Mike DeWine’s Latest PUCO Appointment Shows He Will Always Put Special Interests Over Hard-Working Ohioans
February 10, 2022
For Immediate Release
Thursday, February 10, 2022
Columbus, OH — Today, the Ohio Democratic Party (ODP) issued the following statement in response to Mike DeWine’s reappointment of Daniel Conway to the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO). Conway has deep ties to the energy industry he would be charged with overseeing, similar to Sam Randazzo, who DeWine appointed even over the objection of his fellow Republicans due to his close ties to the industry. Randazzo then used his role on PUCO to help push forward HB 6, the scandal-ridden energy bribery bill that continues to cost Ohioans hundreds of thousands of dollars a day.
“Once again, Mike DeWine has put the fox in charge of the hen house, refusing to learn his lesson after appointing Sam Randazzo to the commission and seeing the largest public corruption scandal in Ohio history unfold under his watch. Now more than ever, Ohio needs a strong watchdog at PUCO, but Mike DeWine will always put his special interest pals and his own political interests over the needs of hardworking Ohioans he is supposed to serve,” says Ohio Democratic Party spokesperson Matt Keyes
The reappointment comes as ODP continues to demand accountability from DeWine and others in his orbit. This morning, the party outlined the true costs associated with HB 6 corruption Ohioans are still paying today under DeWine’s leadership.
ODP has been working since October to show who knew what and when about the HB 6 bribery scandal, but has been stonewalled at every turn by the DeWine administration, leaving public records requests unanswered for over one hundred days.
Public records requests recently submitted by the party include:
- Any communications among Mike DeWine, Jon Husted, their staffs and special interest groups tied to the HB 6 scandal.
- Any communications between those individuals and individuals who are implicated in the scandal.
- Any communications involving Sam Randazzo’s appointment to the Public Utilities Commission.
- Any communications between DeWine/Husted and statewide officeholders regarding HB 6.
- The demotion of Laurel Dawson & the resignation of Dan McCarthy.
The party also resubmitted previous public records requests that include: a visitor’s log from the governor’s office and the governor’s mansion; any vetting of Sam Randazzo; and communications between Mike DeWine’s staff and FirstEnergy.
The party will provide updates to the media and Ohio voters as the process plays out and as we continue to demand accountability from people in power.
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