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House reps try to force out indicted Republican; most of GOP stays silent
The quest to expel a Republican lawmaker who was criminally accused in what’s described as the largest public corruption scandal in state history gained new life Wednesday as lawmakers launched bipartisan efforts aimed at his ouster. Two House Democrats — Jeff Crossman, of Parma, and Michele Lepore-Hagan, of Youngstown — triggered the action Tuesday after […]
House leader ducks questions about indicted Republican keeping seat
Five men were charged. Four cases remain open. Three plea deals have been signed. Two alleged conspirators might cooperate with federal prosecutors. But only one man, Rep. Larry Householder, R-Glenford, continues to shape state law and draw a taxpayer funded salary of roughly $62,000, even under shadow of a racketeering indictment described by prosecutors as […]
After bailing out AEP’s plants, lawmakers returned its campaign checks, records show
Records show Ohio state politicians refunded nearly $50,000 in recent months to a political action committee of American Electric Power, a beneficiary of a massive coal-fired power plant bailout via scandal-tainted legislation enacted last year. Nine state senators and two House representatives, all Republican, returned a total of $19,500 in campaign contributions to an AEP […]
Nursing homes spent at least $6 million on Ohio politics in five years
Ohio’s nursing home industry poured at least $6.1 million into state politics and an array of dark money political groups between 2016 and 2020, an Ohio Capital Journal investigation has found. The surge in spending comes as the state has steadily increased its payments to nursing homes through Medicaid, a state and federally funded insurance […]
Bill would force Householder, if convicted, to repay state salary
House Democrats introduced legislation Monday that would force GOP Rep. Larry Householder, currently under indictment in an alleged $61 million bribery scheme, to repay his salary if he’s convicted at trial. Reps. Jeffrey Crossman, D-Parma, and Michele Lepore-Hagan, D-Youngstown, said in a news release the legislation isn’t specifically directed at Householder, but state lawmakers generally […]
Inside Ohio Republicans’ 10-month war on the state health department over COVID-19
Ohioans were living with the coronavirus for about two months before GOP lawmakers initiated what would be a nearly yearlong effort to squash the state health department’s ability to issue public health orders. The earliest version of the idea was to limit any order issued by the Ohio Department of Health to a two-week window. […]
Bill attacking health department’s COVID-19 power dies
A legislative attempt to cripple the Ohio Department of Health’s legal authority to respond to pandemics died a quiet death Tuesday evening after the Senate President opted against attempting to override a gubernatorial veto. This puts a lid — for 2020, at least — on a months-long effort from Republicans to wrest “ultimate authority” in […]
COVID-19 protesters gather outside Ohio GOP Senate leader’s home, seeking veto override
Protesters gathered outside GOP Senate President Larry Obhof’s personal home Sunday seeking to pressure him to override a gubernatorial veto of legislation to weaken the health department. Although Senate Bill 311 passed with a veto-proof majority, the activists accused Obhof of stalling an effort to override Gov. Mike DeWine’s veto of the bill. The legislation […]
Two men tied to Householder corruption probe plead guilty
Two men charged alongside former GOP House Speaker Larry Householder in an alleged racketeering operation channeled through the Ohio Statehouse pleaded guilty to one felony federal charge each Thursday afternoon. The pleas mark the first known convictions in the Householder affair and an early victory for prosecutors. They also raise the possibility of the men […]
Alleged Householder texts about nuclear bailout are MIA, House says
Prosecutors say they have a text message sent from then-House Speaker Larry Householder seeking to pressure a fellow lawmaker to vote for a bill at the center of a criminal pay-to-play scheme — a text that an ally allegedly sought to get deleted. However, the House of Representatives said Friday in response to a records […]
Unidentified Ohio House rep gave FBI texts, testimony against Speaker in bribery case
The state representative wanted to explain his opposition to bailing out two failing nuclear power plants owned by FirstEnergy Solutions. A high-powered lobbyist, who federal prosecutors allege was involved in a $61 million racketeering scheme operated by the Speaker of the House and others in his “enterprise” to pass the bailout, wasn’t having it. “No […]
House speaker floats baseless theory of ‘double counting’ COVID-19 cases
Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder, without evidence, floated a theory to reporters Thursday in which the Ohio Department of Health is counting some COVID-19 cases twice and some as many as 15 times. Householder, R-Glenford, said he doesn’t necessarily believe the notion himself that ODH is inflating the data, but said there’s a lot of […]