OEC Action Fund Statement on FirstEnergy Bribery Charges

Columbus, OH — Federal prosecutors announced additional details today in the ongoing House Bill 6 corruption scandal confirming that FirstEnergy Corp., parent company of FirstEnergy Solutions which is now Energy Harbor, bribed former House Speaker Larry Householder. Additionally, federal prosecutors accused FirstEnergy of pushing for the appointment of former Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) Chair Sam Randazzo and then bribing him to obtain favorable votes on matters before the commission.

The following statement on this news can be attributed in full or part to Heather Taylor-Miesle, President of the Ohio Environmental Council (OEC) Action Fund:

“Today’s FBI announcement confirmed what we already knew: FirstEnergy bribed former Speaker Householder and former PUCO Chair Sam Randazzo to pass legislation and influence decisions benefiting their bottom line at the expense of Ohioans. For far too long, politicians have let corporations and money influence Ohio energy policy instead of implementing the best policies that will help all Ohioans. 

“Even with this settlement, ratepayers continue to pay the egregious costs of House Bill 6 (HB 6) and this corruption scandal every month on their electric bills. The legislature has only repealed portions of HB 6. Leaving the coal plant subsidies in place fails to restore the public’s trust in the legislative process, hurts Ohioans’ health and pocketbooks, and sets Ohio further back in the fight against climate change. HB 6 was never a good policy, was passed through corrupt bribery, and there is no excuse for it not being repealed in full. 

“We call on Ohio lawmakers to stop taking any and all donations from Ohio utilities, and instead focus on creating the best energy policy for Ohioans and our environment. We also call for a full investigation of each and every one of former PUCO Chair Randazzo’s rulings at the PUCO and Ohio Power Siting Board. Each case he presided over is possibly tainted by corrupt ties to FirstEnergy. Finally, we reiterate our call to repeal every last bit of HB 6 and hold every connected government official accountable to move Ohio forward.

“Ohioans deserve lawmakers and leaders who work for them—not for corrupt utilities—and fight for our sustainable future.”

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The Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund is committed to protecting and enhancing the environment and the health of all Ohio communities. We will continue to fight for Ohio’s access to clean water, healthy air, vibrant public lands and a strong democracy. 

Press Inquiries? Please contact ebacha@theoec.org