Republican Speaker Bill Batchelder now says he doesn’t think he asked fellow Republican Rep. Peter Beck to resign in July after Beck was indicted on securities fraud charges. But Batchelder says he suggested that Beck consider stepping down.
“Well, it’s up to him. He was elected, I believe, three times, two anyway, and he’s done a great job as chairman of Ways and Means. I don’t know the validity of these charges. I know that he is, he’s obviously disputing them.”
In the letter, Batchelder writes, “[G]iven the serious nature of the charges facing Representative Beck, it is my belief that it is in the best interest of the Ohio House, the people of his district, and his family for him to resign from the Ohio House at this time.”
Batchelder also has not removed Beck from his position as chair of the House Ways and Means Committee. Batchelder says while Beck has what he says is a “difficult challenge” ahead, he adds that Beck’s case is unlike the cases of former Reps. Carlton Weddington and Clayton Luckie, both Democrats who went to prison for ethics violations.
The exchange between Batchelder and reporters, below, was posted to YouTube by Ohio Capital Blog.