Despite Multiple Arrests, Convictions from Householder Scandal, Ohio Still Lacks Reforms Needed to Weed Out Political Corruption

COLUMBUS – Ohio House Minority Leader Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) today released the following statement after the former PUCO chairman, Sam Randazzo, was indicted on bribery and embezzlement charges related to the House Bill (HB) 6 nuclear bailout scandal:

“Despite several arrests, the conviction of former Republican House Speaker Larry Householder, and countless pieces of evidence detailing FirstEnergy’s criminal acts, not one campaign finance or ethics reform has been passed that better protects Ohioans from future public corruption scandals,” said Leader Russo. “It’s time for concrete legislative changes that fix and prevent continued corruption and violations of trust by public officials in our state. Ohioans deserve better.”

Following former Republican House Speaker Householder’s racketeering arrest and conviction, House Democrats have introduced several pieces of legislation aimed at weeding out corruption, strengthening ethics,  and correcting wrongs created by the largest public corruption scandal in Ohio’s history. 

• The Ohio Anti-Corruption Act (House Bill 112, Miranda/Sweeney) would require dark money groups to identify their contributors and disclose their spending.
• The HB 6 Repeal and Repay Act (House Bill 120, Weinstein/Brennan) would fully repeal and refund subsidies established in HB 6 during the 133rd General Assembly that are still being paid by Ohioans to bail out two Ohio Valley Electric Corp. (OVEC) coal-fired power plants—one of which is located in Indiana.