COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio Governor Mike DeWine is offering an explanation as to why he appointed Sam Randazzo to the head of the state’s Public Utilities Commission.
Randazzo is the subject of a $4.3 million dollar payment that FirstEnergy admits was a bribe to help pass House Bill 6 which was a taxpayer bailout of two nuclear power plants.
On Monday, it was reported that DeWine’s former chief of staff, Laurel Dawson, knew of the payment to Randazzo in October but didn’t tell DeWine until 17 days later when the FBI executed a search warrant at Randazzo’s Columbus home.
“My chief of staff Laurel was told by Randazzo of a large payment in October of 2020, October 30 of 2020, that's when the information flowed to her. I didn't know until November 17, the day of the raid,” DeWine said.
DeWine was asked why he would appoint someone with known ties to FirstEnergy?
DeWine said Randazzo worked for both sides, consumers and businesses, and was a subject matter expert on energy which made him qualified. DeWine denied knowing of any payment prior to November.
Randazzo has not been charged with any crimes.
He resigned from his post at the PUCO in November.
DeWine recently returned more than $130,000 in campaign donations from FirstEnergy and donated the money to the Ohio Alliance of Boys and Girls Club.
FirstEnergy has since agreed to pay $230 million dollars in fines for its role in HB 6. The company was charged federally with conspiring to commit honest services wire fraud and admitted to conspiring to pay public officials in exchange for “specific official action” that would benefit the company.
The scandal is part of a $60 million bribery case involving former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder.
Householder has pleaded not guilty in the case.