Republican Gov. Mike DeWine made headlines following his alleged involvement in a bribery case. DeWine received a subpoena for documents in the case dated November 17, 2023, according to a copy provided by his office. Ohio’s governor and lieutenant governor have joined a FirstEnergy Corp. investors’ lawsuit.
The lawsuit relates to a $60 million bribery scheme by the Akron-based energy giant and a now-incarcerated House speaker. Following the subpoena, Gov. DeWine’s spokesperson, Dan Tierney, said the governor’s lawyers are reviewing the order.
According to reports, the subpoena seeks any communications DeWine might have had with FirstEnergy and executives in the lawsuit. In addition, it seeks any communications with Sam Randazzo, the state’s former top utility regulator.
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Also, it aims to establish a connection between former House Speaker Larry Householder’s efforts to secure power, the tainted $1 billion nuclear bailout legislation Householder championed in exchange for the bribes, and other related topics.
Similarly, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, a Republican, received a similar subpoena on the same date. According to a court filing, the subpoena is for a case going to trial sometime between February 28 and March 19, 2024.
“We’re aware of the civil investor lawsuit against FirstEnergy,” Husted’s spokesperson Hayley Carducci said in an email. “The Lt. Governor has already provided public records about this, and we will continue to comply as we have done. There’s no new information to disclose.”
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This lawsuit differs from an ongoing criminal case, where the court convicted Householder, lobbyist Matt Borges, and two others. Unfortunately, the fifth man charged passed by suicide in 2021.
Former Ohio House Speaker and now-convicted felon Larry Householder served Ohio for a decade as a lawmaker. However, now he will serve twice as long as an inmate in federal prison. On the other hand, the court sentenced ex-GOP chair Matt Borges to five years in prison.
According to Tierney, no one in the DeWine administration has ever been under investigation in a criminal probe. Nor has Randazzo, the governor’s pick for the powerful chairmanship of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio. As chair of the commission, Randazzo held immense sway over the fortunes of FirstEnergy and other investor-owned utilities.
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Consequently, during his confirmation hearing for the job, he testified before a state Senate committee. He revealed they asked him to forgo plans to retire to Naples, Florida, where he owned an expensive waterfront home. Hence, he returned to the government at the utility commission.
In addition, Randazzo specified that Husted and Laurel Dawson, DeWine’s then-chief of staff, were among those who helped recruit him. According to the Associated Press’s December 2020 reports, consumer and environmental advocates and GOP insiders expressed concerns about Randazzo’s selection. However, DeWine disregarded their cries of alarm and selected Randazzo.
When he was an Ohio House speaker in 2007, Husted appointed Randazzo to the Public Utilities Commission Nominating Council. Consequently, the two allied in thwarting renewable and alternative energy mandates proposed by then-Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland. Also, they opposed a coalition of utilities led by FirstEnergy.
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