Attorneys for former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder asked a judge to dismiss the bribery case against him, saying federal prosecutors never proved the GOP lawmaker engaged in quid pro quo.
Federal prosecutors say Householder and others participated in a conspiracy that funneled $60 million from Akron-based FirstEnergy Corp. through political nonprofits that don't have to disclose their donors, often called dark money groups. The cash was used to return Householder to speaker and in turn pass and protect a $1 billion bailout bill to benefit FirstEnergy and other utilities.
Householder, who has pleaded not guilty, faces a six-week trial as soon as this fall.
