Householder pleads not guilty to bribery scheme
After two delayed hearings, former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder has pleaded not guilty to allegations that he orchestrated a nearly $61 million bribery scheme.
Householder is accused of racketeering in connection with an allegedly illegal effort to win the top House leadership spot, pass a $1.3 billion bailout for two nuclear plants in northern Ohio and defend that law against a ballot initiative to block it.
Householder was arrested July 21 along with four allies: his political strategist Jeff Longstreth, as well as lobbyists Matt Borges, Juan Cespedes and Neil Clark. Householder is the last of the defendants to enter a plea to the racketeering charge, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for a conviction.
Householder entered a not guilty plea in a Thursday hearing before Magistrate Judge Stephanie K. Bowman, conducted via video-conference. The case will be heard by U.S. District Court
Judge Timothy S. Black.
“I am innocent,” Householder told reporters earlier in the week. “I am going to defend myself vigorously.”
Householder had delayed an initial hearing twice to give himself enough time to find a "competent, conflictfree" attorney, according to court filings.
Householder's initial attorneys, David Thomas and Kathryn Wallrabenstein, of Taft Stettinius & Hollister, asked to be removed as Householder's counsel, citing a conflict of interest involving another client of their law firm.
Thomas referenced “an ongoing matter that creates a substantial risk that Taft’s ability to consider, recommend or carry out an appropriate course of action for both clients will be materially limited by Taft’s responsibility to the other client," according to court records.
On Wednesday, Cleveland attorneys Mark Marein and Steven Bradley filed paperwork to represent Householder.
Householder was ousted as speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives on July 30 – the same day he was indicted.
A push from Democratic lawmakers to remove Householder from his seat, representing Coshocton and Perry counties and part of Licking County, was unsuccessful. Four candidates are mounting write-in campaigns to unseat Householder, but no other name will appear on the November ballot.
Columbus Dispatch Reporter Anna Staver contributed to this article.