Financial disclosures filed by Ohio Republican U.S. Sen. Jon Husted with the Ohio Ethics Commission reveal that the quasi-private economic development entity JobsOhio provided gifts to Husted in 2021, 2022, and 2023 when he was lieutenant governor. While JobsOhio gifts are not shown in Husted’s 2024 disclosure, it does list a gift from JobsOhio’s CEO, J.P. Nauseef, for that year. The precise nature and financial worth of these gifts have not been disclosed by Husted’s office or by JobsOhio itself, a practice currently allowed under Ohio law.
Ohio law "only requires that the filer disclose ‘the source of each gift of over seventy-five dollars,’" according to Paul Nick, executive director of the Ohio Ethics Commission, in an email. The law does not mandate the disclosure of the specific item or its value. However, Nick also stated that officials are prohibited from accepting a gift that could exert "a substantial and improper influence upon the public official or employee with respect to that person’s duties." He explained that this means no substantial thing of value should be accepted from a source doing business with, regulated by, or interested in matters before the official’s public agency.
JobsOhio was established by the legislature, and its board members are appointed by the governor. It manages the state liquor franchise, disbursing over $2 billion in what was formerly public money — profits from the state liquor franchise — to private businesses. Despite handling such significant funds, JobsOhio operates as a "private" corporation, exempt from most state open meetings and records laws. This lack of transparency has drawn scrutiny from good government watchdogs, particularly concerning contributions made to businesses owned by its board members or affiliated entities.
Catherine Turcer, executive director of Common Cause Ohio, stressed the importance of transparency regarding gifts to public officials. She stated that the public needs sufficient information to assess whether gifts could influence decision-making, adding that otherwise, voters are likely to "assume the worst" and question motives. Turcer highlighted that while such assumptions might not be entirely fair, transparency is essential to provide good information rather than allowing situations to remain "super-foggy."
In one of the years Husted received gifts from JobsOhio, Governor Mike DeWine appointed lobbyist Josh Rubin to chair the JobsOhio Board in September 2023. At the time of his appointment, Rubin was actively paid by Intel and continued to be paid by them at least into this year. Reports indicate that Rubin was registered to lobby JobsOhio on behalf of Intel and other businesses until the end of last year. Rubin’s lobbying disclosures further show that he actively lobbied Husted and the lieutenant governor’s office for Intel. This lobbying continued until Husted was appointed to fill a U.S. Senate seat, vacated by now-Vice President JD Vance, at the beginning of 2025.
JobsOhio has committed $150 million to the long-delayed Intel chip-making project near Albany. The DeWine administration, of which Husted was a member, committed more than $2 billion in taxpayer dollars to the project. The connection between undisclosed gifts to Husted and the simultaneous lobbying by JobsOhio’s board chairman for a major recipient of state and JobsOhio funds raises questions. The Ethics Commission, however, cannot draw direct conclusions without investigating all facts, according to Paul Nick. The commission possesses the authority to request further information from filers and can initiate confidential investigations under Ohio Revised Code 102.06.
A document from the Ohio Ethics Commission clarifies what constitutes "substantial" gifts, including jewelry, expensive restaurant meals, exclusive golf outings, season tickets for professional sports, or travel, meal, and lodging expenses. An "improper source" is defined as an entity seeking to do business with, regulated by, or having matters before a public agency.
Recent JobsOhio actions have also faced questions. Earlier this year, it was revealed that JobsOhio paid $60,000 for a podcast to a woman who had an "inappropriate relationship" with former Ohio State President Ted Carter, leading to his ouster. Only one of four planned episodes was produced. JobsOhio initially stated in March it would investigate clawing back the money, but has since declined to respond to inquiries about whether such attempts have been made.
Turcer of Common Cause stated that in light of these and other recent controversies, state laws regarding gifts and political contributions require updating. She pointed to a period where "what’s legal and what’s ethical are clearly being bent and broken." Husted also controversially joined the board of a private bank in 2022, a bank that subsequently contributed nearly $500,000 to his political committee. Furthermore, Husted and the DeWine administration were involved in an energy bailout that led to a significant corruption scandal in the state. Jon Husted is currently approaching a close midterm election contest against former Ohio U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat.
