Drop FirstEnergy Name From Browns Stadium: Cleveland Resolution

CLEVELAND — A Cleveland City Council resolution calls for FirstEnergy Corp. to "relinquish its naming rights to the City's publicly owned football stadium" citing the utility's role in a bribery and corruption scandal.

Brian Kazy, council member representing Ward 16, which stretches from Lakewood to Brook Park, is expected to introduce the resolution Monday, Cleveland.com reported. Kazy chairs the committee that oversees Cleveland Public Power.

A copy of the resolution obtained by WOIO cites the utility's role in the House Bill 6 bribery scheme.

"First Energy sought passage of Ohio HB 6 so that it could secure a $1.3 billion bailout of ratepayers by two failed nuclear power plants," the resolution said, adding that in 2020, "a federal investigation into actions taken by First Energy and other individuals related to the passage of H.B. 6led to felony charges against at least four individuals for their part in the bribery scheme to influence state legislators to pass the legislation."

In July 2020, U.S. Attorney David DeVillers accused FirstEnergy of secretly funding a $60 million bribery scheme to win legislative approval of a $1 billion bailout of two nuclear power plants operated by the utility's subsidiary. The state's House Speaker, Larry Householder, 61, of Glenford, was arrested July 21 and charged with racketeering conspiracy. Householder has pleaded not guilty and awaits trial next year.

FirstEnergy signed a deferred prosecution agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice last summer detailing how its executives carried out the bribery scheme in concert with Householder and others, according to The Associated Press. FirstEnergy also agreed to pay a $230 million fine.

The resolution said the council "believes that First Energy applied political pressure using phony citizen groups and paid out significant dollars to restrict or destroy Cleveland Public Power and to influence or control this council."

Furthermore, the resolution said FirstEnergy continues to market itself using the public’s taxpayer-funded stadium, signifying its "failure to fully acknowledge its criminal behavior and unintentionally implies community support for a criminal enterprise."

It wasn't immediately clear whether the resolution has enough support to pass.

Jennifer Young, spokeswoman for FirstEnergy, told Cleveland.com that the utility "has a longstanding commitment to supporting communities through sponsorship of civic, athletic and arts organizations."

"We have taken swift action to address events that have occurred in recent years and to ensure a culture of strong ethics, integrity and accountability at the company. We look forward to continuing as a valued partner with all the communities in which we live and work," Young said.