Prosecutors called it the largest corruption case in Ohio's history.
Larry Householder, former speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives, speaks during the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, U.S., on Monday, July 18, 2016. Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesOhio House Speaker Larry Householder and former state Republican Party Chair Matt Borges were convicted Thursday in a $60 million bribery scheme that federal prosecutors have called the largest corruption case in state history.involving bribery and money laundering.
The attorney representing Borges, 50, did not immediately respond to messages left by The Associated Press on Thursday. The verdict comes two-and-a-half years after Borges, Householder and three others were arrested. Householder had been one of Ohio’s most powerful politicians — an historically twice-elected speaker before his indictment. After his arrest, the Republican-controlled House ousted him from his leadership post, but he refused to resign for months on grounds he was innocent until proven guilty. In a bipartisan vote, representatives ultimately ousted him from the chamber, the first suchIn a move that may have been pivotal in the trial's outcome, Householder took the stand in his own defense.
Borges did not testify at trial but has insisted that he’s innocent. His attorneys argued that he was entirely uninvolved with the pay-to-play scheme, while Householder's team portrayed his actions as nothing more than hardball politics.
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