“Call To Action,” “HB6 on HBO,” “Find Some Shame” and “The Blades Come Out:” The Mess Surrounding Mike DeWine’s Campaign This Week
May 16, 2022
May 16, 2022
Good Monday afternoon, and welcome back to Mike Check, your weekly source of all the infighting, conspiracy spewing and corruption that’s making headlines in and around the Republican governor’s race and Mike DeWine’s statehouse, courtesy of the Ohio Democratic Party.
Here are some stories you may have missed:
CALL TO ACTION. Last week, the Cleveland.com Editorial Board echoed Ohio Democrats’ call for accountability and transparency from DeWine over the FirstEnergy bribery scandal, the largest public corruption scheme in Ohio history. Ohio Democrats are trying to get DeWine to tell us what he knew and when about the scandal, questions that have gone unanswered for too long. As the Cleveland.com editorial board writes: “House Bill 6 and the alleged legislative corruption that would have forced consumers to pay for FirstEnergy’s mistakes is a matter of great public importance, as is Ohio’s cozy regulation of public utilities.” The time for answers is now.
HB6 ON HBO. HBO’s Last Week Tonight with John Oliver took FirstEnergy and Ohio Republicans to task last night with a feature on how working Americans are paying the price for the too-cozy relationship between politicians and Big Energy. Oliver highlighted the FirstEnergy bribery scandal as the perfect example of how energy executives are too often in the pocket of politicians, like Larry Householder, or political appointees like Sam Randazzo and his friends in Mike DeWine’s office. Oliver’s feature is another reminder of just how shocking this bribery scandal is and how we still don’t have answers from Mike DeWine about what he knew and when about the largest public corruption scheme in Ohio history.
FIND SOME SHAME. Mike DeWine has spent the last week traveling the state to claim credit for Democrats’ hard work to put Ohio back on the road to recovery. DeWine announced a boost to behavioral healthcare workforce funding on Friday following his grant announcement for law enforcement last Monday. The problem? DeWine opposed the legislation that made this critical funding possible. Now, because it’s an election year and he’s losing voters by the minute, he’s looking to gain support wherever he can find it – and using Democrats’ accomplishments to do it. DeWine should find some shame and stop campaigning on Ohio Democrats’ work to put our state back on the road to recovery.
THE BLADES COME OUT. The Toledo Blade Editorial Board took DeWine to task this week as Toledoans continue to ask why planned improvements along U.S. 23 between Toledo and Columbus were again shot down. Placing the blame squarely on DeWine and ODOT, the Blade says the updates are needed now and accuses DeWine of “spinelessness.” No lies detected here.
Thanks for catching up with us, that’s all the Mike Check we’ve got for this week. Have a great week!
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