The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for March 13, 2023

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Ohio Capital Journal – Ohio House speaker, four others arrested amid massive dark-money, pay-to-play allegations
Ohio Capital Journal – Former Ohio speaker, GOP chair both found guilty of racketeering
Associated Press – Ex-GOP Ohio speaker, lobbyist guilty in $60M bribery scheme
The Columbus Dispatch – What you need to know about Ohio’s corruption scandal, Larry Householder trial
Energy News Network – Former Ohio regulator linked to $4M payoff directed agency to limit response to FirstEnergy corruption
Cleveland.com – (2021) Ohio campaign-finance reform bill gets first look since emergence of dark money scandal
Spectrum News 1 – Law expert provides insight on campaign finance reform
Ohio Legislature – HB 737 (2020) Campaign Finance Reform Transparency Bill
Ohio Legislature – HB 13 (2021) Campaign Finance Reform Transparency Bill

Groups Taking Action:

Ohio Citizens Action, Common Cause Ohio

Today’s Script:  (Variations occur with audio due to editing for time) 

You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.

The Ohio Capital Journal and the Associated Press report that a former Ohio House Speaker, and a former state GOP chair were found guilty of racketeering in what prosecutors called the biggest bribery and money laundering scandal in Ohio history.   

Former Speaker Larry Householder and GOP chair Matt Borges were convicted March 9th for taking money in exchange for orchestrating the passing of Senate Bill 6 in 2019.  The bill shifted $1.3 billion dollars in costs from two FirstEnergy Corporation-owned nuclear power plants to Ohio ratepayers, and gutted renewable energy standards. The legislature repealed the power plant subsidies in 2021. 

FirstEnergy, and other utilities pumped an estimated $60 million dollars into 501c4 dark money groups, which helped elect Householder and several other allied candidates.  Those candidates then supported Householder for Speaker in 2018.  The trial showed Householder received $500,000 dollars and expensive entertainment from First Energy, and Borges received $100,000 dollars.  

Charges may be pending for others, including former chair of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, Sam Randazzo, whose associated company allegedly received $4 million dollars from First Energy.   

Since then, Ohio’s House & Senate committees failed to move campaign finance transparency legislation forward.  First Energy was fined $230 million dollars.

We have more information on the scandal at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

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The post Racketeering Convictions for Former Ohio House Speaker & GOP Chair in Dark Money Corporate Influence Scandal appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for January 9, 2023

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One of the Deals Made to Elect Kevin McCarthy Speaker Was With a SuperPAC

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Salon: – “Shameful”: Democrats sound alarm over “creepy” dark-money super PAC deal to help McCarthy win
Politico – Complaint from End Citizens United

Reuters – Kevin McCarthy elected House speaker, but at a cost
The Hill – McCarthy-backed PAC agrees to not spend in safe GOP open-seat primaries in Speakership concession
Groups Taking Action:

End Citizens United, Citizens for Responsibility & Ethics in Washington

You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.

You’ve likely heard that Kev “The Contenda” McCarthy won in the 15th round in a heavyweight title bout early Saturday morning. Oh, sorry, wrong blood sport. That was U.S. Representative Kevin McCarthy, who was elected Speaker of the House early Saturday morning on the 15th ballot.

It was, however, a slugfest, with ultra-Conservative Republicans in the Freedom Caucus, trading votes for key committee positions and rules changes. Such backroom deals are part of Congress.

But what raised an alarm for Democracy advocates was a reported deal negotiated as part of Congressional business with a SuperPAC. Salon reports McCarthy openly negotiated with the Congressional Leadership Fund SuperPAC to NOT run and support more moderate candidates against Freedom Caucus-supported ultra-Conservative candidates for open primary seats.

In a letter published by Politico, End Citizens United, a money-in-politics watchdog group, complained to the Office of Congressional Ethics, that QUOTE, “McCarthy and House staff acting on his behalf are using official resources to plan and direct campaign & political activities with federal super PACs” UNQUOTE, in violation of House rules, and that McCarthy and agents working on his behalf are directing the political decisions of Congressional Leadership Fund, in violation of the soft money prohibition of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002.

Another of McCarthy’s concessions to the Freedom Caucus? Gut the Office of Congressional Ethics.We have more at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. For the American Democracy Minute, I’m Brian Beihl.

The post One of the Deals Made to Elect Kevin McCarthy Speaker Was With a SuperPAC appeared first on American Democracy Minute.