Associated Press: Judge blocks fees set by tainted Ohio nuclear bailout law

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A central Ohio judge on Monday blocked the subsidies from a $1 billion nuclear bailout law at the center of a $60 million bribery probe, as state lawmakers scrambled to decide the fate of a repeal effort and nominees were chosen to succeed a utility regulator who resigned amid the investigation.

Franklin County Judge Chris Brown sided with Republican Attorney General Dave Yost and the cities of Cincinnati and Columbus in granting a preliminary injunction that would block the subsidies that were set to be added to every electric bill in the state starting Jan. 1. …

Also Monday, a nominating council forwarded four names to Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine to fill a seat on the powerful Public Utilities Commission of Ohio to replace its former chairman, Sam Randazzo, who resigned days after the FBI searched his Columbus townhome. …

The FBI, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and Ohio Secretary of State are investigating FirstEnergy’s role in the alleged bribery scheme. Federal prosecutors allege then-Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder used the money to win the speakership, elect political allies and pass the bailout bill. Householder and four others were arrested in July and subsequently indicted on racketeering charges.

Before Monday’s vote and closed-door interviews with eight candidates by the nominating council, groups concerned about public trust in the utility commission sent letters to DeWine.

Common Cause Ohio, a progressive good-government group, urged DeWine to require additional financial disclosure for utilities commission applicants.

“Ohioans should be able to ‘follow the money’; such disclosure will help Governor DeWine identify conflicts of interest and could help head off future problems,” Executive Director Catherine Turcer said in a statement.