Two GOP legislators in Ohio want to declare annual state holiday honoring Trump

Two Ohio legislators are calling for June 14 to be declared a state holiday honoring former President Trump.

State Reps. Jon Cross (R) and Reggie Stoltzfus (R) sent out a memo on Friday, obtained by several local outlets, looking for co-sponsors to their bill honoring the 45th commander in chief who “against great odds, accomplished many things that have led our nation to unparalleled prosperity.”

“Let’s show the 3,154,834 Ohio voters (a record and historic number of votes received for President in Ohio) who cast their ballot to re-elect Donald J. Trump that we as a legislature recognize the accomplishments of his administration and that the Ohio House believes it is imperative we set aside a day to celebrate one of the greatest presidents in American history,” they wrote in the memo.

The pair said that millions of Ohioans “felt marginalized by our government and the American political system” and took a knock at the media, saying news outlets had tarnished Trump’s legacy. 

State Reps. Reggie Stoltzfus and Jon Cross are looking for co-sponsors for a resolution declaring June 14 “President Donald J. Trump Day.” That’s Trump’s Birthday, and fun fact, it’s also Flag Day. pic.twitter.com/SHEW4bYUHm

— Andrew Tobias (@AndrewJTobias) January 29, 2021

June 14 is Trump’s birthday. However, some Ohio Democrats told The Columbus Dispatch that it shouldn’t overlap with Flag Day, a national holiday which commemorates the adoption of the American flag on June 14, 1777. 

“I don’t like the idea of changing an existing federal holiday that honors the flag,” state Rep. Jeff Crossman (D) told the outlet. “I think it’s disrespectful.”

A few home states of ex-presidents have implemented local holidays, the Dispatch noted. California celebrates Ronald Reagan’s birthday on Feb. 6, and Illinois celebrates Barack Obama on his birthday, Aug. 4.

There has been a push in Washington to prevent Trump from receiving the same post-Oval Office honors following his efforts to cast doubt on the results of the 2020 election and his words of encouragement to a crowd of supporters before they laid siege to the Capitol on Jan. 6. 

Rep. Linda Sánchez (D-Calif.) last week introduced The No Glory for Hate Act, which would prevent federal funds from being used for any symbol, monument, structure, building or public land commemorating Trump.

“Donald Trump poured gasoline on lies, encouraging racism and hatred, for four years. And he lit a match on January 6th. He doesn’t deserve the honors earned by former presidents,” she said in a statement. “No building, statue or park bench should bear the name of a traitor.”

In the wake of the attacks, Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) announced he would be introducing seemingly similar legislation that would prevent any federal buildings or property from being named after the 45th president.