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A growing number of governors are calling for another round of coronavirus-relief legislation from Washington, D.C., saying that they are unable to provide additional funds to small businesses amid budget shortfalls, the Wall Street Journal reported. The issue is gaining urgency as money from federal relief passed earlier this year runs out ahead of a year-end deadline to spend it. States have funneled hundreds of millions of dollars in federal aid into everything from personal-protective equipment and hazard pay for front-line health-care workers to schools and food banks. Businesses, which generally got a smaller slice of the aid than programs directly tied to the public-health emergency, are in a particularly precarious spot. In addition, federal loans to businesses during the shutdown earlier this year — known as the Paycheck Protection Program — have since run out. The crunch is tough in the Midwest, where some of the nation’s strongest coronavirus restrictions have been implemented amid increases in COVID-19 cases, hitting businesses just ahead of the holiday season.

Bankruptcy Judge Alan Koshchik is ordering four Ohio lobbyists who work for the top law firm in the FirstEnergy Solutions bankruptcy to answer questions under oath about any possible ties to the Larry Householder bribery case, the Akron (Ohio) Beacon Journal reported. Judge Koshchik issued the order on Tuesday, telling the four lobbyists, known as the "Ohio statehouse team" with law firm Akin Gump, to answer his questions in writing by Jan. 8, with a related court hearing on Jan. 19. The four lobbyists "were the timekeepers involved who interacted with currently-indicted individuals or entities ..." according to the court filing. The judge, who had been withholding millions in dollars in fee requests from Akin Gump over the ongoing investigation, said about $2.8 million being sought by Akin Gump related to state government lobbying, including work tied to the passage of House Bill 6. The bill, now law, is at the center of the $61 million federal bribery investigation. Akin Gump is aware of the court’s order and will readily provide additional information to facilitate approval of the firm’s fees, a spokesman for the international law firm said on Wednesday. The firm has been seeking to be paid nearly $68 million in fees and expenses in the case.