Ohio AG Dave Yost wants government officials to stop using the Signal app
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost wants government officials in the state to stop using applications and platforms that automatically delete messages, such as Signal, to avoid future scandals, while also criticizing a former Ohio governor who created JobsOhio, which later invested $60,000 in a podcast tied to the resignation of former Ohio State University President Ted Carter.
On Monday, Yost published the 2026 edition of the Ohio Sunshine Laws manual, which says that public officials must not use these kinds of platforms, according to the press release.
The manual, also known as the “Yellow Book,” aims to help citizens and government officials understand their rights and responsibilities under the law, according to a news release.
In the newest edition, the Yellow Book directs people to “avoid using platforms or applications that automatically delete records.” According to the manual, Signal, WhatsApp, and Snapchat are among the applications that allow people to exchange texts, images, or videos that automatically disappear over time.
“Self-destructing messages are for movie characters, not public officials,” Yost said in a release. “Using disappearing messages will only self-destruct your career and your credibility.”
The Yellow Book said that automatically deleting communications before they can be reviewed or retained could violate the Public Records Act.
A lawsuit Yost filed in May 2024 to remove two State Teachers Retirement System board members revolved around the use of secret communications outside normal public board rules, such as Signal, to cover their tracks as they conspired to pursue a $65 billion investment. A judge ruled in February that they had violated their fiduciary duties, resulting in their being prohibited from serving on the STRS board again.
In a separate post on X, Yost, who served as state auditor from 2011 to 2019 under former Gov. John Kasich, criticized the former state executive for creating JobsOhio in 2011. The criticism followed Kasich’s response to recent news about the organization’s scandal, saying on X that he was “extremely disappointed” by the podcast that he called a “misguided and weak attempt to deal with workforce issues.”
“You will find the one responsible in the mirror, Governor,” he wrote. “As Auditor of State, I worried about just such things. You ignored a subpoena and twisted every arm in the legislature to pass a law to stop me from auditing JobsOhio. What other things have not yet come to light?”
You will find the one responsible in the mirror, Governor.
As Auditor of State, I worried about just such things. You ignored a subpoena and twisted every arm in the legislature to pass a law to stop me from auditing JobsOhio.
What other things have not yet come to light? https://t.co/woIHXmTQRf
— Dave Yost (@DaveYostOH) March 19, 2026
