CINCINNATI — A second juror in the federal corruption trial of Larry Householder and Matt Borges was dismissed Wednesday after testing positive for COVID-19.
Householder, the former Ohio House speaker, and Borges, the former Ohio Republican Party chairman, are charged with racketeering conspiracy. Householder and Borges are accused of taking millions of dollars in bribes from FirstEnergy Corp. through a dark money group in exchange for favorable legislation related to the utility company’s nuclear power plants.
Judge Timothy Black of the U.S. District Court of Southern Ohio ordered for court to resume for a half-day Wednesday, one day after proceedings were canceled because of the infected juror.
Black said that jurors will now be required to take daily COVID tests and wear N-95 masks. He also said air circulation has been ramped up in the courtroom.
Testimony on Wednesday picked up with FBI agent Blane Wetzel, who oversaw the investigation.
Wetzel testified about texts exchanged between FirstEnergy executives and Householder, Borges and others, as well as deposits into Generation Now, the dark money group that prosecutors say was a cover for the bribes. Wetzel said FirstEnergy gave millions of dollars to Generation Now, which then paid Ohioans for Energy Security, an LLC that Generation Now created, for an aggressive advertising campaign urging voters to block a ballot initative against HB6, which eventually was to become law in October 2019. He also said that Householder helped craft the message.
Lawyers for Borges and Householder are expected to cross-examine Wetzel next. Both Borges and Householder have pleaded not guilty.
