On National Honesty Day, Will Jon Husted Tell the Truth About His Role in Ohio’s Largest Bribery Scandal

On National Honesty Day, Will Jon Husted Tell the Truth About His Role in Ohio's Largest Bribery Scandal?

April 30, 2026

ICYMI from ASSOCIATED PRESS: Republicans plan big spending to keep Ohio's Senate seat. A bribery scandal adds to their challenges

COLUMBUS, OHIO - Today, on National Honesty Day, will Jon Husted finally tell the truth about his role in the largest bribery scandal in Ohio history?

As a reminder, Jon Husted remains at the center of the massive scandal, with new reporting from the Associated Press revealing Husted's ties to be much deeper than previously known:

• Previous reporting has already uncovered phone calls, text messages, and secret meetings between Husted and the indicted FirstEnergy executives, and Husted was forced to testify for the defense in a state criminal trial.

• When Husted was forced to testify, his testimony showed discrepancies from public documents and reporting, only raising more questions.

• This political headache isn't going away for Husted anytime soon, as the United States Supreme Court upheld the conviction of one of Jon Husted's top allies just this week.

Ohio Democratic Party Senior Communications Advisor Tony Wen released the following statement:

"On National Honesty Day, Ohioans are calling on Jon Husted to come clean about his central role in the largest bribery scandal in Ohio history that's costing families thousands of dollars more on their utility bills. It seems every week more details come to light about Jon Husted's deep ties to this massive corruption scheme. Ohioans deserve accountability and answers about how deep his involvement goes."

As a reminder, Jon Husted played a central role "running the show" in the largest bribery scandal in Ohio history alongside Dowling and Jones:

• New evidence during the trial revealed nine calls between Jon Husted and Mike Dowling in the months preceding a $4.3 million bribe to former Utilities Commission Chair Sam Randazzo.

• New reporting revealed Jon Husted held secret meetings with Dowling and Jones, including with the "mastermind of Ohio's largest public corruption scheme two days before scandal-ridden bribery legislation was introduced."

• Neil Clark, a FirstEnergy lobbyist and co-defendant with former House Speaker Larry Householder, referred to Husted as FirstEnergy's "golden boy."

• Text messages between Husted, Dowling, and Jones reveal that the trio were in constant communication "before, during and after his campaign."

• Indicted FirstEnergy CEO Chuck Jones said Husted was a "good friend of FirstEnergy" who was "highly engaged" and "fighting to the end" in support of the massive bail out.

• A dinner between Jon Husted and the indicted FirstEnergy executives at the Athletic Club of Columbus was a focal point of the criminal trial.

• Public records show that FirstEnergy - led by Jones and Dowling - funneled $1 million in dark money to a dark money group backing Husted in 2017, part of the same corrupt scheme that led to federal and state indictments.

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