Following the sentencing of former Ohio Republican Speaker of the House Larry Householder on Thursday, Ohio lawmakers in the Ohio House of Representatives voiced their opinions.
A federal judge sentenced Householder (pictured above) this week to the maximum of 20 years in federal prison for his participation in the largest bribery scandal in state history.
Householder’s sentencing received praise from members of the Ohio House, saying that the 20-year sentence is justified.
State Representative Beth Lear (R-Galena) told The Ohio Star that “Pay-to-play politicians must be held accountable.”
“No one should be above the law – not Joe Biden and not Larry Householder,” Lear told The Star.
According to State Representative Brian Stewart (R-Ashville), “the punishment fits the crime.”
“The largest public corruption scandal in Ohio history resulting in a 20 year prison sentence for Larry Householder is justice served. The effects of his corrosive tenure in state government are still being felt. What he did was wrong, and the punishment fits the crime,” Stewart said.
State Representative Phil Plummer (R-Dayton) said that Householder’s 20-year sentence sends a “strong message.”
“Things just got real in Columbus. 20 years is a very strong message. Now maybe the rest of the clowns will knock it off and we can get back to serving the people,” Plummer said.
According to State Representative Gary Click (R-Vickery), he “commends” the courts for serving justice.
“Contemplating the Householder sentence, I commend the courts for serving justice. However, I find it difficult to be joyful that justice had to be served. This is a sad moment for Ohio. I pray for God’s grace on him and his family and especially for all who were victimized by him,” Click said.
Earlier this year, a federal jury found Housholder guilty of participating in a $61 million bribery and racketeering plot surrounding HB 6, the state’s $1 billion bailout of the FirstEnergy nuclear power plant. Householder lost his speakership, and lawmakers expelled him from the house in June 2021.
FirstEnergy agreed to cooperate with federal prosecutors in their investigation and acknowledged conspiring with other parties and organizations to bribe public officials millions of dollars in exchange for specific official action to assist FirstEnergy.
Federal prosecutors charged Householder and four co-conspirators, Matt Borges, Neil Clark, Juan Cespedes, and John Longstreth, in 2020.
Through HB 6, FirstEnergy raised electricity rates and had Ohioans paying for fossil fuel power plants.
The Ohio Supreme Court issued a ruling in late 2020 blocking the new charges slated for inclusion on Ohio electric bills through HB 6, set to begin in January 2021.
After over two years, a Franklin County Common Pleas Court judge lifted the stay on proceedings of Attorney General Dave Yost‘s civil lawsuit against FirstEnergy, Householder, and others connected to the scandal earlier this year.
The U.S. Marshals took Householder into custody following Thursday’s sentencing.
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Hannah Poling is a lead reporter at The Ohio Star and The Star News Network. Follow Hannah on Twitter @HannahPoling1. Email tips to [email protected]
Photo “Beth Lear” by The Ohio House of Representatives. Photo “Brian Stewart” by The Ohio House of Representatives. Photo “Phil Plummer” by Phil Plummer for State Representative. Photo “Gary Click” by The Ohio House of Representatives. Background Photo “Ohio Statehouse” by General Ization. CC BY 3.0.
