(The Center Square) A group of nonprofit organizations has filed an ethics complaint against an Ohio state senator, claiming he failed to disclose ownership in five oil well companies.
The complaint, filed by Washington County for Safe Drinking Water and signed by
groups, including Buckeye Environmental Network, Save Ohio Parks and FaCT Ohio. demanding an “urgent, transparent investigation,” into the alleged ethics violations by Sen. Brian Chavez, R-Marietta.
The groups claim Chavez, who chairs the energy committee, failed to disclose ownership interest in five oil well companies.
Chavez did not immediately return a phone call from TCS requesting a comment on the ethics complaint.
“To preserve public trust in Ohio institutions, Sen. Chavez must be held accountable to the full
extent of the law for using his position to promote his own pecuniary interest and for his failure to
disclose employment and several LLCs in which he and/or his close family members have demonstrable interests,” the ethics complaint reads. “He should not be sitting as chairman of the committee and sponsoring, fast-tracking, and controlling energy-related legislation that stands to benefit businesses in which he and/or close family members maintain interests.”
The groups claim Chavez used legislative position to fast track Senate Bill 219, which revised Ohio law governing oil and gas wells. The bill passed the Senate in November.
“What Sen. Chavez has failed to reveal to the media about Senate Bill 219 is that, if it becomes law, he and his close family members’ businesses could have increased opportunities to make more money with less risk,” according to the ethics complaint.
The legislation would make $150 million in state funds available for capping oil wells, the nonprofit groups charged.
Chavez owns an interest in a company, Chavez Well Service LLC, which has bid on five orphan well contracts since he became a senator in 2023, the ethics complaint states.
“Should Senate Bill 219 become law, the injection well industry will be set to make more money with less oversight,” the complaint states. “Consequently, Sen. Chavez, with both his disclosed and undisclosed interests, could stand to profit from the provisions in Senate Bill 219. Senator Chavez should have recused himself from all involvement in Senate Bill 219. Instead, he has co-sponsored the bill, fast-tracked it, and publicly advocated for it.”
