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FirstEnergy Hiking Rates in Toledo Thanks to Husted’s Corruption

TOLEDO, OHIO — This week, Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz, State Representative Erika White, and Ohioans getting crushed by rising utility bills called out Jon Husted for his key role in the FirstEnergy bribery scheme, the largest public corruption scandal in Ohio that delivered a billion dollar bailout to utilities.

The rally comes as Toledo Edison, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy, announced they are hiking rates for Toledo ratepayers. Jon Husted’s corruption involving the FirstEnergy scandal has contributed to electricity costs for Ohioans increasing by $663 a year.

“Jon Husted was at the center of the largest bribery scheme in the history of the state of Ohio. In particular, the citizens of Ohio and Toledo are going to have to pay more on their Toledo Edison bills because of the corruption that was orchestrated by Jon Husted,” said Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz. “That is an incredible statement if it weren’t so sad and weren’t so heartbreaking — that instead of serving the interests of Ohioans, Jon Husted has mocked them. He has blamed them for their problems when in reality it’s his own actions and policies that have caused Ohioans to be suffering the way they are.” 

“We are here today because Toledo Edison has announced another rate hike that will impact families who are already struggling. Ohio families deserve answers about Jon Husted’s corruption and why that is making them pay more for their energy bills,” said State Representative Erika White. “Jon Husted has a lot to answer for, and Ohioans here in Northwest Ohio deserve accountability, answers and deserve transparency. Your electric bill should not be a reminder for political corruption.”

As a reminder, Jon Husted remains at the center of the massive FirstEnergy scandal, with recent reporting from the Associated Press revealing Husted’s ties to be much deeper than previously known:

• When Husted was forced to testify, his testimony showed discrepancies from public documents and reporting, only raising more questions. 

• New evidence during the corruption trial revealed nine calls between Jon Husted and Mike Dowling in the months preceding a $4.3 million bribe to former Utilities Commission Chair Sam Randazzo. 

• Recent reporting revealed Jon Husted held secret meetings with Dowling and Jones, 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, Dowling, and Jones reveal that the trio were in constant communication “before, during and after his campaign.” 

• Indicted FirstEnergy CEO Chuck Jones said Husted was a “good friend of FirstEnergy” who was “highly engaged” and “fighting to the end” in support of the massive bail out.

• A dinner between Jon Husted and the indicted FirstEnergy executives at the Athletic Club of Columbus was a focal point of the criminal trial.

• Public records show that FirstEnergy — led by Jones and Dowling — funneled $1 million in dark money to a dark money group backing Husted in 2017, part of the same corrupt scheme that led to federal and state indictments.

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REPORTING: ‘Husted has supported total abortion bans with zero exceptions for over 20 years’

COLUMBUS, OHIO — Today, on the anniversary of the Dobbs decision that repealed Roe v. Wade and ripped away freedoms from millions of women in Ohio, Jon Husted remains deeply out of touch with Ohioans on reproductive rights. 

Jon Husted has spread dangerous misinformation, recently calling the FDA-approved abortion pill mifepristone “not safe” and is pushing to ban its use. Husted has also long backed abortion bans without exceptions for rape, incest, or the life of the mother.

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

“Jon Husted supports banning abortion with no exceptions, including for the life of the mother, and has spread dangerous misinformation about FDA-approved medications. Ohioans have made clear that these deeply personal medical decisions belong with women and their doctors — not out of touch extremists like Jon Husted.” 

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Husted continues to dodge questions about Iran deal and high costs for Ohioans

COLUMBUS, OHIO — In a new vote today, Jon Husted has now officially voted ten times to support the expensive and unnecessary war in Iran, doubling down on a foreign conflict that has sent energy and food prices soaring for Ohioans.

Husted’s tenth vote in support of higher costs comes as he ran away from questions about the deal to end the war that has received “strong pushback” from senators in his own party. Husted claimed earlier this month that the military operation “went very well” while admitting the war he supported “has put a strain on Americans.”

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

“For Jon Husted, screwing over Ohioans once isn’t enough. Husted has now voted ten times to support another foreign conflict in the Middle East that has sent energy and food prices skyrocketing in Ohio. Jon Husted couldn’t care less about lowering costs for Ohioans, and they will vote him out in November.” 

While Husted keeps voting to make everything more expensive, he also can’t help himself from insulting hardworking Ohioans struggling because of his votes:

• When asked what he was doing to address rising gas prices for his constituents, Husted responded: “What do you want me to do?” 

• When a truck driver asked about soaring diesel costs, Husted brushed him off and responded by asking if he was comfortable with Iran being a nuclear power. 

• When asked about the pain that Ohio families are feeling at the pump, Jon Husted’s campaign “declined to comment.”

• Jon Husted has claimed that he thinks the war is “good news for the global economy” and going “much better than anyone thought it would.”

• Husted promised that lower prices would be “returned” as soon as the U.S. was “done” with the war in Iran, even though experts have asserted that gas “won’t return to pre-war levels any time soon.”

• Husted argued that Ohioans getting crushed with skyrocketing prices just have to “remain strong,” as gas in Ohio “remains astronomically high.”

• Jon Husted continues to insult struggling Ohioans as “not very experienced at navigating the real world” and consistently dismisses the mounting affordability crisis by telling Ohioans to fix their “work ethic” and to simply “earn more” money to make ends meet.

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Husted has voted nine times to back Iran war that has sent costs skyrocketing

WATCH:

COLUMBUS, OHIO — In a new video, Jon Husted refused to answer questions about the deal to end the Iran war that has received “strong pushback” from senators for potentially giving “Iran’s theocratic regime access to billions of dollars in economic relief.”

While Husted is now silent, he has voted nine times to back the expensive and unnecessary foreign conflict that has sent costs soaring. Husted claimed last week that the military operation “went very well” while admitting the war he supported “has put a strain on Americans.”

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

“This week, after voting for the ninth time to support the war in Iran and bragging that the military operation was going ‘very well,’ Jon Husted has suddenly gone silent. Ohioans are getting crushed by skyrocketing energy and grocery costs because of the Husted-backed war, and they deserve answers.”

Husted’s comments continue his long trend of insulting hardworking Ohioans who are getting crushed by soaring costs caused by policies he supports:

• When asked what he was doing to address rising gas prices for his constituents, Husted responded: “What do you want me to do?” 

• When a truck driver asked about soaring diesel costs, Husted brushed him off and responded by asking if he was comfortable with Iran being a nuclear power. 

• When asked about the pain that Ohio families are feeling at the pump, Jon Husted’s campaign “declined to comment.”

• Jon Husted has claimed that he thinks the war is “good news for the global economy” and going “much better than anyone thought it would.”

• Husted promised that lower prices would be “returned” as soon as the U.S. was “done” with the war in Iran, even though experts have asserted that gas “won’t return to pre-war levels any time soon.”

• Husted argued that Ohioans getting crushed with skyrocketing prices just have to “remain strong,” as gas in Ohio “remains astronomically high.”

• Jon Husted has voted nine times to continue the war in Iran while costs continue to skyrocket.

• Jon Husted continues to insult struggling Ohioans as “not very experienced at navigating the real world” and consistently dismisses the mounting affordability crisis by telling Ohioans to fix their “work ethic” and to simply “earn more” money to make ends meet.

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Husted continues dodging basic questions that Ohioans deserve answered

LIMA, OHIO — In case you missed it, Ohioans in Lima called 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.

The rally in Lima comes as Husted continues to dodge questions and accountability after voting against the release of the Epstein files. Recently, Husted ran away from a reporter when asked why he accepted money from an Epstein co-conspirator. 

Ohioans have also protested Husted in Columbus, Toledo, Youngstown, Westlake, and Steubenville, and Husted was called out for being a “pedophile protector” at an event in Norwalk. 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:

WLIO: Ohio Democrats rally in Lima to criticize Husted over Epstein connections

• WLIO Anchor: “During the rally, speakers highlighted Husted’s acceptance of more than $116,000 in campaign contributions from Ohio businessman Les Wexner, who has been linked to Epstein. Speakers also said Husted voted against a defense bill that included an amendment to release files related to Epstein.”

• Alice Donahue, Lima City School Board Member: “Speaking as a victim, we just want accountability. We just want people that are responsible for what happened and especially to these young girls and women. What they went through and their horror and some have taken their lives and some’s lives will never be recovered and I know how many years it took me to come to terms with my own abuse. It’s not a political issue. It’s not Republican-Democrat. It’s a moral issue right now. We owe it to victims of sexual assault everywhere.”

• Jeannine Jordan, Lima City Council: “We need politicians that are willing to take hard stands. We need politicians that are willing to say I don’t want money from people who are getting it in ill-gotten ways. We need people to pay attention. Not just the politicians but you and I. We need to pay attention to what these people are doing, whose name they are doing it in, who’s funding what they’re doing, and care enough that we make hard votes.”

Lima News: Lima Dems protest Husted accepting Epstein associate’s donations

• A pair of local elected officials spoke out Tuesday against Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, for his associations with Jeffrey Epstein.

• The speakers called out Husted, who is up for re-election in November, for accepting more than $116,000 from Epstein co-conspirator Les Wexner — a label the FBI assigned to Wexner in 2019, according to FBI documents released by the Justice Department. 

• Donahue and Jordan also took issue with Husted voting to block the release of the Epstein files a few weeks after receiving a “maximum donation” from Wexner, according to a press release from the Ohio Democrats.

• Donahue spoke from her perspective as a survivor of sexual abuse in condemning the “sheer terror and depravity that the survivors of Epstein Island were subjected to.” She claimed Wexner appeared “over 4,000 times” in the Epstein files released thus far, arguing it made Husted’s acceptance of Wexner’s money all the more corrupt.

• “Only after Husted being called out at Sheri’s Coffee House in Huron County by a reporter in February, and refusing to answer them about the money, did Husted’s campaign release a statement the next day that the money would be donated to organizations fighting sex trafficking,” Donahue said. “… Does anyone really believe that if Les Wexner hadn’t been caught with his hand in the Epstein cookie jar, that the money would have been returned?”

• Jordan spoke from her 35 years of experience in Lima city schools on how the youth abused at Epstein Island were taken advantage of through their vulnerability. 

• The councilor argued that voting to block the release of the Epstein files on Sept. 10, in addition to his “not pressing the United States Department of Justice” on the matter, shows that he “is not working to make sure that every person who participated in and profited upon Epstein abuse is held accountable.”

• Nonetheless, Jordan argued Husted’s change of heart does not show “courage of conviction,” due to his vote in September aligning with the majority of Republicans.

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