Ohio
Related: About this forumFirstEnergy gave heavily to Trump and Trump worked for a federal bailout, report says
As it sought a massive, corrupt bailout in Ohio, Akron-based FirstEnergy also spent lavishly on Trump-aligned dark money groups and at hotels and golf courses owned by the former president, a new report said this week.
Trump and his aides wanted to provide a federal bailout for the companys coal and nuclear plants, but they hit a brick wall first in the form of a regulator, and then by public opposition to corporate bailouts, the report said.
Done by the Energy and Policy Institute, the report is a deep dive into otherwise-secret records that have been pried out as a result of prosecutions and litigation around the Ohio bailout scandal. Called one of the biggest bribery scandals in Ohio history, FirstEnergy funneled $61 million through dark money groups to pass a $1.3 billion ratepayer bailout through the states gerrymandered legislature and then protect it from popular opposition.
Former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder is serving a 20-year federal prison sentence as a consequence of his involvement, former state Republican Party Chair Matt Borges is serving five years and two others have pleaded guilty and await sentencing. Two others were charged and then died by suicide.
https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2024/10/11/firstenergy-gave-heavily-to-trump-and-trump-worked-for-a-federal-bailout-report-says/
JT45242
(2,805 posts)The obvious result of citizens united was going to be corporations and the mega wealthy buying favors in advance by donating to candidates who would then owe them a favor.
Add to that the decision that "gratuities" paid to political allies AFTER a vote are not bribes and you have a system that is designed to reward corruption from public officials and bribery from unscrupulous wealthy entities. You know, the way the corrupt 6 of SCOTUS can be completely on the take of people like Leonard Leo and the federalist society, or Harlan crowe.
Our society has tried to become literally "you get all the justice you can afford"
Midnight Writer
(22,885 posts)So far, we have only scratched the surface.