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Will DeWine and other Republicans ditch their dirty cash?

Last night, news broke that FirstEnergy had fired its CEO and other top executives involved in the HB 6 scandal. They cited violations of their code of conduct related to the federal investigation as the reason for their departure. This news came just hours after several of Larry Householder’s associates took plea bargains, including Juan Cespedes, who was allegedly the connection between FirstEnergy and Team Householder. 

Unsurprisingly, these fired executives gave lavishly to the campaigns of Ohio Republicans, including Gov. Mike DeWine. The DeWine/Husted committee received more than $36,000 from these executives and their families members. Frank Larose cleared over $35,000, while Keith Faber and Matt Huffman each received $5,000. 

“FirstEnergy’s Board of Directors can smell the stink of corruption on these executives – can Mike DeWine and other Ohio Republicans?” said ProgressOhio Managing Director Michael McGovern. “DeWine keeps contorting himself to keep his dirty cash – will this be any different?”

A full breakdown of the donations is available here.

Gov. DeWine has previously declined to return donations from FirstEnergy and other companies linked to the scandal because they had not been explicitly accused of wrongdoing. Now that FirstEnergy has fired top executives for violating its code of conduct as the company carries out an internal review related to the federal investigation, will DeWine finally return the dirty cash?

This entire scandal feels like pulling teeth – after each new piece of information is uncovered, DeWine and other Ohio Republicans manage to find the bare minimum they can do to satisfy demands for accountability. The truth is this: the entire Ohio GOP is built on corruption and voters have a chance next week to hold them accountable.

Records indicate Bob Young, GOP candidate in suburban Akron, may be under investigation after multiple fires at his properties

On May 9, 2020, Tallmadge and Akron firefighters responded to a fire at a discount furniture store owned by Bob Young, the Republican nominee in state House District 36. One firefighter sustained injuries. The fire is being investigated as a possible arson. 

As a part of the arson investigation, records indicate that Tallmadge police have subpoenaed files related to a suspicious 2014 fire at another one of Young’s properties.  

The records are available here.

“Voters deserve to know whether someone running to be their state representative is under investigation for arson,” said ProgressOhio Managing Director Michael McGovern. “Bob Young owes us answers.” 

State House district 36 is one of the most competitive in the state. Matt Shaughnessy, the Democratic candidate, is (ironically) a former firefighter. Polling released by ProgressOhio in September showed a tied race.

Larry Househodler’s biggest HB6 allies are pouring money into HD 59, trying to save their pal, Rep. Al Cutrona

New fundraising numbers released last week show that disgraced former Speaker Larry Householder’s staunchest supporters and partners in the HB 6 scheme are pouring money in to try and save Al Cutrona, Householder’s handpicked candidate in HD59. 

Rep. Bill Seitz, a staunch supporter of Householder and HB 6, sent Cutrona $13,000. Rep. Seitz’s previous attempts to bail out FirstEnergy are under federal investigation. He was also named in a recent Cleveland.com investigation as being a part of an FBI sting targeting indicted lobbyist Neil Clark and Householder.

Rep. Shane Wilkin sent Rep. Cutrona $5,000. Rep. Wilkin was the primary sponsor of the corrupt HB 6 legislation.

Rep. Jay Edwards, “Representative 8” in the federal criminal complaint, sent Rep. Cutrona $13,292 – the maximum allowed. Like Rep. Seitz, Rep. Edwards was a part of Householder’s leadership team and has refused to step down. Despite claiming he knew nothing of the corruption, he is on an FBI recording of a dinner where Householder discussed the scheme. 

In total, this dirty money represents nearly 30% of the total money Cutrona has raised. 

“Larry Householder put Al Cutrona in office, so why should we be surprised that Householder’s corrupt cavalry is charging in to save him?” said ProgressOhio Managing Director Michael McGovern. “This money is no different than the dirty cash Cutrona has received from Larry Householder and FirstEnergy.” 

FBI asked for AG’s internal communications – Yost must appoint special prosecutor

New documents received show that Attorney General Dave Yost and his office received a federal subpoena as a part of the HB6 investigation. The court order asks for both external and internal communications related to the petition campaign to repeal HB 6. This is not simply about gathering information about the HB6 repeal campaign: the FBI is also seeking information about how Yost’s office dealt with it. 

The subpoena is available here. 

Yost rejected the initial HB 6 repeal petition language. This cost the repeal campaign valuable time and ultimately helped to prevent them from gathering enough signatures. This delay with the language was a part of the lawsuit filed by the repeal campaign asking the Ohio Supreme Court for more time. 

In addition to taking more than $78,000 from HB6-related interests, many of Yost’s former staffers, including Matt Borges and Carlo LoParo, played key roles in the shady campaign against the repeal. Was Yost coordinating with them? 

“Attorney General Yost owes Ohioans answers. Did his office work with FirstEnergy, Republican Speaker Larry Householder, and Yost’s own former staffers to slow down the HB 6 repeal campaign?” asked ProgressOhio Managing Director Michael McGovern. “If federal investigators are scrutinizing Yost’s office, he cannot lead his own investigation of HB 6. Yost must appoint a special prosecutor to investigate this massive bribery scandal, as we have previously called for.” 

The period covered by the FBI subpoena also includes the Fall of 2019 when Yost claimed to be investigating the illegal tactics of the anti-repeal campaign led by his former staffers. Is Yost’s failed investigation also a part of the FBI’s probe? Will it be part of Yost’s “investigation”?

This new development also raises the question of which other statewide officeholders received subpoenas. Who else was working behind the scenes with the individuals behind the largest scandal in Ohio history?

Federal criminal complaint makes clear they new about scheme – we deserve answers

Today, ProgressOhio filed a public records request for all communications between members of disgraced former Speaker Larry Householder leadership team and individuals implicated in the HB6 bribery scandal. We also demand that Rep. Jay Edwards, Rep. Jim Butler, Rep. Laura Lanese, Rep. Bill Sietz, and Rep. Tony DeVitis publicly release any additional communications with these individuals not covered by public records law.

In a rare interview last week, Rep. Edwards made the laughable claim that neither he nor any of the other members of Householder’s leadership team knew about the massive corruption scheme they were a part of. We know that is a lie. 

“The FBI complaint clearly states members of Householder’s team knew about his scheme,” said ProgressOhio Managing Director Michael McGovern. “What did they know and when? Ohio voters deserve answers about their involvement in this massive bribery scandal.” 

A text from Householder to Jeff Longstreth in June 2019 in the federal criminal complaint (page 65) reads: “Gen Now has had issues as well. I’ve had several members – including members of House leadership come in privately and discuss their concern over next years House campaigns based on HB 6 messaging, mail, TV and radio.”

It is clear that some House members knew that Householder controlled Generation Now and that it was being used both to promote HB 6 and support GOP candidates. Who knew and what did they know? 

Only Rep. Lanese respected Speaker Bob Cupp’s request to step down from leadership. The others have held on, keeping Householder’s team and power intact. Reps. Seitz, Edwards, and Lanese are all running for re-election – voters in their districts deserve to know what they knew, and when. Seitz, whose previous attempts to bailout FirstEnergy have been subpoenaed, is also allegedly running for Speaker. 

ProgressOhio has requested they turn over any communications they or their staff have had with the following individuals implicated or indicted in the HB6 scandal: Larry Householder, Robert Klaffky, Douglas Preisse, Robert (BJ) Schuerger, Juan Cespedes, Ben Kaiser, Geoff Verhoff, Dave Griffing, Jason Mauk, Alexander Thomas, Adam Hewit, Neil Clark, Eric Lycan, Matthew Borges, Matthew Davis, Jo Ann Davison, Jeff Longstreth, Curt Steiner, Carlo LoParo, Kevin Servick, Patrick Pickett, Mark Weaver, or Donald Brey.  

We are also demanding they turn over any additional personal communications they have had that are not covered by Ohio public record rules. If they were truly not involved in this scandal, why do they have to hide?