Bernie Moreno, Ohio’s Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in 2024, is facing new allegations of financial misconduct following a report published Friday by Mother Jones.
The report reveals that Moreno refused to pay an Ohio contractor more than $300,000, forcing the firm to take legal action to recover the money.
According to the report, Moreno hired the Welty Building Company (WBC) in 2007 to build two luxury car dealerships in Cleveland. However, after the construction was completed, Moreno’s company, M1 Motors, failed to pay the outstanding balance. An arbitrator ruled in July 2014 that Moreno owed WBC $313,058, but Moreno did not comply with the decision until WBC filed a legal claim seeking to enforce the arbitrator’s ruling.
Moreno’s delayed payment resulted in a court conference, and even then, WBC had to file a “Motion to Enforce” before Moreno finally paid the full amount, including interest, by early January 2015.
This is not the first time Moreno has been accused of financial wrongdoing. Mother Jones highlights multiple lawsuits from Moreno’s time as a luxury car dealership owner, including allegations of racial, gender, and age discrimination, as well as withholding wages from employees. In one case, Moreno allegedly destroyed company documents that were relevant to legal proceedings.
Despite the mounting evidence, Moreno’s campaign declined to comment on the latest report. The accusations are likely to cast a shadow over Moreno’s Senate campaign, which has focused on his image as a successful businessman. However, for Ohio voters, many of whom are grappling with financial hardships of their own, these revelations may raise concerns about whether Moreno can be trusted to look out for their interests.
