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Former Official Charged

By Michael Frisch

The Columbus Dispatch has the story of charges recently filed by Ohio Disciplinary Counsel

Former Public Utilities Commission of Ohio Chairman Sam Randazzo is accused of using his position to benefit Akron-based FirstEnergy in a sweeping bribery scandal.

Now, the Ohio Disciplinary Counsel is accusing Randazzo of violating attorney ethics rules.

The disciplinary counsel says Randazzo violated several professional codes of conduct by taking actions that benefitted FirstEnergy and hurt his large industrial energy user clients, according to a complaint filed Monday and first reported by Bloomberg Law.

It’s the latest legal problem for Randazzo who also faces criminal charges in federal and state court. He has pleaded not guilty and said he did nothing wrong.

Randazzo is suspected of working for FirstEnergy without informing his client, Industrial Energy Users-Ohio. In one instance, he signed a contract with FirstEnergy on behalf of IEU-Ohio and his two other businesses.

“Randazzo was on all sides of the transaction,” according to the criminal complaint filed in Summit County.

In this capacity, Randazzo is accused of skimming money from side deals he made with IEU-Ohio and utilities, such as FirstEnergy and American Electric Power. These deals are legal if disclosed, but the FirstEnergy deal wasn’t, according to the state’s criminal indictment.

Randazzo owes at least $1.2 million to IEU-Ohio, which is now called the Ohio Energy Leadership Council, according to the complaint filed this week by the Ohio Disciplinary Counsel. An attorney representing Randazzo did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The complaint also outlines actions Randazzo took as PUCO chairman to benefit FirstEnergy, including working on the nuclear plant bailout in House Bill 6 and skuttling a rate case before the PUCO that would have cost FirstEnergy. The allegations mirror details included in the two criminal cases filed against Randazzo.

Randazzo is accused of violating several professional conduct codes, including:

    • Committing an illegal act.
    • Engaging in dishonestn , fraud or deceit.
    • Engaging in conduct that adversely reflects on the lawyer’s fitness to practice law.

If Randazzo violated the rules, he could face a fine, suspension of his law license or disbarment. The Ohio Supreme Court ultimately decides the appropriate penalty.

A highlight of the bar charges is a reference to a text message sent by another executive on the date that legislation he had supported passed. 

The text message contained an image of Respondent’s face on a faux Mt. Rushmore with other executives who allegedly benefitted from the legislation with the caption

HP 6 F*ck Anybody Who Aint Us

(Mike Frisch)