U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Alan Koschik gave Akron-based Energy Harbor a three-month delay in filing documents that detail how four hired guns intervened in Ohio Statehouse politics and House Bill 6, the Columbus Dispatch reported. Last year, Judge Koschik told four men at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld to give him answers about their involvement in legislative races and getting the energy bill passed. Energy Harbor hired Akin Gump, an international law firm, to help with its bankruptcy and lobbying efforts. In January, Judge Koschik agreed to a six-month delay to getting answers. Energy Harbor attorney Jonathan Streeter yesterday told Judge Koschik that the men completed the "declarations" but making those statements public while Energy Harbor cooperates with federal prosecutors would be detrimental. Energy Harbor needs more time to cooperate with federal prosecutors in secret, he argued. Energy Harbor, formerly known as FirstEnergy Solutions and owner of two nuclear power plants in northern Ohio, filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy in March 2018 and emerged in February 2020. During that time, state lawmakers passed a $1.3 billion bailout bill that would provide a subsidy to keep the nuclear plants operating as well as other perks to utilities.
