Are you ready for a shocking revelation? FirstEnergy Corp., an energy company, secretly donated a whopping $2.5 million to a dark money nonprofit that supported Republican candidate Mike DeWine’s 2018 gubernatorial race. This secretive donation allowed FirstEnergy to influence Ohio’s political landscape without revealing their identities.
But wait, there’s more! FirstEnergy is deeply tied to the HB6 scandal, where former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and others were accused of taking bribes from FirstEnergy. Householder alleged that former Public Utilities Commission of Ohio Chairman Sam Randazzo promised to deliver legislative changes that FirstEnergy desired in exchange for a generous $60 million bribe.
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost isn’t waiting for the courts to handle this case. He’s taken it to the Ohio Supreme Court to request an emergency review of a lower court decision that temporarily blocks a state law banning minors from receiving gender-affirming care. Yost argues that the lower court judge overstepped their authority and that the law affects millions of people, not just the two individuals who brought the case.
Meanwhile, Ohio’s higher education system is facing a crisis. Cleveland State University, Notre Dame College, and Lakeland Community College are all struggling financially. The declining number of students seeking higher education and the rising costs of college are putting a strain on these institutions.
In a heartbreaking case, a 13-year-old boy named Tavion Coons Williams was shot by police in Akron while playing with a toy gun. Despite being hit in the hand, Williams was charged with possessing a facsimile firearm. This incident has sparked outrage and raised concerns about the city’s need for a federal consent decree to address issues of police misconduct.
And finally, a Cleveland Heights tattoo artist lost his lawsuit against video game company Take Two Interactive. The artist claimed that Take Two used LeBron James’ tattoos in their NBA 2K video game without permission. The jury ruled in favor of Take Two, finding that the artist had an implied license to allow LeBron to license his likeness, including his tattoos.
Stay tuned for more updates on these developing stories!
