Congressman Mike Rulli was one of the lawmakers present for Vice President J.D. Vance's visit to East Palestine on Monday for the second anniversary of the train derailment.

Rulli received some recent backlash for his decision to hire a man as his office's communications director who was at the center of an alleged fake charity targeting the people of the village. The charity claimed it was raising funds on behalf of Second Harvest Food Bank to support the people of East Palestine.

21 News asked Rulli Monday if he stood by his decision to hire Peppel earlier this year following some backlash.

Rulli says Peppel should have used better judgment and that he feels bad residents are offended but that he deserves a second chance.

Rulli said Peppel was 'crucified' for being the charity's spokesperson and said Peppel just wanted to do charity work. Rulli said he — as a good Christian — decided to give him a second chance. 

Rulli said he hoped Peppel learned from this lesson but added he wouldn't get another strike.

21 News was the first to report that Rulli had hired Peppel to work in his office in mid-January — the same man who founded the Ohio Clean Water Fund, an alleged fake charity fund that collected nearly $149,000 from donors that was allegedly seeking to help East Palestine residents after chemicals were released into their community following the Norfolk Southern train derailment and subsequent "vent and burn" that sent a plume of black, toxic smoke into the atmosphere, sparking health worries, business closures and mountains of litigation.

Peppel settled civil litigation with the Ohio Attorney General's office last year over his role as co-founder of Ohio Clean Water Fund.

That fund collected nearly $149,000 from donors seeking to help East Palestine residents after chemicals were released into their community following the Norfolk Southern train derailment and subsequent "vent and burn" that sent a plume of black, toxic smoke into the atmosphere, sparking health worries, business closures and mountains of litigation.

The fund solicited donations from people claiming they were working in conjunction with the Second Harvest Food Bank, who had no affiliation with Peppel or the group. About $10,000 was donated to the Food Bank, but not the remaining funds.

Peppel, along with two other defendants, Isaih Wartman and Luke Mahoney of WAMA Strategies, were taken to court by the Ohio Attorney General's office over the scheme and eventually settled the case in order to avoid a prolonged and expensive court battle.

Under the terms of the agreement, Wartmne and Mahoney agreed to pay $22,000 to the food bank, along with $3,000 in investigative costs and fees.

Peppel was given three days to pay a $25,000 civil penalty, as well as agree to a lifetime ban on starting, running or soliciting money for any charity in the state of Ohio.
 

Peppel is also barred from holding any position with any charity in Ohio as a "board member, trustee, officer, director, member, employee, independent contractor, agent, or volunteer of any charitable trust," with the exception that he is allowed to volunteer with a charity as long as it does not involve handling money.

Under the terms of the settlement, Peppel does not admit to any wrongdoing on the court record.
 

Vance was in the village for the second anniversary of the train derailment that has long impacted the residents of East Palestine and its businesses.