(OH-September 23, 2020) -- Today, Ohio Attorney General David Yost announced that the state is filing an injunction to ensure that no entity or individual slated to benefit from any portion of the $1.5 billion bailout awarded to FirstEnergy Solutions under House Bill 6 will receive payment.

This legislation is so steeped in corruption that our state’s Attorney General felt compelled to play legal gatekeeper to prohibit defendants and others included in the FBI investigation surrounding House Bill 6 from profiting. The fact that this action is necessary is not normal. It is not okay. But this is where the Ohio General Assembly has left us.

Even worse, today’s injunction does nothing to keep dollars in the pockets of Ohio consumers. The state will still begin collecting fees from all Ohio electricity customers on January 1st until a final decision is made by the Ohio General Assembly on the future of House Bill 6.

We thank Attorney General Yost for his leadership on this issue. But now it is time for our legislators to stand up and offer this same kind of leadership. Ohioans deserve better than to have their hard-earned dollars sitting in a black hole in the state coffers because their elected officials will not take action.

We call on the members of the Ohio General Assembly to do their jobs. Fully repeal House Bill 6 now. No excuses. Your constituents are watching, and time is running out.

-- Rachael Belz, Director, Ohio Consumers Power Alliance