Ex-Ohio GOP chair, lobbyist Matt Borges shows remorse, gets 5 years for role in $60M bribery scheme

By JULIE CARR SMYTH
Associated Press

CINCINNATI (AP) — Ohio lobbyist Matt Borges has been sentenced to five years in prison for his part in the largest corruption scandal in Ohio history. U.S. District Judge Timothy Black issued the 51-year-old’s punishment Friday and placed him in immediate custody. Ex-Republican Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder got 20 years for his role in the scheme Thursday. Both are expected to appeal. They were convicted of racketeering in March after jurors found that Householder orchestrated and Borges participated in a $60 million bribery scheme secretly funded by Akron-based FirstEnergy Corp. to pass a $1.3 billion nuclear bailout bill and thwart a referendum to repeal it.