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Columbus, OH — Today, the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio announced federal charges against FirstEnergy for its role in the alleged multi-million dollar bribery scheme orchestrated by top-level members of the Ohio GOP, the largest public corruption case in state history. One year after the arrest of former Republican Speaker Larry Householder, FirstEnergy has agreed to pay a $230 million penalty for its role in the scandal.

Today’s announcement only raises more questions about FirstEnergy’s connections to Mike DeWine and Jon Husted, including an alleged $4 million payment FirstEnergy made to Sam Randazzo before DeWine appointed him to head the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, ignoring concerns that were raised to DeWine about Randazzo’s close ties to the industry.

“As much as Mike DeWine, Jon Husted and the Ohio GOP might like it to, the largest public corruption scandal in state history is not going away anytime soon. One year later, the connections between the DeWine Administration and top-level operatives leading this alleged bribery scheme only continue to grow. Mike DeWine should come clean about his discussions with FirstEnergy executives and provide an accounting to the public and the press about any role he and his staff played in the ongoing scandal,” said Matt Keyes, spokesperson for the Ohio Democratic Party

Here are five questions about DeWine’s connections to the HB 6 scandal that Ohio voters deserve answers to:

1. Were DeWine, Jon Husted or any of DeWine’s top advisors involved in discussions about the HB 6 campaign, including conversations about campaign donations connected to the scheme?
2. Why did DeWine move forward on the appointment of Sam Randazzo to lead the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio despite concerns raised to Husted and DeWine’s then-chief of staff about Randazzo’s connections to FirstEnergy?
3. What was discussed at meetings between DeWine, Husted and FirstEnergy executives at an October 2018 Republican fundraiser and a separate sitdown dinner in December 2018?
4. Why did DeWine turn to FirstEnergy to solicit campaign contributions to his daughter’s Greene County prosecutor’s race?
5. Why has DeWine and his team consistently shied away from or outright refused to answer questions regarding the scandal?

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Cincinnati, OH — Today, ahead of President Biden’s visit to Cincinnati the Ohio Democratic Party brought its “Road to Recovery” tour to the Queen City as Ohio is back on the road to recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and building back better thanks to the leadership of President Biden and Ohio Democrats.

At the event, Hamilton County Democratic Party Chair Gwen McFarlin, Laborers Local 265 President Larry Thompson and local workers talked about economic policies that are working for working families under Democratic leadership. 

“We’re here today not only to celebrate the progress we’ve made in Cincinnati and across the state, but to also look ahead to the work that’s still left to be done to build back better in Ohio. By investing in working families in Ohio, we’re investing in the future of our state. And I look forward to hearing President Biden talk tonight to voters about the success we’ve had so far, and the success that’s still to come under Democratic leadership,” said Chair McFarlin.

“We’re not asking for a lot, we just want to know that if we play by the rules and do the right things, our families will be taken care of. And that’s what we’re seeing from President Biden – from getting us through the pandemic to tax credits for working families and now the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework. I look forward to seeing more in the coming weeks and years ahead,” said President Larry Thompson, LiUNA! Local 265.

“We’ve come a long way since last year. And that’s a direct result of President Biden’s leadership and his commitment to investing in working families. Our workers now have a card-carrying member, Marty Walsh, as our Secretary of Labor and their families have the help they need to raise a family thanks to the Child Tax Credit and we know our pensions are closer to being secure thanks to a provision authored by Sherrod Brown in the American Rescue Plan,” said Justin Phillips, Business Manager & Secretary-Treasurer, LiUNA! Local 265. 

“Looking ahead, we know we have lots of work ahead of us, but Ohio families can breathe a little easier knowing that help is on the way, which is why we must pass the $1.2 trillion dollar infrastructure framework, because investing in working families is a key part of President Biden’s plan to build back better in Ohio,” continued Phillips. 

Thanks to President Biden and Ohio Democrats:

• More than 5 million Ohioans are fully vaccinated and able to safely gather with family and friends again;
• Ohio families are receiving a massive tax cut and targeted checks to help them with the costs of raising children thanks to the expanded Child Tax Credit;
• And Ohio is set to receive major investments in roads, bridges and new jobs under an infrastructure plan negotiated by President Biden. 

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Toledo, OH — Today, the Ohio Democratic Party brought its “Road to Recovery” tour to Toledo as Ohio is back on the road to recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and building back better thanks to the leadership of President Biden and Ohio Democrats.The tour comes ahead of President Biden’s visit to the state Wednesday for a town hall discussion in Cincinnati.

At the event, State Rep. Paula Hicks-Hudson, Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz, Lucas Treasurer Lindsay Webb and Justin Richmond, a northwest Ohio worker, talked about economic policies that are working for working families under Democratic leadership.

“It’s been a tough year for communities around the state, including Toledo, and we know it’s not enough just to return to normal. We have to build back better and invest in working families to create a better future for our state, and that’s exactly what President Biden is doing,” said Rep. Hicks-Hudson.

“Now is the time for Congress to make smart investments in our infrastructure and in our people that create millions of good-paying jobs and set us on the path to economic growth for decades like these plans do. Years of tax cuts for the wealthy and big corporations have put Wall Street and the very rich ahead of middle class and working Americans. Democrats are saying: enough. We’re investing in working Ohioans in order to build back better in Ohio and across the country,” said Treasurer Webb.

“Thanks to President Biden and the leadership of Democrats across the state, Ohio is back on the road to recovery. We know that folks are once again able to safely gather together and families are benefitting from a massive tax cut, as hundreds of dollars in help hits the bank accounts of most Ohio families this month thanks to the expanded Child Tax Credit. We’re not out of the woods yet, but we’ve made significant progress in helping Ohioans get ahead,” said Mayor Kapszukiewicz.

“In the past, we’ve heard lots of promises from politicians about investing in workers and supporting working families. Yet, for too long, we’ve seen policies out of Washington that prioritize Wall Street over workers. But President Biden has kept his promises to put working people first,” said Mr. Richmond.

Thanks to President Biden and Ohio Democrats:

• More than 5 million Ohioans are fully vaccinated and able to safely gather with family and friends again;
• Ohio families are receiving a massive tax cut and targeted checks to help them with the costs of raising children thanks to the expanded Child Tax Credit;
• And Ohio is set to receive major investments in roads, bridges and new jobs under an infrastructure plan negotiated by President Biden.

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Columbus, OH — Today, a group of moms from all across Ohio celebrated a massive tax cut for working families as the expanded Child Tax Credit payments are set to start hitting Ohioans’ bank accounts on Thursday.

Because of the work of Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Ohio’s Democratic congressional delegation, most Ohio families will start receiving monthly payments of up to $300 until the end of the year and the remainder of the tax credit will be dispersed next year. Eligible parents will receive a $3,000 credit in total for every child aged 6 to 17 and $3,600 for every child under age 6 (up from $2,000 per dependent child up to age 16 previously).

“As a mom myself, I can’t say enough about what these payments will mean for families like mine and the relief they’ll provide to children across our state. But it’s more than just an investment in working families. The Child Tax Credit has been called one of the most effective ways to combat child poverty. So this is more than a tax cut, it’s an investment in the future of our state,” said Rep. Tavia Galonski (D-Akron).

“As someone who has navigated the healthcare system and the insurance system on behalf of my family, I know the deck is too often stacked against working families in Ohio. That’s why it’s so refreshing to see a meaningful tax cut and investment in families like mine thanks to the leadership of Ohio Democrats, including Sherrod Brown and others who made this middle-class tax cut possible,” said central Ohio mom Crystal Lett.

“For too long, we’ve seen GOP politicians talk a good game about investing in the middle-class and investing in families only to turn around and give out big tax breaks to the wealthy and well-connected. But President Biden and Ohio Democrats are laser focused on investments that help working families in our state get ahead, and the CTC payments we’re all about to receive is only the latest example,” said southwest Ohio mom Kate Rich.

The tax cut will benefit more than 90 percent of families across the state and provide working families with the resources they need to take care of their kids and their families. Not a single Republican voted for the tax cut, included in the American Rescue Plan along with funding for vaccine distribution and small businesses.

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Columbus, OH — Yesterday, Frank LaRose called a press conference to announce that in the 2020 election only 13 votes — out of 5.9 million votes cast — would be referred for further investigation into voter fraud. That’s .000002% of all ballots cast. Yet, despite the fact that a fraction of 1% of ballots cast were referred for further investigation, LaRose continues to support the GOP anti-voter bill working its way through the state legislature.

LaRose, a master at talking out of both sides of his mouth, talked about the success of the 2020 election and how ‘exceedingly rare’ voter fraud is while at the same time he has been publicly supportive of a bill that attacks Ohioans’ voting rights and creates unnecessary challenges for Ohioans who want to have their voice heard. The 2020 election was successful largely because of the availability of dropboxes, early and absentee voting. Yet, these are the same methods of voting under attack in the Republican anti-voter legislation.

As always, it’s all politics for LaRose, whose name was booed at a recent Strongsville GOP event in a room full of Republicans. Needing to shore up his support with his own base, he’s pushing the anti-voter bill as a wink and a nod to the Big Lie as he sits by silently as Josh Mandel, Jane Timken and others in his own party continue to spout lies about the 2020 election and call the results into question.

“If Frank LaRose were serious about election integrity, he’d denounce the GOP’s anti-voter bill and the lies his fellow Republicans are spewing about the 2020 election. But unfortunately for Ohioans, LaRose isn’t serious. For him, politics always comes first,” said Matt Keyes, spokesperson for the Ohio Democratic Party.

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