Former Ohio Republican Party chair and lobbyist Matt Borges was sentenced to five years in prison on Friday for his role in the case involving the $1.3 billion nuclear power plant bailout law, House Bill 6. His sentencing is the latest in what's been called the largest bribery and money laundering scheme in state history.
His sentence came the day after U.S. District Judge Timothy Black sentenced Republican former Ohio House speaker Larry Householder to the maximum of 20 years in prison. In March, Householder was convicted of racketeering in the same trial as Borges, but prosecutors had described him as the mastermind behind the scheme.
Black admonished Borges for a lack of remorse and said, "Larry Householder was a crook and you knew it.”
During the sentencing hearing, Borges took responsibility for his involvement in the scandal.
"I'm here today for one reason and one reason only: my behavior, my decisions, my poor judgment,” Borges told the judge.