Even though it was interesting at times, it was apparent to the SCPR that today's Balas-Bratton "protest" of the candidacy of the George T. Maier for sheriff ended up exactly where anyone who understands the "cold war" politics that goes on day after day, week after week, month after month and year after year in Ohio.
A 2 to 2 tie about 3:30 p.m. or so this afternoon (February 21, 2014) with the matter now in the hands of Republican Secretary of State Jon Husted as the tie-breaker.
It would be a politically stunning event of all times in Ohio politics if Husted would end up siding with St. John and Ferruccio for a variety of reasons which we will spell out in detail tomorrow.
For Stark Countians this means unless the Ohio Supreme Court turns things around, that Republican Larry Dordea will skate into office - get this - "unopposed!"
As the SCPR wrote a few days ago, any chance that either a Republican or Democrat would break ranks and actually "seriously" deliberate the merits of whether or not Maier is qualified under Ohio Revised Code Section 311.01 to be a county sheriff.
To The Report the merits of the case are clearly on the side against Maier being qualified "according to statutory standards."
The Maier people keep showing that they are not "rule of law" people by engaging in practices that The Report thinks is more like exercises in power politics than in having the law on their side.
And today's hearing on the protest was more of the same.
The SCPR will do an in depth analysis tomorrow with scads of video on the hopeless cause that the Maier clan seem bent on pursuing come "Hell or high water."
But there are Republicans who are in "La-La-Land," also.
Some of them thought that Sam Ferruccio, Jr. was going to be open to be persuaded "to break ranks" because he is said to be close to Stark County prosecutor John Ferrero who, as anyone who knows who has been following this political circus, actually struck the first blow to derail the Maier political machine effort to make George sheriff.
When told this yesterday, The Report had a big ha, ha, ha!
Obviously my source had lost track of fact that it was Johnnie A. Maier, Jr who promoted that the Stark County Democratic Party Executive Committee to put Sam Ferruccio, Jr on the BOE in the first place.
So Sam is going to bite the "political hand that feeds him?"
And who was the spokesman for the Dems today? You've got it! Sam Ferruccio, Jr.
It certainly wasn't going to be Deametrious St. John who probably has a hard time spelling his first name let alone articulate an even remotely plausible argument for qualifying Maier.
St. John is so confused that he tells this blog writer what is and is not in SCPR blogs. Moreover, he cannot rightly divide between having a made a pre-hearing determination as evidenced by statements to the press (that's The Report take anyway) on Maier's qualification but then insisting that he would incur a case amnesia once today's hearing got underway.
Now that hearing is over, St. John to the extent that he spoke at all in making known his wrestled over decision (sarcasm folks) spewed out the same "unthought" stuff he was dispensing to the press before the hearing.
The best articulator of the day was Republican member and lawyer William Cline.
However, none of them distinguished themselves and as the SCPR wrote a few days ago the Board of Elections mechanism is not equipped to decide Ohio Revised Code 311.01 statutory qualification challenges.
And the Stark County Board of Elections proved The Report premises "in spades" today.
Tune in tomorrow for a SCPR "in depth" analysis.
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