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Indicted Former Speaker Returns To Ohio House; Defends Nuclear Bailout Law

Ohio Public Radio

The Ohio House came back to work Tuesday. And former Republican Speaker Larry Householder returned for the first time since he was ousted from the post after he was indicted in a bribery scheme involving the nuclear bailout law he championed. Ohio Public Radio's Karen Kasler reports.

“I'm not going to cause any problems here. I mean, I'm just coming here to to participate and vote for the people of my district.”

Representative Larry Householder spoke to reporters in the back of the House chamber as he waited for session to get started. He said he’s innocent of the racketeering charges related to the nuclear bailout law, which he says saved those power plants and jobs, and he doesn’t want to see it repealed.

“Good legislation is good legislation, and it was the right thing to do for the people of Ohio. There were obviously people who were looking for business advantages and other things to close down those power plants, just like there always is.”

Householder, who was re-elected in 2018 by a two-to-one margin in his district, faces four write-in candidates this fall.

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