Shane Wilkin | |
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Member of the Ohio Senate from the 17th district | |
Assumed office January 3, 2023 | |
Preceded by | Bob Peterson |
Member of the OhioHouseofRepresentatives from the 91st district | |
In office June 7,2018 –December 31,2022 | |
Preceded by | Cliff Rosenberger |
Succeeded by | Bob Peterson |
Personal details | |
Born | Lynchburg,Ohio,U.S. | August 8,1970
Political party | Republican |
Shane Wilkin (born August 8,1970) is an American politician serving as a member of the Ohio State Senate. He previously served as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives,representing the 91st district from 2018 to 2023. A Republican,Wilkin's house district included all of Clinton,Highland and Pike counties and portions of Ross county. Prior to serving in the state House,Wilkin served three terms as a Highland County Commissioner. [1] Professionally,he works as a realtor. [2]
In 2018,Wilkin entered the primary to succeed Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives Cliff Rosenberger,but unexpectedly was appointed to Rosenberger's seat after the Speaker resigned following a campaign finance scandal. [3] Wilkin was appointed after winning the Republican primary for the seat,defeating Rosenberger's preferred candidate,Beth Ann Ellis. He easily won the general election. [4]
In the aftermath of the largest corruption scandal in Ohio history—centered around former Speaker Larry Householder and the $60 million bribery scheme tied to House Bill 6 (HB 6)—Rep. Shane Wilkin came under scrutiny for his role as one of the bill’s two primary sponsors. See Ohio nuclear bribery scandal.
According to campaign finance records,Wilkin received contributions from the FirstEnergy political action committee totaling $10,000 in 2018,$3,000 in early 2019,and $2,500 later in 2019,during the period surrounding the introduction and passage of HB 6. [5]
Wilkin co-sponsored HB 6,which provided a $1.3 billion ratepayer-funded bailout to two nuclear power plants previously owned by a FirstEnergy subsidiary. [6] [7]
In a July 2020 interview following Householder’s arrest,Wilkin defended his sponsorship of HB 6 as a policy decision,citing the preservation of nuclear jobs and energy diversity,and denied involvement in or knowledge of the bribery scheme. [8]
While Wilkin was not charged with any crime,ethics groups and watchdog organizations highlighted his sponsorship of HB 6 and campaign contributions from FirstEnergy as emblematic of the utility’s extensive influence on Ohio’s legislature. [9]