House speaker throws GOP rival off plum committee

COLUMBUS — Ohio House Speaker Jason Stephens has removed a Republican rival from a prestigious committee assignment as part of a larger shakeup of the House committee roster.

State Rep. Derek Merrin, of Monclova Township, learned on Friday, via a memo from the Speaker’s office, that Stephens had removed him as vicechair of the House Ways and Means Committee, which writes and reviews proposed changes to state tax policy.

Tax policy is one of Merrin’s core interests, and Merrin, a Lucas County Republican, is a former chairman of the committee.

But the move isn’t just an ego bruise for Merrin — it also means a pay cut, since vice-chair spots come with a $6,750-a-year stipend.

“He is a weak man trying to act tough,” Merrin said in a text message.

Stephens spokesman Aaron Mulvey said in a text message that the committee assignments were revised in response to House Republicans appointing two new members, state Reps. Justin Pizzulli of Scioto County and Brian Lorenz of Delaware County, to fill vacant seats last week. “This is an update as the House Republicans now have a full slate of representatives,” Mulvey wrote.

Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer reached out to Mulvey specifically about why Merrin and some of his allies were removed from committees.

The move shows bad blood remains after Stephens topped Merrin in January in a pitched leadership battle. Stephens enlisted the help of minority Democrats to become speaker after Merrin had won a preliminary closed-door, Republican-only vote weeks before. Merrin has tried to style himself as the true leader of the Ohio House GOP, as he and a group of loyalists continue to criticize Stephens from within the caucus.