Ohio House speaker, 4 others charged in 'largest bribery, money-laundering scheme' in state historyOhio House Speaker Larry Householder and four others were arrested and charged Tuesday as part of a $60 million racketeering and bribery probe that investigators called “the largest bribery, money-laundering scheme against the people of the state of Ohio.â€
U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio David DeVillers announced the arrest of Householder, a Republican, and four codefendants as part of a year-long investigation into public corruption and bribery tied to legislation that bailed out two nuclear power plants in the state.
“These allegations are bribery, pure and simple,†DeVillers said during a press conference. “This was quid pro quo, this was pay to play.â€
Along with Householder, former Ohio GOP chairman Matt Borges, lobbyist Neil Clark, lobbyist and Ohio Civil Rights Commission member Juan Cespedes and political consultant Jeff Longstreth were also arrested in connection to the investigation.
Householder has been speaker since 2019 after previously having the position from 2001 to 2004. He left office due to term limits but rejoined the House in 2017. He is seen as one of the most powerful and influential state lawmakers in Ohio.............
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/ohio-house-speaker-4-others-charged-in-largest-bribery-money-laundering-scheme-in-state-history
