AS PREDICTED BY SCPR: MAIER POLITICIZES STARK CO. SHERIFF DEPT IN SPADES!

As the Stark County Political Report sees it, neither Stark County Sheriff George T. Maier nor his brother Johnnie A. Maier, Jr. should be elected officials.

Stark County and Massillon voters, obviously not knowing the high degree of political paranoia that The Report thinks each of Maier brothers are afflicted with, have unwittingly placed the "bros" in positions of public trust from which they can - in pursuit of their personal political interests and objectives - inflict pressure on those who work for them to put personal political loyalty to them above the public interest.

The graphic above with its collection of Maier loyalists is an indication of what The Report thinks is required of one who wishes to prosper in public employment when the boss is either George or Johnnie.

Johnnie is a former Stark County Democratic Party chairman who many think still runs the party from behind the curtain is a sort of Wizard of Oz fashion who is the Massillon clerk of courts.

Both George and Johnnie, were it not for their political paranoia (which, unfortunately, is a common malady among politicians), are run-of-the-mill politico-government worker (i.e. nothing exceptional; merely journeyman-esque) in the sense of being able to do the basic functions of the offices they old.

But it seems to the SCPR that these two guys are so much into personal political loyalty that perhaps it really does seep down into the way they administer their particular offices to the point that "the personal loyalty factor" becomes the main thing and serving the public is an "oh! by the way" thing.

As an example of what in concrete ways loyalty to a Maier might entail, The Report shares with readers a story as told by Lawrence Township trustee Michael Stevens (running for re-election this coming November) tells when he was serving as the Ohio House Democratic Caucus appointee to succeed Johnnie as the-then state representative (on the brink of being term limited out) for the 56th (now, more or less the 50th) Ohio House District.

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Stevens on a routine day in his office at the Ohio House was in the midst of a telephone call with a constituent.  While on telephone with the constituent, Stevens received a call from Maier, Jr.

Stevens' administrative aide came to him interrupting with the message that Johnnie was on the phone.

As it turns out, the aide knew the Johnnie A. Maier, Jr expectation whereas Stevens did not.  Naively, as it turns out, he thought the constituent was the priority.

Steeped deep in his belief that ordinary persons back home trumped the likes of Maier, Jr, Stevens told the aide to tell Johnnie that he would get back to him just as soon as the constituent telephone call ended.

After the constituent call ended, Stevens immediately called Maier, Jr. back.

Stepping outside the story, what do you SCPR reader think Maier, Jr's reaction was to having had to play second fiddle to a Stevens constituent and what's more a taxpaying citizen of his district?

Pick one:

____  Michael, what a terrific representative your are.  You have your priorities straight!

____  Michael,  when I call you you better damn well from here on out drop everything and ditch the  constituent and get on the phone with me!!

Anybody who knows Johnnie A. Maier, Jr knows the answer is the latter and definitely not the former.

Just one more story from Maier, Jr's days in the Ohio House.

Yours truly's daughter while a student at The Ohio State University was a page assigned to Johnnie's office but at the call of the general obligations of the House support administration.

Heidi tells stories of Maier putting her in positions of personal political loyalty to him opposed to her responsibility as an employee of the State of Ohio and by extension the taxpayers of Ohio.

On at least one occasion, she got herself with House administrative leadership.

The only redeeming thing about Johnnie is that he did come to her defense in the incident mentioned.

However, she should not have been put in that position in the first  place, no?

But that is what people who focus on personal political loyalty will do.

Heidi was most fortunate.  Mostly people like her get "thrown under the bus."

When George was elected sheriff, yours truly said that The Report expected George to pursue a course as the head of Stark County's countywide law enforcement apparatus which course could prove to be disastrous for the public's confidence in county government.

Stark County has already been through a "crisis of confidence" with the Stark County treasury beginning in April, 2009 which only ended with the-then treasurer Gary D. Zeigler (originally a Stark County Democratic Party appointee [1999] like George T. Maier [February, 2013]) retiring/resigning on October 19, 2011.

The context will undoubtedly be different, but the destabilizing effect on Stark County government will be just as profound if - as the SCPR thinks he will -  Sheriff Maier continues what yours truly believes is his course of action to totally and completely politicize employment with the Stark County sheriff's office to include an unstated/unwritten but clearly understood requirement of "personal political loyalty" to George T. Maier.

When George T. Maier (once appointed to the second in command in the Ohio Department of Highway Safety, The Report surmises through the political connection of brother Johnnie to former Democratic Ohio governor Ted Strickland) took office, The Report repeatedly chided him that he needed to make one of his first hires from among the plumbing trade inasmuch as the leaks to the The Stark County Political Report from within the bowels of the the county sheriff's office (on personnel matters) approaches the flood stage.

Today's blog is focused who some particulars on that front that George is reportedly up to.

But first why would the SCPR has concerns about George T. Maier having high-handed ways as an department of government administrator.

Readers should take a few minutes and read this (LINK) account from his days as number 2 in the Ohio Department of Highway Safety.

Now granted that was some time ago and one might argue that he has matured as Sheriff George T. Maier.

We should only wish.

If anything, The Report thinks Maier the sheriff has regressed.

Picking up on his needing a plumber thing as written above, reports that the SCPR receives from leakers from deep inside the sheriff's department, Maier now that he #1 and having been elected and therefore accountable to no one except the voters in the 2016 election indicate that his arrogance grows by the day.

Here are some the allegations being leveled at George T. Maier in terms of his administration of the sheriff's office:

•  A sergeant in the department seemingly because of his alleged political support of Maier has the sheriff's cell number and is thought to have parlayed such access into an "I'm untouchable" stance notwithstanding incidents which occurred during his supervision stint that were not dealt with by Maier for some three months.  
• Maier was reportedly told going back to September, 2014 that the rank-and-file deputies had no confidence in the leadership of the sergeant.
• The point is that "property political alignment" is suspected by some deputies as being the reason that the offending sergeant was not dealt with sooner.
•  Though Maier did post a job to be filled (a 25 year retiring employee) on a child abuse/sex offender investigator position and promised interviews; no interviews were conducted and Maier ended up - according to The Report's source - rehiring the retired investigator (retire/rehire which is contra a policy for Stark County government as promulgated by the Stark County commissioners),
• With respect to the SCPR's blog on Maier's plan to rent out spare jail space to Summit County this comment from an inside source:
•  I read your report today. HAHAHAHA!!!  Housing Summit County inmates. A JOKE!!!  We have NO ROOM NOW. Though our number might be under 500.You have to consider we have over 20 inmates on medical housing,then we have the mentally ill area (30,maybe at times more). You can't house mentally ill with violent offenders. These are things the public does not know about. NOT even sure IF the Sheriff himself knows. 
•  More on point with the tenor of this blog about the inordinate role that politics plays in George T. Maier's administration of personnel matters, take look at these observations:
• I've learned that it's very common for Sheriff Maier to flex his authority within the office.  My sources could not confirm what Maier said during his meeting, but it does not sound out of character for him.
•  It's well recognized within the Sheriff's Office, that specialized positions such as Evidence/Property Officer, Detective, Child Support Officer, Sex Abuse Investigator, School Resource Officer are assigned to loyal campaign supporters of Sheriff George Maier. 
• Example[s]:
•  Deputy Rick Stauffer was recently reassigned from the Inmate Transport Officer to County Detective.  Stauffer was such a proud supporter of George Maier, he used his antique fire truck to display Maier for Sheriff signs in several local parades.  
• Deputy John Von Spiegle who retired from the Stark County Sheriff's Office last year, was just REHIRED by Sheriff Maier as the Sex Abuse Investigator.  The same position he retired from last year.  Von Spiegle can be seen in several of parade photos from George Maier's campaign.  
• Deputy Laura Blackstock was just announced as one of two new Lake Local School Resource Officers.  Blackstock is currently in training on the Road Patrol Division.  So when she starts her new assignment as a School Resource Officer, she'll have three months of Road Patrol training/experience.  She was also a proud supporter of George Maier's campaign. 
• Deputy Mike Greene was rehired by Sheriff George Maier this year after he lost his job as Judge Belden's bailiff in Canton Municipal Court.  Greene's rehiring was expedited and bypassed the normal hiring process.  He was also a proud campaign supporter of George Maier, prior to him being rehired.  I'm learning from my sources that the "Friends-N-Benefits" list with Sheriff George Maier keeps growing longer and longer.   
•  Today it was passed on to me that 5 road patrol deputies put letters of request to be transferred to Jail Operations. UHM? This is due to position of property/evidence officer being given to an officer who has NO experience in such a position. Ask yourself why would they want to put there hard work in to solving a case an have the evidence/property not handled correctly for a conviction.
•  The following comments may harken back to George T. Maier's attitude as #2 in the Ohio Department of Public Safety: to wit
• It was mentioned at the union meeting [probably held on July 21st] the Sheriff has made it clear he will place WHO  he wants WHERE  he wants. Experience, seniority do not matter. 
• Our moral is at the lowest I have seen .When the moral issue was brought up at the union. A union board member stated that Major Stantz told the same union board member, moral is great he sees no issues. It is my opinion, Major Stantz only speaks to his fellow George T. Maier groupies.

It is interesting to see Stantz's name come up.

Stantz has seemingly to the SCPR replaced Derrek Loy has Maier's chief administrative and political enforcer with in the department.

Stantz used to out do himself in being "apparently" friendly to the SCPR in the early days of Maier's coming to 4500 Atlantic Blvd.  Of course, The Report knew what was at play and played the game with him.

Nowadays, Stantz just passes by as if he doesn't have a clue as to yours truly's identity.

Now that he has jumped from being Lt. Stantz to being Major Stantz, that is.

How disappointing for top level law enforcement official who drinks at the trough of Stark County taxpayers to think he can disrespect citizens on the obvious command of a politicized sheriff.

So there you have it Stark Countians.

You have made your choice and The Report thinks it is only a matter of time until "all Hell breaks lose" at the Stark County sheriff's office.

When daughter Heidi was the Statehouse she says Maier, Jr. would pester her about what yours truly thought of him and his public persona?

Well, Johnnie, why not ask me?

Clue to the answer.

Even back in those day it was clear to me that political paranoia was in full play with Johnnie.

And, it is a compliment that he knew intuitively that such

If anything, it has grown.

It appears that Johnnie being the older of the two brothers has passed this characteristic on.

And that is not a good thing for the citizens of Massillon nor those of Stark County!

YET ANOTHER TEST FOR GEORGE T. MAIER?

UPDATED:  12:55 AM

NOTE:  Attorney Conley tells The Report that only about 6% of cases filed on appeal are accepted by the Supreme Court.  Within one to three months the court will determine whether or not to accept Swanson's appeal.

ORIGINAL BLOG

What is the saying?

"There is no rest for the wicked?"

The SCPR wouldn't exactly characterize Sheriff George T. Maier as being wicked, but in the mind of yours truly he is certainly deserving everything he has gotten in terms of litigation he has had to deal ever since he usurped (per the Ohio Supreme Court in ruling on a Writ of Quo Warranto) to the office of Stark County sheriff on February 5, 2013.

On November 6th, the Supreme Court removed from office whereupon he was reappointed by the Stark County Democratic Party on December 11, 2013.

Since then he as been challenged in the Ohio Supreme Court with a Writ of Prohibition on his eligibility to run for sheriff in November, 2014; a proceeding he won.

Now its a trifecta for Maier, perhaps?

On Friday, yours truly was notified that former Sheriff Timothy Swanson's legal counsel (Craig T. Conley [also the attorney in the Stark Board of Elections/Ohio Supreme Court case of March, 2014]) will be filing with the Supreme Court an appeal of an adverse 5th District Court of Appeals on a civil liability suit filed by Swanson against Maier in Stark County Court of Common Pleas Court in 2014 (which Swanson lost) for Swanson to be compensated (as Ohio statutory law seems to provide for) for the pay that was paid out to Maier for the time period he was a usurper.

Later today check back for a copy of Conley's Memorandum in Support of the Ohio Supreme Court accepting Swanson's appeal from the Fifth District Court of Appeals (see the adverse to Swanson decision immediately below).



One thing about Swanson legal counsel Craig T. Conley is that he as long as his client keeps the faith with him is never, ever going to let go.

As far as The Report is concerned, to say it again, Maier deserves everything he get.

Yours truly thinks he and his brother Johnnie A. Maier, Jr. (a former Stark Dems' chairman) are political bullies of the first order who do not respect the processes of law insofar as they may conflict with their personal political ambitions.

It is always nice when folks such as George and Johnnie have to experience some of what they dish out!

NOTICE OF APPEAL



MEMO IN SUPPORT OF JURISDICTION

STARK CO SHERIFF GEORGE T. MAIER WANTS TO HELP SUMMIT COUNTY OUT AT EXPENSE OF STARK CO. TAXPAYERS

UPDATED:  08:00 AM

VIDEO

Commissioner Janet Creighton

"leads the way"

in tabling 

Maier's Done Deal

Had it not been for Commissioners Janet Creighton and Richard Regula (both Republicans), Stark County taxpayers would have entered into a contract last Wednesday for the Stark County sheriff's office to house Summit County prisoners at $70 day to cut the costs of Summit County taxpayers who pay $124 daily for each and every prisoner housed at the Summit County jail.

The contract would have become a reality if Stark County Sheriff George T. Maier had his way: witness that he was presuming (i.e. he had already signed the agreement) that the commissioners would sign on this past Wednesday at their regular 1:30 p.m. meeting.

One has to wonder whether or not he has another "best friend for life" in Summit County government akin to Sheriff Ronald J. Myers of Harrison County.

An example of how utterly arrogant The Stark County Political Report thinks Maier is, no?

And, the Stark County thinks that if it were up to Commissioner Thomas Bernabei (elected as a Democrat, but now claiming to be an "independent"), Maier would have gotten away with the "to the benefit of Summit County taxpayers" give-away at the expense of Stark County taxpayers.

For some odd reason Bernabei seems enamored with Maier to the point of suspending his (Bernabei's) critical faculties.

Generally, Bernabei (the SCPR's top rated Stark County leader, but not uncritically so) is highly scrutinizing, probing and demanding in his approach to government, but those qualities seem to evaporate when it comes to George T. Maier.

The Report believes:

• that Bernabei as commissioner tried to facilitate Maier meeting Ohio statutory qualification standards to be sheriff back in early 2013 in anticipation of the Ohio Supreme Court finding that he was unqualified as of February 5, 2013 when appointed by a narrow margin (92 to 84) by the Stark County Democratic Party Central Committee,
• was left unmoved when the SCPR presented information to him (Bernabei) that Maier was spending loads of Stark County taxpayer money emblazoning his name on Stark County sheriff department property when his qualification to be sheriff was pending in the Supreme Court, and
• spearheaded (as among the commissioners) to have Stark County taxpayers foot a bill of some $8,000 to hire reputed Ohio elections law attorney Don McTigue to represent Maier's interest before Ohio Secretary of State Ted Husted and the Ohio Supreme Court in a protest to Maier's qualification to be certified as a candidate for sheriff in the November, 2014 election,

Accordingly, it was no surprise to the SCPR that Bernabei seemed willing to go along with Maier's "benefit Summit County" scheme at a loss to Stark County taxpayers as The Report thinks the video (see below) of the exchange between the commissioners and Maier representative Major Brian Arnold and Colonel John Campbell shows:

• Arnold:  promoted to major by Maier within 30 days of Maier having been elected sheriff)

• Campbell:  a former Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) pal of Maier's who recently retired from the the OSHP

Arnold and Campbell, two of Maier's "top guns,"

were shockingly unprepared for the questions that Creighton leveled at them, to wit:



Kudos to Creighton and Regula (primarily Creighton) for sending Campbell and Arnold scurrying back to 4500 Atlantic Boulevard to do their due diligence which they obviously had not done coming into the commissioners meeting of June 17th.

And shame on Maier for allowing two men who combined make over $160,000 annually to present at the meeting so completely unprepared.

It should be disturbing to Stark Countians that Commissioner Bernabei seemingly was buying into the notion that $70 a day was better than $0 dollars a day for the 80 or so "vacant" beds that on "on average" go unused for Stark County criminals and/or alleged criminals and therefore are on the streets of Stark County's neighborhoods.

It wasn't that long ago that commissioners and George T. Maier under the prodding of Canton Ward 9 citizen activist Bruce Nordman were promising to get the utilization of the jail up to or very near its 501 bed capacity.

Remember the "scare tactic" aspect of the campaign to get Stark Countians in November, 2009 to pass a 1/2 cent increase in the county sales tax?

Five years later we are only at an average daily usage of 420?

On Thursday morning at 07:30 a.m. a repair of the unpreparedness apparently will be attempted at a meeting of the Corrections Planning Board.

Note this exchange of e-mails between yours truly and County Administrator Brant Luther:

Re: Sheriff proposal for boarding Summit County prisoners

Brant Luther  Jun 22 at 5:06 PM
To:  Martin Olson

Martin,
Attached are a couple of pages out of the Bylaws which describe the membership make-up of the Corrections Planning Board.

The Board's next meeting is this coming Thursday at 7:30 a.m. in the Training Room at the Sheriff's Department.

Thanks,
Brant

>>> Martin Olson <tramols@att.net> 6/22/2015 4:48 PM >>>
Corrections Planning Board?

Who is on the board?  When will the meeting(s) take place.

Or refer me to a person who can provide the information I request.

Thanks

From: Brant Luther <bluther@starkcountyohio.gov>
To: Martin Olson <tramols@att.net>
Sent: Monday, June 22, 2015 4:02 PM
Subject: Re: Sheriff proposal for boarding Summit County prisoners

Martin,
It is my understanding that the prisoner housing issue will be referred to and further discussed and analyzed by the Corrections Planning Board before coming back to the Board of Commissioners for any action. 

Thanks,
Brant

>>> Martin Olson <tramols@att.net> 6/22/2015 12:29 PM >>>

Brant,

When are Arnold/Campbell going to get back to the commissioners on the costs of housing prisoners?

Martin Olson
SCPR
tramols@att.net
330 899 7144

There should be no excess beds for rent to Summit County or any other county.



Will the forty (40) members of the Corrections Planning Board allow Sheriff Maier to bamboozle them into supporting his "at a loss to Stark County safety and finances" scheme?

Why aren't Alliance, Canton, Massillon and Stark County's Common Pleas Court judges filling up the 80 on daily average bed spaces?

CRAIG T. CONLEY: STARK COUNTY'S PAIN THAT WON'T GO AWAY?

IF YOUR NAME IS

GEORGE T. MAIER

The beleaguered Stark County sheriff George T. Maier has to be beside himself.

Just as it appeared on June 1st (5th District Court of Appeals he is not liable to former sheriff, Tim Swanson, for some $90,000 in damages) he was finally able to breathe "a sigh of relief" that all of his legal troubles were "finally at an end" in his quest to become, remain sheriff came a bit of bad news.

What news was that?

Conley filed two motions to keep the case alive:

• a motion that the 5th District reconsider its affirmation of Judge Linton Lewis' trial court decision that Maier is not liable to Swanson for the time (February 5, 2013 - November 6, 2013) he occupied the sheriff's position as a usurper sheriff as found by the Ohio Supreme Court on November 6th. 

• a motion to certify the case to the Ohio Supreme Court on the ground that the 5th District's June 1st decision was at odds with another Ohio Court of Appeals decision

Conley tells the SCPR that the 5th District Court of Appeals applied the wrong Ohio Supreme Court case to Swanson v. Maier and therefore should reverse itself on the basis of his argument in the motion to reconsider.

Courts are loathe to reverse themselves.

Conley believes that the 5th District has done so rarely but has found a case in which it has and that two of the justices who participated in the reversing itself case are also on Swanson v. Maier.

If not, then he has a backup plan.

That is to ask the court, if it will not reverse itself, to certify the case to the Ohio Supreme Court on the basis of the 5th District decisions (if it holds) is in conflict with another District Court of Appeals case on the same subject matter as Swanson v. Maier.

Conley has been an real nemesis to Maier in his undoubted desire to get on with being sheriff.

Had it not been for Ohio secretary of state Ted Husted deviating from standard "political operation procedure" of a Republican/Democratic secretary of state breaking a tie at the county board of elections level (which, by design, has two Republican members and two Democrats) by voting with the secretary's political party representatives on the local board, the SCPR thinks that George T. Maier would not be sheriff today.

Because the Ohio Supreme Court would have upheld a contrary (to Maier) secretary stance as long as the secretary articulated reasonable criteria.

So if you see Sheriff Maier randomly reaching out with an arm in a swatting motion as if going after a pesky mosquito, you will understand.

For he trying to get rid of that "pain of a Craig T. Conley" who keeps - with, of course, the full acquiesence of his clients - buzzing the sheriff with a seemingly unending series of legal actions.

The SCPR thinks George T. Maier in large part bullied (with the help of brother and former Stark County Democratic Party chairman Johnnie A. Maier, Jr) into becoming sheriff.

Now the question is:  Will Craig T. Conley's "I won't take no for an answer" persistence eventually pay off for him and his client and former Sheriff Timothy Swanson?

As the SCPR has Conley saying in the graphic which heads this blog:  "I'm still here," that Conley doggedly and unceasingly pursues Maier for his clients probably has the sheriff more than a tad uneasy.

So that George T. Maier swatting reflex might continue for some time.

In the end, it will be a question of:

• Does man get the mosquito, or
• Does the mosquito succeeded in doing blood-letting?

Stay tuned.

SCPR'S "DEEP THROAT(s)" AT SHERIFF'S OFFICE STILL AT WORK!

It appears that Stark County's version of "All The President's Men" may be up and running at the Stark County sheriff's office.

Nobody is alleging anybody having broken into George T. Maier opponent for Stark County sheriff Larry Dordea's campaign headquarters in the lead up to the November, 2014 general election to find out what they could about Dordea's secret campaign plans.

But there is no doubt that Maier has surrounded himself with a bunch of political loyalists who wear Stark County sheriff department uniforms and who apparently think that when Sheriff Maier says - "jump," they all rejoin - "how high?"

This blog's rough analogy to Watergate is done in order to how a politician's insecurity  (referred to herein as political paranoia) can lead to some pretty dire results.

And it could be that over the next two years Stark Countians will be sitting in "front row seats" as what the Stark County Political Report thinks is Sheriff George T. Maier's malady of political insecurity play out.

As the SCPR revealed in the blogs (the Sgt. Major Altieri blog) on the campaign in progress, there can be absolutely no doubt that Sheriff Maier puts personal political loyalty at the highest rung of the ladder to departmental success. One it appears departmental leadership aspirants have to climb over to get a Maier nod for promotion.

Although Dan Altieri (a highly decorated Marine, who fught in Afgahanistan and Iraq) had been a terrific, no-nonsense, non-political law enforcement officer faithfully serving "the people of Stark County," after retiring, having been a deputy for 27 years, was denied a reserve deputy sheriff commission by Maier in January, 2014 because Altieri (according to Altieri) had the temerity to exercise is U.S. Constitutional right of political association in supporting Lou Darrow in Darrow's contest with Maier to get the appointment of the Stark County Democratic Party Central Committee to replace November, 2013 Sheriff-elect Mike McDonald.   McDonald could not take office on January 7, 2013 because of an illness which cost him his life in February, 2013.

According to Altieri, when he cornered Maier asking why he was being denied a commission after his long and faithful service as a deputy sheriff, he was told that his support of Darrow raised a question with Maier as to whether or not Altieri was trustworthy.

Altieri's offense made him so untrustworthy to Maier?

He handed out literature for Darrow at a Stark County Democratic Party Central Committee meeting in support of Darrow.

The denial could have cost Altieri a job at an area college had not other Stark County law enforcement offices stepped in to provide the needed commission.

Maier certainly is entitled to have loyal-to-a point, dependable, reliable police officers surrounding him in his official capacity.

However, for Maier to demand personal political loyalty as Altieri says he did of him is "over-the-top" which means to the SCPR that Maier needs to be watched very closely by area media on the question of whether or not as sheriff he is politicizing the operation of Stark's countywide law enforcement agency.

There are those who say that it seems that personal political loyalty to George T. Maier has a lot to do with if not everything to do with whether or not one gets an administrative job with the Stark County taxpayer supported county sheriff's office.

As far as the SCPR knows there is no general public solicitation of the taxpaying Stark County general public for administrative job openings.

Stark County Political Report readers know the track record of The Report in climbing all over elected public officials (Democrat and Republican) who cut out the taxpaying public from opportunities to gain public employment.

One of the most egregious cases is how former Stark County Democratic Party chairman Randy Gonzalez's son Kody benefited from such a process in being selected by Rick Campbell (Democrat county recorder) and Phil Giavasis (Democrat Canton Municipal Court clerk of courts) for two different chief deputy positions.

Of course Randy says he had nothing to do with Kody's jumping to the front of the line or more accurately being the only person in line.

And the SCPR thinks he has the political savvy for such to actually be the case.

However, The Report believes that the likes of Campbell and Giavasis (current Dems party chairman, who, by the way, was Randy's boss when he was chief deputy of Canton Muny) don't have to be asked. Both have highly acute political noses that The Report believes function flawlessly to benefit the likes of Kody Gonzalez.

Now that Republicans have regained a foothold in county government, they too (e.g. Harold [county auditor], Zumbar [county treasurer], Park [Common Pleas judge] and Creighton [commissioner] indicate that Republicans are not to be outdone by the Dems.

In a twisted bit of justification, each party points to the other as doing politics driven (as contrasted to "merits driven" combined with "open to the taxpaying public driven") job selection as a proper basis on which to appoint - as a primary criterion - the highly partisan or personal political loyalist to public office.

It is stuff like this that grates on the everyday citizens and over time builds up to a point that ordinary citizens increasingly take on a cynicism which erodes there willingness to participate in the processes and structures of our democratic republic.

After having created the conditions for rank-and-file citizens to want to opt out of American's superbly designed democratic-republican system of government in (increasing numbers):

• not voting, 
• not working on political campaigns, 
• not attending government meetings, 
• not willing to speak out on witnessed abuses of power by government officials, 
• and the like)

many of our elected officials want to disparage the body politic (i.e. the electorate) as somehow being disinterested bores.

Closer to the truth of the matter, yours truly thinks, are the "inside jobs" done by many of our politicians which send out a message loud and clear that the hoi polloi is only to active in the public square to support the politicos continuance in office.

Otherwise, "We the People" are just to shut up!

While a number of Maier regime administrative posts are carryovers from Tim Swanson time as sheriff, can there be any doubt that they have been scrutinized by Maier and the likes of his political henchmen (err consultants, for example brother Johnnie A. Maier, Jr and Stark County Democratic Party political director Shane Jackson) for George T. Maier personal political loyalty?

The SCPR was the only Stark County media outlet during the campaign that informed the Stark County voting public that Maier has a history of allegations that suggest that he may not have the temperament, disposition and overall character qualities that many of us insist upon as being essential to being possessed by Stark County's top cop.

It could be that Maier has satisfactory answers to those allegations

However, Stark County only countywide print media (The Repository) failed to press Maier for answers to the allegations.

The SCPR did.

The Repository has a history of landing on certain candidates about one thing or another, but giving others like Maier a pass.

Former Stark County auditor Kim Perez is a prime example of The Repository's singling out to the exclusion of others.

When he took office as Stark County auditor in 2004 having defeated Brant Luther (who worked for her in the auditor's office) hand-picked by Janet Creighton (now a Republican Stark County commissioner) to succeed her as the appointee of the Stark County Republican Party upon her resignation as auditor in 2003 to run against Democrat William Smuckler for mayor of Canton (which contest she won), The Repository folks landed on Perez for bringing some his Democratic friends into office with him as staff members.

The SCPR thinks that the media should always be on the outlook for such.  And The Report had the same take on Perez.

After the SCPR broke the story on Kody Gonzalez and his inside track (a second time) to a chief deputyship, The Repository did chime in.

But by and large "mum is the word" with The Rep editorial board on personal political loyalty tests and political party office holder "horse trading."

And the SCPR cannot recall in all the years of being a Stark Countian (40 years) of the editors jumping on a Republican office holder.

The difference between The Repository and The Stark County Political Report is that The Rep has shown itself to be "a respecter of persons" whereas the SCPR is an equal opportunity critic.

The SCPR has written quite a few blogs over the nearly seven years of The Report's existence laying out chapter and verse how highly politicized yours truly thinks the record shows Sheriff Maier's brother Johnnie to be.

To the SCPR, Johnnie (a former Stark County Democratic Party chairman) is the most politically paranoid politician in all of Stark County.  Accordingly, The Report thinks he surrounds himself in political and government circles with people he has determined to be totally loyal to his political interests.

Since George first came to the notice of the SCPR when he was sworn in as the SCDP-CC sheriff appointee on February 5, 2013, it  is appearing to The Report that Sheriff Maier and brother Johnnie share the affliction of political paranoia.

Many folks are dismissive of importance of political paranoia as a factor in a politician's life and for the most part they are right to be so because nearly every politician is afflicted to some degree. But most successfully keep a cap on it.

One American politician who allowed political paranoia to destroy his presidency, and for many pf us, his credibility forever, was President Richard M. Nixon (1969 - 1973).

In the process of the unfolding of what came to be called "Watergate," the United States of America came to the threshold of a Constitutional crisise

Yours truly just finished reading "The Powers That Be" by David Halberstam.  (A book, hopefully, the big a The Rep have read).

The book is an exhaustive study (over 1000 pages) of The Washington Post, The New York Times, Time Magazine, Newsweek, the Los Angeles Times and CBS (to a lesser degree ABC and NBC) in terms of them effectively serving their reading publics with investigative journalism that dug out things like Richard Nixon's political paranoia prompting the occurrence of Watergate.

"The Powers That Be" shows Richard Nixon as being one of those persons who did not take scrutiny or criticism well from the days (1946) he was first elected to Congress.

The paranoia began early and went largely unchecked until he resigned the presidency in humiliation.

He surrounded himself with "jump how high" folks and these folks as detailed in "The Powers That Be" tried to bully the media.  Disturbingly enough, they were successful until Bernstein and Woodward got rolling on Watergate with the help of a courageous "loyal to America first" person in Mark Felt.

On Friday the SCPR was contacted by a source internal to the Stark County sheriff's department and told that on January 20th (Tuesday of last week), Sheriff George T. Maier issued an internal memo laying out a number of promotions and other moves.

Here is a copy of that memo.

Here is one SCPR source says about the promotions:

... it sounds clear to me, that most of the deputies and employees are NOT in support of the recent Maier promotions. 

Apparently it's known/believed within the Sheriff's Office, that the recent Maier promotions are a direct result of Charles Stantz, Timothy George, and John Oliver being "MAJOR" supporters of George T. Maier's election campaign.  

They were frequently seen attending area parades, public gatherings, canvasing neighborhoods, erecting George T. Maier campaign signs, and etc in support of Maier for Sheriff.  (Which was clearly seen in photographs posted on the "Maier for Sheriff" Facebook page.) 

The SCPR is also hearing that Maier will be bringing in a chief deputy sheriff.  There has not been one since McDonald held the post.

The word is that the new chief will come from among Maier's Ohio State Highway Patrol pals (to the degree they still exist) who is said to have retired recently.

It appears to the SCPR that Maier has announced the promotions of four (George, Stanz and Oliver; Loy, of course, not a raise in rank for he is not a deputy sheriff, but with a much more significant job) of his most personally political loyal - during the Maier/Dordea campaign - administrative sheriffs.

Not only did Maier promote George, Stanz and Oliver, but he raised Stanz and Oliver by two ranks (from lieutenant to major).

The SCPR is told that it has been eight years since a skipping of ranks promotion took place (under Swanson) wherein Sgt Johnson was promoted to captain about eight years ago.

Folks, these promotions and their suspiciously seeming correspondence with political campaign activity, should raise red flags to the Stark County public and to all of Stark County media.

But no one should hold his/her breath in thinking that Stark's only countywide newspaper will nose into the question of whether or not the Maier promotions have anything to do with their political involvement in George's campaign.

Fortunately, the SCPR does have  "Deep Throat-esque" type figures deep within the bowels of the Stark County sheriff's department.

Which likely means that there is very little Maier can do outside his close-in super loyal officers that the SCPR will not get hold of and pass onto the Stark County public in the context of a critical journalistic analysis.

Which, of course, likely drives the Maier brothers right up the proverbial wall.

It would not surprise the SCPR that with the publication of this blog that Maier and his political confidants will launch a witch hunt to ferret out the department's "Deep Throat."

In a post-election blog, the SCPR chided the sheriff-elect that one of his first hires should be a plumber so as to fix all the leaks emanating out of 4500 Atlantic Boulevard.

Over the seven years that this blog has been in existence, yours truly has received numerous reports the degree to which Johnnie, Jr., and R. Shane Jackson "bounce off the walls."

The irony is that these two gave yours truly the idea of starting a blog.

Questions need to be answered by this sheriff:

• justifying these promotions on merit grounds, and 
• addressing his seeming obsession with personal political loyalty as  factor:
• in whom he hires to administrative positions, and/or 
• who gets promoted.

Maier has to (in order to avoid the sheriff''s department being generally thought as being rife with a requirement of political correctness in sync with Maier's political interests), persuade, by clear and convincing evidence that his administrative hirings/firings and promotions had nothing whatsoever to do with the recipient's personal political loyalty to him.

Additionally, there are obvious questions about the promotions and added department functions cost paid out of the Stark County general fund funded by Stark County taxpayers.

Here is a comparison between the only existing major's (Arnold) pay rate and those of Oliver and Stanz as lieutenants.

• SCPR note:  When Maier provides data to the Stark County auditor's office, The Report will be sure to publish the "more or less" exact cost to Stark County taxpayers of the actions he outlines in the above January 20, 2014 inter office memo.

Of course, Maier does not have the gonads to take "political factor" and fiscal questions from The Stark County Poltical Report.

As the SCPR sees it, this is "come to Jesus" time for the bigs at The Repository.

The Report is told that quite of number of deputies are upset with how Maier is handling things and see a significance to the safety of the Stark County public with Maier spending money on promotions and other, perhaps, unneeded changes in that overtime for the day-in, day-out law enforcement deputy sheriff workload is alleged to be severely cut back.

One change that the SCPR applauds is the addition of an investigation function (i.e. a detective bureau).

It has take Maier two years to add this much needed capability.  But "late is better than never."

Maier has blown off the SCPR questions because he knows that yours truly will not abide preconditions as to limiting the digging nature and scope of inquiry. (see blog on Massillon Ward 4 Councilman Shaddrick Stinson's attempt to do so)

Would Maierdare blow off The Repository?

If The Rep takes up the challenge to insist that Maier answer incisive questions on the issues raised in this blog, the interview needs to be video recorded and made available to the Stark County public so that we all can assess whether or not The Rep did its journalistic due diligence.

The potential gravity of this situation in terms of continuing public confidence in the integrity of the Stark County sheriff's office depending of a thorough vetting of Maier hiring/promotion practices is clearly, as far as the credibility of The Repository is concerned is a "trust, but verify" matter..

When Kim Perez took office as county auditor, the editors went to work right away.

And who thinks that the functioning of the auditor's office is anywhere near in importance to the public having confidence in the operation of countywide law enforcement?

It is not a question of the professional police men and women who staff the sheriff's department.

Only yesterday, the SCPR received a response to questions posed to former Sheriff Tim Swanson.

Here is what he had to say about several of Maier's promotees:

Oliver and Stanz are both outstanding deputies and always could be depended on to do a professional job, great choices in my book. 

The question insofar as the SCPR is concerned is whether or not what the SCPR thinks is a case of Maier being unduly afflicted with political paranoia manifests itself in his management of the professionals who work for him?

Maier and his qualities or lack of qualities as a leader, is the topic of inquiry; not the professional law enforcers.

However, the SCPR can think of a least administrative employee who seems to voluntarily follow Maier around like "a lost puppy dog" seeking his Master and thereby thought by many to be pretty much having been - at the outset - an unadulterated political hire and, here, by the way is a good paying job that was not put out to bid to the general Stark County taxpaying public.

Low and behold!

A 16 months later a promotion!!

At who knows (we will know soon and the SCPR will publish that number) at what kind of increase.  Of course, all taxpayer dollars from a taxpaying general public who never got an opportunity to apply for the job.

Swanson also said in his e-mail response :

Remember Maier, outright lied about his qualifications in the first place. 

He told me as well as making the statement publicly that he would not vie for the appointment if he was not qualified.   

Track record of being able to be trusted as to what he says as to be truthful, isn't very good. 

I think that haunts some of the people still there. I'm still dumb founded by the arrogance of the ones involved in the debacle and those that sit by and don't say a word or see the same injustice as we and a few others do.  (emphasis added)

On November 6, 2013, the Ohio Supreme Court "on a technicality" (George Maier says) said he was not qualified.

The SCPR agrees with Swanson that Maier has a credibility problem.

Accordingly, he is one to focus on going forward; not the sheriff department deputies.  The Report thinks he has created a climate that one needs to be "politically correct" in order to thrive with the domain of the Stark County sheriff's office.

They likely will do what they have to do to survive and some of them may turn themselves into quintessential "yes-men" in order to tap into the opportunities presented by the political current which appears to be engulfing the office.

Political correctness should not be part of the equation in Stark County public official/employee relationship.

It is the role of media to let Maier that know that every step he takes as sheriff is being watched.

If the Stark County media does it job in closely watching Maier, then the professionals have some protection from future political whims that Maier may wish to press on them going forward.

Because The Repository failed to press for answers in the lead up to the Maier/Dordea election contest, the editors now have to verify to the Stark County reading public that they can ask searching, penetrating and incisive questions of the sheriff.

The Stark County commissioners have a role to play.

It is their general fund appropriation function.

They are in the process of conducting budget hearings.

Sheriff Maier is due in for the sheriff department hearing on February 5th.

Don't expect it to happen, but the commissioners should be asking about the expenditures Maier made in fiscal years 2013 and 2014 which smack of George T. Maier using taxpayer money to plaster the name of "Sheriff George T. Maier" within the sheriff's complex (as if the deputies and other sheriff personnel do not know he is sheriff) and all over Stark County (the vehicles) when it was far from certain that he would ever be elected sheriff.

Commissioner Thomas Bernabei to the SCPR is ga-ga over Maier.  The only public official The Report has seen Bernabei embrace has been Maier.

If a hug was Bernabei's modus operandi on greeting public officials across-the-board (his custom is to do a hearty handshake), The Report would think nothing of it.

But its not.

And this should be disturbing to Stark Countians in terms of Bernabei being able to distance himself from Maier so as to be as searching on Maier as sheriff on fiscal matters as he is on other public officials who get funds from the county's general fund.

For Bernabei is far and away the most capable commissioner in terms of asking tough questions of those officials who spend taxpayer dollars.

The SCPR has not heard Bernabei ask Maier one "ire provoking" (to Maier) question as he has with other county officials.

In the 2014 budget hearings, there were a number of pointed exchanges between Bernabei and elected department heads.  Even Janet Creighton got in on the act here and there.  But it was Bernabei who put on most of the heat.

So The Report expects the February 5th session to be an "atta boy, slap on the back" hearing.

Other county officials will not be so lucky, if prior budget hearing sessions (2013/2014) are any indication of what commissioners put "out-of-favor" department heads through, of Stark County government through.

The SCPR has no problems whatsoever with the grilling.

But it needs to be evenly/equally applied.

When Stark County taxpayer funds are a stake, it is not a matter of being in or out of favor on the personal likability chart.

Whether The Repository or the commissioners do their due diligence or not, readers of the SCPR can rest assured that The Report will.

In Maier's case, it is just terrific that Stark County's version of Deep Throat" continues to function post-election right under George's nose.

Don't you just love it?

Hey Sheriff Maier, who do you think Deep Throat is?  Or, perhaps, better yet:  who the Deep Throats are?

Maybe he will put his new investigation unit in on the hunt?

LOL, no?

Sort of, perhaps in a political sarcasm/satire context.

But not for everyday Stark Countians who have no other policing resource!

What if one of George Maier's political enemies (no names please) needs sheriff office services and/or contact and has to deal with one perceived to be on a political correctness track with the sheriff?

Which factor will trump?

Political correctness or professional policing?

Think about it Stark Countians!

THE "AD" THAT CAUSED JOHNNIE A. MAIER, JR'S LATEST FLIP-OUT?

UPDATED:  08:30 AM

WHAT?

FRANK CICCHINELLI MIGHT BE COMING BACK!

The Stark County Political Report thinks that:

• Massillon clerk of courts
• former Stark County Democratic Party chairman,
• Stark County-based political confidant to former Ohio governor Ted Strickland, and
• the "would be" king maker in Stark County politics, namely;

Johnnie A. Maier, Jr  (JAM) must have been flipping-out big time when this advertisement appeared recently in a Massillon publication focusing on selling services and products in the Massillon area.

The Report has talked with the business owner of this advertisement and he says that the ad has absolutely nothing to do with the question of whether or not former 24 year Massillon mayor Francis H. Cicchinelli, Jr. is going to run in the May, 2015 Democratic primary election against Massillon surrogate (i.e. the face of the JAM administration) mayor Kathy Catazaro-Perry.

And, of course, you and The Report will take the man at his word.

But will Johnnie A. Maier, Jr?

The SCPR thinks not.

By the way, the copy of the advertisement was supplied to the SCPR by a person who The Report thinks is friendly with Johnnie if not an outright political ally.

A previous ad that Maier, Jr. apparently thought reflected negatively on him, The Report is told, resulted in his stopping by the business and having "a word or two" with the owner.

The owner says that putting up humorous ads is his thing and he is not getting political.

Hear that Johnnie?

The Report believes Maier is Stark County's foremost paranoid politician and likely has been flipping-out ever since the ad appeared.

It is nothing unusual for politicians - in general - to be paranoid about the security of their position and political power, but knowing him as well as the SCPR does; Maier, Jr. has to be the "King of 'Hill Political Paranoiac'" in Stark County.

The SCPR is being told by some who have access to Maier that he comes politically "unglued" on a regular basis with the publication of SCPR blogs dealing with his Massillon and Stark County political interests.

His sidekick R. Shane Jackson (see his credentials below) flipped-out on the SCPR with an email to a list of Stark County office holders months ago (LINK).

Even before that, way back in 2008, Jackson went ballistic with The Report at a Celeste DeHoff for State Representative political event in Canal Fulton (LINK).

It took SCPR "good friend" and former Stark County Democratic Party chairman Randy Gonzalez to pull Jackson away from yours truly.

A belated thank you, Randy!

For some odd reason, the Maiers think (according to George T. Maier) that the SCPR singles them out for blogger attention.

All that is evidence of is that the politically-involved-Maiers ought to rethink being in politics at all.

Last time the SCPR checked: for "a responsible to the public media outlet," scrutiny of public officials and candidates for office is the order of the day, no?

What is the expression:  "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen," no?

Moreover, anyone who reads The Stark County Political Report in a non-narcissistic way knows that this blog is - in the words of former Local 94 Plumbers and Pipefitters Business Agent Dan Fonte - "an equal opportunity critic."

In the SCPR's journalistic fantasy world, The Report gets a phone call from either Johnnie, Jr. and/or George, to wit:  "Okay, Martin let's set a date and a time for a "no holds barred interview."

As readers of this blog know, subjects get every opportunity to respond to SCPR critiques.

But behind the bravado of Johnnie and George, the SCPR thinks, is cowardice.

Neither of them have the "b*l*s"  (let's be nice now) "intestinal fortitude" to do such an interview which the SCPR is certainly game for.

But no other Stark County media outlet is.

For anyone who can go toe-to-toe with them and whom they have no leverage over, they slink away and become incommunicado.
 
A number of Stark County politicians have tried to bully the SCPR including Johnnie's "political 'friend for life'" and Massillon Municipal Court judge Edward J. Elum.

No surprise here.

Elum has been chastised by nobody less that the Ohio Supreme Court for pushing around folks who have dealt with or appeared before him.

And including Johnnie's brother and sheriff-elect George T. Maier.

And including a number of other Stark County elected officials who are beholden to the Maiers.

And some (e.g. Stark County prosecutor John Ferrero) who are not and are, in fact, thought to be bitter enemies of the Maier politicos.

Apparently, quite a few Stark County politicos fear the political power of Johnnie A. Maier, Jr.

And, no doubt, he, especially with the election of George is a mighty powerful man in our county.

These are folks who do not belong in the hurly-burly world of politics.

Stark County's only countywide newspaper and its sister publication in Massillon seemingly shy away from journalistically confronting either Maier, but not The Stark County Political Report.

Johnnie has to be riding high these days and probably is thinking like a lot of powerful politicians do; that is to say, to wit: he and his elected official followers are not accountable to the Stark County public.

But they are, and the SCPR will continue to focus on them as well as non-Maier beholdens who share the same grandiose mentality and resent anyone poking around to find out how they may be using political power for self-enhancement rather than for the public good.

Johnnie had an expert in the accumulation and use of political power teach him the fine art of power politics.  That was Vern Riffe, Jr. former long term speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives, 1975 through 1995.

Johnnie served at Riffe's pleasure in a political capacity while he represented parts of Stark County in the Ohio General Assembly from 1990 through 1999 at which time he was forced to leave due to term limits (eight consecutive years).

In responsible hands, political power can be beneficial to people.

However, there are relatively few politicians who have the self-discipline to use political power responsibly.  And the SCPR does not count Maier, Jr. and many of elected officials and appointed officials followers of his as being among them.

The SCPR is particularly concerned about Johnnie's brother George being Stark County sheriff.

The Report has said in prior blogs that the SCPR thinks that it is only a matter of time until county officials will find themselves "in the soup" in trying to explain this or that official action by the sheriff-elect.

Hopefully, The Report is wrong because another county crisis could make it impossible for county officials to get a renewal, if not an enhancement, of the "to expire in 2019" 1/2 cent county sales tax.

If The Report proves to be correct in the expectation that George will somewhere along the line abuse his power of office, then those county officials who supported him in very his close election victory over Republican Larry Dordea will have some accounting to do with the Stark County public.

The SCPR in quite a number of blogs raised the specter of "unanswered questions" on allegations of Maier conduct (e.g. the Columbus Dispatch article on his #2 Ohio Department of Public Safety days, the Mike Stevens incident and the Altieri reserve deputy sheriff matter, among others).

However, the county's only countywide newspaper refused - as evidenced by its silence - to press Maier with obvious questions and, thereby, it too, better hope that Maier stays on "the straight and narrow" as sheriff.

For the SCPR will be there to hold "their feet to the fire," should Maier fail.

Of course, if he "turns over a 'new' leaf," The Report will be quick to recognize such.

Now that he has placed his brother in Stark County's most powerful policing office; Jr. will be focusing on maintaining himself as the de facto mayor of Massillon.

Anybody who thinks de jure mayor Kathy Catazaro-Perry is the "real" mayor of Massillon clearly does not understand how anybody who is dependent on Maier, Jr. for political support and sponsorship cannot not be her or his own person.

Once the SCPR wrote a letter to the editor soon after Ted Strickland became governor that was critical of the way Strickland was handling education reform in Ohio.

Johnnie (then the Stark County Dems' chairman) was not a happy camper.

Consistent with "the control person he is," Johnnie tried that game on yours truly which, of course, fell on "deaf ears."

Up until the first incident, The Report had not seen much if any of that side of Maier, Jr.

Later on he tried to weigh-in on having yours truly vote in favor of validating his replacement of 13 year board member and Ironworker Billy Sherer as one of two Stark County Democrats who serve as Board of Elections members.

All that showed was that Johnnie is a slow learner.

The answer?

A straight to the point:  "No!"

Of course, Johnnie prevailed on the Sherer replacement.

But "the SCPR in the making" showed him - if he was looking and hearing - that there are those of us who can remain his/her own person when politically correct politics militates (in the interest of personal advancement) - for some - otherwise.

Interestingly enough, like when the curtain was pulled away from in front of the Wizard of Oz, there was nothing but a disappointed whimper from Maier at yours truly's refusal to vote Maier's way on the Sherer matter.

Ever since the direct confrontations did not work, it seems that Maier and friends work among the dark shadows of Stark County government and politics to get a handle on The Stark County Political Report.

Good Luck, Johnnie!

At one time, yours truly hoped that Maier would use his knack for acquiring political power for the public good.

But as the SCPR sees it, that is not what has happened.

The Report sees Maier as predominantly using his acquired political power for the benefit of himself and his group.  A group which by and large (but not exclusively) the SCPR thinks encompasses those pictured in the following graphic.

The SCPR thinks there is a 50/50 chance that Maier minion Kathy Catazaro-Perry will waltz uncontested into a second term as de jure, but not de facto mayor of Massillon.

The Report has written that it appears that former Mayor Francis H. Cicchinelli, Jr will not challenge the Maier stand-in next May.

But Cicchinelli tells the SCPR that he has not decided and may well not decide until the filing deadline for the May, 2015 Democratic primary election.

He has sharpened his rhetorical attack on Mayor Catazaro-Perry calling her a "township-girl" and not a true Massillonian.  Her origin is Perry Township.

These are the SCPR's words not Cicchinelli's, but it appears to The Report in talking with the former mayor that a 2015 campaign would feature Frank Cicchinelli as "a political attack dog" going after the "political jugular" of Catzaro-Perry and her mentor/controller Johnnie A. Maier, Jr.

If decides to run, he does have a Catazaro-Perry record to go after.  Something that was pretty much unavailable in 2011 when she had merely been one council person among ten.

Should Cichinelli not challenge Catazaro-Perry as the SCPR expects, then the next hurdle for the face of the de facto Maier, Jr administration is Councilman Ed Lewis, IV (Republican, Ward 6).

• Note:  The Maier Massillon Political Machine must have as early as the 2013 Massillon municipal election figured out that Lewis was a potential threat to Catazaro-Perry continuing as mayor.  They put lots of money and effort in trying to elect one of their own in Ward 6.

But maybe they have nothing to worry about.

Yesterday, a key Massillon Republican told the SCPR that it is appearing more and more as if Lewis will not challenge whomever the Democratic nominee is in the November, 2015 general election.

The Report thinks that should Cicchinelli and Lewis bow-out, it won't because be of a fear of the Maier Massillon Political Machine, but rather because Catazaro-Perry (err Maier [and Stark County Dems political director and Massillon chief deputy clerk of courts Shane Jackson]) have by their antagonistic relationship with most of the members of Massillon City Council made Massillon one huge financial mess.

The thinking has to be:

• Who wants to take on "cleaning the mess up?"
• Let Catazaro-Perry, Maier, Jr and Jackson field the irate input of Massillonans when the all but certain draconian cuts come as a consequence of two recent income tax increase failures, no?
• Note:  Catazaro-Perry outright did not support the first effort and was "lukewarm" at best on the November, 2014 effort.

And who can blame Cicchinelli, Lewis or anybody else from leaving it to the perpetrators of the mess to clean up and absorbing the political consequences for being the primary cause of it in the first place?

• SCPR Note:  Financial mess to get worse? 
• Recently, an article appeared in Crain's Cleveland Business which suggests that the vaunted Baker Hughes facility in Massillon (a key factor if Massillon is to get out of financial trouble) continued Massillon existence may be in jeopardy.
•  
  

Isn't it interesting that the mayor did not respond to Crain's Cleveland Business phone calls.

Did Maier, Jr. instruct her not to?

Johnnie, Jr. may have some skill at playing political "hardball" and, some think, "gutter" politics; but a citywide administrator for multiple departments of Massillon government - he is not!

Even The Report's take on Maier, Jr's political prowess is mixed.

Starting with the recent election.

Not nearly as impressive as Chryssa Hartnett's victory over Republican incumbent-appointed judge Curtis Werren, but you have to chalk it up to Maier, Jr's consummate effort for having gotten his brother elected sheriff.

But the SCPR thinks he had Republican help.

Had Stark County Republican commissioner Janet Creighton gotten off her duff and come all-out-for-Dordea, he would have won.

So the question is this.

Did someone from the Maier political operation get to her and persuade her to "sit this one out?"

Moreover, where were all those other Republican stalwarts (e.g. Stark County auditor Alan Harold) in being involved in the Dordea campaign?

Harold, in particular is troubling, because he ran as a more or less reform candidate against former Stark County auditor and stanch Democrat Kim Perez back in 2010, making some pretty serious charges on Perez about his political relationship with former Stark County treasurer Gary D. Zeigler.

Harold's alleged that the relationship caused Perez to be less than diligent in protecting the Stark County public interest in county financial operations.

To The Report, Larry Dordea has unquestioned character and is a highly competent policeman and police administrator.

What more could the Republicans want in a "Republican" election year?

Something does not smell right about how the Stark County GOP leadership seemingly - highlighted by Creighton's "refusal to endorse" - mostly sat the Maier/Dordea race out in an election that Republican governor John Kasich bested his Democratic opponent by over 37,000 votes.

The big political thorn in Johnnie A. Maier's side is that his cheerleader-esque mayor has to work for the most part (Note: the SCPR thinks it her and the Maier group "in-your-face-political style") with a hostile Massillon City Council.

While in 2011 Maier, Jr. and his Massillon political operatives were busy helping the insubstantial (in terms of government leadership ability) Catazaro-Perry take out Cicchinelli; they let control of council slip into the hands of Massillon's Republicans.

The Report is convinced that the Republicans were prepared to work with the public-relations-esque mayor, but she was having none of it.

Catazaro-Perry certainly understood that when one is beholden to Maier, Jr. and his ilk; one gets marching orders from "the power behind the throne."

And that is where political paranoia comes in.

The SCPR thinks, Maier's political paranoia undermines his ability to effectively function in the face of those who are willing to "stand front and center" with:

• questions, 
• criticism, and, 
• OMG! - the unthinkable - outright opposition.

It would be one thing if only Maier, Jr. and his political friends suffer because he cannot get a grip on his suspicious attitude in relation to anyone who differs with him.

But the SCPR thinks that much of the financial mess that the city of Massillon and its everyday citizens face today is the doing of the "wariness of everybody who questions me" attitude emanating from the Maier Massillon Political Club which, of course, is the culture imparted by the group's leader.

And, who in the end will suffer?

It certainly will not be the Maier and his loyalist friends.

One way or another they will be taken care of, even if they lose an election here and there.

However, it would be catastrophic should they lose "the big Kahuna:  the mayoralty of Massillon."

For it certainly would mean a long unemployment line for the Catazaro-Perry/Maier loyalists on the Massillon government payroll who some think have been placed on the job for their political loyalty and not necessarily for their up to doing the job for Massillon taxpayers.

In the main however sufferers from the current Massillon financial mess, which the SCPR thinks is now entirely owned by the Catazaro-Perry administration, is and will continue to be everyday Massillonians.

And as the complaints to Massillon City Hall kick-in, the question has to be - as in the Nixon presidency - will political paranoia click-in and ordinary Massillon end up on a Maier/Catazaro-Perry/Massillon Political Machine "enemies list?"

Catazaro-Perry has already let it be known that the SCPR is not welcome at the Massillon mayor's office.  As if executive office of Massillon's seat of government is her private domain.  But she is typical of how those who cannot handle media scrutiny react.

They try to ban, they select which media they will talk to and on and on goes the list of methods they used to punish those who persist with telling questions.

That's exactly where political paranoia can lead.

Currently, the SCPR is reading a book entitled "The Fifties" by David Halberstam.

One of the things that Halberstam glomed onto in his political analysis of the early 1950s was the beginning of Nixon's political paranoia.

Only one year into his presidency (1969), some think Nixon had already began to fill out his "enemies list."

And we know all too well what end that brought Nixon to.

Nixon got what he deserved.

But not the people of the United States of America.

Because of Nixon's early-on unchecked paranoia and his acting on it; political cynicism took a giant leap forward and has been added to by succeeding paranoiac politicians over ensuing years so that in 2014 very few Americans trust political party leadership.

Once public officials and political leader lose the public trust, "Katy bar the door," no?

Hopefully, somebody, anybody will step up in Massillon and prevent a Nixon-esque problem from developing in Tigerland, and, indeed, in Stark County as a whole.

To the SCPR, in Massillon it is looking more and more that it is not going to be Francis H. Cicchinelli, Jr or Ed Lewis, IV.

And another surprise might be in the offing.

With the elections 2015, Mayor Kathy may actually get a council that will knuckle under to her will which, if it happens, could be an out-and-out disaster for Massillonians.

The Report hears that Republicans are having difficulty in getting leading Stark County Republicans (the likes of party chair Matthews, Creighton and others) interested in helping Massillon Republicans maintain the substantial gains the have made on council (i.e. Cunningham-Hedderly, Halter, Lewis and Chovan).

Whether or not that happens or Maier surrogate Catazaro-Perry stays in office, Massillonians can depend on the SCPR to keep the scrutiny going.

And Johnnie A. Maier, Jr. can just keep on flipping out!

American democracy is not the province of personal political interests.

American democracy is about our government officials and institutions providing for "the general welfare."