Coffee House patron calls Sen. Jon Husted a 'pedo protector'
Huron County Commissioner Harry Brady acts as gatekeeper at Sheri's; limits reporters to just one question
NORWALK — State Republicans are continuing an assault on the press that began early last year after Ohio’s two Republican U.S. senators—Jon Husted and Bernie Moreno—voted to cut $26 billion in veterans’ benefits.
In February 2025, Husted and Moreno joined the Senate majority to defund the landmark PACT Act for the 2026 fiscal year, effectively stripping away the health care guarantees promised to toxic-exposed veterans. Since that vote, both senators have been on a defensive warpath, attempting to keep a lid on any public reaction. A visit to deep-red Norwalk last week for a meeting at Sheri’s Coffee House showed exactly why the script is being so heavily guarded: when the “talking points” meet real people, the strategy fails.
Incident at Sheri’s
Husted was appearing with Huron County Commissioner Harry Brady on Tuesday when the carefully managed atmosphere evaporated. As Husted moved through the coffee house, a patron called out, “You’re a pedo protector.” Husted did not respond. While the Reflector and the Register reported on the outburst, the event was far from open. No other media outlets were invited, and Husted’s office has continued a policy of blacklisting local news, refusing to place StayTunedSandusky.com on its press lists or schedules.
Wexner connection
The “pedo protector” shout points directly to the growing firestorm over Husted’s ties to Ohio billionaire Les Wexner. The confrontation occurred just as Wexner was being deposed by a House committee over his decades-long association with Jeffrey Epstein.
During that testimony, it was revealed that Wexner funneled over $116,000 into Husted’s various campaigns. Husted’s office announced he would donate his most recent Wexner contributions to a human trafficking charity. The timing is telling: the “charity” move only happened after the Norwalk confrontation and the release of unredacted FBI files labeling Wexner a “co-conspirator,” which made Wexner and his money a political liability.
Assault the press
Husted and Moreno have spent most of their terms in Washington dodging the fallout of their vote to cut veteran funding, or any questions about anything. When reporters do get close enough to ask about the $26 billion loss, the response is usually aggressive.
Moreno’s chief of staff, Phillip Letsou, demanded “pre-approval rights” last year over stories regarding the Senator’s veteran services votes before even agreeing to a comment. In a further attempt to chill coverage, Letsou falsely accused Norwalk Reflector/Sandusky Register reporter Terry Burton of failing to identify himself at a public meeting. A review and audio recordings later proved Burton had identified himself and acted professionally, but the harassment of local publishers has been relentless.
Gatekeeper Harry Brady
In Norwalk, the role of “gatekeeper” fell to Commissioner Harry Brady. During the “conversation” at Sheri’s, Husted was asked directly why he accepted Wexner’s money and if it impacted his vote against releasing the Epstein files.
Brady later took to Facebook to spin the encounter, claiming the Reflector reporter tried to “talk over” others and that Husted “wasn’t side-stepping anything.” Brady even attempted to enforce a “one question only” rule for the press—an unusual restriction for a public official in a local coffee shop.
The 2026 Stakes
Burton, who recorded the encounter, says Brady is mischaracterizing what happened. “I never discussed having just one question,” Burton said. “I didn’t step on the other reporter’s chance.”
Husted—who was appointed by Governor DeWine to fill the seat vacated by Vice President J.D. Vance—is now facing a massive challenge from former Senator Sherrod Brown. As the 2026 special election campaign intensifies, the “Norwalk Wall” serves as a preview of the GOP strategy: hand-picked audiences, aggressive non-responses, and a reliance on local officials to keep the real questions at bay.
