Former Ohio utility regulator, charged in sweeping bribery scheme, has died by suicide

Story by JULIE CARR SMYTH and SAMANTHA HENDRICKSON, Associated Press/Report for America

Former Ohio utility regulator, charged in sweeping bribery scheme, has died by suicide© Provided by WKRC Cincinnati

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - A former top utility regulator awaiting trial on charges he took millions in bribes in conjunction with the largest corruption scandal in Ohio's history died by suicide on Tuesday, a spokesperson for the Franklin County Coroner's Office said.

Sam Randazzo, 74, the one-time chair of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, faced the prospect of spending the rest of his life in prison if convicted of the dozens of criminal charges he faced in simultaneous federal and state investigations. He had pleaded not guilty to all of them, most notably the allegation that he accepted a $4.3 million bribe from Akron-based FirstEnergy Corp. in exchange for regulatory favors.

A spokesperson for the county coroner's office said Randazzo was found unresponsive at a building he owned in Columbus at just before noon.

The U.S. Attorney's Office, Ohio Attorney General's Office and office of Republican Gov. Mike DeWine, who initially appointed Randazzo to the PUCO, all declined immediate comment.

FirstEnergy has admitted to using dark money groups to fund a $60 million bribery plot that allowed former Republican Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder to win the speakership, elect his allies and pass and defend a $1 billion nuclear bailout bill, known as House Bill 6, for two of its affiliated nuclear plants.

A jury convicted Householder and lobbyist Matt Borges last year on federal racketeering charges for their roles in the scheme. Householder was sentenced to 20 years in prison, Borges to five. Both have appealed.

Randazzo resigned his regulatory post in November 2020 after FBI agents searched his Columbus townhome and FirstEnergy revealed in security filings what it said were bribery payments of $4.3 million for his future help at the commission a month before DeWine nominated him as Ohio's top utility regulator.

He is the second person that was accused as part of the sweeping investigation to take his own life. Long-time Statehouse lobbyist Neil Clark, one of the five people initially arrested in the probe in July 2020, died by suicide in March 2021 after pleading not guilty. The remaining two men, Juan Cespedes and Jeffrey Longstreth, pleaded guilty and are cooperating with the government in the ongoing inquiry.

OHIO RACKETEERING SCANDAL

CORRUPT OHIO REPUBLICANS OHIO DESERVES BETTER!

 

OHIO REPUBLICANS

Remember the RICO trial of corrupt REPUBLICANS who took bribes to buy crumbling NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS?

There's more!

OHIO REPUBLICANS have gerrymandered the state to assure their continued reign for corruption!

The former chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, the state entity charged with regulating utilities, is the latest to be indicted in connection with the nuclear bailout scandal. The indictment of former PUCO Chair Sam Randazzo comes a little over five months after Republican former House Speaker Larry Householder and former Ohio Republican Party chair Matt Borges were sentenced to prison on racketeering charges related to the case.

Randazzo surrendered to federal authorities Monday morning at US District Court in Cincinnati and appeared in court a few hours later. His hands and feet were shackled. He was released after his court appearance with conditions, such as not leaving Ohio without permission.

Randazzo pleaded not guilty to an 11-count indictment on charges of bribery, wire fraud and illegal monetary transactions. Randazzo could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

The indictment alleges Randazzo accepted $4.3 million by FirstEnergy and used it “for his own personal benefit.” It says Randazzo “personal official action for the benefit of [FirstEnergy],” the utility at the center of the HB 6 scandal.

Federal authorities raided Randazzo’s home in November 2020 and he resigned from his post as leader of the agency that regulates utilities shortly after that. First Energy said in its prosecution agreement with federal officials that it bribed both Randazzo and Householder.

Lt. Gov. Jon Husted has been subpoenaed to testify in a civil suit involving the company this week. And Gov. Mike DeWine’s office has been asked to furnish information as part of that inquiry. Neither DeWine nor Husted are named as parties in that lawsuit.

Republican former House Speaker Larry Householder is serving a 20-year prison sentence, and former Ohio Republican Party chair Matt Borges is in prison for five years after their convictions in connection with the scandal. Lobbyist Juan Cespesdes and former Householder aide Jeff Longstreth pleaded guilty in connection with the case, as did FirstEnergy and the dark money group Generation Now. Lobbyist Neil Clark was also arrested in the case but died by suicide in March 2021.

“The indictment of former Public Utilities Commission Chair Sam Randazzo is an important step to bring justice to Ohio utility consumers,” said Ohio Consumers’ Counsel Maureen Willis, who heads the agency that represents consumers in utility cases. “It underscores the need for near-term reform of the PUCO selection process that led to his appointment as Chair of the PUCO. OCC’s calls for reform so far have gone unanswered. Ohioans deserve better from the public officials in this state.”

While the nuclear power plant subsidies in HB 6 were repealed in 2021, the rest of the bill remains, including subsidies for two coal-fired power plants. Electric ratepayers around Ohio have paid around $200 million toward those two plants, one of which is in Indiana.

Randazzo’s indictment is prompting a renewed call to rescind HB6 from a state lawmaker who has been calling for its repeal. Rep. Casey Weinstein (D-Hudson) said Ohioans are still paying for the corruption that came from this bill. But he says this indictment answers questions about the extent of Randazzo's involvement.

“I love ‘consequence culture’. I’m all for accountability and finally we are going to get that. A little sunshine is a great disinfectant in terms of the money that moved, that fueled the passage of this terrible law," Weinstein said.

Majority Republicans who control the Ohio Legislature have not responded to calls to repeal HB 6 in the past.

Former chair of Ohio’s utility regulator indicted in nuclear bailout law scandal

STATENEWS.ORG

Former chair of Ohio’s utility regulator indicted in nuclear bailout law scandal