COLUMBUS — Political blogger D.J. Byrnes of Columbus, author of the Substack “The Rooster,” is scheduled to stand trial Oct. 8 in Willoughby Municipal Court on a misdemeanor telecommunications harassment charge.
Byrnes sent state Sen. Jerry Cirino, R-Kirtland, a text message containing an image depicting the cartoon character Shrek with an erect penis. Cirino filed a police report describing the messages as pornographic and harassing.
Byrnes argues the texts are constitutionally protected free speech and that Ohio’s telecommunications harassment law is unconstitutionally broad. Cirino disagrees. “It was offensive. It was harassing. It needs to stop,” Cirino said.
Byrnes was arrested at the Statehouse on June 1 by four state troopers after the Ohio Senate’s sergeant-at-arms called the Kirtland police dispatcher about the warrant. He was held overnight even after posting bail.
After his release, Byrnes printed his jail mugshot on a T-shirt emblazoned with “never surrender” and offered them for sale. The case has become an unusual free-speech fight centered on a Columbus writer and an Ohio lawmaker.