PART II: SCPR MULTI-PART SERIES ON TOM BERNABEI'S RUN AS AN INDEPENDENT

VIDEOS

ENCORE PRESENTATION

Commissioner Janet Creighton

Talks About Dancing and Singing

in Response to Bernabei Filing

====================

Bernabei Addresses

Creighton Support

On Sunday, The Stark County Political Report began a multi-part series on the filing on Monday, May 4, 2015 (the day before the Stark County political subdivision primary election) by sitting Stark County Commissioner Thomas Bernabei as an "independent' candidate for mayor of Canton.

Bernabei, had, prior to his making moves over the past week or so to position himself as a political "independent," been a lifelong Democrat.

Back in March, 2014 in an Alliance Review profile of Commissioner Bernabei, Stephanie Ujhelyi wrote in part:

"Yes, I am a dyed-in-the-wool Democrat who serves with two Republicans. I'm not a closet Republican -- although some infer that. However, ultimately (getting the job done) is about hard work, sound management principles and hiring the best people as well as finding the middle ground ... "

Mind you, not just a Democrat.  But a "dyed-in-the-wool Democrat."

Kind of reminds you of Nancy Pelosi, - a "dyed-in-the-wool" kind of Democrat that comes to the mind of many of us, no?

Can you imagine her suddenly announcing she's has had a conversion and has become - not a Republican, but rather an "independent?"

Probably not.

And undoubtedly Democrats who have known Commissioner Bernabei for years and years are disbelieving and therein lies the rub for his pulling off a Stark County Board of Elections (BOE) certification that he has done so lawfully.

It will be interesting to note how the vote goes.

The Republicans to certify; the Democrat not to certify?

Republican secretary of state Jon Husted being a guy who is on record being in favor of "letting the people vote" breaks a tie in favor of a Democrat (err "independent") once again?

Below are links to blogs done by the SCPR on the question of whether or not Bernabei would in fact file as an "independent."

• May 6, 2015, Part 1, SCPR Multi-part Series ... 
• May 5, 2015, Collateral Damage, Bernabei filing ...
• May 4, 2015, Breaking News !!! Bernabei files ...
• May 4, 2015, Is Bernabei running ... 
• May 4, 2015, A Persistent Rumor ... 

Later on in this series, you will see/hear Bernabei's take on the issues (ditching his political party affiliating/his residency) of his having filed and whether or not he thinks his candidacy "will fly."

Months ago, the SCPR received a tip from a highly reliable source that Bernabei was thinking about running against Canton mayor William J. Healy, II (for whom he had served as service director/chief of staff January, 2008 through January 2009 [unceremoniously fired in January, 2009]) presumably in the 2015 Democratic primary.

On being asked about the speculation by yours truly, Bernabei merely laughed the suggestion off.

And the SCPR thinks that he was not spoofing The Report nor Cantonians in making the denial at the time of the posed question.

Obviously, things have changed.

One who has not masked her enthusiasm on the prospect of a Bernabei candidacy as an "independent" candidate for mayor this coming November has been fellow Republican Commissioner Janet Weir Creighton.

She and several other notable Stark County Republicans were among the 16 circulators circulating petitions (collecting some 267 signatures) on Saturday and Sunday a week ago from this past weekend.



Note the list included former Creighton administration officials:

• A.R. "Chip" Conde (ran against Healy in 2011 and is currently employed by Stark County Auditor Alan Harold), and
• Joseph Concatto (currently is [on reduced hours basis] and over he past several years has been StarkCounty's 9-1-1 CAD project manager),

Auditor Alan Harold (a staunch Republican) also circulated a petition for Bernabei.

The Stark County "organized GOP" has no candidate in Canton's November 3, 2015 mayoralty race.

However, with Creighton, Conde, Concatto and Harold being involved in Bernabei's candidacy; some might think of Bernabei as being the de facto Republican candidate?

CREIGHTON'S PETITION

CONDE PETITION

CONCATTO PETITION

HAROLD PETITION

As cited above (Ujhelyi's article), Bernabei himself understands that with some Democratic leaders (i.e. Healy and company) he looks like a Republican.

His having key Republican leaders circulate his petitions adds credibility to the pro-Healy Dems (and perhaps even other Democrats) likely claim that he is a de facto Republican.

There were two noteworth Democrats who circulated for Bernabei:

REINBOLD PETITION

The only major Democratic Stark County officeholder known so far to be supporting Bernabei's "independent" run is Stark County Clerk of Courts Nancy Reinbold.

The SCPR thinks that others will surface over the next five months (assuming he overcomes legal challenges) and act as a counter to the likely forthcoming claim that Bernabei is nothing but a Republican hiding under the "independent" label.

HAWK PETITION

Canton Councilman Greg Hawk (Ward 1) that is.

Somewhat of a surprise to The Report inasmuch as this is what yours truly wrote in a recent blog:

Councilman Greg Hawk part of an effort to salvage the mayoralty of William J. Healy, II?

You have to be kidding?

For it was Healy who had to be behind the move that put Hawk out of his treasured chairmanship of council's finance committee in the aftermath of the November, 2011 elections, no?" 

Answer:  You know the adage - "politics makes for strange bedfellows."

And there is more.

A SCPR source says "no way" was Greg Hawk a part of the Mack and Mario effort.

Hawk is said to have wanted to be Canton treasurer when Bob Schirack announced that he was resigning before the end of his term in 2013.  Had he done so, Councilman Hawk, being the solid Democrat he is, stood a good chance to be appointed treasurer over Kim Perez and thereby get a head start on Perez in his quest to get the nomination in May, 2013 in the Democratic primary election.

However, The Report's source says that Mayor Healy intervened to persuade Schirack to stay on until the end of this term (probably because of the Hawk/Healy historic animus) and that consequently Hawk holds a grudge against the mayor.

That could be, but the SCPR has another source saying that as between Perez and Healy (remember the Bernabei candidacy did not get rolling until May 3rd and 4th), Hawk loathed Perez more than Healy.

After all, Kim Perez is the treasurer of Canton.  A position that Hawk once coveted.

Perez had to know that Hawk very much wanted to be Canton's treasurer.  But of course Kim Perez's first priority is Kim Perez.

Why Healy's intervention?

Probably to do Perez a favor in helping him land a position, any position, after losing his county auditor spot to Alan Harold and thereby - hopefully - dissuade him from running for mayor, no?

That's how the SCPR thinks Healy operates.

Perez probably was "all too happy" to let Healy think that being treasurer is all he cared about being.

These two deserve each other.

Hopefully, the people of Canton won't have to have either.

BACK TO THE CREIGHTON FACTOR

Creighton, who the SCPR considers as being Stark County's foremost and powerful Republican in terms of proven vote-getting ability on the basis of her having been elected/re-elected:

• as county recorder, 
• as county auditor, 
• as mayor of Canton (2004-2007), and 
• as a Stark County commissioner 

It indeed was somewhat surprising that she lost to William J. Healy, II in November, 2007 as she sought a second term as mayor.

But there is one big reason why it should not have been surprising.

Registered Democrats as part of the body politic of Canton out number Republicans about 9 to 1.

A sign that the Healy defeat (or perhaps any Democratic candidate including a second run by long time hugely successful candidate in Canton proper William Smuckler) was to be seen in the numbers she won by over the non-charismatic Smuckler in November, 2003.

Had she lost to Smuckler in 2003, she would not have liked it, of course, but The Report thinks she respects Smuckler and therefore would not have harbored the bitter feelings the SCPR thinks she still has as a consequence of her lost to him in November, 2007.

The Report believes Creighton does not respect Healy by virtue of his being perceived by herself and many other Cantonians and Stark Countians as being a consummate, oily politician with state-of-the-political-art-skills at spinning this or that screw up on his conduct as mayor individually and in his role as the city's chief executive.

Moreover, for quite a time after Healy took over as mayor, guess who he blamed for "all that ails" Canton?

Of course, the immediate preceding mayor:  Janet Weir Creighton!

Undoubtedly, in the days preceding their both being elected as county commissioners in November, 2010 in a "save Stark County mode" growing out a "crisis of confidence" in Stark County government as a consequence of what local attorney and civic activist Craig T. Conley has termed as being "Zeiglergate" (LINK), Creighton as a local government official interacted from time-to-time with one Thomas Bernabei.

Little did they know in those days that one day they would come to share a common bond of hatred of "all things William J. Healy, II."

But with Bernabei's having worked for Healy as service director and chief of staff and his humiliating firing in January, 2009 and with Creighton reeling from her 2007 polls defeat to Healy;  it was bound to happen that as commissioners, though of different political party identities, they would unite in their disdain for Canton's current mayor.

So it should not be surprising that Creighton as shown in yesterday's blog and repeated in today's blog a SCPR video showing the ebullience she brought to last Wednesday's regular commissioners' meeting as evidenced in her celebrating the Bernabei filing on the prior Monday as an "independent" candidate for mayor.

As one of the circulators and likely a coordinating factor in obtaining other Republicans (as noted above) to participate in circulating Bernabei petitions over last weekend, Janet Creighton is likely to be a major player in asking Cantonians to vote for "independent" candidate Thomas Bernabei for mayor should he survive legal challenges that are sure to come.

And here is a video of what Bernabei had to say in last Wednesday's interview as to Creighton's involvement in his effort.

It appears that Bernabei and Creighton are attempting to do for Canton what they have teamed up to do for Stark County in restoring public confidence in local government processes and substance.

In 2010, it was Stark County government involving both of them running for office.

In 2015, it is Canton government with Tom Bernabei being the point person.

Tomorrow's SCPR blog:  Part III - "How Bernabei came to decide to run and how the 'last minute' effort unfolded."

ANGELA ALEXANDER'S BIGGEST HURDLE: BEING AN "OUTSIDER," AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN OR A COMBO OF THE TWO?

(Maps from Google Maps)

VIDEOS

FROM 
SCPR CONTRIBUTION TO 
"YouTube"
MARIOL ENDORSES ALEXANDER
=====================
FROM
THE GENERAL POPULATION OF
"YouTube"
Trials to Triumph
A Tribute to Judge Ira G. Turpin

includes Ralph Regula interview
when he was still a congressman

Everyone that The Stark County Political Report has talked to say that "There is no doubt about it," both Angela Alexander and Kristen Guardado are highly qualified to be Canton's newest municipal court judge.

The opening came about when Stephen Belden stepped down (resigned/retired as of December 1, 2014) in a swirl of controversy about how he handled certain cases during his time as a Canton Municipal Court judge.

On or about January 9, 2015, Governor Kasich appointed Republican Curtis Werren to replace Belden.

This is Werren's "second bite at the apple" inasmuch as he was appointed Kasich to replace a retired judge on the Stark County Court of Common Pleas in June, 2013.  However, he failed to hold the office as he was defeated by Democrat Chryssa Hartnett in a very close November, 2014 election.

Though a SCPR analysis of the vote in the Hartnett/Werren race showed that Werren bested her by about 1,000 votes in the Canton Municipal Court district, The Report thinks that Werren is vulnerable notwithstanding his impressive showing as cited above.

Werren has a very large stake in who wins the Democratic primary as between Guardado and Alexander.

His chance to retain his appointed seat is for Alexander to come out on top in the Democratic primary.

However, the SCPR doubts that an Alexander win is in the offing.

A Guardado win likely makes Werren "a two-time-loser" in being unable to retain for Republicans an appointed judgeship.

Alexander will make Guardado work hard to win the Democratic primary.  And that will benefit her in what will be a "political life or death" struggle in this fall's general election inasmuch this election has to be "the end of the 'political' road" for Werren, if he loses.

With the bulk of Alexander's stellar (LINK to prior blog detailing her Summit County work) professional legal work having been done in Summit County; whereas Guardado's has been done with the Canton Law Department, such is likely prove to be an Alexander fatal political flaw that provides Guardado a comfortable margin of victory come May 5, 2015.

Both Guardado and Alexander live in Plain Township.

But other than the Summit/Stark thing, there is another significant political difference.

Guadado has been on the Plain Local Board of Education for more than a decade, and, in the course of things, has been on the ballot for three elections achieving "top vote getter" status in two of the three elections.  Such only adds to the SCPR's belief that at the end of the day Guardado will prevail against both Alexander and Werren.

Alexander is making a valiant effort as evidenced by her impressive website.

The most interesting and significant thing about Alexander's website is the listing of some high profile Canton City Council members endorsing her for judge, to wit:

Surprising, no?

The SCPR surmises from a conversation with one of Alexander's endorsers is that her being African-American is a key component difference maker for some of them in choosing between the two well qualified candidates.

Of course, Chris Smith (Ward 4) and Thomas West (Ward 2) are themselves African-Americans.

The Report's source thinks Alexander is a "win-win" for Democrats if she were to get the nod to go up against Republican Werren in November.

The SCPR's source thinks that Alexander can win such a match up because of her far superior to Werren's legal profession credentials as compared to Werren's being president of the Stark County Red Cross for several years before Kasich first-appointed by to the Stark County Court of Common Pleas bench.

Moreover, it is thought by the source-person that being a minority will be a positive in that voters will see the need for an African-American to be on the bench inasmuch as Canton has a Black population of 24%.

The source said he believes that the Canton Municipal Court has never had an African-American judge and Stark County only one.  That being Stark County Court of Common Pleas Judge Ira G. Turpin.

However, a Stark County Political Report research reveals that in 1962 Ohio's 60th governor and Democrat Michael V. DiSalle appointed African-American Clay Hunter (1895 - 1976) as a Canton Municipal Court judge.  Hunter is referred to in a reverential vein in the video below of Stark County' only ever Stark County Court of Common Pleas and 5th District Court of Appeals (the only Black at the Court of Appeals in all of Ohio, at the time); namely, Judge Ira G. Turpin.

It appears that Hunter was unsuccessful in his effort to get elected in his own right in that The Report's next research shows that Hunter is listed as a magistrate in Stark County's family court in a 1975 The Evening Independent article.

There is no doubt about it.  Canton and Stark County seems to always been a tough venue for Blacks.

Here is a snippet from a publication of yore (2005) which provides anecdotal evidence that such has been the case.

The SCPR always endeavors for each and every blog to thoroughly search on the Internet for material germane to a given blog.

In yesterday's search for this blog, yours truly found "a gold nugget:"  A video entitled "Trials to Triumph - A Tribute to Judge Ira G. Turpin."

Turpin's interviewer is former Timken executive Stephen Perry.  Perry's daughter, Andrea, is Canton's safety director.

The SCPR implores The Report's readers to take about 22 minutes and view this YouTube video.  It is awesomely inspiring!

While Angela Alexander suffers the same fate as Turpin when he in 1969 failed to win election as a Canton Municipal Court judge, there is no doubt that she is a high quality lawyer and, in time, if she persists become a member of the Stark County bench at some level.

Were Alexander to be the Dems' nominee, it seems to the SCPR that Werren has a huge advantage in Plain Township (22% of the vote in the November, 2014 election) inasmuch he bested Hartnett by 668 votes which was nearly 67% of the 913 votes that he won by this past November election; only calculating the votes in the Canton Municipal Court district.

The Report thinks that if the Dems are to capture this judgeship, their political strength lies with Guardado as pointed out above.

But there is more.

On March 3rd of this year, Kristen Guardado held a fundraiser at Skyland Pines.

This event perhaps more than other advantages that she holds in the mind of the SCPR is indicative of the political strength of Kristen Guardado.

The Report talked with Guardado last week about the event.  She was humbled as about 300 people showed up at her fundraising event.

Included in the assembly were former Canton law directors:

• Harry E. Klide, (1970s; went on to become a judge a various levels),
• W. Scott Gwin (1985 - 1988; now a 5th District Court of Appeals judge) and
• Thomas Bernabei (1988 through 2000; now a Stark County commissioner), serves as Guardado's campaign treasurer,
• Joseph Martuccio,  current law director (appointed by Stark Dems Central Committee members to replace Bernabei who retired mid-term; elected in his own right in November, 2001) 
• Note:  Kristen Guardado works for Martuccio

Republican Canton Municipal Court Judge Richard Kubilus was also in attendance.

The SCPR did attempt to contact Alexander to learn more about her level of support (beyond the four councilpersons identified above), but she as not returned The Report's call as of the writing of this blog.

But The Report has on yours truly's initiative been in touch with three of the five listed Canton City Councilpersons listed on Alexander's website as being endorsers/supporters.

First, Councilman John Mariol.



Second, Councilman Frank Morris, III (council vice president and majority leader).   Morris had this to say:

Frank Morris
Mar 10 at 3:10 PM

To: tramols@att.net

I feel that Angela Alexander is an outstanding individual with an impressive background as an attorney. 

After meeting with her just once I knew she was the candidate I would be endorsing in the primary election. 

Her go against the grain, aggressive attitude and strong work ethic is exactly what we need in our court system.

Thirdly, Canton City Council president Allen Schulman.

Schulman made the point that both Alexander and Guardado are clearly and highly qualified to be Belden's replacement.

Without making it sound like he was in favor of some sort of quota for Black aspiring officeholders, Schulman said that it is high time for a richly qualified African-America to attain a judgeship in Stark County.

Since Ira Turpin retired from the bench on January 31, 1982; no Stark County Black aspirant above the Ward level has gotten very close to achieving elective office.

And who can quarrel with Schulman that electing an eminently qualified African-American such as Alexander is long overdue.

Having said that, the SCPR thinks that the political dynamics (i.e. her having a Summit County legal work base and Guardado firmly entrenched in Stark County politics and legal community) are such that were Alexander to defeat Guardado in some 50 days; her success would be billed by most political analysts as being a stunning upset.

To repeat, if the SCPR is correct and election on May 5th is not in the cards for Alexander; she needs to try and try again.  She is clearly first-rate.

Like it or not, Alexander needs to square up with the political realities of her being an "outsider" at least as perceived by many leading Stark County-based elected Democrats and work after the election to establish herself with the core leadership of the Stark County "organized" Democratic Party.

In 2015, one likes to think that Alexander being an African-American is not a barrier in Stark County. For in 2008 and 2012 Barrack Obama carried Stark County.

Nevertheless, there are those who think that it is virtually impossible for a Black to get elected above the Ward level in Stark.

The SCPR disagrees.  However, it will take hard work and persistence like that demonstrated by Ira G. Turpin.  Angela Alexander appears to have Turpin-esque qualities in her make up.

This time around, it is apparent to the SCPR that Stark County "political insider" Kristen Guardado is the odds on favorite to become the Democratic nominee to challenge Republican appointee Curtis Werren.

While she may lose on May 5th, the SCPR encourages her to cement her professional ties to Stark County and thereby overcome the "outsider" label in future tries for public office.

Who knows what the future brings.

A vacancy can develop in a heartbeat (e.g. Belden's sudden resignation) in the Canton Municipal Court or the Stark County Court of Common Pleas.

Should Alexander lose in the Democratic primary to Guardado, hopefully Alexander will have by the time another judicial vacancy occurs be in a position to become Stark County's "only ever" Black female judge.

List of elected officials who attended Guardado March 3, 2015 fundraiser:

(VIDEOS) IN BUDGET HEARINGS, COMMISSIONER RICHARD REGULA ASKS BD OF ELECTIONS' OFFICIALS: "ARE YOU GOING TO POST THOSE FOUR NEW POSITIONS?" WHAT A LAUGH!

UPDATED AT 6:00 PM

VIDEOS

COMMISSIONER RICHARD REGULA

ASK  BOE OFFICIALS

ARE THE FOUR NEW JOBS GOING TO BE POSTED?

===============================

COMMISSIONERS CREIGHTON & BERNABEI

DRESS DOWN

BOE OF ELECTIONS OFFICIALS

FOR

BREAKING

2% RAISE GUIDELINES 

One of the best forums from which the Stark County Political Report obtains information about Stark County government operations are the meetings of the Stark County commissioners.

The commissioners are now in the depths of their yearly budget hearings and these hearings, in particular, yield a great deal of information for The Report to repackage into blogs which make Stark Countians some the best informed people about their county, township, village and city governments in the entire country.

Yesterday, representatives (Director Jeff Matthews, Deputy Director Jeanette Mullane, Republican Board Member Curt Braden and Democrat Board Member Sam Ferruccio) of the Stark County Board of Elections (BOE') trooped into the the commissioners' meeting room on the second floor of the Stark County Office Building for their time before the commissioners.

One of the things that the Bernabei, Creighton and Richard Regula of the Stark Board of County commissioners zero in on in the course of budget hearings are new hires and the year-to-year salary increases that Stark County departments of government hand out to their employees.

In the course of the back and forth between the commissioners and Director Matthews was Matthews' revelation that the BOE 2014 budget included the hiring of four additional employees in the year 2014.

Here is Richard Regula with his questions and Matthews' answer.



What a hoot! - no?

Not only the Stark County Board of Elections but any Ohio Board of Elections posting job listings for the taxpaying general public citizenry to apply for prompts a  "you have to be kidding!"

The public perception is that these jobs only go to the politically connected, plain and simple.

To say it again:  "job posting"  by a Board of Elections.

 Laugh, laugh, laugh and laugh some more!  Ha!, Ha!, Ha!

The SCPR thinks that Matthews stumbled and bumbled all over the place answering Regula's question and the latter revealed (as least that is what The Report thinks) that three of the four "non-posted" to the public have already been hired, subject to official BOE approval.

It is irony upon irony that each of Ohio's 88 counties have a department of government that is all about citizens having a choice (called elections) run by unelected, politically appointed folks who only have to account to the county Democratic and Republican party chairmen. 

Hmm?

As soon as The Report could get to a computer, an email was fired off to Deputy Director Jeannette Mullane asking follow up questions, to wit:

 

Jeanette,

With respect to the four hires referred to by Matthews in today's budget presentation, I have the following questions:

What are the job titles?

How much is each position to be paid as a starting salary?

With respect to the three hires to be made in January, have the candidate for those jobs been selected subject to the approval of the board?

If so, what are their names.

When is the four hire contemplated to be made?

Thanks,
Martin Olson
SCPR

MULLANE'S INITIAL ANSWER

Jeanette,

With respect to the four hires referred to by Matthews in today's budget presentation, I have the following questions:

What are the job titles?  Clerks

How much is each position to be paid as a starting salary?  $15.60 per hour or $32,459.65 annual

With respect to the three hires to be made in January, have the candidate for those jobs been selected subject to the approval of the board?  The Board hires the employees.

If so, what are their names.

When is the four hire contemplated to be made?  Unknown at this time.

Note that Mullane does not answer "all" the questions posed, to wit:  "If so, what are their names?"

However, the SCPR, if anything, is persistent:

The Report's "reply" attempt to get Mullane to answer "all" the questions posed.

MULLANE'S REPONSE TO THE SCPR'S FOLLOW UP

As you can see, Mullane refuses to respond to the SCPR request for names.

Why do you think that might be?

Hmm?

'Tis a puzzlement, no?

Well, Ms. Mullane, Director Matthews and each and every one of the Stark County Board of Elections can be assured that the SCPR will be at the January 21st meeting to record it all.

Of course the SCPR had to fight (Blog Link) for the right to videotape Stark BOE proceedings (Blog Link).

Courtesy of the work of Stark County commissioners' "second-in-command" administrator Chris Nichols (who obtained the information from the Stark auditor's office), The Report is publishing the current payroll of various departments of government.

Since, today's blog, the Stark County Board of Elections is the topic, below is the payroll as this month.  Of course, next month there will be three additions $32,459.75 (access denied to the general Stark County public courtesy of unelected "highly partisan" public officials) with a fourth to follow soon.

The BOE completely blew off the commissioners on their guidelines of no more than two percent (2%) increases in Stark County departments for 2013.

The chief, Matthews, (chairman of the Stark County Republican Party [an unpaid position] who was making a "mere" $78,708 (plus about $25,000 in benefits) gets a 4.3% increase to reach $80,000.  A nice, neat rounded off number, no?.  And the man apparently includes himself in the category of these "poor employees" the haven't  a raise in 4 or 5 years.

Now that's a convincing argument for a person who in total compensation package is likely well over $100,000 annually all of which is paid by the Stark County taxpayers, isn't it?

And look at Travis Secrest who has dutifully run for a couple "sacrificial lamb" campaigns for the Stark Republicans.  Wow!  From $31,514 to $41,200 (a whooping 30.7% increase) all within one year and he is a person that has not been on the job all that long.  And, again, you can tack on about another $12,000 annually in benefits so that his total taxpayer dollars take is over $50,000 annually.

Not to neglect the Democrats, there is Holly Tichnor who got a 12.7% increase in 2013.

In this video, see Commissioner Janet Creighton and Tom Bernabe take BOE members Republican Curt Braden and Democrat Sam Ferruccio to task for the flagrant BOE disregarding of the commissioners' 2% raise guidelines.



Since members of the BOE; namely Demeatrious St. John,  Sam Ferruccio (the Democrats) and Curt Braden, William Cline (the Republicans) are unelected, the only accountability for elected officials are Commissioners Bernabei, Creighton and Regula.

Right now the only consequence is "a dressing down by the commissioners" as seen in the video.

Of course, for the likes of St. John, Ferruccio, Braden and Cline, you just "grin and bear it."

For the commissioners' admonitions to mean anything, they are going to have to come up with "real world" consequences for county government entities that in effect tell them that their guidelines mean nothing to them.

We shall see what the commissioners do in devising effective measures to stop the "thumbing of the nose" they are experiencing by the likes of the Stark County Board of Election members.

(VIDEO) SHERIFF SWANSON SPEAKS UP ON "SWANSON V. MAIER"

UPDATED AT 10:10 AM

VIDEO

SHERIFF TIM SWANSON INTERVIEW

WITH

STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT

SOME HIGHLIGHTS

MAIER DID A GOOD JOB

CONLEY EFFORT JUSTIFIED

CONTINUES TO PURSUE
CRIMINAL INQUIRY

GONZALEZ TO BLAME

Once-upon-a-time Stark County Sheriff Tim Swanson was friends with Massillon's Maier entourage.

But under the stress of Swanson contesting brother George becoming the appointed sheriff of Stark County, no doubt the relationship has soured.

Stark County's "real" sheriff sat down with the Stark County Political Report at his office yesterday and answered The Report's direct questions.

The video is located at the end of this blog.

Which is a lot more than the "pretender" sheriff will do.

George T. Maier has demonstrated that he will only answer "pattycake" questions and never in his wildest dreams subject himself to head-on-head SCPR questions.

As far as I am concerned, his shielding of himself from the rigors of public accountability is another reason why Stark Countians should question whether or not he should be sheriff if he ever presents himself for Stark County voters to decide the question of his becoming the authentic sheriff of our county.

All Maier has done so far is to place himself under the protective wings of the likes of Stark County Democratic Party (SCDP) chairman Randy Gonzalez, his brother and political promoter Johnnie A. Maier, Jr. (a former SCDP chairman [2003-2009] and current executive vice chairman) and Harrison County sheriff Ronald J. Myers.

As I write, George Maier is trying to repair at the expense of Harrison County taxpayers what he says is a "technical" deficiency in qualifying under the statutory law of Ohio after he was bounced from the confines of 4500 Atlantic Boulevard on November 6th for being illegally selected by the Stark County Democratic Party Central Committee (SCDPCC) on Feburary 5, 2013 under the sponsorship of Gonzalez and brother Maier, Jr.

On the 5th, Democrats were choosing a successor to November, 2012 sheriff-elect Mike McDonald who, because of illness, was unable to take office.  Regrettably, McDonald passed away on February 22nd.

Nowhere in the Supreme Court's decision did the high court say that it was "on a small matter" (the implication of Maier's "technicality" description).

It appears that George has learned well from "the political pro" Johnnie, Jr how to spin things unpleasant and then to avoid taking the tough questions.

Just the kind of person Stark County needs as its next sheriff, no?

George still thinks he is going to be the appointee of the SCDPCC a second time. He already has sent out a letter to SCDPCC members.  (Click on graphic to enlarge)

Hmm?

"This service will fulfill the technical statutory problem mentioned in the Supreme Court's opinion."

Hmm? again.

Is George T. Maier making another guarantee?

"Forever" (Myers words) police pal (from the days Maier covered Harrison County as a Ohio highway patrolman) Ronald J. Myers is providing him with a job at the expense of Harrison Countians both in terms of spending Harrison County tax dollars for an out-of-county employee (Maier) who does not intend to remain in Harrison County and therefore is taking a job (which, if really needed?) should, one would think, to go to one of Myers' current part-timers, no?

Apparently, Maier doesn't think twice about using the good people of Harrison County for his selfish purposes.

Here is a copy of a letter sent by local attorney and civic activist Craig T. Conley to Sheriff Myers.  (Click on graphic to enlarge)

And Maier's current stint in Harrison County (as a "qualification" curative effort) is not the first one.

He tried back in January to do "a quick fix" to what Chairman Gonzalez told Sheriff Swanson and Stark County Commissioner Tom Bernabei was a problem Maier appeared to have in qualifying to be Stark County sheriff as the appointee of a Gonzalez facilitated appointment.

The SCPR thinks that it should be just a little bit more than upsetting to Stark Countians that Gonzalez, who at the very minimum had a hint that Maier had qualification problems, would allow the SCDPCC to consider Maier for appointment.

The county has been wrung out in recent years over the furor created when former Stark County chief deputy Vince Frustaci was convicted of having stolen upwards of $3 million of Stark County taxpayer dollars.

Only when Stark Countians decided (as evidenced by their vote in November, 2011 to approve a 0.5% sales tax increase) that the elected-in-November, 2010 commissioners Janet Creighton and Tom Bernabei had restored a modicum of trust in county government officials did it appear that the county was on the road to recovery.

Now the county has the Maier-as-unqualified-sheriff matter to deal with.

As Commissioner Creighton told the SCPR in videotaped comments, the county takes 3 steps forward, only to take 5 backswards.

Who to blame?

The SCPR believes that Chairman Gonzalez is the main person who bears responsibility.

He can hide under the cover of attorneys Steve Okey and Michael Thompson declaring (no legal authority cited, but only on their "mere" legal opinion) Maier qualified.

However, it is clear to The Report from Gonzalez's (in his capacity of SCDP chairman) calling of a meeting at the official digs of the Stark County commissioners (involving Gonzalez, Swanson, Bernabei and Maier [by telephone] and trying to work out "temporary" employment for Maier with Sheriff Swanson as a full-time deputy sheriff in order to cure Maier's suspected qualification problem is indication that he should have known better than to proceed with Maier (declaring in to be qualified) on Feburary 5th.

For doing so, the SCPR thinks Gonzalez needs to apologize to Stark Countians for putting the county through another uproar that clearly does - as Commissioner Creighton said last Wednesday (November 6th) sets the county back in its effort to move forward.



There has been conjecture that Gonzalez will step down as chairman when the SCDPCC re-convenes to select a sheriff appointee.

In view of what the SCPR thinks was a debacle of a meeting on February 5th, it would not be a bad idea for Gonzalez to make the speculation reality.

Here is Sheriff Tim Swanson's full interview with the SCPR that was conducted yesterday afternoon.

TRULY AMAZING! MAIER SAYS HE IS NOT SHERIFF BECAUSE OF "A LEGAL TECHNICALITY."

SUBTOPICS

SWANSON
TO
FILE
A
WRIT OF PROHIBITION TODAY
=========================

PRESELECTION OF SHERIFF MEETING

"THE MEETING"

AT

THE

STARK CO. COMMISSIONERS OFFICE

******************************

 WAS IT APPROPRIATE?
*******************************

A local reporter writes about "former" Sheriff George T. Maier.

Well, "former" Sheriff, "technically" speaking, is not correct.

The Ohio Supreme Court in Swanson v. Maier (quo warranto) decision as I read it is: that Maier was never sheriff of Stark County.

So how can Maier be described that being a "former" of what he never was?

Answer?

You can't!

And a correction is in order.

Speaking of technicalities.

George Maier will undoubtedly appreciate the SCPR's point of dwelling on the  "technicality" that "as a matter of law" he is not entitled to be called "former sheriff."

For he is into "technicalities" in a big way in his interpretation of the Supreme Court decision that he lost.

It was "a legal technicality," George T. Maier said yesterday to a Canton radio host, that accounts for the Supreme Court having ruled as a matter of "the rule of law" that he was not qualified to be sheriff on February 5, 2013 the date on which, according to Stark County Sheriff Tim Swanson (also interviewed by the same radio host), Randy Gonzalez and the official leadership of the Stark County Democratic Party ramrodded and railroaded the unqualified Maier through the selection process of the Stark County Democratic Party Central Committee (SCDPCC) to become the party's appointee to the sheriff's office.

The most significant news out of yesterday's interviews is that Swanson let it out that today his attorney Greg Beck is heading to Columbus to file a Writ of Prohibition with the Supreme Court in order to block Gonzalez from making a second error.

State, ex rel. La Boiteaux Co., v. Court (1980), 61 Ohio St. 2d 60, 61

"Three conditions must exist to support the issuance of a writ of prohibition:

(1) [t]he court or officer against whom it is sought must be about to exercise judicial or quasi-judicial power,

(2) the exercise of such power must be clearly unauthorized by law, and

(3) it must appear that the refusal of the writ would result in injury for which there is no adequate remedy in the ordinary course of law."

Maier might be a little bit more than dismayed that Ohio's "court of last resort" just may once again - get technical  - with him and his legal stakeholder status and order his political handmaiden Gonzalez to have the SCDPCC limit a second go at the  appointment process to the surviving "but 'absolutely' qualified" as of February 5th candidates:

• Democrat Lt. Lou Darrow, and 
• Republican Hartville Chief of Police Larry Dordea.

Stark Countians should be plenty upset with Gonzalez, Johnnie A. Maier, Jr, former Stark County commissioner Gayle Jackson (who would like to be commissioner once again) and Demetreus St. John for apparently be prepared to allow the SCDPCC go on with George T. Maier being in the field of candidates on the "re-do" ordered by the Supreme Court.

They, in the opinion of the SCPR, are the responsible parties for Stark County government being destabilized by the disruption of leadership continuity at 4500 Atlantic Boulevard for having allowing the obviously unqualified Maier to be in line to be appointed in the first place.

And for Gonzalez to abandon any semblance of neutrality as the chair of the November 5th event should have been unacceptable to the central committeepersons.

In Swanson's interview (see confirming SCPR blog which refers to testimony given at deposition in Swanson v. Maier in April, 2013), he revealed that he, Gonzalez, Commissioner Thomas Bernabei met (The Meeting, which apparently occurred at Gonzalez's initiative in late December 2012, early January 2013) at the commissioners' office in anticipation of the February 5th SCDPCC meeting.  During the meeting, George Maier was brought in via the telephone.

The significance of The Meeting insofar as The Report is concerned in the request made by Gonzalez (according to Swanson) that Swanson hire George Maier for a couple days so that he could present those two days as a basis for being qualified for sheriff by virtue of two days employment "as a full-time peace officer."

Swanson:  Why hire Maier for two days?

Gonzalez's words as reported by Swanson:  "We have concerns of whether or not he is qualifed."

Well, when complying with the law is a matter of  being "a mere technicality," I guess that is what one does, no?

No need to comply with the "spirit" of the law; only the "technical" requirements of the law.

Wow!

On his side of the radio interviews, Maier admits (as reported "first" by the SCPR) that he is now working in Harrison County (Cadiz, Ohio; some 50 to 60 miles from Stark County) as his attempt to cure his defective qualification to be sheriff.

When his two day routine did not go over with Swanson, Maier hot-footed it down to Harrison County (population about 16,000) to where old Ohio Highway Patrol buddy Ronald J. Myers was "good to go" on helping him at, Harrison County taxpayer expense, meet the "mere technicality" of Maier being a full-time peace officer on two days on the job.  And conveniently, the two days were on a weekend.

Only problem was is that "meeting the technicalities of the law" plan didn't go over with folks who can think there way out of "a wet paper bag" (i.e. the Ohio Supreme Court justices).

Perhaps Maier needs a new set of geniuses to go to for advice on solving his technicality problem?

The Report believes that his attempt at a new "cure" will be in vain because the February 6th date REMAINS the qualifying date.

And Maier cannot do anything to retrace is steps in qualifying as of the 6th and, accordingly, the Supreme Court likely will prohibit the SCDPCC from including Maier in a SCDPCC "re-do" of the appointment process.

Attorney and civic activist Craig Conley tells the SCPR that he plans to challenge Harrison County sheriff Ronald J. Myers (the Maier pal from his Ohio Highway Patrol days) on his use of Harrison County taxpayer money to solve George Maier's Stark County sheriff qualification problem when it is clear that Maier is not planning on working in the Cadiz area over the long haul.

Stark Countians should be upset that Gonzalez apparently tried to bootstrap Maier into qualification via the above-referenced (The Meeting) highly irregular official business-esque process that also involved Swanson, Commissioner Tom Bernabei and Maier himself.

Though he denies such, it appears to the SCPR that  Bernabei as a part of his official capacity (i.e. meeting at the commissioners' office) was weighing-in on behalf of Maier.

Holding the meeting anywhere else could be said to be one in which individuals were exercising their rights to mull over the qualification matter including its political aspects.

But in an office in the commissioners' suite of offices?

Was Bernabei's role (the focus being on Maier) appropriate in light of Darrow and Dordea also being contenders?

Of course, Swanson could be and probably should be thought as looking out looking out for the interests of his guy Lou Darrow.

But who was looking out for Republican Dordea?

Don't the commissioners have an obligation to be even handed in looking out for the individual interests of all the candidates?  Or, better yet, how about looking out "for none of the candidates?"

To Swanson's credit, he rejected Gonzalez's scheme, according to him after mulling it over for a while.

Had Swanson gone along with "the Gonzalez plan," how could he have possibly challenged Maier's qualifications and be the initiator of the quo warranto which resulted in Maier's ouster as being unqualified?

Was that part of the design of Gonzalez's grand strategy?

Include Swanson in "cure George's 'technical' qualification" solution and he is compromised to the point that he would not be in a credible position to challenge Maier's SCDPCC appointment?

One part of me says that Gonzalez is not that bright; but then there may be folks lurking in the background who are and who were directing the chairman.

Stark Countians can only "thank their lucky stars" that Swanson did not bite, no?

Here you have three Democrats (Gonzalez, Bernabei and Swanson) one of whom (Gonzalez) was definitely pitching for Maier (and the SCPR suspects that Bernabei was in Maier's corner, too) discussing what would be best for the security interests of ALL OF STARK COUNTY and Dordea has no presence.

Something seems very, very wrong about The Meeting having taken place in the seeming context of official business.

When county officials were out campaigning for the "exclusively Stark's criminal justice system" 0.5% sales tax increase, wasn't the appeal made to Democrats, Republicans, independents and persons of all political persuasions?

How is it that Stark County Democratic Party chairman Randy Gonzalez gets entree to Commissioner Bernabei in what appears to be a political undertaking given that Gonzalez participated in The Meeting in his role as Stark County Democratic Party chairman?

Since Maier's appointment, Bernabei has been an "uncritical" supporter which makes me think that perhaps Bernabei is being just a tad coy and disingenuous about his role in The Meeting.

For Bernabei to know that Maier was out spending taxpayer dollars ($13,671) and "not to lift a finger" to intervene when it was pretty obvious that Maier was not going to be sheriff once the Supreme Court weighed-in is interesting.

Such a posture coming from Bernabei is very surprising to me.

Bernabei is known for his sharp mind and his "in constant analytic mode" way of being.

Has there been a breakdown in his normal "nothing goes unvetted" as Bernabei's "standard operating procedure" in the case of Maier?

What is going on here?

Remember that Janet Creighton and Thomas Bernabei made a really big deal out being transparent, accountable, communicative and accessible when they came into office as a result of the November, 2010 elections which was before what Craig Conley likes to call "Zeiglergate" was fully resolved.

From what I can see, they deserve high grades for, by and large, following through on their rhetoric.

But they are not perfect.

Not to get "too technical," but is this an instance that Commissioner Bernabei fell short on his "technical marks" of heretofore governance excellence in participating in The Meeting?

But then he is not a professional ice skater!