Sen. Jon Husted's political committee collected $492,000 from Heartland Bank while he sat on the bank's board of directors, the Ohio Capital Journal reported Monday, Sept. 14.

The contributions spanned Husted's time as lieutenant governor and continued after Gov. Mike DeWine appointed him to the U.S. Senate in 2025. The most recent recorded payment was $15,000 on June 30, according to Ohio Secretary of State records.

The disclosure adds a second financial entanglement for Husted, who worked to advance Intel's chip plant near New Albany. That project received more than $600 million in state funds and $27 million from JobsOhio, Ohio's quasi-private economic development authority. On Aug. 28, the Ohio Capital Journal separately reported that Husted's wife held as much as $15,000 in Intel stock while he pushed the project forward.

Husted joined Heartland Bank's board in 2022, three years into his tenure as lieutenant governor. He already held two state jobs. Those positions paid a combined $176,000. He told the Ohio Capital Journal in July 2022 that the board seat would pay about $20,000 a year and called it an educational opportunity.

"I only intend on doing it for a couple of years to get the experience, to get the understanding, and that's why I did it," Husted said at the time.

He stayed on the board until early 2025, when DeWine tapped him for the Senate seat vacated by now-Vice President JD Vance. As Husted left, Heartland merged with Jasper, Ind.-based German American Bank.

His 2025 Senate financial disclosure shows he received a $57,000 "forced payout" on restricted stock from the merger. The same filing lists between $250,000 and $500,000 on deposit at Heartland and between $16,000 and $30,000 in German American Bancorp stock.

Ohio Ethics Commission Executive Director Paul Nick told the Ohio Capital Journal the contributions do not violate state ethics law. Ohio Revised Code Section 102.03(G) treats campaign contributions as exempt from conflict-of-interest rules unless evidence of bribery or fraud exists, Nick said.

Catherine Turcer, executive director of Common Cause Ohio, told the Ohio Capital Journal that large political donations amount to "nearly legalized bribery."

Husted's office did not respond to the Ohio Capital Journal's questions for the story. He faces Democratic challenger Sherrod Brown in the November 2026 Senate election.