Voices for Voices®

Political Betrayal: When Elected Officials Fail Their Constituents | Ep 302

• Founder of Voices for Voices®, Justin Alan Hayes • Season 4 • Episode 302

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Political Betrayal: When Elected Officials Fail Their Constituents | Ep 302

What happens when elected officials abandon their responsibility to constituents in times of need? In this raw, unfiltered episode, Justin Alan Hayes delivers a powerful testimony about the disappointing reality of political representation in Ohio.

At the heart of this conversation lies a troubling paradox – Voices for VoicesⓇ, an organization founded to amplify stories of trauma, mental health struggles, and human trafficking, finds itself silenced by the very officials elected to represent its interests. As an Ohio-based organization facing a civil lawsuit for speaking truth to power, Justin reached out to Senators Jon Husted and Bernie Moreno, along with Governor Mike DeWine – all officials he personally voted for – only to be met with automated responses, deflection, or complete silence.

The betrayal cuts deep. These aren't distant politicians from faraway states but officials directly supported by Ohio citizens and funded by their tax dollars. Through a candid exploration of political priorities, Justin reveals how the maxim he learned in political science class has proven painfully accurate: "The goal of a politician is to get elected. Once elected, the goal is to get re-elected." This singular focus appears to override any commitment to addressing constituents' urgent concerns, especially when those concerns involve uncomfortable truths about human trafficking happening within state borders.

This episode serves as both a personal testimony and a call to political accountability. Justin questions who these officials are actually listening to if not the taxpaying business owners and voters who put them in office. For listeners questioning the effectiveness of our democratic systems, this conversation offers a sobering reminder of what happens when representation fails and the importance of holding elected officials accountable not just on election day but throughout their terms.

Have you experienced similar frustration with elected officials? Share your story with us and join our community of voices fighting to be heard despite political indifference.

Chapter Markers

0:00 Introduction and Mission Overview

4:14 Exploring Different Forms of Support

12:18 Politicians and Re-Election Priorities

17:07 Disappointment with Senator John Husted

30:09 Senator Bernie Moreno and Governor DeWine

42:22 Closing Thoughts on Political Accountability

#PoliticalBetrayal #ElectedOfficials #ConstituentRights  #AccountabilityInPolitics #GovernmentFail #PoliticalCorruption #DemocracyInDanger #VoterVoicesMatter #PublicTrustIssues #PolicyFailures #CivicEngagement #GrassrootsActivism #TransparencyInGovernment #ElectoralReformNow #CitizenAdvocacy #justiceforsurvivors #justice4survivors #VoicesforVoices #VoicesforVoicesPodcast #JustinAlanHayes #JustinHayes #help3billion #TikTok #Instagram #truth #factoverfictionmatters #transparency #VoiceForChange #HealingTogether #berniemoreno #jonhusted

Support the show

Voices for VoicesⓇ, Justin Alan Hayes:

Hi everyone, it's Justin. Thank you for joining us again on another episode of the Voices for Voices TV show and podcast. It's a pleasure to be able to come to you wherever you are, whether you're watching, listening, if this is your first episode or if you've been with us from the beginning. We are grateful to have you, regardless of how familiar you are with Voices for Voices or not. So we want to thank each and every one of you for your love and support of our organization, of our mission of helping others, of giving a platform to share stories of mental health and trauma and mental illness and just be able to tell their story, and it is huge to be able to do that. I know personally from experience that it's huge to have somebody that cares, that is allowing you to tell your experiences, your story not not mine, but the individuals and I think it's it's huge to be able to have a have a both here in the United States and across the world. That's just incredible.

Voices for VoicesⓇ, Justin Alan Hayes:

And we don't take topics lightly. We do dive into difficult topics and difficult areas, but it's part of life how that kind of emanates from us and from our episodes. We cover topics and areas that others won't, and that's okay. That's just how we like to handle it, because we're living, we're human beings. Not all moments are happy and joyful like the movies, or like if you scroll through social media feeds and see how oh, look at this person, look, they're living their life, they're always on vacation, they're at the beach, they're doing all these things or they're meeting celebrities or whoever, and that's just not the case on a day-to-day basis. There's real problems, real struggles, real things that people have to navigate through, and this is whether no matter if you're just a person, an individual, or if you're an organization there's things that we like to do, and then there's things that we don't like to do. However, we still need to do those things we don't like to do, because it makes the things we like to do possible, and that's probably the best way I can explain that.

Voices for VoicesⓇ, Justin Alan Hayes:

What we'd like to really hone in on in this particular episode is support, and support can take a myriad of ways directions, paths, and so when we sat down and we were talking about how we wanted to cover this particular area, you know there's the hesitation of well, we really don't want to cover this, we don't want to talk about this and we'll just let it go, and you know, things will just I don't want to talk about this and we'll just let it go, and you know, things will just I don't know go back to normal, whatever normal is, uh. We, in the end, though, came to the conclusion that we probably should do a show on support, and I'm going to get into Excuse me, my throat just got that going on, so apologies for that. Support, again, takes a lot of different ways, shapes, forms. We're going to cover it from an organization standpoint, a state standpoint, as Ohio is a state and the United States of America and, and so we're we're going to look at what that means. And then, lastly, we're going to talk about and all these are interconnected, so they'll run together political implications of support of the state of Ohio, part of the United States of America, and we're going to you know, these areas are going to kind of mesh together because they're all related, but support is really the foundation or the linchpin of what we're going to get into. So let's get into it.

Voices for VoicesⓇ, Justin Alan Hayes:

Seven minutes in, let's roll. So support can come in different ways, right, it can come in the form of thoughts and prayers, or it can come in the form of money donations, paychecks, lottery winnings, paychecks, lottery winnings that can come in the form of medical care or prescription care, or eye care, eye, that's. When I say eye care, I do care capital, I, but for this we're talking about e, y, e, and so there's just a myriad of, again, a myriad of different types of support the, let's say, the, say like the, maybe the legal support, but it's the legal support in the state of Ohio, and and what all that kind of means. So what am I talking about? Why am I speaking in what seems to be code, not intentionally doing that? Again, sometimes we're able to get the topics quicker, and others it takes a little bit of explaining, a little bit of description to get into what we're talking about.

Voices for VoicesⓇ, Justin Alan Hayes:

And so we're talking about our organization, voices for Voices, okay, so we're talking about support. We're talking about Voices for Voices, okay, so we're talking about support. We're talking about Voices for Voices. We're talking about the state of Ohio, and then we're talking about the kind of political implications of how politics can play a role or not play a role. And so support. So we're talking about legal support, we're talking about human topics and we're looking at the fact that we live in a state of Ohio who have elected representatives, who the individuals that are going to be referring to are elected individuals be referring to are elected individuals. So there's an election and who has the most votes wins and they, and and so on. Then a story goes on and then you have kind of like the legal side of things where do we? Do we get involved from a legal standpoint, or don't we get involved from a legal standpoint, or don't we get involved from a legal standpoint? And politically, what does that mean? Right?

Voices for VoicesⓇ, Justin Alan Hayes:

I remember very vividly I went to my undergrad at Youngstown State University and one of my classes it was political science. The teacher, the instructor, was a mayor of a nearby city and what he told us has stuck with me all these years later, and that is this the goal of a politician is to get elected. Once a politician is elected, the next goal is to get reelected. So once a politician is elected, then from that day forward they are in re-election mode. What do I need to talk about? What topics do I need to talk about? What topics do I need to talk about? What demographics, what, what areas? What, uh, what do I need to? Again, what I need, what do I need to do to get reelected? It's like, well, man, you just got, we just got reelected, we just got elected yesterday and we're already talking about re-election. Well, yeah, that's the name of the game.

Voices for VoicesⓇ, Justin Alan Hayes:

And so, right, we know there's different topics that are more important than others, and so the politician's staff helps them uncover what those are, so that the politician, the representative whatever you want to call it about elected offices, so they focus their time on that, because we don't have unlimited amount of time. We have to hone in and really focus on what are those areas? That's really going to swing an election, what's going to help me get elected and then reelected? That's what we're talking about. So we have elected officials, live in the state of Ohio, there's legal implications all over the place, individual organizations, and then we talk about, let's say, like humanity, because what we're talking about, what we're going to be getting into, is humanity, and so we'll jump right in. And so, you know, I've been transparent, I am transparent've been transparent, I am transparent, but been transparent will continue to be as transparent as possible.

Voices for VoicesⓇ, Justin Alan Hayes:

Voices for voices, our voices to share disappointment and some elective officials here in the state of Ohio and you know, you hear me say we try not to get in things politically, and we really don't. That's not what Voices for Voices is about. It's not about political. I mean, we all have our views and thoughts and all that, but we don't care what side of the aisle you're on. We're voices for voices. It's not voices for Democrat voices or voices for Republican voices, or voices for Independent or Libertarian those aren't there. Or libertarian, those aren't there. So it doesn't matter to me, to us, where somebody lands. We don't look at that and go oh well, we don't want to have that person or that organization as a guest. We don't do that.

Voices for VoicesⓇ, Justin Alan Hayes:

And so I wanted to get that out there first and foremost as we continue this conversation. So we have elected officials and again, I'm obviously going to be careful because this is not to bad mouth anybody. This is just us talking about being disappointed in some of our elected officials here in the state of Ohio, then. So obviously the words out that, uh, that we as an organization have been sued civilly by Faith Fantasy Alliance, aka Realm Makers, aka Realm, aka Realm Sphere, aka Scout Miner, aka Rebecca Miner, among others. So we know about that. That's out there, right.

Voices for VoicesⓇ, Justin Alan Hayes:

And so where I'm coming from on this show is, you know, as we grow up and as we kind of mold into who we are, as we continue to grow, we continue to grow and learn each and every day that, oh, if there's a topic of concern, thoughts, ideas, comments, whatever we should reach out to our elected officials. And since they are our elected officials, are voted in. And so, regardless of what anybody says or how anybody acts, elected officials work for the people, the people that voted, and sometimes we're going to vote, and the candidates we vote for. Sometimes they're going to win and sometimes they're going to lose. That's just the way life is. We can't have control over that. So, whether it's an elected official or a candidate, all of it kind of comes together with what we're we're, we're talking about.

Voices for VoicesⓇ, Justin Alan Hayes:

So us, as an organization, we're sued for basically telling the truth. We're, we're being sued for, uh, we're being sued for saying and covering areas and topics that some individuals just don't, they don't like it because, for whatever reason, I don't know. And so you know, we come on, we, we share facts, we share stories and we show receipts, and, and so it's interesting because, right, I said, you know, we're taught to like, call and share and, you know, let our elected officials know where we stand and if there's areas that could be looked at or whatever. Whatever, and here in the state of Ohio and why I bring this up politically is not because of who we voted for. It's a fact. I didn't care who, I don't care if I voted for them or not.

Voices for VoicesⓇ, Justin Alan Hayes:

However, it has a special place where, when we do vote for the person or persons, and they do get elected, and they are in that position, and they do get elected and they are in that position, whether that's a representative, a council member, whether that's a senator, whether that's at the state level or whether that's at the national level, whoever it is, what party they represent, doesn't matter when we're talking about humans. And so when we do that, we kind of move forward because we're like, well, this is, and these are things that we've seen, we've heard their own eyes, their own ears, and so, when this lawsuit comes out, as an organization founded in the state of Ohio, as an individual, myself residing in the state of Ohio and myself a special place, myself voting for the individuals we're going to talk about, to get into the office that they are, which are senators from the state of Ohio, and so the senators in Washington DC, and so the senators in Washington DC. There's senators and House representatives on the state level and then the federal level. So this is federal senators two. Each state gets two in the state of Ohio and again we voted for them. And I'm only bringing that up because that's where it really. You know, as we talk and we listen and we share and have discussions and debates and all that, all that stuff's great, debates and all that stuff is great. But when, like I said, we're being told oh, call and send your concern or comment or whatever, reach out, so we reach out, so we reach out and we get nothing. And I really don't like the number one, the first person I mean I'm going to name drop because it doesn't seem like anything gets accomplished if we don't lay it out there. So that's what we're going to do.

Voices for VoicesⓇ, Justin Alan Hayes:

First is Senator Jon Husted, state of Ohio, representing the state of Ohio and Washington DC. Sir, I reached out to you, reached out to your office, wanted to talk, wanted, wanted some support, not money, but support with the matter at hand. And, Mr Husted, you have not responded. Just fact, besides the automated email, you have not responded. And as number one, a citizen of the United States of America, a citizen who lives in the state of Ohio, a citizen who has a business Voices for Voices in the state of Ohio, and a person who voted for you. I'm very disappointed in you. Very disappointed in you, senator Jon Husted.

Voices for VoicesⓇ, Justin Alan Hayes:

Are there other topics that are important? I mean, only you can decide, mr Husted, but I'd have to say that if you have children, nephews, nieces, I would think, human trafficking and an organization and a person that lives in the state to vote for you, I would think that would be important. To want to learn more about the situation and what's going on, want to learn more about the situation and what's going on. And so I'm very disappointed in you, mr Husted, and your staff, that you couldn't even take a minute out of your day to care about one of your constituents who's fighting for what we believe is right, or fighting to help people so they don't have to go through horrible conditions, and so that's first and foremost. I don't like saying this because, again, you're our representative. You're one of the two senators in the state of Ohio that represent us in Washington DC.

Voices for VoicesⓇ, Justin Alan Hayes:

So very disappointed is is how, how we, how, we'll just talk about it. I think anybody would be disappointed, right? I mean, we're told call, call, call, reach out, reach out, reach out, blah, blah, blah, blah. And then, when it comes down to it, not a damn thing's done, not even a callback, not an email, nothing, not a damn thing's done, not even a callback, nothing. And so if you don't, if you won't give back to somebody who lives in your state, who has a business in your state, who voted for you in the state, then who Are you listening to? And I'll just let that hang. I don't know who you're listening to and I'll just let that hang. I don't know who you're listening to. I'm not insinuating anything. I'm just saying well, you're not listening to us, you're not listening to me and I don't want to hear this. Well, well, we get so many messages and the volume is so high, and so we can't get back.

Voices for VoicesⓇ, Justin Alan Hayes:

It's been a number of days this isn't something that you know this morning or yesterday that came about. It's been several, several days, in fact. It's been several, several days, in fact, it's been weeks. And so, Mr Jon Husted, senator for the state of Ohio, very disappointed in you, and we'll just have to rethink voting in the next election Straight up. So that's the first Individual, and the second individual is also our state senator. So, basically, so both of our Ohio state senators represent the state of Ohio and constituents supposedly is what they say, that's what they claim, but well, I don't know. And so this other state or other senator that represents us in the state of Ohio make a stint.

Voices for VoicesⓇ, Justin Alan Hayes:

You went and Washington DC is Bernie Moreno. Now, unlike Mr Husted, I did receive some feedback and some communication with Mr Moreno's staff, so I'll give that to Mr Bernie Moreno's staff, that we at least heard something. But at the end of the day, we weren't asking for money, we're asking to look into very important situations, and these aren't situations that are just happening in other countries, they're happening right here in Ohio. And so, again, it's very disappointing With Mr Bernie Moreno, again An individual that I voted for. I live in the state of Ohio Individually, I have a business, voices for Voices yeah, you might have heard of it, that's also in the state of Ohio, and so, although he got some communication back and forth, in the end was not able to actually talk to him, not able to talk, talk to him, not able to talk to Bernie Moreno, to have a visit, to have a call.

Voices for VoicesⓇ, Justin Alan Hayes:

And again, I don't want to hear this. We get so many, so much communication we can't get back. Well, you got back to me, but apparently the topic and the area and areas that we're in and we want to share and talk about because it's a public safety concern, and I would think, as any elected official, just like any parent that sees a public safety concern, that they want to alert the public. And so, again, we weren't and we aren't looking for money from these individuals and we were given. Well, we can't take a stance, whatever, okay. So when we're talking about people, individuals, being bought and sold, human beings being bought and sold, that's not important to you, that's not important to you, that's not a topic you want to look into. And so it begs the wonder again why isn't this something you want to learn more about?

Voices for VoicesⓇ, Justin Alan Hayes:

I'm not from a different state, I don't live in a different state. Voices for Voices wasn't founded and started in a different state. I'm an actual United States of America citizen that lives in the state of Ohio, who votes in the state of Ohio, who has an organization in the state of Ohio Voices for Voices. Maybe you could check it out sometime. I hear they have a great TV show and podcast out sometime. I hear they have a great TV show and podcast.

Voices for VoicesⓇ, Justin Alan Hayes:

And so, with these two individuals who are our voice, who are supposed to be our voices for people like myself and others in the state of Ohio, we feel left down. We feel let down. And again, I'm only bringing this not only, but one of the reasons I'm bringing it up is because I voted for. You know both of you, Mr Bernie Moreno and Mr Jon Husted, and so that's why it has a special place in my heart and why I'm so passionate. Why we're so passionate, why we're making an episode about this, is because of how disappointed we are. We can't get a public statement, we can't get a. I couldn't even talk to either one of them. Still, to this day, I've not been able to talk to National Senator Bernie Moreno from the state of Ohio and National Senator Jon Husted from the state of Ohio.

Voices for VoicesⓇ, Justin Alan Hayes:

So this all just comes up and I just want to say here at the end so why do we vote? Well, yeah, we vote on topics and issues, and that Well, the topics and issues come from people. They come from the constituents, the people that live in the particular area, the territory, the state, the township, the city, whatever, the territory, the state, the township, the city, whatever and it's just a darn shame that these happen. And this is high profile too. So I also want to add this in that our organization is high profile.

Voices for VoicesⓇ, Justin Alan Hayes:

When I started it and founded it, I had no idea we had dreams and aspirations, but I had no idea we would get to where we're at and continue where we're at and where we're going, or whatever term or analogy you want to say of, because we talk about real topics that are happening and have happened to people. Some people don't want to hear that. They just want to pretend nothing that's not happening. So, voices for Voices, Justin Alan Hayes anybody who's associated with us is very, very, very disappointed in our senators from the state of Ohio, Bernie Moreno and Jon Husted. That's what this episode's about. And so once they got elected once Bernie and Jon got elected, come a full circle. What's their job once they're elected? To get reelected.

Voices for VoicesⓇ, Justin Alan Hayes:

And so I'm going to have to think long and hard about not only who I'll vote for in the next election, but all our followers, our supporters, who actually support and believe in our mission, believe in us and been with us from the beginning or tuning in here. For the first time, we have people in the state of Ohio that actually we have a lot of people in the state of Ohio. We have a lot of people everywhere, but definitely here in the state of Ohio, that follow us, that are in tune with what's happening, follow us, that are in tune with what's happening, and so that's also a shame that I have to spend an entire episode, our time and our energy on this. We're supposed to be able to, as we learn, as we're growing up and through school and conferences, we're supposed to be able to reach out to our representatives and we're supposed to be able to get some feedback and have conversations. I reached also out to our governor, mike DeWine. Same story Voted for him. I live in this state.

Voices for VoicesⓇ, Justin Alan Hayes:

Voices for Voices is founded and our world headquarters is in the state of Ohio. I got nothing from our governor either, and that's, I think, why people get upset. Speaking more broadly is we're told to reach out, we're told to contact our representatives. Well, when we do that and we don't get a response, we can either stop or we can bring things to light. Who are living and being paid by the tax dollars that I, my family, my fellow Ohioans are paying, and so it is a darn shame we can't get any response, we can't get feedback, we can't get a meeting, we can't have a joint statement, we can't talk about what's really going on, and again, there's going to be another election, and it doesn't matter what party or what person or that or whatever. I mean, if I can't get and our organization can't get, we can't get feedback in times of, sometimes, a need and it would be in a high profile and us being a high-profile organization, well, I'm not going to vote for you again, nor should anybody else. And so, then, maybe you all have to actually do your job and maybe care a little bit more about people to put you in office, who are paying your salary, so you and your families can live, enjoy it and live the comfortable lives that you are you're living.

Voices for VoicesⓇ, Justin Alan Hayes:

So, from Voices for Voices, from Justin Alan Hayes, from everybody that's been a part in the past, current and future, just know that we're not going to back down, we're not going to stop talking about this. We're going to advocate for things we believe in, things, morally, ethically, and share those stories, share those voices. So this was a tough one to get through here, but it had to be done, had to share it, had to talk about it, had to inform, make you aware, because it's on a human. It's just not right. It's just not right. It's just not right. So, state senator or national senator from the state of Ohio, Bernie Moreno and Jon Husted so I don't know what else to say. I can say good luck, but I can't recommend anybody to vote for either of you in any election. But if you're an organization, you're an organization or you're an individual.

Voices for VoicesⓇ, Justin Alan Hayes:

We have that first amendment here in the United States for free speech.

Voices for VoicesⓇ, Justin Alan Hayes:

So use it, share it, share your, share your voice, reach out to us. We'll help you. Share your voice, share your story, your experiences good, bad and different who truly care and will truly have conversation and actually support, in whatever way they can, one of their constituents, one of their businesses that are in their states or territories, or townships or cities and all that. So, again, we tackle the tough topics, we talk about the things that are in some of our heads and we don't want to talk about for fear of retribution. We've already gotten that.

Voices for VoicesⓇ, Justin Alan Hayes:

So we're just doing the best we can and we want to thank each and every one of you for being with us, for being with Voices for Voices. You all are amazing. We love each and every one of you and we pray and hope and God bless each one of you. God bless you if you're in the United States across the world, and God bless you if you're in the United States across the world, and God bless all humanity. And until next time, please be a voice for you or somebody in need. We'll see you next time. Bye-bye for now.

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