CINCINNATI — Defense lawyers began their cross-examination Thursday afternoon of an FBI agent during Larry Householder and Matt Borges’ political corruption trial at the federal courthouse in Cincinnati.
The former Ohio house speaker and former state GOP chair are charged with racketeering.
Robert Glickman, one of Householder’s attorneys, accused FBI agent Blane Wetzel of not obtaining search warrants for wire taps and questioned him about his job working for the Michigan legislature before joining the FBI. Wetzel said he reviewed clean energy portfolios, an issue that Glickman implied could potentially chip away at Wetzel’s credibility.
Glickman also countered with evidence that Householder reimbursed FirstEnergy when he flew on the company’s private plane to Washington, D.C. for a meeting and that Householder was able to raise plenty of campaign money on his own, without the assistance of Generation Now, the dark money group that prosecutors allege was used as a cover for bribery transactions.
Earlier in the day, as the prosecution wrapped up their questioning, Wetzel explained how dark money was used to pay some of Householder’s legal fees, his credit cards, and repairs on a home he once owned in Florida.
Householder and Borges each face up to 20 years in prison if they’re convicted. They both pleaded not guilty.
