It’s supposed to be a Halloween special, but Ohio and national politics had other plans. Robert and Tom kick things off with oversized Halloween decorations, unusually warm fall weather, and a reminder that nobody’s taking our Great Lakes water without a fight. Hey guys, the clown is called Pennywise the Dancing Clown and I took a picture! We just wonder if it will stay up for Christmas…After a quick update on Rob’s knee—and Tom’s medical advice, which is about as subtle as you’d expect—the conversation turns to election controversies, questionable polling, and two decidedly dark chapters of Ohio history. Then it’s back to Halloween fun, with a haunted prison and a couple of Good Things to finish things off.
🗳️ Ilhan Omar Update: Questions, Allegations & More Political Drama
Last week’s discussion about Rep. Ilhan Omar took another turn as Robert and Tom revisited allegations surrounding her marriage history, immigration records, and family connections. Robert was particularly incredulous about the questions being raised over documentation and whether the appropriate checks had been done. Tom questioned the wording of Omar’s past responses, while both hosts acknowledged that the allegations still need to be substantiated.
The discussion included claims circulating online about her identity and possible legal violations. As Robert sees it, the questions deserve scrutiny, but allegations and online speculation are not the same as proof. Naturally, the hosts also had some sarcastic predictions about how this story might end—and they’re keeping an eye on what develops next.
🎯 Vivek’s Campaign Ad, Amy Acton & the Politics of Prediction Markets
Vivek Ramaswamy’s campaign and a controversial ad featuring Amy Acton’s mother provided the next round of election-season drama. The ad reportedly had millions of dollars behind it, and the hosts examined the backlash over its use of a family member to criticize a political opponent. Tom questioned whether the ad was directly produced by Vivek’s campaign or another political group, while Robert focused on the substance of the criticism and the media reaction.
Their take? Two things can be true at once: the family relationship can be complicated, and questions about a candidate’s record can still deserve scrutiny. Robert wasn’t buying the idea that criticism of the ad automatically settled the underlying political argument. The hosts also compared the controversy with past campaigns that have featured candidates’ relatives.
From there, the conversation moved to prediction markets such as Polymarket and whether betting odds can influence how voters perceive a race. Robert raised the possibility that deep-pocketed political players could move the odds by placing large bets, particularly in state races where a few million dollars can make a splash. Tom questioned how reliable those markets really are and argued that gambling needs more guardrails, especially when it extends into sports and individual plays. Neither host thought the concept necessarily needs to disappear, but the potential for manipulation is hard to ignore.
▶️ YouTube: News 5 Cleveland -Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine Tells Ramaswamy to Remove Controversial Ad
🔗: Walter Curt (@wcdispatch) on X
📊 Fake Polls: How a Made-Up Pollster Got Into the Election Conversation
Just when election polling was already under suspicion, the hosts turned to the revelations surrounding Wedgwood Polls and Socal Strategies. According to the reporting they discussed, Wedgwood admitted that it was a fictional polling operation and that it had fabricated surveys—including an Ohio poll showing Sherrod Brown ahead of Jon Husted and Amy Acton narrowly ahead in her race.
Robert questioned why anyone would fake polls with such close numbers if the goal was to influence the overall polling picture. The concern was that fabricated results could be picked up by news outlets and polling aggregators, potentially distorting the numbers people use to judge a race. Tom noted that polling has struggled for years to capture Republican and rural voters accurately, while Robert pointed to the difficulty of getting people to answer calls and texts in the first place.
The hosts weren’t convinced by the explanation that the operation was merely a social experiment. They also questioned how carefully polling aggregators vet the surveys they include. As Robert put it in his own way, if an aggregator wants people to take its numbers seriously, it needs to do more than collect a handful of polls and hope for the best.
Sources:
🔗: FiftyPlusOne just caught a pollster faking data — and they copped to it
🔗: More pollster funny business uncovered by FiftyPlusOne
🔗: Fake polls are a real problem
🩸 The Cleveland Torso Murders: Kingsbury Run’s Grim History
With politics temporarily set aside, Robert and Tom headed into some genuinely dark Northeast Ohio history. Between 1935 and 1938, human remains were discovered in and around Kingsbury Run, an area of Cleveland associated with a series of gruesome killings commonly known as the Cleveland Torso Murders. The victims were often dismembered, many were never identified, and the case drew national attention.
The investigation eventually involved Cleveland Safety Director Eliot Ness, famous for his earlier work against organized crime. His efforts included clearing and burning shantytowns in the area, but the killings were never conclusively solved. One suspected killer, Dr. Francis Sweeney, reportedly taunted Ness with postcards, yet no definitive proof ever established his guilt. Robert was surprised by the scale of the case and how much of Ness’s career became entangled in it.
The guys also wandered through Ohio’s wider history of serial killers, including Jeffrey Dahmer, Samuel Little, and Anthony Sowell. Cleveland has more than enough grim history for a Halloween episode, thank you very much. And if you’re exploring the old Kingsbury Run area today, remember that the landscape has changed considerably since the 1930s—even if the history remains unsettling.
Sources:
🔗: Solving the Cleveland Torso Murders
🔗: TORSO MURDERS | Encyclopedia of Cleveland History | Case Western Reserve University
▶️ YouTube: Absolute Crime:The Mystery Of The Cleveland Torso Murders
👻 Mansfield Reformatory: Prison History, Ghost Stories & a Very Long Night
The Halloween deep dive continued at the Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield, a massive historic building with a reputation for ghost stories, a grim institutional past, and a starring role in The Shawshank Redemption. Originally opened as a reformatory for young men, the facility later became a prison. Robert and Tom discussed the harsh conditions inmates endured, the deaths associated with the institution, and the stories that have helped build its haunted reputation.
Rob had a personal story to add: years ago, he joined a group for an overnight ghost hunt at the reformatory on a Friday the 13th during a full moon. With much of the building in darkness, the group explored corridors, cell areas, and other parts of the enormous structure. He described it as one of the creepiest places he’d ever visited. Tom, meanwhile, wondered how anyone managed to get lost or stuck in a place like that—and wasn’t entirely convinced that wandering around an abandoned prison in the dark was the best idea.
The reformatory’s history and atmosphere make it an obvious Halloween destination, whether you believe in ghosts or simply appreciate an imposing old building with a story to tell. Robert and Tom also floated the idea of doing more Ohio folklore and paranormal episodes, covering legends such as the Melon Heads and the Grassman. If that sounds like your kind of thing, let them know.
Sources:
🔗: Ohio State Reformatory: The Hole, The Hauntings, The Horror
▶️ YouTube: Our Ohio:Ohio State Reformatory, Mansfield
▶️ YouTube: Kbear586 -Mansfield Reformatory – A Former Inmate’s Story
🌟 Good Things
🎃 Cleveland Haunt Club: Halloween Is Serious Business
For some people, Halloween means a pumpkin on the porch. For the members of the Cleveland Haunt Club, it’s practically a year-round operation. Robert and Tom discussed the club’s annual haunted garage sale and hearse cruise, which brings together vendors and enthusiasts from across Northeast Ohio.
The event at the Lorain County Fairgrounds drew a sizable crowd, with nearly 150 vendors offering spooky merchandise and Halloween collectibles. If you’re into masks, props, decorations, or the whole haunted-house scene, this sounds like a good place to browse—and probably a good way to discover just how much Halloween stuff you didn’t know you needed.
Source:
🔗: Halloween is serious business for members of the Cleveland Haunt Club
🎃 Circleville Pumpkin Show Produces a Record-Breaking Giant
Ohio’s pumpkin season delivered a heavyweight champion this year. The 2026 Circleville Pumpkin Show winner weighed in at a whopping 2,455 pounds, smashing the previous record of 2,388.5 pounds set in 2023.
Robert and Tom were impressed—and understandably had questions about how anyone grows, transports, and handles a pumpkin that size without it collapsing under its own weight. Tom suggested growing one right on a trailer, while Robert imagined the equipment needed to turn a corner of the monster into pumpkin pie. Forget a kitchen mixer; you might need a forklift.
It’s a fun reminder that Ohio’s fall traditions can get wonderfully ridiculous. And at this rate, the next record-breaking pumpkin might need its own zip code.
Source:
🔗: 2026 Circleville Pumpkin Show winner breaks all-time record
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That’s another week on Crooked River Cast, where election-season nonsense meets Ohio history—and sometimes a pumpkin big enough to require heavy equipment.
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