Larry Householder let it rip in secretly recorded conversations

They said what, now?

A new story from Jessie Balmert revealed what former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and lobbyist Neil Clark said behind closed doors as Householder tried to regain power. What they didn't know: The FBI was listening in.

Jessie combed through recorded calls that were presented as exhibits during Householder's public corruption trial. He and former Ohio Republican Party chair Matt Borges were convicted of racketeering conspiracy this year and will be sentenced later this month.

"Neil, one thing I’ve noticed and you’re going to love this. In the last 12 years, the biggest thing I’ve noticed is how everyone’s a p----," Householder told Clark during a January 2018 conversation about fundraising.

These recordings are interesting for a couple reasons. For starters, they provide an uncensored look at the political world of Householder, who for years was one of Ohio's most powerful politicians. It also shows how Householder and Clark rekindled their relationship after Clark helped Householder's opponent when he ran for the House in 2016.

Clark, who was also charged in the case and pleaded not guilty, died by suicide in March 2021. Undercover FBI agents posing as real estate moguls with an interest in sports betting secretly recorded conversations with Clark as part of a separate investigation.

Read the full story here for more details and...colorful language.

Lawmakers try (again) to eliminate marital rape loophole

Ohio law still permits people to rape their spouses without any penalties.

Reps. Jessica Miranda, D-Forest Park, and Brett Hillyer, R-Uhrichsville, are trying to close that loophole.

The pair introduced legislation that would eliminate the spousal exception for rape, sexual battery, unlawful sexual conduct with a minor and sexual imposition. Under current law, a spouse can only be charged with rape if they don't live with their husband or wife. Other sex crimes committed by spouses are allowed no matter what.

The bill also lets a person testify against their spouse in cases involving any of those offenses.

Lawmakers have tried for years to change the law, with no success. Advocates say that leaves swaths of victims unable to pursue justice or get protection orders from a court. The agency Women Helping Women saw a 24% increase in hospital response for sexual assault by spouses in 2022, one of its directors told a House committee yesterday.

"Witches were still being burned at the stake when Sir Matthew Hale came up with his legal theory that rape could not happen within a marriage," Alexandria Ruden, an attorney with Legal Aid Society of Cleveland, said in written testimony.

What you need to know about the August election

The Aug. 8 election on whether it should be harder to amend Ohio's Constitution will be here before we know it.

Here are key dates to know if you want to vote:

• June 23: Military and overseas voting begins.
• July 10: Deadline to register to vote (more info on voter registration here).
• July 11: Early voting begins.
• Aug. 1: Absentee ballot applications are due by 8:30 p.m.
• Aug. 7: Mail-in absentee ballots must be postmarked.
• Aug. 8: Polls are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. If you haven't mailed your completed absentee ballot, you can return it to your board of elections by 7:30 p.m.
• Aug. 12: Absentee ballots are due.

And here's the schedule for early voting:

• July 11-14: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• July 17-21: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• July 24-28: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• July 31: 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
• August 1: 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
• August 2-4: 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
• August 5: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• August 6: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

A couple reminders: Ohio's new election law eliminated early voting the Monday before Election Day and reallocated those hours to different days. And Ohioans who vote in-person must now show a photo ID.

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Thanks for reading!

Haley BeMiller, political reporter

Questions or story ideas? Email me at hbemiller@dispatch.com. You can find me on Twitter @haleybemiller.

Check out the latest episode of Ohio Politics Explained and tune in for a new episode on Friday. You can subscribe through Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.