A STATEMENT FROM SCOTT PULLINS, ATTORNEY FOR FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER LARRY HOUSEHOLDER ON THE COURT OF APPEALS DECISION
Mount Vernon, Ohio – Today is a sad and disappointing day for Mr. Householder, Mr. Borges, and their families and supporters. But it is even a sadder day for constitutional free speech and the rule of law.
Mr. Householder, like former Ohio Speakers Cliff Rosenberger and Ryan Smith, and current Speaker Matt Huffman, raised undisclosed, unlimited donations for a 501c4 organization that supported him and his political allies. But the federal government singled only Mr. Householder out for prosecution.
In the HB 6 matter, Mr. Householder led one House in the legislative branch of State government. To pass HB 6 it required the support of former Senate President Larry Obhof and his chamber along with the support of Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted. All received undisclosed, corporate donations from First Energy and worked closely with them to pass HB 6. But the federal government singled only Mr. Householder out for prosecution.
After reading the PG Sittenfeld case, and now this decision, it has become clear that the sixth circuit believes that the Supreme Court must act to clarify the law more clearly around political donations and bribery. We hope and fervently pray that they will do so. Free speech must apply equally to all and cannot be left to the whims and egos of individual US attorneys.
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