Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Lawmakers Say They Will Shine A Light On Dark Money

Ohio Public Radio

State lawmakers are introducing bills that require more transparency when it comes to dark money groups in political campaigns.

The bills are in reaction to an alleged racketeering scheme involving a dark money organization and Republican Ohio Speaker Larry Householder. Ohio Public Radio's Andy Chow reports.

 

 
Listen
Listen
Listening...

 
0:56

One bipartisan bill, HB737, would create reporting requirements for entities that make political contributions. 

Democratic Representative Allison Russo is co-sponsoring a similar bill, which would among other things require 501(c)(4)s to disclose their funders. 

"For Democracy to work the process has to be transparent," Russo says. 

Federal investigators say a company thought to be FirstEnergy funneled millions through a 501(c)(4) called Generation Now, to ultimately benefit House Speaker Larry Householder and get a sweeping energy bill, HB6, passed. 

Current laws do not require groups like Generation Now to disclose its donors. 

Republican Representative Gayle Manning is co-sponsoring HB737 with Democratic Representative Jessica Miranda.

"We cannot continue down the path of what is, but should aspire to pursue what should be when it comes to campaign finance reform," said Manning in a written statement. "I believe that we must move past the unethical activities that we have recently discovered that went into House Bill 6 and push for a better, cleaner and trustworthy set of rules for Ohioans that we represent. This legislation is needed now more than ever to increase transparency when it comes to campaign finance.”

That legislation is meant to mirror a previous bill introduced in 2010 by Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted when he was in the state senate, SB240 in the 128th General Assembly. That bill is an attempt to create transparency laws that align with the U.S. Supreme Court case, Citizens United vs. Federal Elections Commission.

"I introduced this bill requiring transparency a decade ago, and if it had become law then, Ohio would be in a much better place today,” Husted said in a written statement. "Perhaps enough lessons have been learned to get it passed this time."

Russo is co-sponsoring her transparency legislation with Democratic Representative Bride Rose Sweeney. That measure has not yet been assigned a bill number.

The Statehouse News Bureau was founded in 1980 to provide educational, comprehensive coverage of legislation, elections, issues and other activities surrounding the Statehouse to Ohio's public radio and television stations. To this day, the Bureau remains the only broadcast outlet dedicated to in-depth coverage of state government news and topics of statewide interest. The Bureau is funded througheTech Ohio, and is managed by ideastream. The reporters at the Bureau follow the concerns of the citizens and voters of Ohio, as well as the actions of the Governor, the Ohio General Assembly, the Ohio Supreme Court, and other elected officials. We strive to cover statehouse news, government issues, Ohio politics, and concerns of business, culture and the arts with balance and fairness, and work to present diverse voices and points of view from the Statehouse and throughout Ohio. The three award-winning journalists at the bureau have more than 60 combined years of radio and television experience. They can be heard on National Public Radio and are regular contributors to Morning Edition, All Things Considered and Marketplace. Every weekday, the Statehouse News Bureau produces in-depth news reports forOhio's public radio stations. Those stories are also available on this website, either on the front page or in our archives. Weekly, the Statehouse News Bureau produces a television show from our studios in the Statehouse. The State of Ohio is an unique blend of news, interviews, talk and analysis, and is broadcast on Ohio's public television stations. The Statehouse News Bureau also produces special programming throughout the year, including the Governor's annual State of the State address to the Ohio General Assembly and a five-part year-end review.
Related Content