Columbus, OH — Recent developments concerning the deferred prosecution of FirstEnergy implicate DeWine Administration officials in the unprecedented and unfortunate corruption scheme tied to House Bill 6 (HB 6). In response, the Ohio Environmental Council (OEC) Action Fund today issued a letter to Gov. DeWine.
“The culture of corruption at the Ohio Statehouse has eroded the people’s trust in our democratic institutions and elected leaders. This corruption, which led to the passage of HB 6, continues to have a negative impact on the lives of Ohioans,” said Heather Taylor-Miesle, President of the OEC Action Fund. “Enough is enough. For the sake of Ohioans, the time is now to set the record straight and take swift action to restore the public’s trust.”
The letter states, “While this administration has led on protecting our water and land resources, the harm to our environment and democractic systems of government cannot be overstated. All known existing evidence points to our elected and appointed officials having chosen to facilitate rather than stop this corruption. Ohioans—and our environment—have paid the price.”
The letter further calls on Gov. DeWine to:
Immediately make public the details and timeline of when he and his team knew of the corruption scandal and the steps taken thus far to cooperate fully with the FBI and others investigating Ohio corruption.
Initiate an immediate full independent investigation into the actions of his Administration and the resignations of those involved in any aspect of the FirstEnergy scandal—including the appointment of Sam Randazzo as chair of the PUCO.
Push the Legislature to fully repeal HB 6 at the very heart of this scandal.
Reject all contributions from utility and energy companies that benefited from the passage of HB 6, and to call on other elected officials in Ohio to do the same.
Publicly disclose all past associations with 501(c)(4) organizations, PACs, or Super PACs that supported the Governor’s campaign, and any ties those organizations had to utility companies. Also, encourage those organizations to voluntarily disclose their contributions.
The full letter can be found here: https://www.theoecactionfund.org/blog/hb6dewineletter0721.
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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? Contact ebacha<at>theoec.org.