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Dear Friend,
After just two days of opening arguments last week Larry
Householder's trial for bribery and racketeering was delayed due to a
juror testing positive for COVID. The trial resumed Tuesday.
This week, the prosecution revealed the maze of entities used to conceal
FirstEnergy's support of "Team Householder" candidates in
2018: One Ohio United; Citizens for a Working America; Hardworking
Americans; Partners for Progress; Generation Now; and Hardworking
Ohioans.
This is quite the saga. It
took two days of testimony to reveal who sent how much where before
the bill had even been introduced!
The day that House Bill 6 was passed, FirstEnergy lobbyists
sent this image to FirstEnergy executives:
After a complaint from the defense, Judge Black ruled that
the jurors will not see the image for now.
And if that wasn't bad enough, FirstEnergy lobbyists
celebrated that they had secured a state-funded private airplane to
bring back legislators to ensure the passage of HB6.
Governor Mike DeWine’s then-chief of staff,
Laurel Dawson — married to a FirstEnergy consultant — approved the
expense.
This trial can deliver true
accountability for a law bought in exchange for the power that comes
with being the Ohio House Speaker.
Unfortunately, Householder's being removed from office did
not stop our current state legislature from pushing laws that keep Ohio going in the
wrong direction. House Bill 507, passed
in December, classified natural gas as "green energy" despite it being
a fossil fuel that contributes to water pollution and climate
change.
Keep up with the latest developments through our website and we'll be sure to
let you know of any breaking news. We promise to continue shining a
light on government and corporate corruption and working for the
public's interests.
Please help us fight
corruption!
Thank you!
Melissa English, Ohio Citizen Action, Development Officer
P.S. We're hiring field canvassers in Cleveland! Do you
know anyone who wants to make a difference while making a living?
Tell them to apply today.
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