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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsOH: On the stand, former House speaker confronted by prosecutors with inconsistencies
CINCINNATI From recordings of threats against other lawmakers kids, to undisclosed gifts, to nearly $2 million in undisclosed debts, federal prosecutors on Thursday confronted former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder with facts that appeared to refute things he said about himself under oath a day earlier.
The cross examination prompted some observers to say Householder badly damaged his defense against federal racketeering charges by using the risky tactic of testifying in his own defense. It marked the end of the evidentiary phase of the trial. Closing arguments will begin Tuesday.
Householder and former Republican Party Chairman Matt Borges are accused in a scheme to use $61 million in funds mostly from Akron-based FirstEnergy to make Householder speaker and then to pass and protect a $1.3 billion bailout that primarily went to prop up a subsidiarys failing nuclear plants.
Over more than five weeks of testimony, prosecutors have put on evidence they say proves Householder passed the bailout in return for massive 501(c)(4) dark money contributions and for more than $500,000 in personal benefits. Perhaps as a sign that they didnt believe things were going well, Householder and his defense team took the controversial step of putting him on the witness stand on Wednesday.
Defense attorneys are usually reluctant to put their clients on the stand because prosecutors can use cross examination to catch them in lies. That seemed to be Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Glatfelters goal as she cross-examined Householder on Thursday.
https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2023/03/03/on-the-stand-former-house-speaker-confronted-by-prosecutors-with-inconsistencies/
gratuitous
(82,849 posts)Pretty good investment in corruption. I wonder how they knew that the Republicans could be bought so cheaply? Prolly just a lucky guess.
Botany
(70,490 posts)... this scam.
Botany
(70,490 posts)Householder is just one example. We had a charter school scam that grifted millions. And Kasich ran some
really big scams too. Our vote for Congresspersons is over before the 1st ballot is cast.
BTW the Ohio EPA & DNR who work for the Republican Governor were supposed to the ones to take charge of the train
derailment's clean up in eastern OH. Not the physical clean up but being there and making sure the clean up was being
done right. They should have been there right after the 1st responders.