Ohio House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger has hired a lawyer after he says he learned the FBI is asking questions about activities he may be involved in. But Rosenberger says he hasn’t been told he’s under investigation. And Rosenberger’s second in command in the House isn't saying much about what’s next.
Speaker Pro Tem Kirk Schuring (R-Canton) said he doesn’t think anyone knows the purpose of the inquiry. But he said reports that the Republican caucus will ask for Rosenberger’s resignation are untrue. “It's a very ugly political season we're in right now and these rumors – from what I know, with my contacts with our members – are totally false and unfounded," Schuring said.
Schuring said there was credible evidence of improper actions in other cases where lawmakers were asked to resign – which he says isn’t the case here. There’s an increasingly heated race to replace the term limited Rosenberger building between Rep. Ryan Smith (R-Bidwell), who is supported by Rosenberger, and Rep. Larry Householder (R-Glenford), who was Speaker in the early 2000s.