'The Power Grab' reveals what went on behind the scenes of the House Bill 6 scandal

Published December 20, 2023 at 4:01 AM EST

larry householder wears a blue suit and a tie as he looks down while walking to court with his lawyers by his side — Former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder, center, walks into Potter Stewart U.S. Courthouse with his attorneys, Mark Marein, left, and Steven Bradley, right, before jury selection in his federal trial, Jan. 20, 2023, in Cincinnati, Ohio. The federal government rested its case Monday, Feb. 27, in lobbyist Matt Borges and Householder's racketeering trial, after presenting jurors with reams of financial documents, emails, texts, wire-tap audio and firsthand accounts of what prosecutors allege was a $60 million bribery scheme to pass a $1 billion ratepayer-funded nuclear bailout.

It's been called the largest public corruption case in Ohio history. The House Bill 6 nuclear bailout bribery scandal resulted in the arrest of former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder on racketeering charges — and has ensnared some of the most powerful men in the state's Republican Party.

A new podcast series called The Power Grab takes a deep look at the people, politics and profit motivation at the heart of the scandal — and raises questions about what systems could be changed to prevent anything like it from happening again.

In six episodes, WOSU reporter Renee Fox weaves together secret FBI recordings and exclusive interviews to reveal the backroom deals and how the power players were finally caught. She joins Cincinnati Edition to discuss the House Bill 6 scandal.

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