July 21, 2020, Laurel Wamsley, Twitter
Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder was arrested on Tuesday morning, hours ahead of a planned announcement of a $60 million bribe investigation by federal prosecutors. Householder is seen here in March 2019. Paul Vernon/AP
Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder was arrested on Tuesday morning at his rural farm, an official with knowledge of the arrest confirmed to NPR.
They said Householder was taken into custody in connection with a $60 million bribery scheme allegedly involving state officials and associates.
Four others were also arrested, the official said: former Ohio Republican Party Chairman Matt Borges, Householder adviser Jeffrey Longstreth, and lobbyists Neil Clark and Juan Cespedes. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose details to the media.
Householder, a Republican, represents a district east of Columbus.
The Justice Department announced on Tuesday that charges are coming in the case, which it says is a public corruption racketeering conspiracy involving $60 million.
Details of the charges will be announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio and the FBI at a media briefing in Columbus later on Tuesday.