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Republican ex-Speaker of the Ohio House sentenced to 20 years for corruption [1]
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Date: 2023-06-30
Republican Larry Householder was once a big man in Ohio politics. Then in March, a jury found him guilty of receiving more than $59 million in bribes from Akron-based FirstEnergy in exchange for a $1.3 billion bailout, most of which was intended to save two failing nuclear plants in Northern Ohio. And yesterday, U.S. District Judge Timothy Black sentenced the ex-Speaker of the Ohio House to 20 years for racketeering conspiracy. It was the last chapter, barring an almost pointless appeal, in another story of a crook using public office to enrich himself.
Householder’s connections with the energy company were no secret , FirstEnergy had lent Householder and one of his sons a corporate jet to attend Trump’s 2017 Inauguration. However, the full scale of his shameless grift came to light after prosecutors charged Householder in July 2020.
The feds alleged then — and proved now — that First Energy paid c.$60 million to Generation Now, a 501(c)(4) organization controlled by Householder. At the time, U.S. Attorney David M. DeVillers described it as "likely the largest bribery, money laundering scheme ever perpetrated against the people of the state of Ohio.”
In 2019, after receiving the bribe, Householder strong-armed House Bill 6 through the legislature. The bill increased electricity rates to generate a $150 million annual subsidy for the two nuclear plants, and also subsidized coal-fired power plants and reduced subsidies for renewable energy and energy efficiency. It was a nightmare marriage of corporate profiteering and individual avarice that condemned Ohioans to dirty energy while slamming the door on technological progress.
The severity of the sentence, which was the maximum allowed, owed its length to the sheer scope of Householder’s utter indifference to Ohio’s taxpayers and his absence of remorse. In his prologue to sentencing, Judge Black pointed out that ratepayers could have used that money for education, health care or to start businesses. Instead, Black said , “You handed that money to suits in private jets.”
In taking the stand to offer a defense, Householder insisted he barely knew FirstEnergy executives. The prosecutors proved that was perjury by producing evidence that Householder flew on their corporate jets, sat in their luxury boxes, and dined in expensive restaurants as they plowed tens of millions of corporate dollars into dark-money accounts benefitting him.
Yet it may have been Householder’s closing remarks that sealed his extended stay away from home. He boasted, “My life has been a total and full dedication to making life better for those I serve.” He added, “My greatest commitment is to my creator… My next commitment is to my family.” And he claimed that a harsh sentence would penalize his family.
Black swatted that away, “You conned the people of Ohio, and you tried to con the jury, too.” And referring to a recording of Householder saying, “If you’re going to fuck with me, I’m going to fuck with your kids,” the Judge said, “Bottom line, you were a bully.”
The now-convicted felon should have paid heed to his co-defendant's strategy. Today, Householder’s partner in crime, and former Chair of the Ohio GOP, Matt Borges, who had received $366,000 for his part in the scheme, expressed remorse for his actions. "I'm here today for one reason and one reason only. My behavior, my decisions, my poor judgment. I should have known better."
Black took his contrition into account, saying, "Your statement here today reached me." And with that, he sentenced Borges to five years, the low end of the prosecutors’ request of 5 to 8 years.
Republicans saying they will drain the swamp is like a fox promising to guard the henhouse.
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