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Dear Friend-



FirstEnergy’s $4.3 million Public Utilities Commission of Ohio/HB6 corruption scandal just claimed the job of Eileen Mikkelsen <[link removed]>, the utility’s acting Vice President of external affairs. 



If you are keeping score, this is now the sixth high-ranking executive dismissed from First Energy since last July, when the U.S. Justice Department announced the company had secretly funded the bribery scheme to push through a $1 billion ratepayer-funded bailout for two nuclear plants.



Mikkelson's removal is a big deal. She was involved in most FirstEnergy rate cases for the past decade, including riders being investigated as possible unlawful sources for funding House Bill 6 activities. 



Despite cleaning house, FirstEnergy has recently pursued a new legal strategy: they're trying to claim the bribes were legal campaign contributions <[link removed]> instead. Time will tell if the courts buy it.



The $4.3 million question



FirstEnergy has admitted the $4.3 million influenced the conduct of an Ohio utility regulator who fits the description of former PUCO chairman Sam Randazzo, whose home was raided by the FBI.



What exactly was FirstEnergy paying Randazzo to allegedly do? Randazzo was very involved in efforts to kill Ohio’s Renewable Portfolio Standard and Energy Efficiency Standards and block new wind and solar farms, as well as working behind the scenes to develop and pass HB6.



Lawmakers begin process to expel Householder







Both Democrats and Republicans have introduced separate resolutions <[link removed]> to expel indicted Ohio Rep. Larry Householder from office.



Speaker Bob Cupp said “there is a difference in opinion among members” about what to do to proceed, and has not committed to a vote on either measure. Not exactly a profile in courage.



Cupp has reiterated his wish that Householder would "do the right thing" and resign. Householder has collected more than $28,000 in state pay so far this year.



HB 6 ‘repeal’ still manages to stick it to utility customers



Thomas Suddes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer <[link removed]> summed up the legislature's nuclear repeal effort by writing:



Two months ago, in a bipartisan act of contrition, the legislature unanimously “repealed” HB 6 — except the repealer, House Bill 128, really wasn’t: Even Energy Harbor Corp., which owns the Perry and Davis-Besse plants, backed repeal because federal energy regulators now oppose nuclear subsidies. So: Voting to “repeal” HB 6 was about as tough a vote as voting “yes” on Mother’s Day.



The expensive coal bailout portion of HB6 remains, and Ohio's ratepayers and environment continue to foot the bill. Join our executive director Rachael Belz and Sierrra Club's Neil Waggoner <[link removed]>to talk about why it’s time to retire these dirty coal plants and protect the health of every Ohioan. We're supporting a bipartisan bill that will do just that, and we need your voice to make it happen.



Thanks for sticking with us!





Ohio Citizen Action





P.S. We can't do this critical work without you. Please make a contribution of any size <[link removed]> today!



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