WHICH OF THESE THREE MEN MIGHT MAKE LARRY DORDEA STARK COUNTY'S NEXT "ELECTED" SHERIFF?

VIDEO

DORDEA CAMPAIGN

"JUMPS ALL OVER"

MAIER 

REFUSAL TO COMMISSION

DECORATED U.S. MARINE

As The Stark County Political Report sees it, one of the three men pictured above could be "the decisive factor" if Hartville (former Alliance) Police Chief Larry Dordea is to be the choice of Stark Countians as the county's next "elected" sheriff.

In short, the question of today's blog is:  Who is going to prove out as having been "the best man" for Larry Dordea if he wins on Tuesday?

In a sense it is more than appropriate today to talk about the "best man" for Larry Dordea.

For yesterday his only daughter Jill got married.

No politics in the Dodea household yesterday; only a day of celebration and rejoicing.

Knowing Larry Dordea and the family man he is, the SCPR thinks that his daughter getting married will top his getting elected Stark County sheriff, should he be victorious on Tuesday.

George T. Maier, the current occupant of the office, only has a total of 193 Stark Countians (Stark County Democratic precinct committee persons) who have actually voted for him.

Even at that, 150 voted against him in two tries (Maier was removed from office by the Ohio Supreme Court on November 6, 2013) before he was able to stick as a political party appointee.

While the SCPR thinks that nobody should underestimate the heft of the Massillon based political machine and Maier using the power and status of office (appointed or not), it appears that Larry Dordea should win on Tuesday.

WHY?

Because of the confluence of three factors!

 KASICH BLOWOUT WIN OVER FITZGERALD

(LINK TO COLUMBUS DISPATCH ARTICLE)

In the words of the Cleveland Plain Dealer editorial writer Thomas Suddes:

Bar-stool strategists have suggested the Kasich-FitzGerald tally could be a blowout like George Voinovich's 71.8-percent-to-25-percent victory over Democrat Rob Burch in 1994.  (Despite likely Kasich blowout, Nov. 4 includes two Ohio nail-biters, November 2, 2014)

As far as the SCPR is concerned, the Dordea has given too little play to this photo:

Some Dordea campaign strategists tell the SCPR that the reason for that thinking is that "arm-in-arm" with the governor will turn off Democratic/Democratic leaning independents in what they perceive to be an overall Democratic county.

And that could be.

But another way to look at it is that there are some Republicans who will likely - in the estimate of the SCPR - be voting for Democrat Maier.

And, perhaps, Dordea needs to do a political bear hug of Governor Kasich to persuade Stark County Republicans that he has the confidence of and the support of the governor and that they better be perceived to have been a Dordea voter come November 5th.

While he says he is neutral, the SCPR thinks that Republican Stark County commissioner Richard Regula in his heart of hearts supports Democrat Maier and will likely be voting for him.

Republican Joe Concatto (served in the Janet Creighton Canton mayoralty administration (2004 - 2007) is on record with financial support for Maier's campaign and therefore should be counted among Republicans who have or will be voting for Maier.

Ditto that for Republican Marlboro Police Chief Ron Devies.   Devies does have ties to Dordea and did make a financial contribution to Dordea's campaign.

Nevertheless, one (the SCPR) gets the impression that he will check his ballot for Maier.

And then there is Republican Stark County commissioner Janet Creighton.

The Report thinks she got a bit miffed with the SCPR when The Report ran a video a while back in which she refused when prompted by an Akron Beacon Journal reporter to declare "all-out-for-Dordea," refused to do so and - what's more - make herself look rather selfish in saying:

(paraphrase)  "The only people I am declaring for is myself (she's running unopposed for reelection as commissioner) and John Kasich (for whom she is the head of his northeast Ohio campaign).

The SCPR is not suggesting that Creighton is voting for Maier.

And as far as the SCPR thinking she is miffed at The Report?  She will have to get in that "long line of Stark County elected officials who share her pique!"

That's the price the SCPR pays for its independent analysis that is present in no other Stark County media.

Creighton could have been more helpful to Dordea.

The Report thinks she is Stark County's most powerful and influential Republican and should Dordea lose, her - apparent to the SCPR - lukewarm support may cause some to look at her as being the cause.

It remains to be seen as to whom is correct in an analysis of the Kasich factor in the Dordea campaign.

SECOND, THE SWANSON ENDORSEMENT

SWANSON'S ENDORSEMENT
After careful consideration I have decided I cannot remain silent any longer concerning the Sheriff's race. Having spent the last forty years of my life dedicated to serving the citizens of Stark County and for fourteen of those years you trusted me as  your elected  Sheriff (1999-2013), I must speak out. 

There is only one qualified candidate appearing on the November ballot, Larry Dordea. I cannot believe the audacity of the Democrat candidate, who was found to have illegally occupied the office of Sheriff by the Ohio Supreme Court. 

I implore you not to be deceived by the rhetoric and untruths being shared by Mr. Dordea's opponent. 

There is only one candidate appearing on the ballot who truly meets all the necessary qualifications. That candidate is Larry Dordea.

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. -- Sir Edmund Burke  1729-1797   

Tim Swanson retired
Stark County Sheriff
Tim Swanson 

Remember those 150 "against Maier votes" in the February 5, 2013 (92 for Maier; 84 for Darrow, 1 for Dordea) and December 11, 2013 (101 for Maier; 66 for Darrow) Stark County Democratic Party Central Committee vote?

At the time, the man who the SCPR thinks was the chief architect of Maier prevailing; namely, the-then chairman of the Stark Dems Randy Gonzalez had to be think "the passage of time heals all things."

Well, do you think he is thinking that today in the light of the - in the past - staunchly Democratic former Stark County Democratic sheriff Tim Swanson broke ranks and endorsed Republican Larry Dordea.

The Swanson endorsement is clearly a signal to Democrats of Swanson's historical dedication that in - this one race - it is okay for them to vote for a Republican.

And, though they have not publicly said so, the SCPR has to believe that Stark County prosecutor John Ferrero and former top level Stark County sheriff department commander Lou Darrow have or will on Tuesday vote for Dordea.

It is hard to gauge the oomph of the Swanson endorsement.

At the very least he has to wash out those Republicans for Maier voters.

Most likely, the Swanson factor will outweigh the pro-Maier Republican and Republican leaning independent vote.

THE U.S. MARINE, 27 YEAR DEPUTY  DAN ALTIERI FACTOR

It is always surprising when experienced politicians like former Stark County Democratic Party chair Johnnie A. Maier, Jr. screw up.

But, from time-to-time, they do.

And that is exactly what the SCPR thinks happened in January, 2014 when (obviously after George "having thought it over") decided to do a very foolish thing.

He refused to commission Dan Altieri (as a reserve Stark County deputy sheriff so that he could qualify for a security job at an area college).

"A hard-to-believe-George T. Maier-refusal" in the light of Altieri honorably serving for 27 years as a Stark County deputy sheriff and as a highly decorated military hero (multiple tours in Afghanistan and Iraq).

The Dordea campaign has jumped all over this monumental George T. Maier political "blunder" witness this YouTube posted video:



How does the SCPR account for this screw-up?

The Maiers are so into political vendetta that they do "over-the-top" things that come back to bite them in the posterior.

Altieri had the audacity to exercise his U.S. Constitution right to support Lou Darrow in his contending with Maier for the Dems' appointment.

Nobody would deny Altieri (who risked his life defending our democratic-republican form of government) his right except - apparently - the brothers Maier.

As the SCPR has reported ad nauseam political loyalty seems to be an obsession with the Maiers.

Well, Sergeant Major Dan Altieri is loyal first and foremost to the U.S. Constitution and has amply demonstrated that potentially at the cost of his own life he puts on the line to preserve America as a freedom loving and enjoying nation.

The Maiers may well "live to rue the day" that George (who believes that he did so without the political counsel of Johnnie, Jr) refused an American military hero his merited and deserved reserve Stark County sheriff deputy commission.

WHICH OF THREE MIGHT TURN THE  ELECTION DORDEA'S WAY?

How about "all three in combination?"

That's what the SCPR thinks!

PART III - A MULTI-PART "ANALYTICAL" SERIES ON CAMPAIGN FINANCE ON KEY "STARK COUNTY" RACES: THE SHERIFF CONTEST

(NIXON PHOTO REFERENCE)

As a child it dawned on me, that the general public thought Republicans were in a political party of the rich and Democrats were the party of the working class.

My family was working class.

So the question I posed to my father?

"Dad, why are we (the Olson family) Republicans?

Dad, would get red in the face and say:  "Son, don't believe that bunk.  The Republican Party is the party of Abraham Lincoln and there wasn't a more common man who has ever been president of these United States of America!"

Being considerably older now, it is now apparent to me that neither political party's province is of any economic class.

They both have rich and poor and to the degree to which it exists due to he "dumbing down" of America's wage structure - the middle class.

So it has been "eye opening" to me (switched to the Democratic Party in 1976) and out of both main political parties (with the initiation of the SCPR, March 2008) as to how "out-of-touch" both the Republican and Democratic political parties are vis-a-vis huge segments of the American public.

Not sure what is going to replace them, but I am convinced that over the longer course we are in for a political convulsion the likes of which this great country has never seen.

Both political parties have become about themselves and empowering and enriching those who man the party posts of leadership by which the parties commandeer (in the sense that ordinary people are not buying) our institutions of government at the national, state and local levels (thereby excluding most of them from "meaningful" participation) and consequently are sowing the seeds of the parties' demise over the long haul.

Okay, Martin, it's time:  "Off the soap box!" and get on to the Dordea campaign finance report and DO IT NOW!

THE DORDEA CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORT

The SCPR uses the Nixonian "Republican Cloth Coat" (LINK) analogy to set up this blog's discussion on:

• the Dordea campaign, 
• its structure, 
• the level of contributions, and 
• the campaign not focusing, as far as The Report can tell, on seemingly benefiting a specific person or company with ties within the Republican party structure (contrast:  Kody Gonzalez and the Democrats) in terms of campaign expenditures on the part of various campaigns

First, there are really no Big Kahunas apparent in the Dordea CFR as there are in Maiers (LINK to yesterday's blog).

Compare the Dordea list with Maiers:

Hmm?

Two to one, Maier trumps Dordea.

And Maier's list of high end donors is quite a bit longer than Dordea's.

Interesting, no? for the political party who likes to portray Republicans as "the party of the rich."

It could be that the Maier Political Machine is much more comfortable with the "hob-nob" crowd than local Republicans?

Remember, former Stark County Democratic Party chairman Johnnie A. Maier, Jr has had a fight or two or maybe even three over the past decade or so?

The evidence is there for one to think that perhaps the brothers Maier do not feel all that comfortable with the so called "working class?"

Maybe that is part of the "unstated reason" why former Democratic sheriff Tim Swanson has endorsed Dordea?

And it could be that George (in his political sophistication; largely at the schooling of brother Johnnie, Jr.) did not appreciate the decorated American military hero, no-nonsense, day-in, day-out, working class 27 year sheriff deputy named Dan Altieri?

Maybe Swanson is right?

• (remember though, he merely recommended Dordea as being the only candidate "qualified under Ohio's sheriff qualification law" to be sheriff)

The SCPR is speculating as to what else may have been in Swanson's mind as he mulled over whether or not to endorse a Republican.

For lifelong Democrat Swanson to endorse a Republican and have his picture taken with him, had to be one tough process for this staunch Democrat, no?

Given what is revealed by the Maier CFR,  for many rank-and-file Democrats, the candidate of choice on Tuesday might be Republican Larry Dordea as a personification of what most ordinary Stark Countians want in the sheriff's office?

Other differences in the Dordea CFR as contrasted to Maier's is that there is "NO!" list of employees under his management who have contributed to his campaign.

There was no solicitation like this:

Yet another difference is the complete absence in union contributions to Dordea.

To the SCPR this is a sad thing.

The Report's heart goes out to the working men and women of America.

Democrats like the brothers Maier - The Report thinks - use unions for their personal political aspirations but appear to want nothing to do with them when it comes to "hob-nobbing" time.

And, to boot, most organized/elected Republicans work them over big time.

More than any other factor, the SCPR sees unions has the key American phenomenon that made the middle class what it was in its heyday in the 1950s, 1960s and even into the 1970s and is a sort of "Custer's Last Stand" for the middle class nowadays.

Republicans who are anti-union should be ashamed of themselves.  They should find ways to work with them.

As sheriff, if elected, Republican Larry Dordea will have the opportunity to be a model for Republicans in working with unions.

Doing such could be a way for him to get re-elected in 2016.

The election of 2016 will be "a whole kettle of different fish," in that it is a presidential election year.  Republicans have a tough time winning countywide in Stark County in presidential years.

The SCPR's overall assessment of Dordea campaign finances is that he has raised enough to put on a campaign that might well turn out to be the winning campaign.

Dordea has been able to get by on significantly less than Maier because the overall political environment favor him, to wit:

• Republican governor John Kasich is going to politically obliterate Democrat Ed FitzGerald on this coming Tuesday,
• Dordea will benefit because many Democrats will stay at home in the face of the expected onslaught,
• While some Republicans will likely vote for Maier (the SCPR thinks a Republican Stark County commissioner will be one of them), the number of those doing so should be washed out if not surpassed by Swanson/Ferrero/Darrow Democrats (who opposed Maier's appointment on February 5th and December 11th of 2013) who vote for Dordea

Despite the disadvantage that Dordea has in having been significantly out fundraised; in the 2014 political Republican landslide environment, he might still surface as Stark County's next "elected" sheriff.

One acquaintance of the SCPR thinks Dordea will win comfortably.

The Report does not share that sentiment.

If Dordea wins, the SCPR thinks it will be relatively close.

As in the Maier Campaign Finance Report blog, the SCPR has transformed the BOE filed paper reports ("Hey! Representative Schuring, let's get into the 21st Century with Ohio's campaign finance information") so that you, the SCPR reader has an easy way to find out who is supporting Dordea/Maier that either speaks well for him or not so well.

To the SCPR, it looks like Dordea is wearing a CFR that is tantamount to him donning a "Republican cloth coat."

In this election, it appears that Democrat George T. Maier is wearing the "mink coat."

Here is a LINK to the report.

PART I - A MULTI-PART "ANALYTICAL" SERIES ON CAMPAIGN FINANCE ON KEY "STARK COUNTY" RACES

MAIER FOR SHERIFF CAMPAIGN

UPDATED:  5:50 PM

Not long ago, The Stark County Political Report did a blog on what appears to be a George T. Maier attempt to intimidate the top brass within the Stark County Sheriff's Office (SCSO) into contributing to and supporting his campaign to make the transition of "merely being the" Stark County Democratic Party Central Commitee (SCDP-CC) "appointed" sheriff to becoming the elected sheriff.

Maier did hold his fundraiser on the 4th as evidenced by this campaign finance report (CFR)  expense statement on his pre-General CFR.

And the results of his "recommended level of support" solicitation are interesting to say the least.

As shown in the graphic above, the only one among the majors, captains and lieutenants part of the solicitation getting anywhere near "the recommendation" is one Timothy George; promoted by Maier to captain in May, 2013, to wit:  (source:  SCSO Facebook page)

Hmm?

Since he was promoted, Stark County Board of Elections filed Maier CFRs indicate that George contributed another $150 in the post-Primary report and therefore is relatively close to what George T. Maier thinks a captain should contribute.

Tim George, as far as the SCPR can determine, has contributed $800 so far.

Of course, we will not know what he or any other of the top brass at the SCSO does between October 16th and up to and beyond the election until the post-General election CFR are filed.

And that we will not know until December 12, 2014.

Just call the SCPR cynical when it comes to the Maiers (George and his brother Johnnie A. Maier, Jr., a former Stark Dems chairman), but The Report suspects that there might be a "wink and a nod" operation going on whereby other top SCSO officials/employees will make sizable contributions (or have since October 15th) in line with "the recommendation according to the rank," but they will not be known by the public until December 12th.

The SCPR's take on the Maier brothers is that "personal political loyalty" is an obsession with them and that for anyone who violates any test of loyalty with them (contributions, voting for a sheriff candidate or other Maier approved candidate within the SCDP-CC scheme of things, and the like) will forever be suspect with them as having the requisite loyalty so as to be considered part and parcel of the Maier Loyalty Club.

While he is still short of George T. Maier recommended $1,000 for a captain,  Timothy George is far and away (again, according to Maier filed BOE CFRs) ahead of his peers.

Making him, as far as the SCPR is concerned, the most loyal of George T. Maier's loyalists in terms of SCSO employees contributing to the boss' political campaign.

And as seen in the SCPR's blog on Sergeant Major and U.S. Marine par excellence Dan F. Altieri (at least from Altieri's perspective), personal political loyalty seems to be an obsession with George T. Maier.

Altieri thinks he did not get a renewed "reserve" deputy sheriff commission because he had handed out flyers when Maier was vying for the SCDP-CC appointment as Stark County sheriff on December 11, 2013.

As the SCPR understands it, Maier's denial of Alteri's commission, threatened his ability to earn a living.

The SCPR has searched high and low for a photo of Timothy George and cannot find one.

Would someone please send the SCPR a copy of a Tim George photo?

Why would the SCPR want a photo of Tim George?

Answer:  Don't you think he should be included in the SCPR generated graphic of "The Maier Loyalty Club?"  He does deserve to be rewarded for his "all-out-support" for George T. Maier, no? Does anyone dispute that he is entitled to be thought as being a member of the club?

And, one final thing.

Speaking of photos.

The SCPR has a report that there is (or has been) a photograph of former Democratic sheriff Tim Swanson (who, yesterday, endorsed Maier opponent and Republican Larry Dordea) and Democrat and Stark County Prosecutor John Ferrero.

So?

Well, the word is that on the photo there are two darts.

Hmm?

So the questions are, if the report is accurate:  (the SCPR has a source that claims to have seen the photo)

1. What does such a mix in a photo suggest?
2. Does George T. Maier know about it?

With Swanson's endorsement of Dordea, no indication whatsoever that Prosecutor Ferrero is reconciled to Maier, are there a greater pair of disloyals to Maier in all of Stark County?

And the Maiers ain't ever going to forget that!!!