BUTLER CO., Ohio -- A former Butler County politician facing corruption charges pleaded not guilty on Thursday.
Last month, a grand jury indicted Michael Fox and attorney Robert Schuler, alleging they conspired to improperly benefit from county contracts involving a company doing business with the county.
Fox, 60, is accused of taking more than $800,000 in kickbacks and improper payments through a fiber optics deal that Butler County was trying to broker.
Fox's attorney entered a not guilty plea on behalf of his client and called the charges "overreaching" and political.
