In a gripping turn of events, the Ohio utilities commission has slammed the brakes on discovery proceedings related to the sordid saga surrounding FirstEnergy Corp. The decision comes hot on the heels of a chilling warning from the state attorney general’s office, raising the stakes in a scandal that has rocked the state.
Ohio Agency Puts Discovery On Hold In FirstEnergy Probes : Legal Limbo
Deputy Attorney General Carol H. O’Brien delivered a bombshell to the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio in a Thursday missive. She cautioned that compelling testimony from individuals implicated in the bribery scandal, including former Chair Samuel Randazzo and ex-CEO Chuck Jones, could grant them immunity from prosecution.
O’Brien underscored a perplexing legal nuance in Ohio’s statutes, highlighting a clause that shields individuals who testify or provide evidence during commission investigations from criminal repercussions. This revelation sent shockwaves through the ongoing probes into whether consumers were fleeced due to FirstEnergy’s alleged malfeasance.
Ohio Agency Puts Discovery On Hold In FirstEnergy Probes : Staying the Course
The commission’s decision to suspend discovery operations rattled the landscape of justice, as it navigates the turbulent waters of parallel criminal proceedings. The gravity of the situation prompted the commission to withdraw subpoenas in multiple consumer protection investigations, a move met with a mix of consternation and cautious understanding.
