UNITED STATES NEWS

Prominent lobbyist appeals 5-year prison sentence in historic Ohio corruption scheme

Jul 13, 2023, 11:04 AM

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Lobbyist Matt Borges appealed his 5-year sentence late Wednesday in the $60 million bribery scheme that also took down former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder.

Borges, 51, a former chair of the Ohio Republican Party, was convicted in March of racketeering alongside Householder.

Authorities said the scheme involved secret payments to Akron-based utility FirstEnergy Corp. to secure Householder’s power, elect his allies to the Legislature, pass legislation containing a $1.3 billion bailout of two aging nuclear plants owned by a FirstEnergy affiliate, and then foil efforts to repeal the new law.

Prosecutors said Borges’ primary role in the enterprise was to deprive Ohioans of the opportunity to overturn what he knew was corrupt legislation and had called the result of an “ unholy alliance.” Jurors were presented evidence that he was budgeted $25,000, which he laundered through his own bank accounts to bribe a political operative for secret, real-time information on the referendum campaign against the bailout bill, known as House Bill 6.

U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Black gave Borges the low end of the 5- to 8-year range recommended by federal prosecutors after he expressed remorse at his sentencing hearing and asked for leniency. Borges’ lawyers had recommended he get 1 1/2 years.

Black’s decision concerning Borges came a day after the judge sentenced the 64-year-old Householder to 20 years in prison, the maximum allowed under the law, and a year of probation. Householder also has appealed.

During trial, Borges’ attorneys argued that the lobbyist had only a minor, short-term role in the massive operation, in which two other individuals, a dark money group and FirstEnergy have all acknowledged their guilt.

Several fired FirstEnergy executives and the former head of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio also have been investigated in a sweeping probe that remains open.

United States News

Associated Press

US Coast Guard helicopter that crashed during rescue mission in Alaska is recovered

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — A helicopter that crashed in southeast Alaska during a rescue mission last month has been recovered, the U.S. Coast Guard said Saturday. The downed Coast Guard helicopter was recovered Friday and an investigation was ongoing. The MH-60 Jayhawk crashed on Read Island, about 80 miles (130 kilometers) east of Sitka, on […]

31 minutes ago

Associated Press

Consumer product agency issues warning on small magnetic balls linked to deaths

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is warning about the danger of high-powered, pea-sized magnets found in toys, announcing one company’s recall of a set containing them and saying it was aware of seven deaths linked to their ingestion. The federal agency estimated that ingestion of the magnets led to 2,400 hospital emergency room visits […]

2 hours ago

Associated Press

Dozens of animals taken from Virginia roadside zoo as part of investigation

NATURAL BRIDGE, Va. (AP) — Over 100 animals –- both living and dead -– have been taken from a roadside zoo in western Virginia, according to court documents, as part of what state authorities are calling a criminal investigation. One search warrant executed Wednesday at the Natural Bridge Zoo in Rockbridge County shows that 89 […]

2 hours ago

Associated Press

Some Seattle cancer center patients are receiving threatening emails after last month’s data breach

SEATTLE (AP) — Some patients of a Seattle-based cancer center received threatening emails following a data breach last month. Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center officials said a Nov. 19 hack hit a portion of the health care system’s clinical network, possibly leaking patient data. This week, some former and current patients received threatening emails claiming names, […]

3 hours ago

Associated Press

South Carolina jury convicts inmate in first trial involving deadly prison riots

BISHOPVILLE, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina jurors have found an inmate guilty of charges connected to the death of a fellow inmate during the deadliest U.S. prison riot of the past quarter-century. The Lee County jury deliberated less than an hour on Friday before finding Michael Juan “Flame” Smith guilty of assault and battery by […]

3 hours ago

Associated Press

Police fatally shoot man who officers say charged them with knives in West Texas

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Officers investigating a domestic disturbance fatally shot a man who they said ran at them with knives in West Texas, police said Saturday. Manuel Guillen, 34, died at a hospital following the shooting in Lubbock Friday night, police spokesperson Amber Edwards said. Edwards said the officers were responding to a report […]

3 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

...

Dierdre Woodruff

Interest rates may have peaked. Should you buy a CD, high-yield savings account, or a fixed annuity?

Interest rates are the highest they’ve been in decades, and it looks like the Fed has paused hikes. This may be the best time to lock in rates for long-term, low-risk financial products like fixed annuities.

Follow @KTAR923...

The 2023 Diamondbacks are a good example to count on the underdog

The Arizona Diamondbacks made the World Series as a surprise. That they made the playoffs at all, got past the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Wild Card round, swept the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS and won two road games in Philadelphia to close out a full seven-game NLCS went against every expectation. Now, […]

...

SCHWARTZ LASER EYE CENTER

Key dates for Arizona sports fans to look forward to this fall

Fall brings new beginnings in different ways for Arizona’s professional sports teams like the Cardinals and Coyotes.

Prominent lobbyist appeals 5-year prison sentence in historic Ohio corruption scheme