HUSTED TRIAL TRACKER: Jon Husted Forced to Answer for Central Role in Ohio’s Largest Corruption Scandal

HUSTED TRIAL TRACKER: Jon Husted Forced to Answer for Central Role in Ohio's Largest Corruption Scandal

March 11, 2026

Husted has been mentioned more than 200 times in the ongoing criminal trial regarding the largest bribery scandal in Ohio history

Husted led the charge for massive utility bailout scheme

Ohio families paying$663 more a year on electric bills thanks to Husted

COLUMBUS, OHIO - Today, FirstEnergy "golden boy" Jon Husted was forced to take the stand to answer for his role in the largest public corruption scandal in Ohio history. Husted's testimony made clear he was at the center of the massive bribery scheme that delivered a billion dollar bailout to utilities and contributed to electricity costs for Ohioans increasing by $663 a year.

Here are the biggest takeaways from Jon Husted's testimony on his central role in Ohio's largest corruption scandal:

• Husted played a key role in passing the billion dollar FirstEnergy bailout, which has contributed to Ohioans paying $663 a year more in energy costs.

• New emails between Husted and Sam Randazzo, the disgraced former Public Utilities Commission chair, show the two had an even deeper relationship than previously reported.

• Husted tried to downplay his extensive relationship with Chuck Jones and Mike Dowling, the former FirstEnergy executives who helped mastermind the corrupt bailout scheme - despite Chuck Jones calling Husted a "good friend of FirstEnergy" and phone records showing an established line of communication between Husted and the defendants.

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

"Jon Husted's testimony today confirmed what Ohioans already knew: he was at the center of the largest bribery scandal in Ohio history and it's costing families hundreds of dollars more a year. Husted didn't just sell Ohioans out to a big utility company - he set the entire bribery scheme in motion, and voters will hold him accountable in November."

Read more about Jon Husted's role in Ohio's largest corruption scandal:

• Jon Husted played a central role "running the show" in the largest bribery scandal in Ohio history that is costing Ohioans $663 more a year.

• New evidence 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 indicted FirstEnergy executives, 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 and FirstEnergy Executives 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, Mike DeWine, and the indicted FirstEnergy executives at the Athletic Club of Columbus has become a focal point of the current criminal trial.

• Public records show that FirstEnergy 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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