Dear Friend --

One of the lessons we learned during the HB 6 fight was that FirstEnergy would stop at nothing to get their $900 million rate-payer funded bailout.

Over the last several years, FirstEnergy proposed at least four legislative and regulatory bailout schemes in Ohio, but got nowhere. With HB6 they finally purchased the right legislators and had a Governor willing to sign the "worst energy bill of the 21st century."

FirstEnergy knew that Ohioans would repeal HB6 if given the chance. It was their desperate lies, bribery, blocking, and fearmongering that prevented the HB6 referendum from getting on the ballot. 

The blowback to the referendum was unprecedented, as xenophobic TV and radio ads flooded the airwaves. Reporting has shown  over $16.56 million was spent on TV and radio ads alone.

Coal and nuclear bailout supporters aligned with FirstEnergy spent more on Facebook ads in Ohio than any 2020 presidential campaign. 

FirstEnergy Solutions lied to Ohioans and spread confusion

Ohioans For Energy Security, linked to FirstEnergy Solutions, started their own non-binding petition to confuse would-be referendum signers.

Their petition was supposedly designed to keep “foreign interests” out of Ohio, as they claimed that a Chinese investment bank’s decision to invest in a natural gas plant in Ohio was proof that the Chinese government was attempting to take over Ohio’s energy grid.

It was actually designed to confuse and scare Ohioans into either inaction or wrong action.

Dirty tactics for dirty energy

Generation Now, another opposition group with ties to FirstEnergy Solutions, hired petition blockers to prevent people from signing the petition to repeal HB 6.

These blockers’ tactics became increasingly hostile as the campaign progressed, with reports of petition circulators being followed from town-to-town, and two reports of assault and attempts to bribe referendum petition circulators to hand over the signatures they’d collected and leave town.

One of our own staff was offered $500 for her signatures.

"Where can I sign the petition?"

Ohio Citizen Action did not participate in petition circulation initially, at Ohioans Against Corporate Bailouts' request.

In the final month of petitioning, we did hold "open house" events at our offices in both Cleveland and Cincinnati and other similar events at locally-owned businesses around the state where petitioners could connect with our members and supporters.

For the final week of petitioning, we were officially brought on board by Ohioans Against Corporate Bailouts and engaged staff and volunteers to circulate petitions in a final valiant effort.

Still confused? Here's an explanation of the groups involved.

It's not over

FirstEnergy assaulted the democratic process in Ohio, but a lawsuit claiming that the referendum effort should receive an extension on signature gathering is still working its way through the courts. We will keep you posted.

It's hard to imagine that we are building momentum after such an ordeal, but that's exactly what's happening. Through this battle we have forged friendships and strengthened organizational relationships with other like-minded groups in the state. We also understand where we need to focus our efforts moving forward (hint: it's not at the legislature).

The good news is that the vote on HB6 reveals where our legislators stand on clean energy. We will continue to hold elected officials accountable for their votes.

The future looks bright!

Ohio Citizen Action

http://www.ohiocitizen.org/

p.s. Please make a contribution today to help us continue the fight and and organize for our clean energy future.