corruption

The conclusion of the House Bill 6 corruption trial tops this week’s topics on the Reporters Roundtable.

Opening arguments in the trial of Larry Householder, former Ohio House speaker, and Matt Borges, former FirstEnergy lobbyist, are set to begin Monday.

The charges include failure to pay taxes for years, theft and tampering with records.

There are signs the federal investigation into the passage of House Bill 6 is getting closer to the heart of the DeWine administration.

The bill to allow college athletes to receive compensation for their name, image, and likeness passed the Ohio House, but not before Republican lawmakers attached a last-minute amendment that bans transgender women from participating in high school and college women sports; A controversial vaccine bill has passed after it was tacked onto another Senate bill; Former Canton McKinley football coaches lose their non-coaching jobs; and more stories.

Under current law, if a state-level political leader gets in trouble, they are likely to be prosecuted in Franklin County because that’s the home of state government.

One of the biggest corruption cases in the nation is happening right here in Ohio. Federal prosecutors are going after the former speaker of the Ohio House and the former head of the Ohio Republican Party, along with others, for federal crimes. But if there are crimes that occurred at the state level, those could be affected by an amendment that has been slipped into a bill at the Statehouse.

Updated: 12:22 p.m., Tuesday, April 20, 2021 A special panel of three retired judges suspended Cleveland City Councilman Ken Johnson from office Tuesday, following a federal grand jury’s February indictment on corruption charges. Johnson pleaded not guilty to charges that he stole federal program dollars and falsified expense reports.

Ohio’s elections chief has filed a complaint with the state Elections Commission accusing former House Speaker Larry Householder of campaign violations.

The President Donald Trump-appointed career prosecutor is known for his recent work in rooting out government corruption.