{
  "id": 9397081,
  "title": "How the Epstein files became a focus of Ohio’s Senate race",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/how-the-epstein-files-became-a-focus-of-ohios-senate-race",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-23T18:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Fast Company",
    "slug": "fast-company",
    "url": "https://www.fastcompany.com/91612015/election-2026-epstein-files-ohio-senate-wexner"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Billionaire Les Wexner has frequently been a target of political campaigns seeking contributions in his native Ohio. The billionaire's history of political donations, particularly to candidates from both parties, has become a focal point of Ohio's U.S. Senate race. Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender, was Wexner's former financial adviser. Wexner, who has distanced himself from Epstein, contributed about $116,000 to support Republican Sen. Jon Husted from 2001 to 2025. Former Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown is using these connections to his advantage, running television commercials highlighting Husted's receipt of contributions from Wexner as opposed to any other current member of Congress. The Epstein files, a trove of documents from the Justice Department, are set to be displayed in Ohio, aiming to raise awareness about the issue of accountability for wealthy and powerful individuals involved in such crimes.",
  "summary": "Billionaire Les Wexner has long been a magnet for political campaigns seeking contributions—especially in his native Ohio, where the retail tycoon directed a generous portion of his giving to candidates from both parties. Then came the Epstein files . Jeffrey Epstein , the late convicted sex offender, was Wexner’s former financial adviser. That relationship and Wexner’s history of political…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "CityNews",
        "title": "Billionaire’s political contributions make the Epstein files a focus of Ohio’s US Senate race",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/billionaires-political-contributions-make-the-epstein-files-a-focus",
        "published": "2026-09-23T16:21:48.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "CBS News",
        "title": "Talarico leads Paxton in Texas Senate race, Marist poll shows",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/talarico-leads-paxton-in-texas-senate-race-marist-poll-shows",
        "published": "2026-09-23T18:18:46.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Times of Israel",
        "title": "Les Wexner’s political donations make Epstein files focus of Ohio Senate race",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/les-wexners-political-donations-make-epstein-files-focus-of-ohio",
        "published": "2026-09-23T19:35:51.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}