Ohio House Speaker scandal: How it developed

Republican Cliff Rosenberger said he may run for state auditor in 2018, a move that may pit him against fellow lawmaker Keith Faber.

Republican Cliff Rosenberger said he may run for state auditor in 2018, a move that may pit him against fellow lawmaker Keith Faber.
CONTINUING COVERAGE
By Laura A. Bischoff
Aug 27, 2018
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Federal authorities are trying to build a public corruption case against former Ohio House speaker Cliff Rosenberger and three payday lending industry representatives, according to a search warrant and subpoena obtained exclusively by this newspaper.

Here’s a look the life and career of Ohio House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger and how this case developed:

April 23, 1981: Born to mother Son Ye and father Michael Rosenberger

Jan. 2, 2011: Begins first term in the Ohio House.

2012: Earns Wright State University bachelor's degree.

March 2014: Begins renting a $660,000 luxury condo in downtown Columbus owned by GOP donor Ginni Ragan.

January 2015: Becomes Ohio House speaker.

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

January 2016: Orders an ethics inquiry into whether Wright State crossed legal boundaries when seeking state money.

March 25-April 1, 2016: Travels to China with his aide, Ben Webb, on a conference trip attended by a payday lending industry lobbyist.

April 2016: Northbank 503 LLC, controlled by Ragan, gives a $209,354 mortgage to former Rosenberger aide Hunter Wright for a condo in downtown Columbus.

April 29, 2017: Serves as commencement speaker at Wright State University.

Aug. 28-31, 2017: Travels to London for a GOPAC trip, attended by payday lending interests and other corporate leaders.

Sept. 25-Oct. 1, 2017: Travels to Normandy, France for a National Conference of State Legislatures leadership conference that was funded in part by payday lending interests.

April 6, 2018: Discloses to this newspaper that he hired a criminal defense attorney to deal with an FBI inquiry.

April 9, 2018: The Ohio House receives a federal subpoena for Rosenberger's travel records.

April 10, 2018: Resigns as speaker and makes it effective April 12.

RELATED: House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger resigning amid FBI probe

May 11, 2018: Removes personal items from his state offices.

May 15, 2018: Discloses he received more than $43,000 in free travel in 2017.

May 22, 2018: The Ohio House receives a federal search and seizure warrant.

May 23, 2018: FBI agents raid Rosenberger's house and storage unit. The House turns over documents responding to the warrant.

RELATED: Payday lending bill comes to life as House speaker faces probe

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Laura Bischoff is our Columbus bureau reporter and covers politics and state government. She keeps a close eye on elected leaders, public employees and taxpayer money. Bischoff tries to write stories that inform voters, hold leaders accountable and strengthen democracy.