Politics

CINCINNATI, Ohio - A federal judge has tossed out a lawsuit by an anti-abortion group that claimed Ohio law restricts political speech.

The judge also Monday refused to dismiss former U.S. Rep. Steve Driehaus' defamation lawsuit against the group over advertising criticizing his vote on the health care overhaul.

The lawsuits stem from disputes over billboards the Susan B. Anthony List planned during Driehaus' unsuccessful 2010 re-election campaign. The Democrat sought an Ohio Election Commission order blocking the billboards over possibly false claims.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - A new Ohio law requiring anyone arrested on a felony charge to submit a DNA sample has led to more than 1,400 individuals being added to a state DNA database. The law that took effect July 1 expands the database beyond offenders convicted of a felony crime.

The office of Attorney General Mike DeWine says 1,408 samples came from arrestees in July, for a total of 3,520 samples for the month. The state had been averaging about 2,500 samples a month before arrestees began submitting their DNA.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Ohio's U.S. House delegation has voted 11-7 to give the government more borrowing power, with all five Democrats and two Ohio Republicans voting no.

The emergency legislation easily passed the House on Monday and is expected to clear the Senate on Tuesday.

In a statement explaining his no vote, Rep. Dennis Kucinich (koo-SIN'-ich) calls the bill "a fake solution to a phony crisis." Fellow northeast Ohio Democrat Marcia Fudge says the debt ceiling deal puts Medicare, Social Security and other programs at risk.