Lawmaker supports 'Law and Order Act'

NORWALK — House Bill 109 was voted forward by the Ohio House earlier this month and is awaiting a state Senate vote. If approved, it will be with a partisan vote from the gerrymandered Ohio House and Senate Republican majorities.

Ohio Citizen Action, an advocacy group that lobbies in the interest of public health, the environment and protecting democracy and creating a sustainable future, also opposes House Bill 109.

"Public protest is baked-in to our history, rights and character as Americans. But our ability to protest in Ohio is under attack. House Bill 109 equates civil disobedience with terrorism and seeks to shut down and bankrupt organizations exercising free speech," the group said in a news release.

"The so-called Ohio Law and Order Act degrades the ability of Ohioans to peacefully protest and even creates higher fines and prison time for individuals involved in and organizations supporting a protest where action is subjectively deemed a 'riot.'"

"The goal of HB 109 is not protection, but suppression," according to Ohio Citizen Action.

— Matt Westerhold, Sandusky Register

https://sanduskyregister.com/news/372235/lawmaker-supports-law-and-order-act/

PUCO judge blocking HB6 investigation helped write law

Idea for Sherwin Williams wall in downtown Cleveland.

More breaking news on the House Bill 6 scandal:

Subpoenaed documents released by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio reveal the roles of former chair Sam Randazzo, current hearing examiner Greg Price and others involved in the House Bill 6 scandal.

Greg Price helped write House Bill 6, now he's blocking investigation

Over the last 18 months, PUCO attorney Greg Price has issued multiple rulings squashing attempts to investigate the bribery that FirstEnergy admitted to in court documents.

Jake Zuckerman from the Ohio Capital Journal reports that the records show Price helped draft the legislative text, received regular updates about its legislative progress, formally reviewed HB 6 for the PUCO, and was briefed on its status as lawmakers launched efforts to repeal it after the FBI arrested former House Speaker Larry Householder.

The fact that Price had a role in crafting House Bill 6 policy and is now limiting what commissioners and the public can learn is an affront to all of us waiting for justice to be served.

Like last week's Toledo Blade editorial said,"PUCO has as much credibility investigating FirstEnergy as Al Capone would have had investigating mob tax evasion.”

Randazzo worked behind the scenes

Former PUCO chairman Samuel Randazzo used at least three different personal email accounts to communicate about HB 6 before he resigned after an FBI raid on his home.

The emails that the PUCO released reveal that Randazzo, whom FirstEnergy has admitted to bribing in the HB 6 scandal, fought efforts to repeal the scandal-ridden HB 6 and was pushed by negative press into ordering FirstEnergy to investigate itself.

Still pulling the strings?

The kicker might be that indicted former House Speaker Larry Householder still communicates with members of the state legislature.

After his arrest, Householder was released on conditions, including he not have any contact with potential witnesses in the case.

Please help us hold policy makers accountable

Just vote already! Repeal ALL of HB6

It's past time that Ohio lawmakers repeal ALL of HB 6

Ohio legislators have a golden opportunity to finally repeal all of House Bill 6 by ending the consumer bailout of the two outdated, polluting OVEC coal plants -- one of which is in Indiana. This coal giveaway was added at the last minute to House Bill 6 and is costing Ohio consumers $287,671 every day. 

FirstEnergy customers will pay for the OVEC plants with their monthly electric bills through 2030 despite not using any of their generated electricity.

Lawmakers must pass SB 117 and HB 351, which would repeal the coal bailouts, provide a refund to Ohio consumers and help reverse some of the damage done by the corruption of HB 6.

Both bills were introduced by Republican legislators and have bipartisan support. Governor Mike Dewine has also said he supports the repeal of the OVEC bailout.

It’s time for our legislators to JUST VOTE ALREADY on these two bills!

Please urge your legislator to repeal the OVEC bailouts

💥NEWS💥: Audit uncovers $71 million MORE in dark money

Our calls for deeper investigations have been heard as more dark money has been unearthed.

An audit from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) provides the most detailed look yet at the vast sums of money FirstEnergy poured into dark-money lobbying efforts to pass HB6. The audit flags $133 million - more than double the $61 million FirstEnergy paid dark money entity Generation Now.

The audit found FirstEnergy improperly raised prices on customers and attempted to “conceal the nature and purpose” of these payments from the public.

FirstEnergy now has two months to develop a plan to issue refunds to customers.

It's not just FERC, there are multiple investigations of FirstEnergy currently underway, including: the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Ohio, the Cincinnati FBI, the IRS, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, the Securities and Exchange Commission as well as FirstEnergy's own internal investigation.

Larry Householder asks judge to dismiss corruption case

Former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder has asked a federal judge to dismiss the bribery case against him, claiming prosecutors haven't proven that he oversaw the largest bribery scheme in Ohio history to pass House Bill 6.

Householder's attorneys are citing that here was no “explicit” quid pro quo despite FirstEnergy’s deferred prosecution agreement admitting to using a nonprofit to “conceal payments for the benefit of public officials and in return for official action.”

All of the candidates for governor are weighing in on the findings of the latest investigation into FirstEnergy’s bribe payments and political spending, yet...

Nothing but silence from the Governor Mike DeWine

The corruption surrounding House Bill 6 has exposed a regulatory failure of the first magnitude.

Governor DeWine can’t run from energy bailout bribery scandal as dirty laundry keeps piling up. As Marilou Johanek writes in a recent column:

He had put the full weight of the governor’s office behind the nuclear bailout bill and signed the corrupt measure into law the very day it passed. The “energy” legislation championed by DeWine also put ratepayers on the hook to bail out two money-losing, hyper-polluting coal plants (one in Indiana) partially owned by other utilities and two FirstEnergy subsidiaries. Plus, the bailout boondoggle the governor couldn’t sign fast enough thoroughly gutted renewable energy and energy efficiency standards and removed all incentive to build more renewable energy projects in the state.

Is it too much to expect that the governor looks out for Ohioans? What is he waiting for?

Please help us keep the pressure on and hold policy makers accountable

Fairborn Joins PCFO

At this Tuesday’s City Council meeting, the City of Fairborn unanimously passed a resolution to join Power a Clean Future Ohio (PCFO), making them the 27th community.

Ohioans on the hook for coal bailouts 💸

Thank you to all the good people who contributed to our year-end appeal. We raised $37,415 - a good bit over our $30K goal!

It's so important we carry that momentum into this new year as we continue working to repeal the OVEC coal plant bailouts that are rooted in HB 6 corruption.

Here's the latest:

From the Plain Dealer editorial board:

"If any Ohioan doubts that tainted House Bill 6 is still exacting huge costs from them and other utility ratepayers, they need only go to the website of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel, the state advocate for utility customers, and look at an OCC calculator that’s been running since HB 6 took effect. As of Friday, it showed nearly $172 million paid out by Ohio ratepayers to subsidize two money-losing coal plants, one of them in Indiana."

They Called the Cops on Us

Our demonstration at the statehouse December 9 was a rousing success. We thank all our fellow activists and supporters for showing up! It’s the kind of on-the-ground, grassroots organizing that is our calling card.

Because we are citizen-funded, we need your help to keep up momentum over the holidays. Will you support us with a contribution today?

Santa and his elves delivered stockings filled with coal to all the naughty legislators who haven't yet acted to repeal the OVEC coal plant subsidies.

We know at least some of them made it to their intended recipients.

The real kicker of the protest though was when someone called the senate sergeant-at-arms to escort us from the building. As if we were the problem.

HB6 has forced Ohioans to pay more than $140.4 million in subsidies to bail out the OVEC coal plants: The Kyger Creek coal plant in Gallia County, Ohio, and Clifty Creek coal plant in Indiana. Over that same period the two plants have spewed more than 17 million tons of carbon dioxide into the air.

Your Support Safeguards First Amendment Rights

As a member-supported organization, we simply could not do this work without you.

With each new and renewing member, we grow stronger. Therefore, your #GivingTuesday gift today really makes a difference. 

With the help of our members, we keep fighting for a full and complete repeal of House Bill 6. Ohio lawmakers repealed the portion of HB 6 that provided subsidies for FirstEnergy nuclear plants in March. But they've failed to repeal the OVEC coal bailouts that cost Ohioans $233,000 every day. It's time to literally get out into the street and get our money back. 

Thanks for standing with us,

Rachael Belz, Ohio Citizen Action
http://www.ohiocitizen.org/

P.S. Another great way to make a difference is to join us in person to demonstrate against the OVEC coal plant bailouts in Columbus on December 9th!

December 9 Rally at the Statehouse

We need to repeal ALL of HB6 and that includes the OVEC coal plant subsidies.

The OVEC bailout costs us $233,000 a day in subsidies for two 66-year-old coal plants — including one that isn’t even in Ohio.

Ohio Citizen Action supports the peoples’ right to peacefully assemble and speak for or against pressing issues in our state. It’s more important now than ever to make our voices heard.

It's time to rally together at the statehouse to repeal the OVEC coal bailout

On Thursday, December 9 at 12:00 pm, we will meet at 1 Capitol Square, on the High Street side, in Columbus, to urge our legislators to pass SB 117 and HB 351, bipartisan legislation that will repeal one of the last pieces of corrupt House Bill 6 and refund money to consumers.

We'll give a cheer to Santa and his elves as they leave to deliver stockings with coal to legislators, and then line High Street to show our support.

Wear your festive holiday attire and ugly Christmas sweaters, and bring your homemade signs! We will have extra for those without signs.

Please dress for the weather. We will be practicing social distancing and we encourage you to wear a mask. 

RSVP here and please share this with friends and family!

See you there!

New Facts Demand Investigation

We continue to organize communities around the state to address climate change and build a clean energy economy, and...

We're calling for reform at the PUCO

FirstEnergy will refund customers more than $306 million after a long fight over the way it calculates rates and profits.

Our executive director Rachael Belz says this is further proof the PUCO needs to be reformed in order to prioritize consumers.

Belz says reform should include more consumer input, more transparency in the decision-making process, and better consumer representation on the commission.

Shocking new revelation of text exchange between FirstEnergy executives details favors delivered by Sam Randazzo

Former PUCO Chairman Sam Randazzo lobbied lawmakers to include a provision in the 2019 state budget that saved FirstEnergy millions of dollars, according to texts from FirstEnergy executives Chuck Jones and Michael Dowling. 

State law requires utilities to demonstrate to the PUCO every year that their earnings aren’t “significantly excessive.” The law doesn’t define the term and leaves it to PUCO to determine via a “significantly excessive earnings test” (SEET). Thanks to Sam Randazzo, the 2019 budget changed this formula to protect utilities structured like FirstEnergy from issuing PUCO-ordered consumer refunds.

We continue to work to repeal the OVEC coal plant bailouts that are rooted in HB 6 corruption. Please contribute and help us repeal this corrupt law once and for all.

Thanks for sticking with us!

Ohio Citizen Action