Former Speaker of the House Larry Householder was expelled from the Ohio House of Representatives for “disorderly conduct” June 16, nearly a year after his July 2020 arrest relating to allegations he orchestrated a $60 million racketeering conspiracy involving a 2019 nuclear power plant bailout bill.
Former Speaker of the House Larry Householder was expelled from the Ohio House of Representatives for “disorderly conduct” June 16, nearly a year after his July 2020 arrest relating to allegations he orchestrated a $60 million racketeering conspiracy involving a 2019 nuclear power plant bailout bill.
Householder (R-Glenford) was re-elected to a seat in the House last fall, despite being under indictment on federal corruption charges.
State Rep. Diane Grendell (R-Chester Township) was one of three representatives who did not vote on the resolution to expel Householder, a repeat of her missed vote last July to remove him from his role as speaker.
Rep. Sarah Fowler Arthur (R-Ashtabula) voted against expulsion, and issued a statement June 17 expressing her reasons for opposing the resolution.
“In over two centuries of operation, many members of the House of Representatives have been indicted, some were found guilty and some innocent by a court of law. This is the first time the House has chosen to take action expelling a member before allowing due process to finish,” Fowler Arthur said in a press release.
Fowler Arther did not agree the resolution to expel Householder met the statutory definition of “disorderly conduct,” she said, which is the only constitutionally allowed reason to expel a member.
The proper remedy, she said, would be an impeachment trial with witnesses and evidence presented.
“Many have been saying that if you didn’t vote for Representative Householder’s removal, you condoned the crimes of which he is accused, this is absurd,” Fowler Arthur said. “A person does not condone someone’s action by saying they have a right to due process. We are a nation of law and due process for all, elected representatives are neither above nor beneath the law. This does not cease to be true when it is politically inconvenient.”
Credit: Source link