THE UNEMOTIONAL STARK GOP CHAIRMAN JEFF MATTHEWS GOES OVER THE TOP FOR DEPARTING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JASON WISE AT 65TH ANNUAL MCKINLEY DINNER?

 

The SCPR has learned that the big buzz coming out of the 65th Annual McKinley Stark County GOP event was the emotional tripping out of Stark Republican Party chairman Jeff Matthews.

Well, what did Jeff get so emotional about?

Jason Wise, that's who.  Wise, who is executive director of the Stark Republican organization is reportedly leaving in May to do a stint in the U.S. military. 

Attending Republicans were blown away by the emotion displayed as Chairman Matthews took center stage to thank Wise for his service as director. One Republican told the SCPR that "Matthews has all the emotion of a statute" as a matter of his persona and to see him cry real tears was a sight to behold.

In a way, the Matthews demonstration does not surprise The Report.  Clues about the closeness of the relationship was evident in the wholehearted support  Matthews gave Wise in Wise's putting together the Tax Day, Tea Day political rally on April 15, 2009.

Wise kept saying at the event that it was not a Republican event.  But it was.  GOP director Wise organized the event and a prime role was played by Wise pals Matthews and 50th House District representative Todd Snitchler.  Congressman John Boccieri (Democrat - Alliance) was the only Democrat on stage at the tea party festival and host Matt Patrick made the most of it.  Boccieri's appearance would not surprise Medina County Democrats, many of whom see Boccieri as a Democrat in Name Only (DINO).

The SCPR noted at the time that it was a conflict-in-interest for Matthews (also a director at the Stark County Board of Elections - BOE) to be at the event bashing the imposed 0.50 commissioner imposed sales/use tax (December, 2008.)  

It is interesting to see that the Board of Elections has asked the Stark County commissioners for nearly a million dollars more ($2 million - 2009; $2.9 million - 2010; a 45% increase) and is in the process of adding four full time employees.

Hmm?  A tea party protesting increased taxes and Matthews - a director at the BOE participates in putting together a whopping increase in what Stark County taxpayers are to pay for elections services.  Add a large portion of political hypocrisy for Matthews.

Other things of local political interest did occur at the GOP gala.

Janet Creighton received a standing ovation and was the "local" star attraction at the McKinley festivity.  Creighton had pulled petitions to run for one of the two open county commissioner seats that very day.  Republicans see the former Canton mayor leading the way to Republicans once again holding non-judicial countywide office.

As reported previously by the SCPR, state Representative Todd Snitchler used the occasion to sound the keynote of "Taxing Todd" in a reference to Commissioner Todd Bosley who is taking on Snitchler for the right to represent the 50th House district.

One has to wonder, though, in light of the Matthews tears, what the musical theme was for the evening.

"It's My Party and I'll Cry if I Want To?"

REPOSITORY GETS SCOOPED BY SCPR AGAIN. DID THE STARK BOARD OF ELECTIONS TIP OFF THE REP EDITORS THAT THE SCPR HAD ASKED THE BOE TO MAKE REPORTS AVAILABLE TO GENERAL PUBLIC?

They are throwing fits over at 500 Market Avenue, South these days.

Really?  How so?

As late as September 6th, the editors at The Rep realized they had been scooped by the Stark County Political Report (SCPR/The Report) yet again.

If you will look at the e-mail that yours truly sent Jeff Matthews (deputy director as well as chairman of the Stark County Republican Party) and Jeanette Mullane (director), on August 20, 2009 The Report requested that the Stark Board of Elections (BOE) put campaign finance reports online.

Did Mullane or Matthews call or mention to someone at The Rep The Report's e-mail?

Could be.

The Repository (its editorial board and reporter staff) have ingratiated themselves so much so with local government officials that a case can be made that the reading public has to read whatever appears in the pages of The Rep with great, great skepticism.

A case in point.

Consider the exchange of e-mails between "Karen" (the initiator) and the SCPR:

Is Karen correct?

Could be.

There is no doubt about it.  Whether its a reporter (with the management's approval) buying interviewee (Canton Safety Director "to be," at the time), Tom Ream a beer or Mayor William Healy inviting himself down to The Rep's editorial offices to explain away his blunders as mayor or The Repository being the paid publisher of Canton's glossy propaganda public relations piece,

The Repository is so hooked into special "we'll treat you with kid gloves" relationships (and its implied "please call us with inside information, first") that its reporting and editorializing is bereft of any value as far as Canton's/Stark County's public officials go - to the general public.

Do you ever get a disclaimer from The Rep on its special relationships?

Only the Stark County Political Report fearlessly reports on the doings of Stark County's political kingmakers without being a respecter of persons.

The Rep only works over the "unconnected" or they are good to "pile on" as a public figure is going down.

Back to the BOE aspect of this blog.

Mullane called The Report a day or two after the e-mail and danced all around the request.

Nevertheless, yours truly did pin her down as she was trying to be non-committal.

After a "its like pulling-teeth" exercise, Mullane did tell the SCPR that the BOE was in the process in bidding out for a new copier and as soon as it was on board, she anticipated that campaign finance reports (also validated petitions to run for an office) would be available without yours truly or any Stark County citizen needing to traipse down to the BOE.

The timeline?

October.  Some time in October before the next campaign finance reports are due.

Mullane requested that the SCPR sit on the story until the board members approved the purchase of the copy machine.  No follow up at all from Mullane.  In fact, right around the time The Rep did its editorial, the thought occurred that Mullane needed to be followed up with. 

So did Mullane do a number on the SCPR and transmit the information to The Rep?

Could be.

It also could be that The Rep got lucky.

However, Mullane is the political handmaiden of the Stark County Democratic Party and former chairman Johnnie A. Maier, Jr.  and current chairman Randy Gonzalez.

No doubt about it, one has to wonder.   Undoubtedly, this duo would probably love the opportunity to "one-up" the SCPR,  given the incisive blogs The Report has done on both of them.

Did one or both instruct Mullane to make the "new access to public information" plans known to The Rep?

Could be.

The point of this blog is that the credit for getting the general public access to public records in this instance is not the newspaper industry (and it high profile "Sunshine Week" highlighted in  March of each year) and its local outlet - The Repository.

No, its a "little-ole-one-person-operation" called:  THE STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT!