A STATE AUDIT FINDS FIRST ENERGY LARGELY DID NOT RELY ON CUSTOMERS TO PAY FOR ITS BRIBERY SCHEME. 
THE REPORT FINDS LESS THAN 15-THOUSAND DOLLARS OF THE 75 MILLION DOLLARS THE COMPANY PAID TO GET A BAILOUT WERE CHARGED TO RATEPAYERS. MOST OF THE MONEY SPENT FROM 2017 TO 2019 CAME FROM THE PARENT COMPANY, A SUBSIDIARY, AND UTILITY COMPANIES IT OWNS IN OTHER STATES. SO FAR, FIRST ENERGY HAS PAID A TOTAL OF 350-MILLION DOLLARS IN CRIMINAL AND CIVIL PENALTIES. IT WILL PAY ANOTHER 100-MILLION-DOLLARS TO SETTLE CIVIL PENALTIES.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
FORMER OHIO HOUSE SPEAKER LARRY HOUSEHOLDER AND FOUR OTHERS WERE ARRESTED BACK IN 2020 FOR CHARGES RELATED TO BRIBERY AND MONEY LAUNDERING FOR THEIR EFFORTS TO PUSH THROUGH A NUCLEAR PLANT BAILOUT MEASURE KNOWN AS HOUSE BILL 6. HOUSEHOLDER, WHO WAS REMOVED FROM HIS ROLE AS STATE HOUSE SPEAKER DAYS AFTER HIS ARREST AND EVENTUALLY EXPELLED FROM THE CHAMBER ALTOGETHER, WAS CONVICTED FOR HIS ROLE IN THE SCANDAL LAST YEAR AND IS CURRENTLY SERVING A 20-YEAR PRISON SENTENCE. FORMER OHIO REPUBLICAN PARTY CHAIRMAN MATT BORGES IS ALSO SERVING A FIVE-YEAR PRISON SENTENCE FOR HIS ROLE IN THE SCANDAL.