(The Center Square) – With the final piece of House Bill 6 now gone, Democrat lawmakers in Ohio now want to close campaign spending loopholes that led to the largest bribery scandal in state history.
The Ohio Anti-Corruption Act would not only force nonprofits and special interest groups to disclose their funders and contributions but also strengthen a ban on political foreign money Republicans passed a year ago.
“The FBI showed everyone how dark money directly led to one of the largest public corruption conspiracies in Ohio history, yet nearly five years later we still haven’t passed a single law that would prevent it from happening again,” Rep. Bride Rose Sweeney, D-Westlake said. “Our legislation is simple: Shine a light, follow the money, and let voters see who’s trying to influence them. Ohioans deserve to have transparency and accountability from their elected leaders.”
To push House Bill 6, a billion-dollar bailout of the nuclear energy industry in Ohio, FirstEnergy funneled millions to former House Speaker Larry Householder and other Republican Party and political officials.
As previously reported by The Center Square, FirstEnergy agreed to cooperate with federal prosecutors in their investigation, admitting it conspired with public officials, others and entities to pay millions of dollars to public officials in exchange for specific official action to help FirstEnergy.
Householder, along with four coconspirators, were charged in 2020. Also charged were Borges, Clark, the Oxley Group co-founder Juan Cespedes and strategist John Longstreth.
Householder is currently serving a 20-year sentence in federal prison.
Other legislation would require corporations and limited liability companies to reveal their actual owners.
“Ohioans deserve a trustworthy government and lawmakers who serve the public interest. Since the HB 6 scandal, the legislature has failed to rebuild that trust. We need transparency around dark money and safeguards to prevent major donors from profiting off taxpayer-funded contracts. These bills aim to restore integrity to the Statehouse—because we can’t wait any longer,” Rep. Dani Isaacsohn, D-Cincinnati, said.
A year ago, Republicans pushed through a ban on foreign money being used for ballot issues campaigns on a special session bill that pushed back the deadline to allow former President Joe Biden to appear on the general election ballot.
It was the state’s first special session in a decade.
Democrats want to take that ban further and prohibit domestic companies with foreign owners from spending on elections.
The act would also prohibit anyone from interfering with the ballot initiative process and bar harassment of those circulating petitions for an initiative.
“Our bill is about democracy and putting people first. When Ohioans visit the ballot box they have a right to representation that is not for sale. The pay-to-play corporate practices in exchange for taxpayer dollars via government contracts is unjust. This is not about a documentary, but instead about the people of Ohio,” Rep. Desiree Tims, D-Dayton, said.
