Prosecutors accuse Ohio Republicans of taking $60m in bribes as corruption trial opens

State house speaker Larry Householder and four others charged with racketeering and could face up to 20 years in prison

Federal prosecutors on the first day of a historic racketeering trial in Ohio alleged that top Republicans in the state accepted bribes from the power company FirstEnergy.

The trial, which is expected to last six weeks, is the latest utility scandal following cases in the last 10 years in Arizona, Louisiana, Alabama and Florida which experts say has led to higher bills for consumers, less green energy, and more CO2 emissions.