Trending Now - GOP Faces Bribery Scandal Amid Major Spending for Ohio Senate Seat

WHO:

ABC News - Jon Husted, Ohio Republican, former lieutenant governor, and Ohio secretary of state.

ABC News - Sherrod Brown, Democrat, expected opponent in the November elections.

ABC News - Chuck Jones, former CEO of FirstEnergy.

ABC News - Michael Dowling, former FirstEnergy lobbyist.

ABC News - Larry Householder, former Ohio House Speaker, serving a 20-year prison sentence.

ABC News - Neil Clark, longtime Ohio lobbyist.

ABC News - Mike DeWine, Republican Governor of Ohio.

WHAT:

ABC News - A $60 million bribery scandal has been ongoing in Ohio for more than five years.

ABC News - Husted was called to testify as a defense witness in a criminal trial related to the bribery scandal.

ABC News - The Senate Leadership Fund plans to spend $79 million on Husted's campaign.

ABC News - The bribery scheme involved a $1 billion bailout for Ohio's two nuclear power plants.

ABC News - Husted has denied any wrongdoing or involvement in the bribery scheme.

WHERE:

ABC News - The bribery scandal is centered in Ohio, specifically involving Akron-based FirstEnergy.

WHEN:

ABC News - The retrial for the criminal case related to the bribery scandal is scheduled to begin on September 28th, 2026.

ABC News - Husted was called to testify following a mistrial in March 2026.

ABC News - Householder was convicted in 2023 for orchestrating the bribery scheme.

WHY:

ABC News - The bribery scandal revolves around legislative approval for a bailout that was intended to keep nuclear power plants operational.

HOW:

ABC News - Evidence from Husted's calendars showed meetings and communications with key figures involved in the bribery scheme.

ABC News - Dark money was funneled to nonprofits benefiting Husted and Governor DeWine, with contributions marked for Husted's campaign.

(UPDATED April 20, 2026 07:34 UTC)

A significant bribery scandal in Ohio, involving a $1 billion bailout for two nuclear power plants, has been ongoing for over five years, with key figures like Jon Husted, the state's former lieutenant governor, called to testify in a criminal trial. Husted has denied any wrongdoing, despite evidence linking him to meetings with individuals involved in the scheme, and the Senate Leadership Fund is set to invest $79 million in his campaign as he faces off against Democrat Sherrod Brown in the upcoming November elections. The retrial related to this case is scheduled to begin September 28th, following a mistrial in March, and it continues to unfold against the backdrop of a conviction of former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder for orchestrating the bribery scheme in 2023.