FirstEnergy trial: Some charges nixed, Husted testifies and testimony ends
By Adam Ferrise
Published on March 14, 2026.
The bribery trial of former FirstEnergy executives, Chuck Jones and Michael Dowling, ended after a judge dismissed some charges against them. The lead case agent invoked his right against self-incrimination and U.S. Sen. Jon Husted testified for the defense. Jones and Dowling are accused of orchestrating a $4.3 million bribe to former Public Utilities Commission of Ohio chairman Sam Randazzo, which was intended to secure favorable regulatory decisions and support for the scandal-ridden House Bill 6. The jury will begin deliberations next week. The trial also saw controversy over the investigation itself, with Eric Lehnhart, a former special agent with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation who was not called to testify.
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