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This year the saga behind the nuclear bailout bribery scandal unfolded with new developments at every turn. A leading lawmaker was kicked out of office, explosive new details were revealed, and a defendant died by suicide.
The big question going into 2021 was whether former House Speaker Larry Householder (R-Glenford) would stay in the Ohio House as a representative -- after winning re-election in November 2020 despite facing federal racketeering charges.
Talks of expulsion finally picked up in June when Democrats and Republicans issued a measures to have Householder removed.
During a floor debate on the resolution, Householder maintained his innocence.
Rep. Larry Householder (R-Glenford) delivers floor speech to oppose the resolution that would expel him from office, June 16, 2021. [Andy Chow / Statehouse News Bureau]
"I have not, nor have I ever took a bribe or provided a bribe. I have not nor have I ever solicited a bribe. And I have not nor have I ever sold legislation, never, ever," said Householder.
Householder is accused of running a $61 million bribery scheme that funneled money from FirstEnergy to a dark money group that eventually landed in Householder's pocket or with his political allies. In return, prosecutors say Householder passed a $1 billion nuclear power plant bailout in the form of HB6.
Rep. Brian Stewart (R-Ashville) countered accusations that the move to expel Householder was a witch hunt by arguing that the mere presence of the federal allegations against Householder was enough to be considered disorderly conduct.
"The Ohio Constitution specifically authorizes us to expel a member for disorderly conduct and so the remedy sought by this resolution is, unquestionably, constitutional," said Stewart.
Historic Vote in Ohio:
— Andy Chow (@andy_chow) June 16, 2021
State Representatives voted to expel Rep. Larry Householder from the Ohio House by a vote of 75-21, here’s the reaction in the chamber following the vote pic.twitter.com/ddzWgJMqkt
Householder was one of three defendants who pleaded "not guilty" to the charges.
The other two were former FirstEnergy lobbyist and former Ohio Republican Party Chair Matt Borges, and big time lobbyist Neil Clark. Clark was found dead along a trail in Florida in March and his death was ruled a suicide.
While the federal criminal case played out, other civil suits were filed alleging FirstEnergy of wrongdoing. And lawmakers started to repeal portions of the sweeping energy law at the center of the bribery case, resulting in repeals of the nuclear power subsidies and other policies beneficial to FirstEnergy.
And then the U.S Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Ohio made a bombshell announcement with then-Acting U.S. Attorney Vipal Patel unveiling a deferred prosecution agreement with FirstEnergy. The utility admitted to its role in a multi-million dollar bribery scheme to pass a nuclear power plant bailout and agreed to pay a settlement of $230 million.
That agreement included an admission that FirstEnergy paid Sam Randazzo a $4 million bribe, before he took over as chair of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, in return for preferential treatment.
Randazzo, who stepped down as chair in November of 2020 after federal agents raided his home, has maintained he’s innocent and has not been charged with a crime.
The details from FirstEnergy’s plea deal sparked action from a pair of House Democrats who used the information to turn up the heat on Gov. Mike DeWine's administration. Rep. Jeff Crossman (D-Parma) and Rep. Casey Weinstein (D-Hudson) submitted several records requests and held as many press conferences to call on more accountability from the governor's office.
"I feel like we are very far from accountability for them when everyday they're on the hook for huge elements of this law that we are still living under," said Weinstein.
Rep. Casey Weinstein (D-Hudson) and Rep. Jeff Crossman (D-Parma) discuss their calls for more investigation into HB6. [Andy Chow / Statehouse News Bureau]
DeWine's office says the insinuations laid out by Crossman and Weinstein "lack basis in reality or fact."
New FirstEnergy CEO Steve Strah says he's ready to put the company's scandal in the rear view mirror, after implementing several accountability initiatives.
However, the stage is set for the drama to continue in 2022 with Householder and Borges preparing for trial.
Copyright 2021 The Statehouse News Bureau. To see more, visit The Statehouse News Bureau.