Lawmaker calls for independent investigation into former PUCO chair

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has said FirstEnergy admitted to paying former PUCO chair Sam Randazzo $4.3 million to help create House Bill 6, which led to the indictment of former House Speaker Larry Householder in a $60 million bribery and racketeering scandal.

(The Center Square) — An Ohio state representative wants an independent investigation into the former chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio and his actions relating to FirstEnergy.

FirstEnergy has admitted in court filings it conspired with public officials for specific actions to help the energy company. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has said FirstEnergy admitted to paying former PUCO chair Sam Randazzo $4.3 million to help create House Bill 6, which led to the indictment of former House Speaker Larry Householder in a $60 million bribery and racketeering scandal.

Crossman calls for investigation

Rep. Jeff Crossman, DParma, wants an investigation.

“According to FirstEnergy, Randazzo was paid for work for FirstEnergy while he was serving as PUCO chair,” Crossman said. “We cannot begin to restore the people’s trust in their state government by only talking about the need for transparency — we must follow through and disclose everything.”

Crossman also asked for records of a formal bar complaint filed by current PUCO Chair Jenifer French against Randazzo.

Crossman also wants records related to Randazzo’s involvement in what Crossman called an attempt to kill the “Icebreaker” project in 2020. Icebreaker’s developer is attempting to build wind turbines in Lake Erie, a $250 million project that would be the first of its kind.

Oversight

The Ohio Power Siting Board, also chaired in early 2020 by Randazzo, looked to impose conditions on the project that Crossman said would have made it unfeasible by forcing the turbines to be shut down every night. The board later reversed the decision for the order.

Crossman also wants French to initiate an ethics investigation of Randazzo.

“To my knowledge this has not yet been done but must be,” Crossman said. “Ethics investigators should determine whether Sam Randazzo’s conduct during his tenure as PUCO chair violated his ethical duties and whether any violations justify sanctions, including the possibility of taking away his law license.”

Assets seized

An Ohio judged recently ordered the seizure of up to $8 million in assets from Randazzo after Yost added him as a defendant in a racketeering lawsuit.

Yost asked the court to freeze Randazzo’s assets and stop future transfers or property sales, saying Randazzo transferred a $500,000 home to his son and sold four other properties worth a combined $4.8 million.

Randazzo, along with fired FirstEnergy CEO Charles Jones and former senior vice president Michael Dowling, are now defendants in Yost’s lawsuit. Yost said the lawsuit seeks to recover a $4.3 million bribe FirstEnergy admitted it paid to Randazzo to help construct House Bill 6 while serving as a FirstEnergy regulator.

Gov. Mike DeWine appointed Randazzo to head the PUCO in 2019.

Randazzo resigned in November after FBI agents raided his Columbus home the same day FirstEnergy admitted the payment.

FirstEnergy, based in Akron, admitted it conspired with public officials and others to pay millions of dollars to public officials in exchange for specific official action to help FirstEnergy.

It also admitted it paid millions to an elected state public official through the official’s nonprofit in return for the official pursuing nuclear legislation to FirstEnergy’s benefit.

Householder, who was expelled from the Ohio House in June, has pleaded not guilty and maintains his innocence.

FirstEnergy faces charges of conspiring to commit honest services wire fraud, but those charges could be dropped if it continues to cooperate with prosecutors.

Householder, along with four co-conspirators, were charged more than a year ago. Three of the six entities have pleaded guilty.