HB 6 Scandal Reverberates

This week, former U.S. Attorney David DeVillers addressed the governing board of the Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel (OCC). DeVillers said he expects to see many more charges stemming from the federal bribery investigation into the House Bill 6 scandal, according to Cincinnati.com (subscription).

Also presenting at the OCC board meeting was John Seryak, the OMA’s energy technical consultant, who provided his analysis on subsidies to coal power plants, including HB 6’s OVEC subsidies, which constituted a third giveaway to utilities. The OMA continues to call for the repeal of the OVEC subsidies.

Also this week, longtime Statehouse lobbyist Neil Clark was found dead outside his Florida home. Clark was one of five people — including former House Speaker Larry Householder — charged last summer with racketeering by federal prosecutors. Meanwhile, billionaire financier Carl Icahn has reached a deal with FirstEnergy to ensure his firm has two seats on FirstEnergy’s board. 3/18/2021