Overview

• The Ashland County Fair Board ordered the local Democratic Party booth to pack up for the rest of the fair after photos showed buttons with phrases including “is he dead yet,” “8647,” and “One day, we will wake up to his obituary.”
• Board leaders called the items offensive and said the decision enforced a family-focused policy, adding in a Facebook post that the move was not political.
• Deputies escorted party representatives from the fairgrounds, and the party declined comment as it seeks legal counsel.
• Sheriff Kurt Schneider reported the incident to the U.S. Secret Service and said his office is reviewing whether the messaging constitutes a criminal offense targeting President Donald Trump.
• Reactions split locally, with State Sen. Bill DeMora calling the ouster censorship while other fairgoers welcomed it, on the same day Ohio legislative leaders issued a bipartisan statement denouncing political violence.