UPDATE: D.J. Byrnes, who publishes βThe Roosterβ online, an irreverent blog that often targets state lawmakers and lobbyists, was found guilty Friday of telecommunications harassment for texting a Republican state senator an obscene meme of the cartoon character βShrek.β He was fined $200, according to news reports.
By Morgan Trau
(WEWS NEWS)
Oct. 9, 2026, 12:07 p.m.
WILLOUGHBY, Ohio β An Ohio political blogger had his first day in court Thursday, facing charges of harassment after sending a powerful state lawmaker an explicit picture of the cartoon character Shrek.
Heβs amassed more than a hundred thousand followers on his social media and 15,000 on his Substack account. Heβs described in court documents as βanti-power β if you are The Man, heβs going after you.β
βThe Man,β according to Byrnes in his jury trial, is Senate Finance Chair Jerry Cirino (R-Kirtland), a high-ranking leader. Byrnes and Cirino have some history.
βCirino, you threw in the towel, brother,β Byrnes can be heard in a video posted on his social media.
The blogger claims his reports played a role in Cirino losing his bid to become Senate president. After Cirino officially dropped out, Byrnes is accused of sending him two taunting messages, as well as a digitally altered explicit image of the cartoon character Shrek holding his genitals.
βIt was an image that I found extremely offensive. I would consider it to be pornographic in nature β that I didnβt ask to have seen,β Cirino said.
Cirino testified he directly called the local police chief, saying he wanted charges to be filed.
βIβve had it with this,β Cirino said, remembering the call. βLetβs pursue something here because I am being harassed.β
A local judge signed the warrant, and Byrnes was arrested publicly at the Statehouse. Despite paying his bond, records show the blogger was held in custody overnight.
βThat should not happen in America,β the defense attorney said. βYou might ask yourselves, why did it happen in this case?β
Byrnes pleaded not guilty to telecommunications harassment, a first-degree misdemeanor. If convicted, he faces up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.
βThe image made the exact same point he texted. Cirino had exposed himself,β defense attorney William Livingston said, adding that this was political speech. βOne message and a meme and one reply, all about a single subject: the Senate race that Cirino had just lost.β
Byrnes argued he has free speech and that Cirino is jailing a political opponent. The defense claims Cirino used his influence with the police to punish him.
Public records show Cirino called the judge who signed the arrest warrant a βgood friendβ in late April and donated at least $2,500 to her political campaign in 2016. A different judge is presiding over the case.
βWhatβs important in this case is that DJ was engaging in a political speech to a politician,β Livingston said.
Byrnes may take the stand when the jury returns Friday, his attorneys told the judge. Byrnes was unable to do an interview, as he may testify.
Cirino did an interview with us following the hearing, and we referenced the defenseβs line of questioning, asking if there was a conflict of interest between his status as a lawmaker and contacting the police and courts.
βThere is no conflict of interest here,β Cirino said. βI have a right as a private citizen not to be harassed.β
Byrnes has previously texted the Shrek photo to other politicians, such as Republican candidate for governor Vivek Ramaswamy and Sec. of State Frank LaRose. Back before his X account was permanently suspended, he would respond to lawmakers with the image.
Editorβs Note: Morgan Trau is an award-winning reporter for WEWS News -TV 5 Cleveland. Her work is regularly published at Ohio Capital Journal but is usually embargoed from wider distribution by independent outlets. This news article was not restricted.