The speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives arrested in a bribery case involving $60 million
China News Agency, Houston, July 21. On July 21, local time, five people including Larry Householder, Speaker of the House of Representatives of Ohio, were arrested. U.S. federal prosecutors said the five people were accused of participating in a bribery case involving a total of 60 million US dollars. The prosecutor said this may be the largest bribery case in the history of the state.
The Associated Press reported that on the morning of the 21st, FBI agents arrested Householder of the Ohio House of Representatives. In the afternoon of the same day, federal prosecutor David De Viller announced that 5 people including Household were suspected of accepting bribes of US$60 million to facilitate the operation of two nuclear power plants in the state.
Ohio officials said the allegation is related to Bill 6 of the State House of Representatives. The bill was signed into law in 2019. The bill includes the state government's allocation of US$1.5 billion to fund two nuclear power plants in the northern part of the state.
According to NBC reports, Household is considered one of the three most powerful congressmen in Ohio. He is a Republican and served as Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives from 2001 to 2004. He returned to the State House of Representatives in 2016 and was promoted to that position again in 2019.
A criminal complaint issued by the FBI stated that investigators found that Household was in charge of a non-profit organization called Generation Now. In the past three years, an unidentified company has paid a total of $61 million in "dark money" to the organization.
The indictment stated that Generation Now is actually a "personal account that accepts bribes." Householder and others not only used this "dark money" to buy into many members of the House of Representatives to support the passage of this bill, but also used it to maintain and expand their political power in Ohio.
According to media reports, before Household was promoted to Speaker of the House of Representatives in 2019, the nuclear power plant funding project was opposed by many people. A few months after he took office, the proposal was passed in 2019.
Local media "Cincinnati Net" stated that the two nuclear power plants involved are currently operated by a company called "Energy Harbor". Its predecessor was the "First Energy Company". This company was only responsible for operating part of the nuclear power plant projects. In recent years, it changed its name and was promoted to become an independent operator of two nuclear power plants. According to reports, First Energy has donated large sums of money to Household’s campaign.
On the 21st, 5 people including Household attended the hearing, and the judge ruled that they were released on bail pending trial. The next hearing is tentatively scheduled for August 6.
On the same day, Ohio Governor Devine called on Household to resign immediately. Devine said that Haushold is no longer suitable for continuing to be a legislative leader.
It is worth mentioning that this is the second speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives under investigation in more than two years. In 2018, the FBI investigated the luxurious life of former House Speaker and Republican Cliff Rosenberg. The case is still under investigation. (Finish)