COLUMBUS, Ohio — In a bid to increase transparency and restore public trust in Ohio's political landscape, State Representatives Bride Rose Sweeney, D-Westlake, and Jessica Miranda, D-Forest Park, introduced the Ohio Anti-Corruption Act. 

The move follows the high-profile trial and conviction of former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and former GOP Chairman Matt Borges. They were found guilty of participating in a racketeering enterprise involving bribery and money laundering with two energy companies.

What You Need To Know

  • The Ohio Anti-Corruption Act has been reintroduced this legislative assembly

  • The proposed legislation aims to close "dark money" loopholes by requiring nonprofits to publicize contributions made to influence elections and preventing U.S. companies with foreign decision-makers from contributing funds to campaigns

  • The bill is in committee hearing 

The proposed legislation aims to close "dark money" loopholes by requiring nonprofits to publicize contributions made to influence elections and preventing U.S. companies with foreign decision-makers from contributing funds to campaigns.

"Ohioans deserve to know who's influencing them, who's sending those ads to them, who is showing those TV ads. That's all we're asking in this piece of legislation," said Sweeney.

As the Householder scandal casts a shadow on Ohio politics, with both lawmakers are facing up to 20 years in prison for their actions, Miranda expressed her concern, saying, "It's happening right now, right under our noses, but in secret because the General Assembly has failed to act. Who will be the next greedy corporation to be exposed, who is saying one thing in public, but funding an opposite ugly agenda in private?"

Despite the bill's intentions, some lawmakers argue it could inadvertently limit groups that don't use corrupt money but are labeled as dark money providers.

"Your bill does a lot more than what you say because it applies both to issue campaigns and candidate campaigns. The difference between what you're talking about, where grandma gives you $100 and she's giving that to your campaign. This so-called secret dark money is mostly spent on issues. So you are extending a principle applicable to campaign finance for individual candidates running for office. You're applying that standard to something totally different," State Rep. Bill Seitz, R-Cincinnati, said.

Nevertheless, Republican State Rep. Brian Stewart, R-Ashville, supports the need to eliminate dark money from Ohio politics.

"It's a few bad apples that have really kind of shone a light on where we need to tighten up some areas and make sure that this can't happen again," Stewart said.

He emphasized that both sides of the aisle should work together to address the issue, particularly in light of the verdict in the Householder trial. Stewart also mentioned that a similar ethics bill is currently being discussed within the Republican caucus.

As the Ohio Anti-Corruption Act continues to make its way through the committee for further discussion, attorneys for Householder and Borges are expected to file post-verdict motions by April 24th.

With the reintroduction of the Ohio Anti-Corruption Act, some Ohio lawmakers hope to make strides in restoring public trust and curbing the influence of dark money in politics.