COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Gov. John Kasich’s new nonprofit job-creation agency complied under protest Tuesday with a state auditor’s order to turn over its private financial records, then returned $1 million in taxpayer startup money in a move that may be intended to shield it from future government scrutiny.

JobsOhio President and Chief Investment Officer John Minor Jr. announced the refund in tandem with answering Auditor Dave Yost’s subpoena for access to the private side of the nonprofit’s books. JobsOhio, state legislative leaders and the Kasich administration argue the records aren’t public.