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Columbus, OH — Last week, the Ohio Democratic Party took its Road to Recovery Tour across Ohio to talk with Ohio voters about the economic policies that are working for working families under Democratic leadership. As so many working Ohioans pointed out on the tour, 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.

“Working families are directly benefiting from the economic policies being implemented by President Biden, and Ohio Democrats are going to continue to celebrate those victories with voters from communities all across the state. While Republicans want to continue to look backward to the divisions of the past, Ohio Democrats are looking ahead to a better future for working Ohioans thanks to President Biden and Democratic leadership,” said ODP Chair Liz Walters.

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.

See more Ohio coverage of ODP’s Road to Recovery Tour below:

Toledo Blade: Democrats applaud Biden’s “Road to Recovery” tour in Toledo

Jordan Fitzgerald

“Children frolicked on the playground of the Wayman Palmer YMCA, where Ohio Democrats gathered to celebrate the party’s efforts to move Americans out of the pandemic.

“State Rep. Paula Hicks-Hudson (D., Toledo), Lucas County Treasurer Lindsay Webb, Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz, and union representative Justin Richmond highlighted how the child tax credit and national infrastructure legislation will benefit residents.

“The ‘Road to Recovery’ tour consists of three stops — Toledo on Monday, Akron on Tuesday, and Cincinnati on Wednesday — leading up to President Biden’s Wednesday visit to the Queen City.

‘“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,’ Ms. Hicks-Hudson said. ‘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.’

“Bolstering infrastructure is a key component in the “Road to Recovery,” they said.”

NBC 24: Ohio Democrats Aim to Build Back Better

“The Ohio Democratic Party stopped in Toledo today as part of its ‘Road to Recovery’ tour. Democratic state and local leaders are praising federal economic policies like the American Rescue Plan that they say will improve the lives of working families across the state.

“Their focus goes beyond recovering from the pandemic, with a focus on the federal infrastructure bill and the expanded Child Tax Credit. ‘The Child Tax Credit and the dollars that are being sent to families is going to lift families out of poverty, and when families are out of poverty, they’re able to take better care of themselves, their housing and the safety of their children,’ [said State Rep. Paula Hicks-Hudson].”

WCPO: Biden visits Westwood job training center to tout ‘Build Back Better’ plan

Mariel Carbone

“It’s a plan that Hamilton County Democratic Party chair Gwen McFarlin said is pivotal to ensuring the Tri-State bounces back from the coronavirus pandemic.

‘“It’s the labor brothers and sisters who are doing the work, making sure the jobs are safe, making sure all of the OSHA standards are met and also just respecting the hard work that they do,’ McFarlin told WCPO.

“Larry Thompson, president of Laborers Union Local 265 said Biden’s infrastructure plan is critical to making sure good-paying union jobs stick around after the U.S. has emerged from the pandemic.

“‘Roads and bridges are our bread and butter,’ Thompson said. ‘That’s what keeps us going, and if there’s anything that can cause more construction… people are looking forward to developing. So his infrastructure plan and providing money to help constructors sustain a decent workforce is a plus for us as a labor union.’”

ABC 13: Road to Recovery

“The President’s Road to Recovery plan made a stop in Toledo earlier today. It was brought to the city by the Ohio Democratic Party ahead of the President’s Cincinnati visit  this week. One of the major goals is to tackle child poverty. 

“‘The American Rescue Plan, by the dollars that are going to be given for the Child Tax Credit for this year, is going to help these parents who have to make decision about having to  back to work and putting their kids in high quality childcare places,’ [said State Rep. Paula Hicks-Hudson].”

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Columbus, OH — While FirstEnergy agreed to pay a $230 million penalty yesterday in connection to the HB 6 scandal, it’s Mike DeWine and Jon Husted paying the price.

DeWine is rushing to play defense as connections further link the scandal to the DeWine/Husted team. Yesterday, DeWine laughingly tried to deny any knowledge of Sam Randazzo’s shady dealings, even after it’s been widely documented that many people –including members of his own party — warned DeWine about Randazzo before he appointed him to chair the Public Utilities Commission. Ohio voters deserve answers, and it’s past time that DeWine and Husted come clean about what they knew and when they knew it.

And the more information that comes out about the case, the more questions that are raised about DeWine and Husted and their deep connections to the scandal.

Read more from Ohio outlets below:

Cleveland.com: Gov. Mike DeWine will donate FirstEnergy campaign donations, says he didn’t know Sam Randazzo’s ‘motives’

Jeremy Pelzer

• As part of a deal with prosecutors, FirstEnergy admitted Thursday that it paid $4.3 million to former Public Utilities Commission of Ohio Chair Sam Randazzo via a company he controlled in exchange for helping the utility pass the scandal-ridden House Bill 6 and other measures that benefited the Akron-based utility.
• The governor has acknowledged that he was warned by consumer and environmental groups about Randazzo’s ties to FirstEnergy prior to appointing him to chair the PUCO in February 2019.
• FirstEnergy said that it negotiated the payment while coordinating its agenda with Randazzo in the days before and after DeWine appointed him chair.
• Randazzo resigned from the PUCO last November after the FBI raided his Columbus home and news of the payment became public.

NBC 4: Gov. Mike DeWine defends appointing official connected to FirstEnergy bribery scandal

Brian Hofmann

• Sam Randazzo is believed to be one of two public officials mentioned in court documents who received money from FirstEnergy through a dark money group in exchange for support of House Bill 6, a $1 billion bailout of two nuclear power plants.
• DeWine appointed Randazzo as chairman of PUCO, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, in 2019.
• Randazzo and former House Speaker Larry Householder are believed to be the two people referenced in court documents Thursday. FirstEnergy is cooperating with a Department of Justice investigation and has agreed to pay a $230 million fine.

Cleveland.com: Here’s what Sam Randazzo told Gov. Mike DeWine about his great work for Ohioans when he resigned

• DeWine, who appointed Randazzo in February 2019, thanked Randazzo for his service. “He has done very, very good work as chair,” the governor told reporters then.
• Now, new court filings confirm FirstEnergy officials say they paid a $4.3 million bribe to Randazzo in exchange for his help advancing the Akron-based company’s interest while he was serving as the state’s top utilities director.
• Immediately before and after DeWine hired Randazzo as the state’s top utilities regulator, court filings say, Randazzo helped develop strategy and legal language for the House Bill 6 nuclear bailout law, which included a provision guaranteeing the company’s revenues at high 2018 levels, and also pushed to cancel a 2024 rate review case that the company believed would hurt its bottom line by saving consumers money.
• DeWine had disregarded cries of alarm in early 2019 from consumer and environmental advocates, when he was considering Randazzo, the Associated Press reported in December.

Cincinnati.com: Gov. Mike DeWine says he knew nothing about Randazzo acts, will donate FirstEnergy contributions

Jessie Balmert

• Besides selecting Randazzo, DeWine also signed House Bill 6 into law on the day it hit his desk. The law included a $1 billion bailout for FirstEnergy Solutions’ two nuclear plants in northern Ohio.
• DeWine and his relatives also benefitted from dark money that FirstEnergy spent in recent campaigns. FirstEnergy’s dark money group Partners for Progress donated $300,000 in 2019 to Securing Ohio’s Future, a dark money nonprofit that backed DeWine and Husted’s 2018 gubernatorial bid.
• Protecting Ohio Inc., which backed Alice DeWine’s failed prosecutor bid in Greene County, was funded by two donations in 2019: $100,500 from Securing Ohio’s Future and $75,000 from Partners for Progress.

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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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