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Former Ohio Republican state House Speaker Larry Householder was sentenced Thursday to 20 years in prison for his role in a $61 million bribery scheme, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Householder was convicted of “leading a racketeering conspiracy” due to his involvement in fraudulent business dealings when receiving payments to incentivize passing a billion-dollar nuclear power plant bailout, according to the DOJ. The corporation funneled bribery payments into Householder’s nonprofit, Generation Now, in a bid to conceal the names of donors who supported his campaign efforts and speakership bid in exchange for legislation.
“Larry Householder led a criminal enterprise responsible for one of the largest public corruption conspiracies in Ohio history,” U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio Kenneth Parker said in a statement. “Elected officials owe a duty to provide honest services to their constituents – transparency, integrity and accountability are foundational principles of democracy. Householder once held one of the three most powerful offices in the State of Ohio. Now, because of his corruption, he will serve a substantial prison sentence.”
“[Voters] trusted you,” Judge said. “You betrayed that trust”
— Morgan Trau (@MorganTrau) June 29, 2023
The campaign funds Householder laundered assisted his race for the Speaker, as well as other like-minded candidates’ efforts, according to the DOJ. Householder began his second speakership in 2019, but was unanimously removed from the position in 2020 after being arrested for the bribery scheme, according to Ballotpedia.
FirstEnergy Corporation, which operated the two nuclear power plants in Ohio, funneled millions in campaign funds into Householder’s nonprofit, Generation Now, in exchange for the bailout, according to the DOJ. The corporation began making regular laundered payments to Householder in 2017, and the $1.3 billion bailout was signed into law in 2019, according to The Washington Post.
The former chairman of the Ohio Republican Party, Matt Borges, also accepted millions from FirstEnergy Corporation, and was convicted with Householder of conspiracy for involvement in the bribery scheme, according to the DOJ. He will appear in court Friday to receive his sentence. (RELATED: ‘Bunch Of Malarky’: Biden Pressed On Bribery Scheme Allegations)
“The people of Ohio are the true victims of Larry Householder’s corrupt scheme to increase his power and pass a billion-dollar corporate bailout,” FBI Cincinnati Special Agent William Rivers said in a statement. “While we hope this sentence clearly demonstrates that corruption does not pay, the FBI will continue to investigate and pursue those who abuse their positions and take advantage of the public.”
Householder did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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