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Federal judge blasts disgraced Ohio House speaker as a “bully,” sends him straight to jail
CINCINNATI — Former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder spent possibly his last moments as a free man around 2:30 p.m. Thursday and they couldn’t have been pleasant. U.S. District Judge Timothy Black gave the Glenford Republican the maximum possible sentence of 20 years and then ordered blue-shirted U.S. Marshals to immediately take him into custody. […]
Ohio Sec. of State Frank LaRose won’t discuss Householder connections
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose on Wednesday said that it shouldn’t surprise anybody who knew former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder that he’s a crook. But LaRose continues to refuse to discuss his own ties to the scandal for which Householder is due to be sentenced today, Thursday. LaRose’s name came up repeatedly earlier […]
Ohio economists divided on housing subsidy in conflict between House and Senate
As the Ohio legislature debates whether to provide subsidies to developers to build low-income housing, a panel of economists is divided on whether that will significantly lower rents. The lack of affordable housing is an acute problem in the Buckeye State. The Columbus Dispatch earlier this month reported that a full-time worker would have to […]
Analysis: Business tax cuts in Senate budget would overwhelmingly benefit the big boys
In announcing a draft state budget last week, Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman, R-Lima, said the plan “puts $3.1 billion back in the hands of families and small businesses.” Huffman didn’t mention the state’s big businesses, but that’s who will get the lion’s share of the business cuts in a state where business taxes already […]
Feds expand probe into new layer of drug middlemen
The Federal Trade Commission this month announced that it was expanding its probe into drug middlemen — companies accused of increasing the cost of prescription drugs through secretive, one-sided arrangements with drugmakers and pharmacies. Specifically, it added a third company created by one of the biggest middlemen to its investigation. The commission, which polices anti-competitive […]
In split decision Ohio Supreme Court allows Aug. 8 election to go forward
Along party lines, the Ohio Supreme Court on Friday gave the green light to an attempt by Republican leaders of the state’s gerrymandered legislature to make it much harder for voters to amend the state Constitution. The court ruled in a 4-3 decision that it’s OK for the issue to be placed on the Aug. […]
Ohio teacher pension board member sues over removal
A board member of the Ohio State Teachers Retirement System and self-professed supporter of Gov. Mike DeWine is now suing over DeWine’s purported firing of him last month. The firing came just as a group seeking big changes at the $90 billion pension fund was poised to achieve a majority on the board. The board […]
Cancer drug shortages decried in congressional hearing
There's an acute shortage of injectable cancer drugs because manufacturers can't make money off of them, two experts told a U.S. House subcommittee Tuesday. But it's unclear whether chaos in the GOP Caucus that's supposed to be running the chamber will allow for action.
Ohio Chamber won’t discuss its allies in effort to lock down state Constitution
The Ohio Chamber of Commerce is supporting a proposed amendment to the state Constitution that has huge implications for such issues as abortion, gun control, and even democracy itself. But Steve Stivers, president and CEO of the chamber, isn’t willing to talk about those things as his organization joins the effort to make it much […]
Dollar stores, giant grocery chains push healthy food out of reach for many, activists say
“Efficiency” is a frequent justification for allowing corporations to consolidate vast swathes of the marketplace. But when it comes to food, huge grocery chains and ubiquitous dollar stores are limiting some rural and urban communities’ access to healthy food at the same time they bankrupt the farmers who produce it, members of a virtual panel […]
Opioid-treatment maker settles with Ohio for $6 million
A maker of a common treatment for opioid addiction — Suboxone — has agreed to settle antitrust complaints by 41 state attorneys general for $102.5 million, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced Friday. Ohio will get just under $6 million. The states claimed that Suboxone manufacturer Indivior made minor changes to its product to keep […]
Court battle over Randazzo docs gets nasty
Sam Randazzo, the former chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, isn’t even a defendant in a massive class-action lawsuit against Akron-based FirstEnergy. But a battle is growing bitter over documents regarding $4.3 million FirstEnergy paid a group controlled by Randazzo just as Gov. Mike DeWine nominated him in 2019. The dispute arises from […]