Ohio Just Certified a Revolution: Petition to End Qualified Immunity Moves to Ballot Board

✉️ THE MORNING TRAP – APRIL 23, 2025

Apr 23, 2025

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🗣️ Kinfolk, buckle up—Ohio just made history, and it ain’t even Election Day.

After years of families marching, suing, and mourning, we finally got movement that ain’t just symbolic. The state of Ohio just certified a ballot petition to END qualified immunity for police and government officials. And it only happened because a federal court slapped down Ohio’s shady, century-old ballot rules—and the Supreme Court let it stand.

Translation? The people said, “We want justice,” and the courts finally stopped blocking the door.

This is bigger than Buckeye country—it’s a national blueprint. And The Morning Trap got the breakdown, the receipts, and the action steps.

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🎯 TOP TRAP – Ohio Just Certified a Revolution: Petition to End Qualified Immunity Moves to Ballot Board

📌 Quick Recap:

👩🏾‍⚖️ The Ohio AG’s office just certified a petition to end qualified immunity for cops and other government workers—after a federal court said the state’s ballot process was unconstitutional.
🛑 The Supreme Court let the ruling stand, forcing Ohio to stop gatekeeping people-powered amendments.
🗳️ This clears the way for a constitutional amendment that could make state agents personally accountable for violating our rights.

🗣️ Trap Quote of the Day:

"Qualified immunity ain't law—it's a loophole. And Ohio just gave the people the key."

🎛️ THE TRAP BREAKDOWN – They Want Us Starving and Silent

🎤 Today’s Relevance:

Imagine the family of a loved one killed by police being able to take the badge and the badge-holder to court—and win. That’s what’s on the line in Ohio. This ain’t just about one state. It’s a blueprint for breaking the back of immunity that shields state violence coast to coast.

📚 Backstory:

Qualified immunity was cooked up by the courts—not the people—to protect public officials from civil lawsuits, especially police. It’s why families like George Floyd’s or Breonna Taylor’s have to fight tooth and nail just to get a sliver of justice.

In Ohio, organizers have been trying to put power back in the people’s hands. But the state’s initiative process was so jacked up, a federal judge had to intervene. The U.S. District Court ruled that Ohio’s summary requirements violated the First Amendment—blocking folks from even getting their ideas on the ballot.

💸 The Players:

Ohio AG Dave Yost: Certified the petition “under protest.” Translation: He didn’t want to, but the law made him.
Federal Courts: From the District Court to the SCOTUS non-decision, they cleared the way.
Grassroots Movement: The real MVPs—organizers who challenged the rules and made this moment possible.

🔁 The Pattern:

Whenever Black folks and abolitionist-minded movements start pushing ballot initiatives that challenge police power, the state scrambles to protect the system. Whether it’s voter suppression in the South or petition process blockades in the Midwest, the playbook is the same: stall, restrict, and litigate.

📣 Kinfolk Need to Know:

If Ohio can vote to end qualified immunity, your state might be next. Watch this. Share this. And get ready.

♻️ TRAP TALK: Screenshots That Slap

Ending qualified immunity isn’t a dream—it’s a certified petition in Ohio.

📊 Stat That Hits:

Over 1,200 people killed by police in the U.S. last year. Only a handful of officers faced civil suits that stuck.

🧾 Receipt That Flips It:

The Ohio AG’s office literally said it's working to “reform the ballot summary process” after this—translation: they tryna tighten the screws again.