Fighting Corruption & Restoring Accountability

Ed FitzGerald has spent his life fighting against corruption. As an FBI Special Agent, he investigated Chicago organized crime and corrupt politicians. Later, after five years as a prosecutor, he was elected County Executive of Cuyahoga County, taking over after another major FBI corruption investigation. Reforming every aspect of county government, his administration was called a national model for honest government by the Department of Justice. We need that level of expertise and commitment as Washington is drowning in corruption at a level never seen before in our history.

 

Ed believes in using Congress' oversight function to root out the corrupt practices we see every day in the Trump administration. We need to lay the groundwork for holding accountable those officials flouting the laws and the Constitution. But just as serious is the epidemic of what Ed calls "legalized bribery."

 

That includes stock trading by member of Congress, which Ed wants to ban. It includes the revolving door, where officials and members of Congress get paid millions to lobby for the same industries they were supposed to regulate. And it means creating a radically transparent system where the sources of lobbying money is revealed real time.

 

Finally, real reform means overturning Citizens United, eliminating dark money, and adopting a public financing system for Congressional campaigns. Right now, the richest Americans have hijacked our government with their billions- and it's time to take it back.

 

Lowering Costs for Working Families

Families across Northeast Ohio are being squeezed by rising prices on everything from groceries to housing to gas prices.

 

Max Miller and Donald Trump have supported tariff taxes which we are all paying, and it's driving up costs all across the board.

 

At the same time, a few corporations are squeezing out real competition, which gives them more power to price gouge, profiteer, and collude to drive up prices.

 

As a small business owner for a dozen years, Ed understands the difference between real competition and monopolies. He favors aggressive anti-trust policies to restore a more competitive private market

 

Protecting Social Security & Medicare

After a lifetime of work, seniors deserve security—not uncertainty.
Ed will oppose any effort to cut or privatize Social Security and Medicare. He’ll work to strengthen these programs so they are there for current retirees and future generations.

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The Trump administration, with Max Miller's support, has cut staff to Social Security and Medicare. Wait times are increasing, and they are trying to lay the groundwork to privatize these crucial programs. It's all for their favored friends to get rich, while the rest of us have our pensions and medical care thrown into doubt. This will not happen on Ed's watch!

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Standing Up for Workers & Unions

Ed worked his way through night school, labored on the factory floor, and in the construction industry. He knows firsthand what hard work means.
He is a 100% pro-union Democrat who will fight for fair wages, safe working conditions, and the right to organize. Ed supports legislation like the Protect America’s Workforce Act to preserve protections for workers.

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Ed also believes in standing up for non-union workers, by increasing the minimum wage and ensuring that everyone who works full time has a pathway to the middle class.

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It's time for Medicare for All

Healthcare is a right—not a privilege. America is the wealthiest country in the world, and there is no reason that every American shouldn't have quality healthcare, without the risk of crippling debt.

Ed will defend the Affordable Care Act, protect coverage for pre-existing conditions, and work to expand access to affordable care. He’ll fight to lower premiums and stop attempts to take healthcare away from millions of Americans.

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But more than that, he believes that we need to move towards universal health coverage by phasing in Medicare for All. Only by breaking the monopoly of the for profit insurance companies can we finally give Americans the health care every family deserves.

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Supporting Veterans

Northeast Ohio is home to thousands of veterans who deserve the best care our country can provide. But recent cuts to the VA, supported by Max Miller, are degrading care and increasing wait and response times.

Ed will work to strengthen the staffing of the VA, reduce wait times, and ensure veterans have quality healthcare, housing, and job opportunities.

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As a County Executive, Ed prioritized veteran hiring and opportunities. As a Congressman, he will do the same.

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Strengthening American Manufacturing & Jobs

Ohio should be a leader in manufacturing and innovation—not left behind.
Ed will invest in American industry, support supply chain resilience, and bring good-paying jobs back to our communities. He’ll fight for policies that support workers—not outsource their livelihoods.

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There is a growing threat that the combination of AI and automation will eliminate the jobs of many Americans. We need to plan now to make sure that entire sectors of the job market are not left behind.

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Whenever possible, Ed supports the federal government using American products, made here, and preferably by union workers.

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Investing in NASA Glenn

Max Miller used to serve on the Science and Technology Committee, which was the perfect place to advocate for NASA Glenn. But he recently was transferred off that committee - at his request- and onto the Foreign Affairs Committee, and that left this district in a weaker position.

 

NASA Glenn has suffered from budget cuts in the last year, also thanks to Max Miller. Instead of defunding it, we should be increasing funding so that it can be more of a center of innovation and job growth.

Ed supports positioning NASA Glenn to be a hub of emerging technological industries, right here in Northeast Ohio.

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Addressing the Housing Crisis

Since 2010, the average age of a first-time home buyer has gone up by 10 years, from age 30 to age 40. Homeownership is part of the American dream, and it is slipping away from us.

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Ed FitzGerald supports mortgage assistance for first-time home buyers. At the same time, he supports a ban on large corporations and private equity groups from buying up homes and driving up prices.

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The third part of his strategy is to support the construction of affordable homes, to increase the housing supply and lower prices.

 

Defending Democracy

Our democracy is hanging by a thread. This administration is constantly undermining our faith in the electoral process. They seek to make voting more difficult, especially for seniors and women through the so-called SAVE Act, which Max Miller supports.

 

On top of all that, the legalized bribery that constitutes our campaign finance system continues to get worse and worse. Billionaires are hijacking our democracy with levels of campaign spending never seen before.

If that wasn't bad enough, our due process rights and freedom of speech is also under constant attack.

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Once this election is won, we need an aggressive agenda to strengthen the democratic process and our institutions. We can never again have a president who behaves as an unaccountable king.

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Ed FitzGerald believes in using investigation, legislation, and litigation- all the tools at our disposal- to fight to preserve democracy in this 250th anniversary of the Spirit of 1776.

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