COLUMBUS, Ohio — Newly released text messages show that Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, along with now-indicted FirstEnergy executives, led the campaign to pass the bill that was the result of the largest corruption scheme in state history. Husted denies knowing House Bill 6 was a bribery scheme.
FirstEnergy spent $61 million in exchange for HB6, a bill that would have given struggling utility companies a $1 billion bailout.
This bribery scandal News 5’s Morgan Trauhas followed the bill’s progress through the state Legislature, as well as the arrests, trials, convictions, and sentencing of Householder and former Republican Leader Matt Borges. She continues to follow the federal and state indictments of the following groups:
This week we continued to put DeWine in a tough spot.
On Sunday, new text messages revealed he had asked Jones for money and received it via a dark money PAC.
On Monday, I questioned why anyone should believe he didn’t know about the corruption scheme.
Gov. DeWine dodges questions about text messages with indicted FirstEnergy executive
Related: Gov. DeWine dodges questions about text messages with indicted FirstEnergy executive
DeWine dodged questions about his relationship with the former FirstEnergy executive.
On Tuesday, I discovered and reported on further text messages in which a FirstEnergy executive claimed he had received a playbook from FirstEnergy on how to help push HB6 and persuade others to do so.
New documents show FirstEnergy is reportedly working with Governor DeWine to pass House Bill 6.
Related: New documents show FirstEnergy is reportedly working with Governor DeWine to pass House Bill 6.
While Governor DeWine works to uncover text messages linking him to indicted FirstEnergy executives, Republican lawmakers are drafting legislation calling for expanded campaign finance disclosure.
On Wednesday, bill sponsors gave us our first look at it.
Ohio Republicans draft bill to require campaign finance disclosure following DeWine texting scandal
Related: Ohio Republicans draft bill to require campaign finance disclosure following DeWine texting scandal
“The only takeaway from what you said is we need to get rid of it all,” House Finance Chairman Jay Edwards (R-Nelsonville) said about dark money.
On Thursday, we reported that indicted FirstEnergy executives plan to call Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted as witnesses in their criminal trial.
Related: FirstEnergy VP Dowling plans to call DeWine and Husted as witnesses in corruption trial
After four days focused on the Governor, I am turning the spotlight on the Lieutenant Governor.
“Are you worried about Lt. Governor Jon Husted?” I asked Governor DeWine in a one-on-one interview in December 2023.
“No,” the governor responded, “I’m not concerned about what I’ve done, and I’m not concerned about what the lieutenant governor has done.”
Late last year, I asked DeWine about Husted, HB6 and the ensuing scandal that led to former House Speaker Larry Householder being sent to prison for 20 years.
Both DeWine and Husted continue to deny any involvement, and police have not accused either of wrongdoing.
Governor DeWine also reiterated his thoughts about 2023 this week.
“We followed the law,” Gov. DeWine said Monday.
But public records requests uncovered ties between Husted and former FirstEnergy CEO Chuck Jones and Executive Vice President Michael Dowling, who donated money to his campaign.
campaign
Before DeWine and Husted were elected, the two hosted a lavish fundraiser and, in a speech I received, Jones spoke about how great the team would be for “his company and shareholders.”
“John has always been very approachable and a pleasure to work with, and I can safely say he is a good friend of FirstEnergy,” Jones continued in his speech.
Additionally, Jones provided funds to current state legislative leaders when they requested them, but all of the money was secret, dark money.
“Chuck, can you please call me?” DeWine wrote on Oct. 13, 2018, less than a month before he faced Democratic candidate Rich Cordray for governor. “OEA donated $1 million to Candidate Cordray yesterday.”
Three days later, Dowling texted Jones, saying, “Chuck, call Mike DeWine about the $500,000. It will go to the state settlement called RGA C(4). Ready to go.”
Jones replied, “Okay, I’ll call you around 5 o’clock.”
Both Jones and Dowling were indicted on state bribery charges. They pleaded not guilty in a joint indictment filed in mid-February. They are accused of being the masterminds of the corruption scheme.
FirstEnergy said Husted was not only a friend of the company, but also had a close relationship with Dowling, and initially planned to endorse him, but after seeing the poll numbers and seeing Husted join the team, the company switched gears to back DeWine.
Dowling sent a message of encouragement to Husted, saying he was proud of him, on the day he announced he was dropping out of the race to join the DeWine administration.
“Your support means a lot to me. I respect you and value your friendship. I hope I haven’t disappointed you, but this is the right decision for everyone involved,” Husted texted Dowling.
And energy talks are said to have started early.
During the 2018 campaign, Husted texted Dowling to say, “I just wanted to let you know I called Chuck. I wanted to reach out to him and give him an update.”
Dowling said not to do it that day because he was going to get some bad news from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission about one of his power plants.
In a group chat on election night, Jones messaged both Husted and DeWine.
“Good luck today,” Jones said. “We’re rooting for you and praying for you.”
“Thank you for all your hard work,” Husted responded.
“Chuck, we are so grateful for all of your help!” Governor DeWine chimed in.
“We all put in a great effort and hopefully we’ll be rewarded with a win,” Husted added.
PUCO Appointments
Getting FirstEnergy’s approval to name a new chair of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) was a challenge, according to communications between executives, and problems continued even after the selection of Sam Randazzo — problems that Husted and DeWine were credited with helping to solve.
“The bullet grazed his temple,” Dowling said.
“You forced DeWine and Husted to do battlefield triage,” Jones shot back.
FirstEnergy, as a corporation, has already admitted to paying $4.3 million in bribes to Randazzo to perform his duties as chairman, and federal and state prosecutors say he was integral to the scheme.
Randazzo committed suicide in April after being indicted in state and federal court, the second of eight people accused of involvement in the scandal to do so. Neil Clark, a lobbyist accused of bribery, died in 2021 after pleading not guilty.
HB6
Records show that after taking office, it was Husted, not DeWine, who led the push for the relief bill.
Dowling emailed Jones before HB6 was passed in 2019, saying the governor had “left the details of HB6 to others.” [sic] Husted and Danny.’” Dan McCarthy was a lobbyist for FirstEnergy before becoming DeWine’s legislative director.
In addition to Mr. McCarthy, the documents also feature John Kiani, who was chairman of the board of directors of FirstEnergy Solutions, a FirstEnergy subsidiary.
“Husted, Sam, Evans and Danny McCarthy have been battling to the end and we’ve been talking to them all day,” Jones texted Kiani. “We’re doing everything we can.”
The other men Jones mentions are Randazzo and Matt Evans, a coal company executive who is an ally of Householder and essentially works as a lobbyist.
Then came the Senate tax issue: Long story short, FirstEnergy wanted to subsidize nuclear plants for 10 years, but the Senate was leaning toward six years.
“Just had a long conversation with Jay Husted. The Senate President called John twice out of two phone calls and John called me back twice. All is good. Jay Husted is heading for 10 years,” Dowling texted Jones in early July 2019. “I’m worried he’ll end up at 8 years. Talk to you later.”
“Matt needs to close out the 10 with Larry and you or he needs to close it out with JH,” Jones responded.
As the Senate was blocking passage of HB6, Jones sent Householder a text message.
“Mr. Husted called me two days ago and said he was going to put it in the Senate version,” Jones said.
“He’s not a member of Congress,” Householder responded.
“I know, but he said Senate leadership would listen,” Jones responded. “And he didn’t do that.”
While those policy discussions were taking place, Mr. Husted and FirstEnergy officials were texting, meeting and talking on the phone dozens of times, according to call records.
The above is just a few of the countless messages Husted has sent out about his support for FirstEnergy.
According to Randazzo’s memo in the federal indictment, it appears DeWine was knowingly kept in ignorance of the bribes.
“Explain it to him as if he doesn’t know anything and he’ll be surprised when he finds out,” Dowling wrote of DeWine in the memo to Jones. “Sometimes he understands what you’re talking about, sometimes he doesn’t, and sometimes he does but pretends not to know.”
Meanwhile, Dowling wrote that “John has received negative feedback,” alluding to the fact that John was allegedly involved in the conversations.
reaction
Husted did not give interviews, and unlike DeWine, he could not be seen in public this week.
To read and watch the full exchange, click here.
“They were talking about him, not with him, so I can’t comment on their conversations. You’ll have to ask them,” said Haley Carducci, a spokesperson for Gov. Husted, when I asked for a statement or comment on the email. “However, the Lt. Governor has long made it public that saving the power plants that provide the majority of the state’s zero-carbon energy is his number one priority. If our power plants weren’t operating today, we would be in an energy shortage.”
I tried to get further comment, but Carducci said he had already issued a statement and would not add anything further.
Husted has been subpoenaed and is expected to give a deposition in a civil lawsuit related to the scandal. Governor DeWine’s spokesman, Dan Tierney, said Monday that Husted has not yet received a subpoena. Governor DeWine has only been subpoenaed to produce documents.
Both the governor and local governments continue to defend themselves with the “politics as usual” argument, which is a legitimate argument but not a good one to use, said Benza, the Case Western Reserve University law professor.
“There’s nothing, at least in the public documents, to indicate that similar kickbacks were paid to Jon Husted or Governor DeWine,” he said. “It certainly seems that way, but we don’t have any conclusive evidence in these types of cases. But I think they have to be worried.”
Still, this could put a damper on political ambitions, Benza said.
LG plans to run for governor in 2026 against Attorney General Dave Yost, who prosecuted Jones, Dowling and Randazzo.
When Randazzo committed suicide in April, I spoke with Yost about what was next in the deceased’s case, and he said he wasn’t going to deny any of the charges or defendants.
I asked whether we should expect this death to have an impact on future defendants, such as state leaders.
“I have and will continue to refuse to answer any further questions,” Yost responded. “As further findings emerge from this investigation, I intend to take my case to court, as I do with any other matter, and make my case there.”
I reached out to the Attorney General’s office to ask if they were aware of all of these documents before they were made public, whether they could have been elevated to the level of campaign coordination, and whether the office was investigating politicians.
The firm declined to comment.
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