Posted on Mar 22, 2023
What guilty verdicts in the HB 6 corruption case mean for energy policy and good government in...
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Jurors in Ohio’s House Bill 6 criminal corruption case have returned guilty verdicts against both former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and lobbyist and former Ohio Republican Party chair Matt Borges.
Beyond the verdicts, experts say the case is notable for what it revealed about the systemic nature of political corruption in Ohio.
“Among the most jarring aspects of this case, besides the sheer scale of dark money funneled to Ohio politicians, was the degree to which corrupt activity was treated by elected officials as the ‘normal way of doing business,’” said Kyle Marcum, policy director for Ohio Citizen Action.
Householder and Borges were charged with violating the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, or RICO, for actions relating to their roles in a $60 million scheme to pass and protect Ohio’s nuclear and coal bailout law, which also gutted the state’s clean energy standards.
Beyond the verdicts, experts say the case is notable for what it revealed about the systemic nature of political corruption in Ohio.
“Among the most jarring aspects of this case, besides the sheer scale of dark money funneled to Ohio politicians, was the degree to which corrupt activity was treated by elected officials as the ‘normal way of doing business,’” said Kyle Marcum, policy director for Ohio Citizen Action.
Householder and Borges were charged with violating the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, or RICO, for actions relating to their roles in a $60 million scheme to pass and protect Ohio’s nuclear and coal bailout law, which also gutted the state’s clean energy standards.
What guilty verdicts in the HB 6 corruption case mean for energy policy and good government in...
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."What’s next?
“Through its verdict today, the jury reaffirmed that the illegal acts committed by both men will not be tolerated and that they should be held accountable,” said Kenneth Parker, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio.
The defendants could face up to 20 years in prison. Any post-trial motions, including ones that might ask for a new trial, must be filed within 14 days of the verdict, unless Judge Black extends the time.
Sentencing would take place after the resolution of those motions. “Defendants would then have 14 days after entry of judgment to appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit,” said court spokesperson Jennifer Thornton.
The government may still file criminal charges against additional defendants. Parker referred to an ongoing investigation in a Feb. 23 letter asking to extend a discovery stay in four FirstEnergy cases for another six months.
Benza said he would not be surprised to see more cases filed.
“One of the things you find oftentimes in public corruption cases is there is almost no end to where it goes,” Benza said. “How high up do you take it? And how low do you go?”
Meanwhile, the case “cries out for legislative change,” Patel said, noting that he and others had warned about dark money as a way to hide names without transparency or accountability. “Otherwise, we as a society just continue to hand the modern equivalent of a brown paper bag to those who seek to corrupt our political system, and those who are willing to be corrupted.”
..."What’s next?
“Through its verdict today, the jury reaffirmed that the illegal acts committed by both men will not be tolerated and that they should be held accountable,” said Kenneth Parker, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio.
The defendants could face up to 20 years in prison. Any post-trial motions, including ones that might ask for a new trial, must be filed within 14 days of the verdict, unless Judge Black extends the time.
Sentencing would take place after the resolution of those motions. “Defendants would then have 14 days after entry of judgment to appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit,” said court spokesperson Jennifer Thornton.
The government may still file criminal charges against additional defendants. Parker referred to an ongoing investigation in a Feb. 23 letter asking to extend a discovery stay in four FirstEnergy cases for another six months.
Benza said he would not be surprised to see more cases filed.
“One of the things you find oftentimes in public corruption cases is there is almost no end to where it goes,” Benza said. “How high up do you take it? And how low do you go?”
Meanwhile, the case “cries out for legislative change,” Patel said, noting that he and others had warned about dark money as a way to hide names without transparency or accountability. “Otherwise, we as a society just continue to hand the modern equivalent of a brown paper bag to those who seek to corrupt our political system, and those who are willing to be corrupted.”
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