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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, 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 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 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.
Thomas Suddes of the Cleveland Plain
Dealer 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of contrition, the legislature unanimously “repealed” HB 6 — except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 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 today!
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