ResponsibleOhio Fires Woman Who 'Played' Buddie, the Weed Mascot

The Columbus woman who donned the "Buddie" costume for ResponsibleOhio since August was fired last week.

Ericka Buford, 26, still isn't clear on why she was canned on Oct. 14.

From the Dayton Daily News:

“I wasn’t treated fairly at all," Buford said. "They never gave me a reason behind letting me go. We had had a meeting where I had expressed some concerns, yes, but they informed me that everything would be okay and my job would still be intact and everything would be fine. They next thing I know I get a phone call and they informed me ‘We decided to go a different way.’”

She said she had requested security detail to assist in the event that protesters got rowdy at public appearances. She wonders if that played a role in the decision. Without any understanding of the firing — and "know[ing] how the people behind [Issue 3] work" — Buford says she's unsure how she'll vote on Nov. 3.

ResponsibleOhio wouldn't offer a comment on the matter to the Daily News.

One last tidbit from DDN:

[ResponsibleOhio spokeswoman Faith] Oltman said the campaign plans to replicate Buddie in the final weeks of the campaign so that the mascot can simultaneously appear in multiple locations.

...Which would be some heavy shit after a bowl or two of some legalized Gorilla Glue.