HB 6 Scandal: Ohio Governor Denies Knowledge Of Wrongdoing

COLUMBUS, OH — Gov. Mike DeWine denied having any knowledge of Sam Randazzo's work to improperly benefit FirstEnergy while serving as chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO), a role explained by court documents released Thursday.

Randazzo is accused of accepting approximately $4 million from FirstEnergy to help pass House Bill 6, a $1.3 billion bailout for two FirstEnergy nuclear plants (now Energy Harbor plants) in Ohio, court documents said.

Randazzo's actions were partially outlined in documents released by the Department of Justice on Thursday, showing how FirstEnergy improperly influenced the passing of House Bill 6. The legislation is now at the heart of a racketeering investigation involving Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and other political figures, including Randazzo.

“If, as stated in the court documents, Sam Randazzo committed acts to improperly benefit First Energy, his motives were not known by me or my staff," DeWine said in a statement.

However, Republican leaders made DeWine aware of Randazzo's close ties to FirstEnergy prior to his appointment as PUCO chairman. DeWine ignored their concerns and appointed him anyways, The Associated Press reported.

Randazzo served as chairman until November when he resigned after the FBI searched his home. FirstEnergy — by then at the center of a $61 million federal bribery investigation — had reported to the Securities and Exchange Commission that former executives had improperly directed a $4 million payment to the consulting firm of an official fitting Randazzo’s description.

On Thursday, FirstEnergy acknowledged it conspired with public officials to push House Bill 6 into law. FirstEnergy agreed to pay a $230 million monetary penalty and sign a deferred prosecution agreement after being charged with conspiring to commit honest services wire fraud, the Department of Justice announced Thursday.

“In light of today’s admission by First Energy, the campaign will make a monetary donation to the Boys and Girls Clubs in the amount First Energy contributed to the campaign committee," DeWine said.

"This is a humbling moment for our company. And we should take this moment to recognize that this type of conduct, at the highest levels in the company, was wrong and unacceptable. We have to ensure that something like this never happens again," FirstEnergy President and CEO Steve Strah said in a statement.

Reporting from the Associated Press was used in this article.