MANSFIELD — Richland County Commissioner Marilyn John, the Republican nominee to represent the county in the Ohio House, said Tuesday night she will return a $13,292.35 donation from Friends of Larry Householder, the House speaker’s campaign committee.
Householder (R-Glenford) and four others were arrested earlier Tuesday on federal charges related to an alleged $60 million bribery scheme.
In the hours after the charges were announced, Gov. Mike DeWine and other prominent state Republicans, including Republican Party Chair Jane Timken, called for Householder to resign.
“These allegations are incredibly troubling and I agree with Ohio GOP Chair Timken and others, as elected officials, we are held to a higher standard,” John said in an email.
The donation was made to John’s campaign in January. She defeated Shelby Councilman Nathan Martin in the primary, gaining 69 percent of 11,332 ballots cast in a race that that was extended from March 17 until April 28 by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“If these allegations are true, this kind of public corruption cannot be tolerated. I am working with my campaign treasurer to return his campaign contribution,” said John, who is also chair of the Richland County Republican Party.
John, seeking to represent the state’s 2nd House District, said she also is renouncing Householder’s endorsement of her campaign.
Householder was arrested along with Mathew Borges, 48, of Bexley, Jeffrey Longstreth, 44, of Columbus, Neil Clark, 67, of Columbus, and Juan Cespedes, 40, of Columbus. Generation Now, a corporate entity registered as a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization, was also charged.
The allegations state that those charged received approximately $60 million to pass and uphold a bill that funneled state funds to two failing nuclear power plants. The group is charged with conspiring to violate a federal racketeering statute through wire fraud, receipt of millions of dollars in bribes, and money laundering.
According to the criminal complaint, from March 2017 to March 2020, the group received millions of dollars in exchange for the group’s help in passing House Bill 6, a billion-dollar law that included money given to two Ohio nuclear power plants in an effort to keep them open.
“I am deeply concerned about the allegations of wrongdoing in the criminal complaint issued today by the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” DeWine said in email Tuesday afternoon.
“Every American has the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. Because of the nature of these charges, it will be impossible for Speaker Householder to effectively lead the Ohio House of Representatives; therefore, I am calling on Speaker Householder to resign immediately,” the governor said.
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