REPUBLICAN COMMISSIONER RICHARD REGULA FOR STARK DEMOCRATIC PARTY APPOINTED SHERIFF GEORGE T. MAIER?

Back on January 3, 2013, The Stark County Political Report wrote a blog on newly elected Stark County commissioner Richard Regula (son of former 16th District Republican congressman Ralph Regula)  being sworn in the midst of a group of hardcore Stark County Democratic Party well-wishers.

Here is part of that blog write up:

It was interesting to hear him [Regula to the SCPR] describe his swearing-in last Thursday at the Massillon Municipal Court with Judges Roland Centrone (a Republican) and Eddie Elum (a Democrat and Johnnie A. Maier, Jr. political ally) doing the honors.

Two other political significants he [Regula] identified included Massillon Mayor Kalthy Catazaro-Perry and her political mentor Johnnie A. Maier, Jr.  Maier is a former chairman of the Stark County Democratic Party and currently serves as the elected head of the  Massillon clerk of courts office.

The Report went on in the blog to describe fairly frequent instances in which Regula has shown up and Democratic candidate fundraisers over the years going back to the early 2000s.

So it was no surprise to the SCPR to receive a telephone call from a staunch Stark County Republican saying that he had word that Regula was going around telling everybody what a great sheriff he thought Maier was and thereby leaving the impression that Regula was supporting Maier for sheriff over Republican Larry Dordea.

The caller further informed the caller that he told Regula that if he did publicly support Maier that he would lead an effort to deny him reelection in 2014 when Regula's current term is up.

The SCPR asks the question:  Is this a case of "turnabout is fair play?"

For the SCPR thinks that former Democratic sheriff Tim Swanson supports Republican Larry Dordea for sheriff and George T. Maier seems to agree.

The Report is told that in Swanson's lawsuit in a personal liability against Maier claiming some $90,000 in damages for his assuming office of Stark County sheriff illegally for the period February 5, 2013 through November 6, 2013 (according to an Ohio Supreme Court ruling), the Maier forces are saying that the litigation is designed to help Dordea defeat Maier in the November election.

And, get this.

Maier's attorneys have submitted with pleadings making the claim, copies of Stark County Political Report blogs.

The Report can remember George's brother Johnnie A. Maier, Jr as a Stark County Board of Elections (BOE) member dissing the SCPR as The Report pushed through to gain the right to videotape BOE meetings for the benefit of the Stark County general public.

For the record, the SCPR does not think Swanson is using the lawsuit as a tool to defeat Maier.

Larry Dordea's folks certainly appear to be interested in doing so.  And, you can be sure that if Maier prevails before election day, he and his supporters.

For the Dordea interest, a helpful headline would read:  MAIER FOUND TO BE USURPING SHERIFF.  ORDERED TO PAY SWANSON $90,000 IN DAMAGES.

For Maier and his supporters, they would love to see:  COURT FINDS MAIER DID NOTHING WRONG IN ASSUMING OFFICE ON FEBRUARY 5, 2013.

We should find out late this morning whether or not it is likely that a decision in the civil liability case of Swanson v. Maier will be forthcoming prior to election day.

Not long ago, The Report published a photograph of (taken by Swanson himself) of his son and grandson sporting Dordea for Sheriff campaign shirts in the front lawn of Swanson's home.

And many think that Stark County Democratic prosecutor John Ferrero is telling his supporters to vote for Republican Dordea.

Swanson and Ferrero were among 84 Stark County Democratic Party officials (precinct committee persons) who voted against Maier and for Swanson protege Lou Darrow when they vied with one another on February 5, 2013 to replace sheriff-elect Mike McDonald (November, 2012) who was unable to take office on January 7, 2013 due to an illness which proved fatal on February 22nd.

In fact, Darrow filed a lawsuit to keep Maier from being eligible to seek the Dems' appointment.  That suit failed.

Swanson, however, was successful with his quo warranto lawsuit filed on February 12, 2013

On December 11, 2013, the Dems reappointed Maier but some 66 of the precinct committee persons still voted for Darrow.

Darrow recently retired from the sheriff's department.  The SCPR is told that a tiff developed between Maier and Darrow on Darrow getting a prized assignment within the department and Maier was saying "wait until after the election."

Question.

Is that the reason for the Darrow retirement?

Does this signal that Darrow will be encouraging his family, friends, neighbors and acquaintances to vote for Republican Dordea?

The point of all this discussion is to demonstrate that Maier has much more of a problem holding onto hardcore Democrats on November 4th than does Dordea holding onto to the likes of a Richard Regula.

For his part, Regula told the SCPR yesterday that he is staying neutral.

But he did admit to the SCPR that he attended a George T. Maier breakfast fundraiser last year.

He says that as commissioner he thinks well of both candidates and whomever is elected he has to and looks forward to working with

Hmm?

Does that mean he is going to skip voting in the Maier/Dordea race?

The Report thinks that there are enough Regula ties to the Maier Loyalty Club that he will tap the electronic voting screen for George T. Maier come November 4th.

And that should be of some comfort to Maier.

But the discomforting fact has to be those Darrow supporters, Darrow himself, Swanson and Ferrero seem to remain unreconciled to George T. Maier.

In a year that many normally voting Democrats likely will stay at home because of the weak Democratic gubernatorial candidate (FitzGerald), Darrow, Ferrero and Swanson and their followers may be a difference maker in the Stark County sheriff race.

If George T. Maier wins by one vote, then maybe Dordea and Stark County's Republicans will be looking Richard Regula's way?