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JON HUSTED TRIAL TRACKER: Even More Ties Revealed Between Husted and FirstEnergy

Husted and the Husted-DeWine administration mentioned 24 times yesterday

Text messages between Husted and indicted FirstEnergy executives at center of trial

Columbus, Ohio — Just days after new reporting revealed that Jon Husted held secret, unreported meetings with indicted FirstEnergy executives, Husted once again took center stage in the ongoing criminal corruption trial. Husted and the Husted-DeWine administration were mentioned 24 times yesterday — breaking the record set just the other week and further strengthening his deep ties to the largest corruption scandal in Ohio history. 

Text messages between Husted and indicted FirstEnergy executives are now at the center of the trial, underscoring how key his role was in the scheme that delivered a billion dollar bailout to utilities while sticking Ohio families with higher energy bills.

Ohio Democratic Party Senior Communications Advisor Tony Wen released the following statement:

“Just days after reports revealed Jon Husted held secret meetings around HB 6, text messages between Husted and indicted executives surfaced in court — and his name was mentioned 24 times at trial. Ohioans deserve answers about why Husted remains at the center of the largest corruption scandal in Ohio history. What else is Jon Husted hiding?”

Read more about Jon Husted’s role in Ohio’s largest corruption scandal:

  • New reporting reveals Jon Husted held secret meetings with indicted FirstEnergy executives, including with the “mastermind of Ohio’s largest public corruption scheme two days before scandal-ridden bribery legislation was introduced.”
  • Neil Clark, a FirstEnergy lobbyist and co-defendant with former House Speaker Larry Householder, referred to Husted as FirstEnergy’s “golden boy.”
  • Text messages between Husted and FirstEnergy Executives reveal that the trio were in constant communication “before, during and after his campaign.”
  • Just weeks after Husted and DeWine were elected in 2018, they had dinner with Jones and Dowling at the Athletic Club of Columbus.
  • Public records show that FirstEnergy funneled $1 million in dark money to a nonprofit backing Husted in 2017 — part of the same corrupt scheme that led to federal indictments.

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WATCH: GOV. DEWINE SAYS VIVEK RAMASWAMY MORE FOCUSED ON 2028 THAN DELIVERING FOR OHIOANS 

Columbus, Ohio-  At the Politico’s 2026 Governors Summit, when asked if Vivek Ramaswamy wants to be a good governor of Ohio or a national political celebrity, Governor Mike DeWine said “I don’t know. I assume he wants to be both.” 

WATCH THE CLIP HERE

Ramaswamy has focused his attention on the national spotlight throughout his campaign, including op-eds in the New York Times and Wall Street Journal, numerous appearances on Fox News talking about foreign policy and elections in Virginia and New Jersey, and telling Ohioans they’re just imagining rising costs. His dedication to flying away from Ohio’s working families was so strong he spent more than 10% of his total campaign budget on private jet travel.

“Even his own party leadership knows Vivek Ramaswamy is only running for Governor of Ohio to jumpstart his 2028 presidential campaign,” said Ohio Democratic Party spokeswoman Katie Seewer. “Vivek Ramaswamy doesn’t care about Ohio’s working families or tackling our affordability crisis and would make the problem worse. Instead, he’s too busy flying over our state in his private jet to listen to the issues facing Ohio.” 

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BOMBSHELL FOOTAGE: Epstein Co-Conspirator Confirms Backing Jon Husted Politically

Epstein Co-Conspirator Les Wexner: “I helped him politically”

Husted Took $116,892 From Wexner, Including A Max Donation Just a Few Weeks Before Blocking Epstein Files Release

Columbus, Ohio — Newly released deposition footage shows Jeffrey Epstein’s longtime friend and benefactor confirming that he backed Jon Husted politically throughout Husted’s career.

Husted has taken $116,892 from Epstein co-conspirator Les Wexner. Husted even took the maximum donation from the Epstein confidant just last July, only weeks before he voted against releasing the Epstein files.

WATCH HERE: 

Transcript: 

Les Wexner, Epstein Co-Conspirator: I’m sure I helped him. I helped him politically.

Ohio Democratic Party Senior Communications Advisor Tony Wen released the following statement:

“Jon Husted owes us answers. He’s taken more than $116K from an Epstein co-conspirator and then voted to block the Epstein files. Now Les Wexner has confirmed that he is one of Husted’s biggest supporters. Ohioans deserve a Senator who will fight for transparency and justice — not one who protects pedophiles and his billionaire donors.” 

Husted is the only Senator up for re-election to take Wexner’s money, and Husted has taken 10 times as much money from the Epstein co-conspirator than any other sitting Senator. Les Wexner’s name appears more than 4,000 times in the released Epstein files and the billionaire was named by the FBI as one of Epstein’s co-conspirators.
 

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NEW: Ramaswamy’s Running Mate Received $5K Contribution from Billionaire Epstein Co-Conspirator  

Ramaswamy super PAC previously received $100K from separate billionaire Epstein associate 

Columbus, Ohio-  As Ohio Republicans continue to face questions about taking campaign cash from associates of Jeffrey Epstein, new reporting reveals Vivek Ramaswamy’s running mate Rob McColley received $5,000 from longtime Epstein patron Les Wexner. McColley has refused to return the money.

McColley’s refusal to return funds from Les Wexner, who is named more than 1,000 times in the Epstein files, follows previous reporting that Vivek Ramaswamy’s presidential Super PAC never returned a $100,000 contribution from an Epstein associate despite pledging to do so.

“Vivek Ramaswamy and Rob McColley holding onto tainted cash from Epstein associates is yet another reminder that they can’t be trusted to do what’s right for Ohio,” said Ohio Democratic Party spokeswoman Katie Seewer. “Instead of focusing on lowering costs or protecting health care for Ohio families, Ramaswamy and McColley are flying high in their private jet and giving cover to friends of pedophiles. It’s disgusting.”

READ:

Ohio Statehouse News Bureau: 

  • Senate President Rob McColley (R-Napoleon), who is governor candidate Vivek Ramaswamy’s running mate, got $5,000 from Wexner in 2024, according to Ohio Secretary of State finance records. When asked Wednesday, McColley said members of his caucus “can make their own decision.”

Cleveland.com:

  • Ramaswamy also attracted some negative headlines during his presidential campaign after a billionaire associate of Epstein, New York City-based hedge fund manager Glenn Dubin, gave $100,000 to the American Exceptionalism PAC, a pro-Ramaswamy political action committee. 
  • American Exceptionalism PAC dissolved late last year without donating or refunding the $100,000 from Dubin.

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WHAT OHIOANS ARE WATCHING: Jon Husted Under Fire For Taking More Than $116k From Epstein Co-Conspirator

Husted Called Out for Being a “Pedophile Protector,” Refuses to Answer Questions

Columbus, Ohio — Ohioans across the state are calling out Senator Jon Husted for taking more than $116,000 directly from Epstein co-conspirator Les Wexner, including a maximum donation just a few weeks before he voted to block the release of the Epstein files.

Husted is the only Senator up for re-election to take Wexner’s money, and has taken 10 times as much money from the Epstein co-conspirator than any other sitting Senator.

See for yourself: 

Mike McCarthy, ABC 6: Protesters held a demonstration outside Senator Jon Husted’s office in downtown Columbus. He is one of the many lawmakers who took donations for their campaign from Les Wexner. Husted received $3,500 last year and more than $15,000 in 2023. 

Sue Hanson: And what that tells me is [Husted is] untrustworthy. He is, you know, he is looking out for his own self-interest. He’s up for reelection this year. And so I do not trust his motives. And he’s not identified where [the money is] going […].

Norwalk Reflector: Husted sidesteps Epstein question

  • U.S. Sen. Jon Husted declined to answer a question Tuesday about campaign donations from billionaire Leslie Wexner and his vote on the release of Epstein-related files while at a campaign stop in Norwalk.
  • A Reflector reporter asked Husted a question about campaign contributions Husted received from Wexner, an Ohio businessman recently named in files related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, and on Husted’s initial vote against releasing files related to the Epstein investigation. 
  • After receiving the question, Husted turned his head and did not respond. 
  • Several people present shouted at Husted, including one who asserted he was a “pedophile protector.”

Angela An, 10TV Columbus: Today the protesters say that statement from [Husted’s]  office is not enough and they say they want to know more about how much money he’s received from Wexner and where he plans to donate. 

Sue Hanson: We’re focusing on Jon Husted and what he needs to do as a national leader, and you know, a person who is very visible and needs to step up. 

Angela An: A [Husted] spokesperson says that they are looking into those questions.

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