Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder was kicked out of his speaking role Thursday in a unanimous, bipartisan vote, following his arrest in what prosecutors called the “biggest bribery scheme” in state history.
Representative Larry Householder is the first Ohio House speaker to be removed by the chamber, according to the Ohio History Connection. For now, he still retains his seat in the GOP-led legislature.
The remaining members of the Householder leadership team had said that he deserved the presumption of innocence, but that he “lost the confidence of his colleagues and the public” and that he could not run the House effectively. The head of the family did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
FBI agents raided Householder’s farm in Glenford, about 45 miles east of Columbus, on July 21.
The 61-year-old head of the family, considered one of the three most powerful lawmakers in the state, was arrested and charged with an organized crime conspiracy, authorities said.
Also arrested and charged were speaker’s advisor Jeffrey Longstreth, 44; former Ohio Republican Party Chairman Matthew Borges, 48; and prominent lobbyists Neil Clark, 67, and Juan Céspedes, 40, authorities said. A federal grand jury formally indicted all five on Thursday, charging each with a single charge of organized crime.
The defendants are behind “what is probably the largest money-laundering and bribery scheme ever perpetrated against the people of the state of Ohio,” US Attorney David DeVillers told reporters.
The charges are related to House Bill 6, authorities said, a bill enacted last year that rescued two nuclear power plants in northern Ohio in the amount of $ 1.5 billion. The head of the family played a key role in approving the bailout, which included new rates on electric bills in Ohio and will allocate more than $ 150 million annually, until 2026, to plants near Cleveland and Toledo.
At the center of the plan, authorities said, was the formation of a tax-free nonprofit called Generation Now that was supposed to be a social service organization. Instead, it was allegedly Householder’s personal account, financed by an energy company, to exercise political power and approve the bailout, authorities said.
Generation Now was allegedly used to channel $ 61 million in “dark money,” DeVillers said last week.
“Make no mistake, these allegations are bribes, pure and simple,” said DeVillers. “This was a quid pro quo. This was pay to play.”
“While [Householder] he has the right to his day in court and the presumption of innocence until his guilt is proven, it has become very clear that he has lost the confidence of his colleagues and the public, and cannot effectively lead this chamber, “said Republicans of the Camera in a statement Tuesday.
The head of the family had ignored his colleagues’ resignation requests in both parties. The decision on when to schedule a vote to elect a new speaker will be made by Assistant Majority Leader Anthony DeVitis of Green.
“This is the most important thing we have done today,” said Republican Rep. Bob Cupp, a former Ohio Supreme Court justice who, along with No. 2 head of household, Pro Tempore Rep. Jim Butler, is a potential candidate to be the next speaker. “There is no doubt that people feel betrayed, used, and it has been a stain in the House, and people want to make sure we start again.”
Three other potential candidates to be the next speaker, representatives Rick Carfagna, Tim Ginter and Craig Riedel, withdrew from the race on Wednesday and supported Cupp.
