UPDATE: Former Ohio Speaker Larry Householder was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
FULL STORY: Former Ohio House Speaker Householder sentenced to 20 years in prison for state’s largest bribery scheme
Previous reporting below:
Former Ohio Speaker Larry Householder has arrived at a federal courthouse in Cincinnati for his sentencing at 1 p.m. He is facing up to 20 years for the largest bribery scheme in Ohio history.
SENTENCING: Fmr. Ohio Speaker Larry Householder has arrived for his sentencing at 1 p.m.
— Morgan Trau (@MorganTrau) June 29, 2023
He is facing up to 20 yrs for the largest bribery scheme in OH history.
I will be live tweeting with my team @martyschladen & @PaulaChristian_.
⬇️ @WEWS @WCPO @OhioCapJournal pic.twitter.com/9Uef6Sg2cw
As he walked into the court building, News 5 reporter Morgan Trau asked Householder how he was feeling today ahead of the sentencing.
"I don't feel — I don't feel anything," he responded.
When asked what he was hoping for today, he replied, "I don't have a hope today."
The FBI has requested that former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder face 16-20 years in prison for "causing immeasurable damage to the institution of democracy," according to a newly-released court filing.
A jury found that Householder and former GOP leader Matt Borges, beyond a reasonable doubt, participated in the largest public corruption case in state history, a racketeering scheme that left four men guilty and another dead by suicide.
Householder passed a nearly $61 million scheme for a billion-dollar bailout, House Bill 6, at the expense of taxpayers.
"Householder was the mastermind and leader of a criminal enterprise responsible for one of the largest public corruption conspiracies in Ohio history," the FBI said in the filing.
Larry Householder believes he only deserves 12-18 months in prison, according to court filings.
"Mr. Householder is a broken man," defense attorneys said. "He has been humiliated and disgraced."
The attorneys for Householder acknowledge their request may be a "tall order," however they say that "no defendant should be made a martyr to public passion."
The good Householder has done for the community outweighs the bad, according to the filing.
RELATED: Householder asks for 12-18 month sentence as feds seek 16-20 years
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