AG candidate wants investigation into JobsOhio chairman

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(The Center Square) – A nonprofit agency created by the state that controls the state liquor tax profits is once again taking fire.

In recent years, questions surrounded JobsOhio renewal of its lease for state liquor profits and its connection to former Ohio State University President Ted Carter, who resigned after “inappropriate relationship” with a podcaster connected to the agency.

Now, JobsOhio Board President Josh Rubin is taking fire from attorney general candidate John Kulewitz.

A candidate for Ohio attorney general wants the state to investigate whether Rubin used his position to help a lobbying firm and tech giant Intel..

“The president of the JobsOhio board is Josh Rubin,” John Kulewitz, a Democrat, wrote in his complaint to the Ohio Inspector General.  He is the founder and CEO of the CJR Group, a lobbying firm, which lobbies for American Electric Power.

JobsOhio recently announced a $100 million fund for small modular nuclear reactors, according to Kulewicz.

��Right now, no utilities in Ohio are building these reactors,” Kulewicz wrote. ”AEP has openly expressed interest in doing that moving forward, the only utility company to do so. This calls into question whether Mr. Rubin has used his position as the board director of JobsOhio to create a fund for the benefit of his firm's lobbying client, AEP. This is a serious apparent conflict of interest.”

Rubin also continues to lobby for Intel, according to  Kulewicz.

“Mr. Rubin was actively lobbying the governor on Intel's behalf as recently as April 2026,” Kulewicz wrote in his complaint. “At the same time, JobsOhio has given out over $2 million to Intel.”

Matt Englehart, JobsOhio press secretary, told The Center Square in a statement that the organization follows its conflict-of-interest policy, requiring disclosure and appropriate management of potential conflicts, including recusal in appropriate cases.”

JobsOhio was recently in the spotlight after Carter resigned after it was disclosed that he had an “inappropriate relationship” with a podcaster linked to JobsOhio.

JobsOhio paid $60,000 to sponsor four episodes of the podcasts but only one was completed.

Kulowitz, a retired lawyer, is the Democratic nominee for Ohio Attorney General. He will face Keith Faber, the Republican nominee and current state auditor, in November.

Faber told The Center Square that proof is more important than suggestions of a conflict.

"My opponent is busy flinging mud at the wall to see what sticks. I'm busy talking to Ohio voters about my long established record actually fighting waste, fraud and abuse – including securing convictions of over 165 public officials," Faber said. "If there was wrongdoing, there should be accountability, but I know – and my opponent should learn – that innuendo isn't a high enough burden of proof for the office of Ohio Attorney General."

In Feburary 2025, the Ohio Controlling Board ignored then-Attorney General Dave Yost’s request for a delay and extended a deal that gives the state’s liquor profits to JobsOhio.

The board voted 4-2 to extend JobsOhio’s original agreement to 2053. It had been set to expire in 2038.

Yost has spent the past week asking the board to delay the vote and require the company to contribute more to the state. JobsOhio contributed $1.4 billion at the beginning of the agreement in 2011, but the state did not require an additional investment for the extension.

Yost had sent letters to JobsOhio and the Office of Budget and Management questioning the proposed extension and asking the Controlling Board to hold off on considering it.

Yost said at the time he supported the extension but wanted to funnel $840 million from JobsOhio into day care, return-to-work incentives and job-skills training.

JobsOhio CEO J.P. Nauseef defended the organization and its request to extend a 25-year agreement with the state and the need for an extension with 13 years left on the original deal.