear Bribery Scandal
Scott Wiggam voted in favor of House Bill 6, the nuclear bailout bill for two Ohio facilities. According to public campaign finance reports, Wiggam received $3,000 from the FirstEnergy PAC in 2019 and another $4,000 in 2020, as did dozens of other members of the Ohio General Assembly.[9] Wiggam also received $500 from Juan Cespedes, who was arrested along with Householder. Wiggam is a member of both the Public Utility & Energy & Natural Resource committees and voted to have Householder as Speaker of the House. Despite formal opposition from the Orrville Utilities Board,[10] which represents a municipal-owned power plant in his district, Wiggam still voted in support of HB6.
Sexist and Racist Behavior Complaint
In January 2019, Wiggam's former legislative aide Marissa Reyes wrote a two-page letter to her Ohio General Assembly Representative Kristin Boggs accusing certain GOP lawmakers and staff of racist and sexist comments.[11] In the letter, also posted to her Twitter account, Reyes claims that during her time in Wiggam's office, "I had to endure months of unacceptable treatment and was forced to listen to the Representative’s opinions that painted myself, my family and other Hispanics in a demeaning light. When I respectfully disagreed with the Representative about an issue, I was told that ‘women do not think logically, they think with their hearts not with their brains.’" She also claims that Wiggam referred to her as "the good kind of Mexican".[12]
At least some of the complaints were submitted to the House Administrative Office in Sept 2018. In January 2019, the House Administrative Office released its findings, which found no legal wrongdoing, but resulted in a warning being issued to another legislative aide accused of discriminatory behavior in the complaint.[13]
Reyes was laid off from her position as legislative aide to Wiggam at the end of January of 2019, the same month that she filed the harassment claim. [14]
COVID-19 Pandemic Response
Wiggam has been a vocal critic of public health measures instituted to limit the spread of COVID-19. On June 3rd, 2020, Wiggam was one of 19 lawmakers that signed a letter stating “Ohio smashed the curve long ago. Mission Accomplished!” The letter argued that the peak of the virus was well past over and was time for the public health orders to be cancelled. Ohio’s average cases per day skyrocketed in subsequent months, to as high as 27 times what was seen in June. Wiggam has argued that Ohio should pursue a “herd immunity” strategy.[15] This approach is not supported by most scientists and would result in up to two million deaths in the United States.[16] When asked in an interview about the June letter in October, Wiggam stated that he believed there was “a lot of misconstrued data” and that numbers reported by health officials were inaccurate and “padded by false positives.” Wiggam stated that the nation was only focused on the pandemic because Republicans controlled the White House.[15]
References
- ^ "Candidate Profile for Scott Wiggam". ivoterguide.com. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
- ^ a b Writer, Tami Mosser Staff. "Spoonamore, Wiggam face off for Amstutz's seat in Ohio House". The Daily Record. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
- ^ "Ten things about the new Ohio General Assembly". Retrieved 2017-01-26.
- ^ "Restaurant violations". The Daily Record. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
- ^ "2016 candidates filing early in Wayne County". Retrieved 2017-01-26.
- ^ "Our Campaigns - Race Detail Page". Retrieved 2017-01-26.
- ^ "Our Campaigns - Race Detail Page". Retrieved 2017-01-26.
- ^ Writers, BobWarren and STEVEN F. HUSZAI Staff. "Spoonamore files lawsuit to get name put on November ballot". The Daily Record. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
- ^ "Scott Wiggam". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2020-07-23.
- ^ Writer, Emily Morgan Staff. "Orrville Utilities board opposes House Bill 6". The Daily Record. Retrieved 2020-07-23.
- ^ Balmert, Jessie (2019-01-07). "Aide details racist, sexist behavior from Ohio GOP lawmakers". Cincinnati.com. Retrieved 2020-02-22.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ https://twitter.com/Marissavreyes/status/1081997803914780673
- ^ Hancock, Laura (2019-01-31). "Ohio House aide who said she was harassed, discriminated against hopes for improved culture". cleveland.com. Retrieved 2020-02-22.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Hancock, Laura; clevel; .com (2019-02-01). "Ohio House eliminates 7 aides, including one who made discrimination claims public". cleveland. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
- ^ a b "19 lawmakers declared victory over COVID-19 in June. Now it's spreading in their districts". Ohio Capital Journal. 2020-10-27. Retrieved 2021-02-01.
- ^ Aschwanden, Christie (2020-10-21). "The false promise of herd immunity for COVID-19". Nature. 587 (7832): 26–28. doi:10.1038/d41586-020-02948-4.
External links
- Ohio State Representative Scott Wiggam official site
