COLUMBUS — Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has called for the resignation of Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder (R-Glenford) in the wake of his arrest in an alleged $60 million bribery scheme.
“I am deeply concerned about the allegations of wrongdoing in the criminal complaint issued today by the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” DeWine said in email Tuesday afternoon.
“Every American has the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. Because of the nature of these charges, it will be impossible for Speaker Householder to effectively lead the Ohio House of Representatives; therefore, I am calling on Speaker Householder to resign immediately,” the governor said.
“This is a sad day for Ohio,” DeWine said.
DeWine issued the statement after a news conference by U.S. Attorney David DeVillers in Columbus on Tuesday afternoon announcing a criminal complaint against Householder and four others.
Mathew Borges, 48, of Bexley, Jeffrey Longstreth, 44, of Columbus, Neil Clark, 67, of Columbus, and Juan Cespedes, 40, of Columbus, were also listed in the criminal complaint.
Generation Now, a corporate entity registered as a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization, was also charged.
The allegations state that those charged received approximately $60 million to pass and uphold a bill that funneled state funds to two failing nuclear power plants.
The group is charged with conspiring to violate a federal racketeering statute through wire fraud, receipt of millions of dollars in bribes, and money laundering.
According to the criminal complaint, from March 2017 to March 2020, the group received millions of dollars in exchange for the group’s help in passing House Bill 6, a billion-dollar law that included money given to two Ohio nuclear power plants in an effort to keep them open.
Borges is a lobbyist who once served as chair of the Ohio Republican Party. Longstreth, 44, of Columbus, is Householder’s longtime campaign and political strategist. Clark previously served as budget director for the Ohio Republican Caucus. Cespedes, 40, of Columbus, is a multi-client lobbyist,
Attorney General Dave Yost, like numerous other state leaders, also called for Householder to resign.
“Larry Householder sold out the people of Ohio in exchange for power and dirty money,” Yost said. “The 81-page sworn affidavit filed today shows plainly he cannot be trusted to act in the public interest, or trusted with public authority.
“He is entitled to a presumption of innocence regarding the criminality of his acts, but he is entitled to no presumption of continuance in office. He should resign immediately. If he refuses, the House should eject him under Article II, section 6 of the Ohio Constitution.”
Ohio Senate President Larry Obhof (R-Medina) also called for Householder to resign.
“The allegations made today are very detailed, they are very serious, and they are very troubling to me, and undoubtedly, to the people of Ohio,” Obhof said. “Every member of the Ohio legislature has a sacred trust with the citizens of this state, and the people deserve the honest services of their elected representatives.
“The seriousness and gravity of the allegations cast a dark shadow over the People’s House. It is clear that he cannot continue to lead the Ohio House of Representatives. He should resign.”
Congressman Troy Balderson (R-OH) echoed similar sentiments.
“Today is a sad day in Ohio. I have always believed that holding public office is a high honor and should be treated as such,” Balderson said. “The allegations against Speaker Larry Householder appear to be significant. If true, they are shocking and serve as evidence that he violated the public’s trust and federal law. He should resign immediately.”
State Rep. Mark Romanchuk (R-Ontario) issued the following statement.
“Elected officials are – and should be – held to a higher standard of integrity in their actions,” Romanchuk said. “The public puts tremendous trust in us to represent them and work on their behalf each day. Unfortunately, the complaint made public yesterday alleges that Larry Householder, Speaker of the Ohio House, broke that trust in a fashion that is hard to comprehend. I did not support his election as Speaker last year and twice voted against the legislation (House Bill 6) at the heart of the criminal complaint.
“While I certainly believe in the presumption of innocence until proven guilty, Mr. Householder cannot and should not continue to lead the Ohio House. Therefore, I am calling on him to resign immediately, so that we can continue to do the work of the People of Ohio effectively and without delay.”
The Richland County Republican Party issued the following press release on Wednesday morning.
“Public trust is critically important to our society. In order to gain and keep that trust, we, as party members and public officials must be willing to hold each other accountable and responsible to our constituents. While the accusations of corruption made today by the FBI in regard to Speaker Larry Householder and others are still allegations, they are alarming and if true, disgraceful.
“Elected officials should be held to a higher standard and offer full transparency in their actions. The Richland County Republican Party stands with many others in calling for accountability in regard to these accusations and for Speaker Householder to resign.
“While this is a sad day for the State of Ohio, we believe there are many in office who serve honorably and strive to represent our great state with dignity. We will work diligently to overcome these challenges and support candidates and officials who will represent the residents of Richland County and the State of Ohio well.”
