(ONN) – Former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder is challenging the 20-year prison sentence he received after being convicted of masterminding the largest corruption scheme in state history.

The 64-year-old Republican’s appeal to the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals has been expected.

Householder has been held in county jail since a judge sentenced him on June 29th to the maximum penalty for racketeering allowed under federal law.

A jury convicted Householder in March of orchestrating the $60 million bribery scheme funded by FirstEnergy, an Akron-based utility.

It aimed to secure Householder’s power, elect allies, and then to pass and defend a $1.3 billion nuclear plant bailout.