Ohio House Conducts Hearings To Expel Rep. Larry Householder

Republican and Democratic lawmakers alike are laying out their case for why they think former Ohio House speaker and sitting member Larry Householder (R-Glenford), who faces corruption charges, should be kicked out of office.

A state House committee this week held hearings on two resolutions, one from Republicans and one from Democrats.

Some Republicans on the panel argued that Householder still maintains his innocence and compared the expulsion to the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump.

But Rep. Brian Stewart (R-Ashville), a sponsor of the Republican resolution with Rep. Mark Fraizer (R-Newark), says the bribery allegations against the former speaker meet the threshold to expel.

"This is not a witch hunt, this is not a Russia Gate, this is not cancel culture. This is law enforcement and these are conservative U.S. attorneys who considered this evidence and said 'we believe a crime was committed here,'" Stewart said.

In July 2020, Householder was arrested and charged with racketeering in a federal $60 million public corruption case. He and four others are accused of taking money from utilities and special interest groups, including FirstEnergy, through a 501(c)4 dark money group for personal benefit and to help advance Householder's political career, in exchange for securing the passage of House Bill 6.

HB 6 is a sweeping energy bill that bailed out two nuclear power plants formerly owned by FirstEnergy.

Householder was removed as speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives by a unanimous vote July 30, but kept his seat as a representative.

A key point of debate during the House committee on the question of Householder's expulsion was over the phrase "disorderly conduct," one of the few codified reasons why a member of the Ohio House might be expelled. Rep. Bill Seitz (R-Cincinnati) took issue with supporters of expulsion claiming that Householder's situation has met that threshold.

Seitz cited the definition of " disorderly conduct" under criminal code which includes fighting, threatening harm to persons or property and abusive language.

But Stewart countered saying that's the how "disorderly conduct" is explained in criminal law, but the grounds for expulsion laid out in the Ohio Constitution are not defined.

RepsMichele Lepore-Hagan (D-Youngstown) and Jeffrey Crossman (D-Parma) also testified on their resolution to expel Householder using a similar argument.

"I don’t have to be a lawyer to know that an FBI indictment makes this institution look bad. I don’t need to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he’s guilty to know that my constituents don't want him earning a taxpayer funded salary. Serving in the House is not a right, it is a privilege. I was elected to do the people’s work and Ohioans want us to expel him, and for good reasons. Service in this chamber is a privilege he has clearly abused and no longer deserves. I’m listening to my fellow Ohioans in calling for his ouster," Lepore-Hagan said. 

Three other defendants in the racketeering case have pleaded guilty to the charges. Householder will have a chance to testify before the committee during the next hearing.

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