CLEVELAND, Ohio – Governor Mike DeWine asked Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder to resign after a federal criminal complaint directed at Householder for accepting $ 60 million in bribes.
The head of the family, the main assistant Jeff Longstreth and the lobbyists Matt Borges, Neil Clark and Juan Céspedes were accused of extortion on Tuesday as part of the criminal complaint. The Justice Department alleges that Householder and the others accepted $ 60 million in bribes to help First Energy power company obtain a $ 1.3 billion bailout for old nuclear plants.
DeWine, who helped pass the bailout and signed the bill, described Householder’s arrest as a “sad day for Ohio” before asking for his resignation.
“I am deeply concerned about the allegations of wrongdoing released today by the United States Attorney’s Office,” DeWine said in a statement. “Every American has a presumption of innocence until proven guilty. Due to the nature of these charges, it will be impossible for the head of the House of Representatives to effectively lead the Ohio House of Representatives; therefore, I ask the Speaker of the House of Representatives to resign immediately. “
Listen to a special episode of our week on the CLE podcast on the corruption case here.
Several other state officials and party leaders on both sides of the aisle also issued statements calling for the head of the family to resign.
Attorney General Dave Yost, a Republican from Columbus:
“Larry Householder sold the people of Ohio in exchange for power and dirty money. The 81-page affidavit released today clearly shows that he cannot be trusted to act in the public interest, or in public authority.”
“You have the right to a presumption of innocence regarding the criminality of your acts, but you do not have the right to the presumption of continuity in office. You should resign immediately. If you refuse, the House should expel you in accordance with Article II, section 6 of the Ohio Constitution. “
Secretary of State Frank LaRose, a Hudson Republican:
“The state legislature must do important work on behalf of the people of Ohio. That work cannot be done with the President under arrest in an ongoing federal investigation.
@HouseholderOH, do the right thing for the people of our state and quit today. “
Senate President Larry Obhof, Republican of Medina:
“The allegations made today are very detailed, very serious, and very troubling to me, and certainly to the people of Ohio. Every member of the Ohio legislature has a sacred trust with the citizens of this state, and people deserve the honest services of their elected representatives. “The seriousness and seriousness of the accusations cast a dark shadow over the Casa del Pueblo. It is clear that he cannot continue to lead the Ohio House of Representatives. I should resign.
US Representative Troy Balderson, a Zanesville Republican:
Today is a sad day in Ohio. I have always believed that holding public office is a great honor and should be treated as such. The allegations against spokesman Larry Householder appear to be significant. If true, they are shocking and serve as evidence that you violated public confidence and federal law. You should quit immediately.
US Representative Marcy Kaptur, a Democrat from Toledo:
“Unfortunately, this situation appears to be very serious. It bodes ill for Ohio. There’s a lot to learn in the coming days about the latest apparent pay-per-play scheme at the Ohio State House. Ohio residents deserve honest and visionary leadership. The arrest of the Republican Speaker of the Ohio House and former Ohio Republican Party Chairman (Borges) undermines public confidence and underscores the corrosive impact money has on our politics. While these matters are judged, Ohio residents should demand a top-down reform of the Ohio campaign finance and ethics system to end payment in Buckeye State. ”
Ohio Republican Party President Jane Timken:
“I understand and respect the presumption of innocence. All charges filed must be proven in court. These are basic legal rights. However, there is no right to hold public office. This is a privilege extended by Ohioans to office holders. It is a higher calling and requires a higher level of responsibility. That is why I am asking Larry Householder to step down as Speaker of the House and step down as legislator.
“… As a party that prides itself on leading the right path, the political elite has too often failed to allow these corrupt and shameful individuals to have a place in our party. All Republicans must carefully analyze who they surround themselves with and eliminate this type of corruption and greed from our party. “
Ohio Democratic Party Chairman David Pepper:
“The revelations contained in today’s criminal complaint against the Republican Speaker of the House and his associates tell the story of the conspirators who have been in this for a long time and know how to evade responsibility for their corrupt actions. This is because, for decades, the culture of Columbus and the Ohio Statehouse under the leadership of the Republican Party is fundamentally one of corruption, bribery, and pay-to-play.
“… Given what was revealed in today’s complaint and the corruption of Ohio’s legislative activity, we believe that the Speaker of the House of Representatives should immediately resign leadership as he takes advantage of his due process rights. Our greatest hope for Ohio is that those officials who have defrauded taxpayers and abused the people’s trust will finally have a moment of accountability, whether it comes from the legal system or from the polls this November. “
Ohio House Minority Leader Emilia Sykes, a Democrat from Akron:
“This is a sad day for Ohio. Since Ohioans are dealing with an economic and public health crisis like we have not seen in generations, this is an unnecessary distraction from the very important businesses facing our citizens. Because of this, we demand the immediate resignation of Larry Householder as Speaker of the House and we implore our fellow Republicans to announce a new leader for this body as soon as possible. We cannot allow this situation to distract us from the important work that needs to be done.
“There is no enjoyment in today’s news, which will undoubtedly lead to a further deterioration of public confidence in our institutions.”
The shocking news of the impending criminal charges against Householder began this morning when FBI officials raided his property in Perry County. The head of the family, Longstreth, Borges, Clark and Céspedes all appeared in front of a federal court in the afternoon.
They were released without bail, although they were required to surrender their firearms. Your trip will be restricted to the limits of the Southern Ohio District, which covers most of the state from the Columbus area to Cincinnati.
Not all Ohio elected officials called for the head of the family to resign. US Representative Bill Johnson, a Marietta Republican, issued a statement calling the charges against Householder and its allies “very serious,” but added that the United States Department of Justice should “prosecute those who perpetrated the Russian deception.” .
“We cannot have a two-tier justice system: one for Republicans and one for Democrats,” Johnson said. “We are still waiting.”
