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“The fox was literally running and in control of the henhouse”

Sam Randazzo, who previously chaired the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, has been charged with conspiracy to commit bribery, wire fraud and other crimes linked to Ohio’s ongoing corruption scandal, along with embezzlement charges. He has pleaded not guilty. FirstEnergy admitted in 2021 that a $4.3 million payment was a bribe meant to help secure passage of Ohio’s coal and nuclear bailout law, House Bill 6, and to get other favorable regulatory treatment for the company and its utilities.

Gov. Mike DeWine doesn’t directly address call for independent investigation of FirstEnergy; says it’s up to the PUCO Updated Dec 23, 2020; Posted Dec 23, 2020 Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine didn't say whether he thinks there should be an independent investigation of FirstEnergy. Facebook Share COLUMBUS, Ohio - Gov. Mike DeWine, staying mum on his views of whether FirstEnergy should be independently investigated, said Wednesday that the next leadership of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio would make that decision. “Candidly, I’ve been busy on this,” DeWine said during his Wednesday c...

12.21.2020 / 5:12 PM Catherine Turcer Executive Director Common Cause Ohio (614) 579-5509 cturcer@commoncause.org Today, a collection of open government and consumer advocates and former Statehouse reporters who championed open and accountable government called on Governor Mike DeWine to require additional financial disclosure from applicants to the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO).  Their letter calls for the governor to require all finalists to disclose all work they have done with utilities, their consultants...

Dec 22, 2020 COLUMBUS (AP) — A central Ohio judge on Monday blocked the subsidies from a $1 billion nuclear bailout law at the center of a $60 million bribery probe, as state lawmakers scrambled to decide the fate of a repeal effort and nominees were chosen to succeed a utility regulator who resigned amid the investigation. Franklin County Judge Chris Brown sided with Republican Attorney General Dave Yost and the cities of Cincinnati and Columbus in granting a preliminary injunction that would block the subsidies that were set to be added to every electric bill in the state starting Jan. 1....