The announcement Monday of new felony indictments against players in Ohio’s massive bribery scandal is again raising questions about what Gov. Mike DeWine knew before and after he nominated Sam Randazzo to be the top utility regulator in the state.
An Ohio grand jury has handed up a 44-count indictment against three players in what is likely the biggest bribery scandal in state history. And when the 50-page indictment was unveiled Monday, it provided new details about a decade of payoffs and conflicts as one of them who became the state’s top regulator allegedly did a huge electric utility’s bidding.
“Oh, look, if I knew what I know now, if I knew that I certainly would not have appointed Sam Randazzo to that position,” Gov. DeWine said. DeWine said he was the best person for the job, claiming that he wasn’t aware that Randazzo was FirstEnergy’s handpicked man.
Ohio’s consumer watchdog is urging customers to raise questions about a proposal to raise monthly fixed costs for 1.2 million natural gas customers by at least 30%. That means they would initially have to pay nearly $60 a month before a single cubic foot of gas enters their homes. The amount could increase to $80 a month over seven years.