Householder returns, declares innocence
Larry Householder, who was removed from his position as Ohio House speaker in the wake of a federal indictment on bribery and racketeering charges, returned to the Statehouse on Tuesday ready to defend his record and the nuclear bailout at the center of the federal investigation.
Speaking to reporters before and after the House conducted business, Householder declared his innocence in the alleged corruption scheme, compared himself to President Donald Trump and stood up for the nuclear bailout.
“As far as House Bill 6 is concerned, it’s good legislation,” Householder said. “I’d hate to see us repeal it. Now there may be some ways to make it better. And if there are, I think we will have an opportunity to look at that.”
HB 6 was a $1 billion bailout for two nuclear power plants in northeast Ohio. The plants provide about 15% of the state’s electricity.
It was a controversial decision even before Householder and four other associates were arrested in July. Federal authorities alleged that $61 million was funneled from Firstenergy and affiliates and the men used those funds to secure the votes for the bill and stop a petition effort to repeal it.
Householder and the other men are each facing up to 20 years in prison.
“I am innocent,” Householder said. “I am going to defend myself vigorously.”
The Glenford Republican told reporters he thought his colleagues made the wrong choice when they voted to remove him as speaker in August.
“If you look at what’s going on at the national level with the president and everyone else, it just seems it’s the way things are today. I wouldn’t say it’s embarrassing by any stretch of the imagination. I feel good about what I’ve done and what I’ve done to protect the people of the state of Ohio.”
Democratic representatives took to Twitter to express their surprise at seeing the former speaker on the floor of the Ohio House on Tuesday.
“The GOP culture of corruption continues,” Rep. Jeff Crossman, D-parma, tweeted while referencing his failed attempt to remove Householder from office in August. His motion failed on a party-line vote.
“The fact remains that Larry Householder still holds his seat in the Ohio House because Republicans voted to keep him there,” Rep. Tavia Galonski, Dakron, said.
Householder became speaker in 2019 with votes from 26 Republicans and 26 Democrats.
Householder said he plans to continue to serve the people of his district and return in January if he’s re-elected in November, but he told reporters that he’s “not looking to get in Speaker (Bob) Cupp’s way.”
He supported an amendment on Tuesday to remove him from two House committees — one of which was the Joint Legislative Ethics Committee.
“I think it’s the right thing to do,” Householder said.
But he wasn’t going to back an effort by Cupp to repeal HB 6. Cupp, a Republican from Lima, announced the formation of a new committee Monday whose job is to come up with a plan to repeal and replace the law.
Gov. Mike Dewine said he supported the idea in July, telling reporters that the arrests and subsequent indictments tarnished the law.
Householder voted on Tuesday in favor of an amendment that would prohibit public officials like Dewine and Ohio’s health director from closing places of worship or changing the time, date or manner of an election. House Bill 272 passed 58 to 33. It now heads to the governor’s desk.
Dewine and then-ohio Health Director Dr. Amy Acton postponed the state’s March primary due to the coronavirus pandemic.
A spokesman for the governor did not respond to a request for comment on whether Dewine would sign the bill or veto it.
The House also was expected to pass a bill giving businesses in Ohio certain protections from lawsuits arising from
COVID-19.
Both bills passed the Senate in early summer. Senate President Larry Obhof, R-medina, told The Dispatch he was glad to see the bills finally move off the House clerk’s desk. astaver@dispatch.com @annastaver