Rotunda Rumblings
Opening arguments: Monday marked the beginning of the general public corruption trial for former Ohio Home Speaker Larry Householder and considered one of his alleged conspirators, Matt Borges, the previous chairman of the Ohio Republican Get together. The prosecution laid out a cash-for-legislation conspiracy, whereas protection attorneys tried to throw chilly water on the concept Householder’s ascension to speaker and the passage of Home Invoice 6 was a part of an unlawful bribery scheme. Jake Zuckerman reports from day one of many federal prison trial in Cincinnati.
The rundown: You’ll be able to learn a recap of Cleveland.com’s live coverage of the primary day of the trial right here. Attorneys laid out highway maps of their arguments for jurors as they started what is predicted to be a six-week trial. A few of their opening arguments on Monday supplied new perception into the allegations in opposition to Householder, Borges and their accused co-conspirators.
Standing his floor: Among the many early revelations on Monday was that Householder intends to testify in his personal protection. An lawyer for Householder mentioned the previous Ohio Home speaker expects to take the stand in a transfer that will expose him to cross-examination by federal prosecutors who in any other case wouldn’t have a chance to interview him earlier than the jury, Zuckerman reports.
Near Yost? Emily Glatfelter, the lead prosecutor on the case, instructed jurors that Borges was introduced into the scheme to assist defeat a Home Invoice 6 referendum effort due to his relationship with Ohio Lawyer Basic Dave Yost. Andrew Tobias reports that Glatfelter mentioned Borges’ worth to the enterprise was in his “shut relationship” to Yost, who had say over poll language. Nevertheless, Yost didn’t cede to recommendation to reject the poll language, she mentioned.
Plot roast: Glatfelter additionally described a lavish journey to Washington, D.C., the place Householder, considered one of his alleged co-conspirators and FirstEnergy executives launched the scheme. Tobias reports that Glatfelter mentioned Monday that Householder took FirstEnergy’s personal jet together with then-CEO Chuck Jones to Washington, D.C., the place they met at a “fancy” steakhouse with others allegedly concerned within the plan. Quickly after the journey, Longstreth shaped the darkish cash nonprofit that will function a conduit for the alleged bribes, she mentioned.
Particular supply: The Ohio Division of Medicaid launched a brand new program aimed toward decreasing racial disparities in maternal and toddler mortality and morbidities. Laura Hancock reports that physicians can get reimbursed for studying about cultural competence, communication and use affected person enter to enhance their practices. In Ohio, Black ladies’s maternal mortality is disproportionately greater than white ladies’s. Black infants are additionally extra more likely to die inside a yr of start than white newborns.
Hazing settlement: Bowling Inexperienced State College has agreed to pay $2.9 million to settle a lawsuit filed by the mother and father of scholar Stone Foltz, who died of alcohol poisoning in 2021 after a fraternity hazing ritual. As Molly Walsh and Jeremy Pelzer report, the settlement – reportedly the most important ever paid by an Ohio public college for a hazing-related lawsuit – additionally features a dedication by each Foltz’s household and the college to eradicate hazing on faculty campuses.
Triggered: New Columbus gun laws took impact over the weekend, as a Fairfield County decide denied Lawyer Basic Dave Yost’s request for an injunction to dam the brand new guidelines from taking impact. As Mark Ferenchik of the Columbus Dispatch reports, the brand new guidelines ban high-capacity magazines, require weapons to be safely saved round kids, and prohibit giving or promoting firearms to anybody not allowed to have them. The town rapidly enacted the restrictions after a Franklin County judge temporarily held up a state law banning native governments from imposing their very own gun-control guidelines.
Spots of bother: State Sen. Theresa Gavarone, a Bowling Inexperienced Republican, and her husband had been allegedly deceived out of greater than $150,000 by the supervisor of Mr. Spots, a restaurant the couple owns. As Marie Thomas of the Bowling Green Sentinel-Tribune reports, a Wooden County grand jury on Wednesday indicted 38-year-old Bruce Vermett of Bowling Inexperienced for theft from an individual in a protected class and telecommunications fraud.
Highway present: U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, a Champaign County Republican who chairs the Home Judiciary Committee, plans to carry an immigration listening to alongside the U.S. border between Mexico and Arizona or Texas early this yr, Jordan instructed Cleveland.com. In a press release on Twitter, he mentioned no less than 1.2 million “unlawful aliens have escaped Border Patrol since Joe Biden took workplace. That’s greater than your entire inhabitants of Cleveland, Ohio and the State of Alaska mixed.”
Musical chairs: Ohio Home Speaker Jason Stephens on Monday introduced his committee chair picks for 27 Home committees. Fourteen committees shall be chaired by Home Republicans who voted for state Rep. Derek Merrin as a substitute of Stephens for speaker, although Merrin himself was demoted from Methods & Means Committee chair to vice-chair. Stephens created the Home Aviation & Aerospace, Constitutional Resolutions, and Pensions committees, and he cut up the Home Well being Committee into two separate committees: Well being Supplier Providers and Public Well being Coverage. There’s additionally a brand new Finance subcommittee on Infrastructure & American Rescue Plan.
Flying Jay: One large winner beneath Stephens’ committee assignments is state Rep. Jay Edwards, an Athens County Republican who will chair the highly effective Home Finance Committee – which can tackle the state’s subsequent two-year finances invoice, amongst different issues – and serve on the Ohio Controlling Board.
Full Disclosure
Listed below are 5 issues we realized from the May 5, 2022, financial disclosure form filed by state Rep. Nick Santucci, a Warren Republican:
1. In 2021, Santucci’s earnings got here from working as a senior guide for workforce and group engagement at VAZA Consulting, an academic consulting agency, in addition to serving as director of presidency affairs and workforce growth for the Instructional Service Middle of Jap Ohio, which affords a wide range of companies to colleges within the space.
2. Santucci’s investments embrace inventory in Huntington Financial institution and Farmers Nationwide Financial institution, in addition to mutual funds with American Funds and LPL Monetary. He additionally listed having inventory in “Advisor Consumer,” which is a portal that enables entry to TD Ameritrade funding accounts.
3. In some unspecified time in the future in 2021, Santucci owed no less than $1,000 to the mortgage lender PennyMac, Chase, CapitalOne, and PayPal.
4. He was reimbursed a complete of $447.14 in 2021 journey bills from the Instructional Service Middle of Jap Ohio.
5. Santucci didn’t checklist proudly owning any actual property, although he was not required to checklist a private residence or leisure properties.
Birthdays
State Rep. Tim Barhorst
Andrew Tobias, cleveland.com chief politics reporter
Straight From The Supply
“If you happen to guys can’t behave your self, I’m going to go away Mr. Householder on the desk with considered one of his legal professionals, and depart the steadiness of you within the gallery.”
– U.S. District Courtroom Decide Timothy Black, scolding ex-Ohio Home Speaker Larry Householder’s attorneys for what Black known as “bush-league” conduct on Monday, together with clicking their pens and making faces throughout opening arguments, according to cleveland.com’s Andrew Tobias.
Capitol Letter is a day by day briefing offering succinct, well timed data for many who care deeply in regards to the selections made by state authorities. If you don’t already subscribe, you possibly can join here to get Capitol Letter in your e mail field every weekday totally free.
