Householder was the underdog both times he sought the top position in the Ohio House of Representatives, ousting politicians who were better connected and better funded. The insurance agent, county auditor and commissioner grew up on his family farm in Perry County, which he represented at the Statehouse along with Licking and Coshocton counties east of Columbus. Householder, 64, of Glenford, twice led the Ohio House of Representatives with charisma and careful calculation. It's not clear whether federal prosecutors will file charges against anyone else in this case. Randazzo, who has not been charged, says he did nothing wrong. The company agreed to a $230 million fine.
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Both testified against their former associates in the federal corruption trial earlier this year and face up to six months in prison as part of their plea deals.įormer lobbyist Neil Clark, who had pleaded not guilty, died by suicide in March 2021.Īkron-based FirstEnergy, which bankrolled much of the operation along with its subsidiary FirstEnergy Solutions, admitted in July 2021 that it bribed Householder and another public official: ex-Public Utilities Commission of Ohio leader Sam Randazzo. Householder's former political strategist Jeff Longstreth and lobbyist Juan Cespedes pleaded guilty three months after they were arrested in July 2020. Householder's wife and son declined to comment after the sentencing.Ī jury found Householder and Borges guilty in early March. "Sentencing will communicate to the public that the rule of law applies to everyone in this country, including politicians." Attorney Emily Glatfelter emphasized the importance of deterring future politicians from repeating Householder's actions. Householder's attorneys requested between a year and a year-and-a-half in prison.Īssistant U.S. “How many lives could you have improved but you took that away from the people of Ohio and you handed it over to a bunch of suits with private jets."įederal prosecutors had asked Black to impose a prison sentence between 16 and 20 years. "You know better than most people how much that money could have meant to the people of Ohio,” Black said of the $1.3 billion bailout. Householder, former Ohio Republican Party chairman Matt Borges and three other men were charged with participating in a pay-to-play scheme that helped Householder win control of the Ohio House of Representatives in 2018, pass a $1.3 billion bailout for two nuclear plants in House Bill 6 and defend that law against a ballot initiative to block it.
When Householder's attorney Steven Bradley made a similar argument right before the sentencing, Black interrupted: “The harm to his family was caused by him, not by the court." "I would give my life in a heartbeat for my wife and any of my sons," he said.
Householder expressed no remorse for leading an extensive bribery scheme at the Ohio Statehouse but instead focused on the harm a prison sentence would impose on his relatives and loved ones. Marshals handcuffed Householder behind his back and escorted him out of court with his family watching from the front row. You were serving yourself."īlack denied a request that the Perry County Republican be allowed to report to prison. District Judge Timothy Black said before sentencing Householder. “Beyond financial greed, I think you just liked power," U.S.
Once one of the most powerful politicians in Ohio, Householder is now a convicted felon, guilty of racketeering conspiracy and breaking the public's trust. In one of the largest corruption cases in Ohio history, former state House Speaker Larry Householder was sentenced Thursday to the maximum 20 years in prison for orchestrating a nearly $60 million illegal bribery scheme that fueled his return to political power.
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