How one GOP heiress influenced the Ohio House – and its leader's demise
COLUMBUS – Without GOP heiress Virginia Ragan, Cliff Rosenberger never would have become speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives.
Rosenberger resigned from that powerful position April 12 amid an FBI probe into his travel, expenses and lavish lifestyle, funded by Ragan and other donors. His downfall was swift, and so was his rise: Rosenberger had been the youngest House speaker in the nation.
The Clinton County Republican was just 33 years old in 2014, when he was chosen to replace Speaker Bill Batchelder, who is nearly four decades his senior. Rosenberger wasn't on anyone's list to succeed Batchelder until Darke County Rep. Jim Buchy sustained an injury that kept him from traveling the state.
Looking for an alternative, Batchelder and Ragan – the statesman's longtime friend and benefactress – considered Rosenberger. He was a young up-and-comer who had coordinated events for Mitt Romney's presidential bid and named his beagle dog "W," in a nod to his service in President George W. Bush's administration.
Rosenberger didn't have years of policy experience or political pedigree, but he did have Ragan's money and Batchelder's support. He won, becoming one of the most powerful people in Ohio politics.
Ragan's bankroll helped construct the GOP-controlled Ohio House that Rosenberger built. In the end, Ragan's bankroll also helped to destroy Rosenberger's political career.
Last August, Rosenberger took a trip to England with at least two lobbyists for the title lending industry. Meanwhile, a bill restricting those businesses and payday lenders stalled in the Ohio House.
The FBI is looking into that trip and his lavish lifestyle generally, including a condo he rented from Ragan. Rosenberger says he did nothing wrong.
Mowing the statehouse lawn
Ragan, now 73, first met former speaker Batchelder in Delaware, Ohio, in the early 1960s. He was a history student at Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware. She was the daughter of a wealthy benefactor who had moved his company to the town.
As young conservative activists, Batchelder and Ragan became good friends. Batchelder was elected to the Ohio House in 1968 and spent many of his early years frustrated by Democratic Speaker Vern Riffe and the GOP minority leader, Corwin Nixon, who did little to challenge Riffe.
Batchelder, a right-wing member of the chamber, appreciated good political theater. He was well-known for wearing a dog muzzle to the House floor after Riffe refused to let him speak about a 1983 tax hike.
In 1971, Batchelder and other Republicans – including a young Ragan – protested when Democratic Gov. John Gilligan laid off Statehouse groundskeepers. The layoffs were Gilligan's attempt to show how the state was cash-strapped and needed to impose an income tax.
"We got a significant number of power lawnmowers and went out and mowed the lawn," Batchelder said of the Republicans' antics. "Then, Gilligan said we didn’t do a very good job."
Years after mowing the lawn, Republicans regained control of the Ohio House and later elected Batchelder to lead them. Ragan was there for Batchelder – to the tune of nearly $73,000 in campaign contributions between 2005 and 2013.
A booster for lawmakers and an advocate for the elderly
Ragan is unlike most major political donors. She gives almost exclusively to Ohio House Republicans – donating about $1.7 million over the past five years.
In that time, she has given money to nearly 100 campaigns, ranging from $500 to $57,000 per candidate. Campaign contributions benefit those lawmakers, but some of the money is pooled in the House Republicans' political arm, boosting the caucus' power.
Ragan also gave personal gifts to 17 members of the Ohio House – mostly legislative leaders and younger lawmakers – over the past two years. The members disclosed the gifts on state forms but didn't have to say what they received from Ragan. She could not be reached for comment.
“You have to support leadership," Ragan told the Columbus Dispatch in 2012. "Then you look at the young ones who need help. You watch different members during the year."
Ragan's wealth comes from Greif Inc., an industrial packaging manufacturer. Her father, the late John C. Dempsey, served as chairman. Her son, John C. McNamara, now sits on the company's board. In 2012, Ragan's stake in Greif was worth about $186 million.
Ragan isn't registered as a lobbyist but is an active advocate for older adults and those with Alzheimer's. Ragan helps to host an annual "Memory Day" that nearly all lawmakers attend, dressed in purple garb as a show of support. She was a vocal advocate for Gov. John Kasich's Medicaid expansion and state money for hospice care.
On the day Rosenberger announced he would resign, Ragan was introducing the new Ohio Department of Aging director to lawmakers.
"She never asked any politician for anything," Batchelder said. "She was absolutely religious about not trying to affect people’s judgment about issues that were before the House or Senate."
Ragan's advocacy is personal: Her father died of Alzheimer's. Ragan cared for him, her mother and her husband, who died at age 57.
“I know what being a caregiver is,” Ragan said in 2012. “I was very blessed to be able to do it. Maybe that’s why I empathize with people who are in that position.”
Escape to Florida
Golfing. Brunches. Boat trips. Fishing excursions.
For a weekend in chilly February, Ohio lawmakers and lobbyists flock to the "Winter Warmer," a huge fundraiser held at the exclusive Bay Club in Bonita Springs, where Ragan is a member.
Batchelder hosted the first event, which was attended by a dozen people. The former speaker was initially skeptical that people would travel that far.
"Ginni understood far better than I," Batchelder said. "People would like to go to Florida in the winter."
Rosenberger took over the fundraiser after Batchelder left, growing it to hundreds of people. Not every GOP lawmaker was invited, but donors and lobbyists could join for a minimum of $1,000. Those who shelled out $19,000 were invited to a reception, a round of golf and brunch at the February 2018 event.
This year, the fundraiser fell in the middle of overhauling the way Ohio lawmakers draw lines for congressional districts. Instead of hashing out a deal in Columbus, Rosenberger and other House members left for Florida, frustrating conversations. Ultimately, legislators reached a compromise – thanks largely to a Super Bowl Sunday summit in Akron where members of the Ohio Senate sorted out details.
An outsize influence
When Batchelder left the Ohio House in 2014, Ragan did not. She continued to invest money into the campaigns of GOP members, helping Rosenberger to win 66 of the 99 seats and a veto-proof majority for his caucus.
Rosenberger rented a 2,237-square-foot luxury condominium from Ragan. His chosen successor, Rep. Ryan Smith of Bidwell, also lived there at one point. Neither Rosenberger nor Smith disclosed how much they paid in rent, and they aren't required to do so under state law.
Smith ultimately left the space, saying he could not afford the rent. Rosenberger no longer lives in the condo. He made $100,798 as speaker in 2017 and had little other income.
Ragan also financed a $209,354 mortgage for one of Rosenberger's former aides, according to Franklin County records. Aide Hunter Wright, who has said he is also a family friend of Ragan, purchased a $210,000 home in April 2016.
But it wasn't just the money. Republicans say Ragan had an outsize influence on Rosenberger compared with the more seasoned Batchelder. She would host meetings at her condo and make suggestions on staff. Her favorites frequently became Rosenberger's favorites and the opposite was true, too.
On April 6, news broke that Rosenberger had hired a defense attorney to answer FBI questions about his lavish lifestyle. Ragan was among the sponsors of a free trip Rosenberger took to Normandy, France, with the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Questions from the FBI may not turn into criminal charges. Rosenberger, in a statement, said he had full confidence in his ultimate vindication.
Still, Rosenberger has left the Statehouse – and maybe Ohio politics – undone by the money and influence that helped to win him the job in 2014.
And a GOP heiress no longer has a speaker.
Editor's note: This article was reported from several interviews with current and former lawmakers, lobbyists and others involved in Ohio politics. The Enquirer also reviewed financial disclosure forms, campaign contributions and previously published accounts.
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