Cuyahoga County elections officials were questioned by FBI agents in February or March 2025 about voter registrations submitted by Black Fork Strategies, a firm owned by one of the founders of the Ohio Organizing Collaborative. The FBI’s questions were related to elections processes and interactions with Black Fork officials, and they also requested some voter registration cards.

Background

The Ohio Organizing Collaborative is a progressive group that has been involved in voter registration efforts, particularly among Black and student voters. The group has received tens of millions of dollars from large, left-of-center foundations and has been active in state liberal politics.

Black Fork Strategies, the firm owned by Kirk Noden, a founder of the Ohio Organizing Collaborative, has been the subject of scrutiny from election officials in several counties, including Cuyahoga, Hamilton, Delaware, and Franklin. The firm’s voter registration activities have been flagged as suspicious, with some registrations submitted in the name of dead voters.

The FBI’s investigation has been ongoing for over a year, with federal agents visiting the Ohio Organizing Collaborative’s offices and questioning current and former employees. The investigation has been described as a sweeping federal operation, with dozens of FBI agents involved.

Reaction

Democrats have expressed concern that the investigation is politically motivated, particularly given the timing of the raid on the Ohio Organizing Collaborative’s office. Prentiss Haney, a board member for the Ohio Organizing Collaborative, described the investigation as textbook political intimidation.

However, Tony Kaloger, the deputy director of the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections, noted that while Black Fork’s work may have resulted in some irregularities, there is no evidence to suggest that the firm’s activities led to illegal voting.

Original reporting: Signal Cleveland — read the source article.