Tags: mehek cooke | columbus | fraud | somalia | child care | assault

Ohio Lawyer to Newsmax: Feckless Mayor Ignoring Child Care Fraud

By    |   Friday, 02 January 2026 08:46 PM EST

Ohio attorney Mehek Cooke told Newsmax on Friday that she wants the people who assaulted her when she tried to uncover fraud at a child care center to be charged.

Cooke said on "Carl Higbie: FRONTLINE" that she was assaulted at two child care facilities on the same day in Columbus.

"I asked for tuition rates and if they were open and if they could just provide that to me," Cooke said. "And I was immediately met with a visceral reaction."

"I walked in and with two hands, this lady grabs my arm and pushes me out," Cooke continued. "And then my friend ... recorded it because I figured if I'm going to be assaulted, this better be on camera, because you cannot touch a citizen for asking where taxpayer dollars are going."

Cooke said Columbus police have issued a report but she doesn't believe it will go further.

"Unfortunately, we have a feckless mayor here and a feckless prosecutor that's not going to do anything," Cooke said. "But the minute you put your hands on somebody for asking just normal questions, it raises a red flag."

"What are they hiding and why are they putting their hands on somebody like me who's just a taxpayer in Columbus, Ohio, asking basic questions about funding and how much they charge?" Cooke continued.

Cooke also bashed Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for saying he wanted to visit Somalia.

"Look, Carl, ask yourself one question. Who are these people really working for?" Cooke said. "When you're worried more about Somalians and we know that there's massive fraud, alleged fraud in the state, what are they doing in terms of asking for visiting Somalia?" 

"Shouldn't this mayor be joining the 100 mayors that actually asked for an audit and asked for additional inspections through the federal government?" Cooke continued.

"You had over 99 to 100 mayors in Minnesota saying, audit us and we need your help. But this guy is going to again, grandstand," Cooke concluded. "But it shows that the Democrat Party is more about foreign governments rather than American citizens."

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Sam Barron

Sam Barron has almost two decades of experience covering a wide range of topics including politics, crime and business.

© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.


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Ohio attorney Mehek Cooke told Newsmax on Friday she wants the people who assaulted her when she tried to uncover fraud at a child care center to be charged with assault.
mehek cooke, columbus, fraud, somalia, child care, assault
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2026-46-02
Friday, 02 January 2026 08:46 PM
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