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u.s. news Diabierna 23 Juli 2021
Biden admin stepping up community grants from COVID bill

paid for by this year’s CO- country as they rebuild,” She estimated that 300,000 rebuild their economies, as
VID-19 relief bill. Raimondo said Wednesday in jobs would be created by the well as $750 million in grants
an interview with The Asso- grants in the near term. targeted for travel, tourism
Commerce Secretary Gina ciated Press. “It’s about lon- and outdoor recreation.
Raimondo said her agency ger-term investments to help “Our number one invest-
on Thursday will begin ac- communities build them- ment priority is equity,” Fully 10% of the total will be
cepting applications for the selves back from the bottom Raimondo said. “In order earmarked for coal commu-
competitive grants, which of- up in the ways that work best to qualify to get the money, nities, which have struggled
ficials hope will create hun- for them.” you’ll have to prove to us that for decades amid the na-
dreds of thousands of jobs you’ll have an equity lens.” tion’s shift away from fossil
and help struggling cities The grants will be targeted fuels and are set to bear the
and towns make long-term at supporting local infra- The administration hopes economic brunt of the Biden
investments to drive devel- structure, job training pro- that the competitive nature administration’s even more
opment for years to come. grams and developing new of the program will also aggressive efforts to move to-
Applications for the grants industries. Recipients will coax private businesses and ward clean energy technolo-
(AP) — President Joe are available at the website be selected on the basis of philanthropies to focus on gies.
Biden’s administration is for Commerce Department’s the anticipated return on in- rehabilitating their commu-
Economic Development Ad-
vestment to taxpayers, which nities by making their own “We know that it will enable
beginning to make $3 bil-
lion in economic develop- ministration. Raimondo said at Thursday’s development commitments. these communities to recov-
White House briefing would There will be $1 billion avail-
er, diversify their economies
ment grants available to
communities — a tenfold “This is about real help for involve job creation and ra- able for 20 to 30 regions to and grow,” Raimondo said.
the cial and gender equity goals. spend on projects that would
across
communities
increase in the program
FirstEnergy to pay $230M in settlement in Ohio bribery case
(AP) — The energy gi- tions and corporate execu- used dark money groups to
ant at the center of a $60 tives who would sell their hide the scheme. Patel stopped short of say-
million bribery scheme in integrity to a public official, a ing whether any of the dark
Ohio admitted Thursday group of public officials,” said Prosecutors say the company money group’s activities de-
to new details of its role in Hoffman, calling the probe a used the groups “as a mecha- tailed in the government’s
the conspiracy as part of historic public corruption in- nism to conceal payments for Thursday filings was illegal,
a settlement with federal vestigation that “deserves his- the benefit of public officials though the statement pros-
prosecutors, including toric remedies.” and in return for official ac- ecutors required FirstEnergy
how it used dark money tion.” to issue was clearly intended
groups to fund the effort Patel called the $230 million to shine a light on the vast
and paid a soon-to-be top penalty probably the largest New details in Thursday’s political influence that such
utility regulator to write ever secured by his office. court filings said Partners entities are able to keep se-
the legislation it got in ex- for Progress appeared to be cret.
change. FirstEnergy is one of the larg- independent while actually
est investor-owned electric being controlled by First- “They were a tool and they
Akron-based FirstEnergy systems in the nation with an Energy. FirstEnergy admit- were used as part of a game,” former utilities commission
Corp. is charged with con- annual revenue last year of ted to hand-picking the or- Patel said. “It would be no chair, Sam Randazzo.
spiracy to commit wire fraud $10.8 billion. Patel rejected ganization’s three leaders, different if you had written
under the deal, Acting U.S. suggestions that the sum was who included Republican Partners for Progress on a Randazzo resigned from the
Attorney Vipal J. Patel and too lenient. Gov. Mike DeWine’s now- kitchen brown paper bag and commission in November
FBI Special Agent in Charge top lobbyist Dan McCarthy, stuffed a bunch of cash in and after FBI agents searched
Chris Hoffman announced “So the principal here is try and funneling $15 million slid it across the table.” his Columbus townhome
at a press conference. and come up with a number in FirstEnergy cash through and FirstEnergy revealed the
that stings, okay, but doesn’t the nonprofit to Generation FirstEnergy Nonexecutive payment to end a consulting
The charge would be dropped annihilate,” Patel said, assert- Now, which has also pleaded Board Chair Donald Misheff agreement with his company.
if the company complies over ing that decimating the com- guilty in the case. said in a statement that the
three years with a list of re- pany’s finances would hurt settlement builds on steps In the last year, FirstEnergy
quired actions in the deal, employees and customers That represented a portion of the company already had un- has fired six high-ranking
including paying a $230 mil- and diminish FirstEnergy’s the $59 million that FirstEn- der way, including to “signifi- executives, including CEO
lion criminal penalty and incentive to cooperate. ergy now admits it paid Gen- cantly modify our approach Chuck Jones.
continuing to fully cooperate eration Now, which it knew to political engagement as we
with investigators. Half of the $230 million was also not independent but work to regain the trust of Messages seeking comment
penalty will go to the federal rather controlled by House- our stakeholders.” were left Thursday with
The deal, signed off by First- government and the other holder, the statement of facts Randazzo, Householder
Energy’s president and CEO, half will be paid to a program said. Patel said the settlement and DeWine, who appoint-
comes in a scandal that has that benefits Ohio’s regulated does not preclude prosecu- ed Randazzo to the utilities
affected business and politics utility customers, Patel said. That statement of facts filed tors from pursuing any indi- commission. Neither Ran-
across Ohio since the arrests a FirstEnergy also has to forfeit Thursday also said House- viduals whose actions are de- dazzo nor Jones have been
year ago of then-Ohio House about $6 million seized from holder approached FirstEner- scribed in detail in settlement charged criminally.
Speaker Larry Householder the accounts of one of the gy officials in February 2020 documents, though without
and four associates. Govern- dark money groups, Partners to fund a ballot initiative to being named. In a statement Thursday,
ment officials say House- for Progress. increase term limits for pub- FirstEnergy President and
holder orchestrated a plan to lic officials. Had it passed, the The company also paid a CEO Steven Strah said,
accept corporate money for Under the agreement, First- measure potentially could public official $4.3 mil- “Moving forward, we are in-
personal and political use in Energy also must make have added up to 16 more lion through his consult- tently focused on fostering a
exchange for passing nuclear public any new corporate years to the Perry County ing company to further the strong culture of compliance
bailout legislation and scut- payments it’s aware of that Republican’s House term. company’s interests while and ethics, starting at the top,
tling an effort to repeal the were intended to influence a FirstEnergy paid Partners he worked as Ohio’s top util- and ensuring we have robust
bill. public official and continue for Progress $2 million the ity regulator, “relating to the processes in place to prevent
an internal makeover of its next month, which the dark passage of nuclear legisla- the type of misconduct that
“I hope that today’s an- ethics practices. It also must money group transferred to tion,” according to the pros- occurred in the past.”
nouncement serves as a stern issue a public statement de- the Householder-controlled ecutor’s statement of facts.
warning to other corpora- scribing that it intentionally Generation Now. That official is known to be