Thread by @ProgressOhio

Today we learned Mike DeWine and Republican leaders are even further tied to #Ohio’s massive bribery scandal.

#RepealHB6 now. A thread:

FirstEnergy has agreed to pay $230 million for bribing former PUCO Chair Sam Randazzo to help pass an expensive utility bailout (using your money):
cincinnati.com/story/news/pol…

.@GovMikeDeWine already knew about Randazzo's close ties to FirstEnergy when he chose him to lead the Public Utilities Commission of #Ohio (PUCO).
apnews.com/article/ohio-c…

Despite repeated warnings, Governor DeWine appointed Randazzo to oversee the very utility company that was in the process of bribing him.

https://twitter.com/jake_zuckerman/status/1418206077477400577

"Randazzo had deep business ties with the state’s largest electric utility and had long been hostile to the development of wind and solar power, making him unsuitable for the role, critics warned early on.”
apnews.com/article/ohio-c…

Within days of his appointment by @GovMikeDeWine to the utilities commission, Randazzo received a $4.3 million payment from FirstEnergy.
cincinnati.com/story/news/pol…

FirstEnergy later acknowledged the money was likely used to influence Randazzo's work.
cincinnati.com/story/business…

Mike DeWine later met with Randazzo several times, including the day before signing the utility bailout bill (HB 6) into law 👀🤔
cleveland.com/open/2021/03/f…

Recent shifts within @GovMikeDeWine's staff also point to his close ties to this massive scandal.

In May of this year, DeWine removed his chief-of-staff, "who played a key role in the appointment of [Randazzo]," and moved her down to an advisory role.
wcpo.com/news/governmen…

When asked about Mike DeWine's connection to the ongoing scandal, Acting US Attorney Vidal Patel would only say he can't and won't discuss this matter today.

https://twitter.com/joingles/status/1418240449861595141

Mike DeWine is the latest #Ohio Republican to be intimately tied to this growing scandal.

Last year, then-House Speaker Larry Householder was arrested by the FBI for "likely the largest bribery, money laundering scheme ever perpetrated" in Ohio.
cincinnati.com/story/news/202…

Larry Householder is accused of funneling money to help several #Ohio Republican candidates in order to win his House Speaker race and pass the massive utility bailout bill (HB 6).
dispatch.com/story/news/pol…

The #Ohio House & Senate are both currently controlled by a supermajority of Republican members.

They have thus far failed to #RepealHB6.

Contact #Ohio House and Senate leadership.
Demand a full repeal of HB 6.

House @SpeakerCupp:
614-466-9624
[e-mail]

Senate President @MattHuffman1:
614-466-7584
[e-mail]

#RepealHB6