No letter, no debate

SANDUSKY — Will incumbent Democratic U.S Rep. Marcy Kaptur debate her Republican opponent J.R. Majewski? Not without a letter from the FBI clearing him of involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot, Kaptur said in Sandusky on Friday. "Before I would agree to debate, I want to see the letter from the FBI," Kaptur said, referencing a claim from Majewski that the agency cleared him of wrongdoing. "I will not go on any debate stage with a criminal." Kaptur, D-Toledo, says she won't debate Majewski without proof he wasn't a participant in last year's assault on the U.S. Capitol Building. A Majewski spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday afternoon. Majewski was at the rally that preceded the insurrection but previously denied committing any crimes that day. Kaptur and Majewski are facing off on the November ballot as Kaptur seeks another two-year term representing the redrawn Ninth District of the U.S. House. The new district includes Erie, Ottawa and Sandusky County, along with counties in the northwest corner of Ohio, including Lucas County. The Register has been attempting to set up a debate between the two candidates. Majewski and Kaptur have clashed before over his role in the events of Jan. 6, 2021. Majewski is a Trump supporter and was present at the scene but has strongly denied doing anything illegal. "What happened in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6 was awful. What I did in June in Washington, D.C., and [on] Jan. 6 was peaceful. That's the end of the story," Majewski told Breitbart News. "He was one of the perpetrators of what happened at the Capitol. He was part of that mob," Kaptur said when the Register approached her Friday and asked about the matter. "And he brought people from Ohio. "He publicly claims that he was working with the disabled on the plaza where all of the barricades were being broken down, and that the FBI has given him clearance that he didn't commit any crimes. Before I would agree to debate, I want to see the letter from the FBI. I will not go on any debate stage with a criminal. I won't," Kaptur said. Majewski has so far not responded to requests for interviews from the Register. His campaign spokeswoman, Melissa Pelletier, did not immediately respond Friday afternoon to requests for comment made via an email, a phone call and a text message. But over the weekend, Pelletier issued a statement: "We're not aware of the FBI processes but we welcome transparency and truth. "I'm not sure if Marcy is aware, but there is a taxpayer funded FBI office inside her district that I'm sure could help her out. "Marcy just commented in public on the news that she knows little about her opponent, yet she continues to make statements like this. "Transparency and truth just does not seem to be something Marcy is concerned with, as she also recently said 'She doesn't work for Joe' yet has voted with his agenda 100% of the time." The two campaigns have clashed in the past over Majewski's alleged role in the Jan. 6 riot, which tried to disrupt the attempt by Congress to certify the Electoral College results in the 2020 presidential election. On June 9, Kaptur wrote on Twitter, "J.R. Majewski broke police barricades on January 6th. The men and women who defended democracy with their lives that day deserve so much more." Majewski responded on Twitter on June 10, "Slander and libel are illegal. "For those of you who want to call me an insurrectionist, be prepared to defend yourself in a court of law. "This is the last time I will say that I committed no crimes and was cleared by the FBI. I broke no police barriers." Kaptur responded, "A lawsuit would bring a full account of your actions on January 6th. In the meantime, we can only take your words about breaching police barricades and disdain for law enforcement at face value." On June 22, the chair of the Ohio Democratic Party, Elizabeth Walters, wrote to the FBI, asking for "all records related to Mr. Majewski's involvement, as well as information on any closed or ongoing FBI investigation into him." "Mr. Majewski has publicly acknowledged such an FBI investigation, and reports held by the FBI will provide vitally important information about him and his actions as he asks Ohioans for their votes," Walters wrote. A spokesman for the Ohio Democratic Party reported Friday that no records have been released. "We have not received anything as of yet from the FBI. We are continuing to press for answers there," spokesman Matt Keyes said. Majewski defeated two more-experienced Republican politicians, state Sen. Theresa Gavarone, R-Huron, and state Rep. Craig Riedel, R-Defiance, in the GOP primary to win the right to oppose Kaptur in the general election. Before his primary victory, Majewski, a resident of Bay Township in Ottawa County, was best known for painting his entire yard during the 2020 presidential election to turn it into a 19,000-square-foot Trump banner, visible from the air.