Ohio Gov. Kasich does not have power to suspend open-carry law for RNC: spokesperson

Ohio Governor John Kasich lacks the power to suspend a state law allowing citizens to openly carry guns, his office said on Sunday, after a police union official called for a suspension ahead of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.

"Ohio governors do not have the power to arbitrarily suspend federal and state constitutional rights or state laws as suggested. The bonds between our communities and police must be reset and rebuilt - as we're doing in Ohio - so our communities and officers can both be safe. Everyone has an important role to play in that renewal," Kasich spokeswoman Emmalee Kalmbach said.

(Reporting by Steve Holland; Editing by Paul Simao)