HOW ARE STARK'S LEADING REPUBLICANS DEALING WITH PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE TRUMP FRIDAY DEBACLE?

What a difference 26 days makes, no?

On September 14th, most Stark County Republican political subdivision elected officials/candidates for office in the November 8th general election made their way to Canton Memorial Civic Center for a "date" with GOP presidential candidate.

Mid-September through perhaps through late September and the first presidential debate of the 26th, Donald J. Trump was at the "high water mark" of his candidacy.

It was looking more and more up to the September 26th first debate and his post-debate trashing of form Miss Universe Alicia Machado it was becoming more and more plausible that Trump could actually be elected president of the United States of America.

Post-September 14th appearance. the SCPR spoke with Republican Stark County commissioner Richard Regula who said that up until the 14th and Trump coming to Canton, he was at best "lukewarm" to the Trump candidacy.

Fast forward to today, October 10th, and Regula in a telephone conversation with the SCPR said in essence "a pox on both their houses"  (a SCPR characterization; not Regula's).

And, Regula, would not share with The Report whom he planned to vote for in this election citing his "secret ballot" privilege.

However, he did vigorously criticize Trump for the over-the-weekend (Friday) "caught on tape" revelation wherein Trump talked about women in a derogatory/obscene way and implied that he had taken sexual liberties with unwary "beautiful" women he encountered in his travels.  (LINK to the video/transcrpit for those few readers who may not have seen the "caught on tape")  In last night's debate, Trump denied that he had actually taken action on his words.

Moreover, it seemed apparent from the SCPR/Regula conversation that he is NOT likely to vote for Hillary Clinton in alluding to his belief that she in her own way is every bit as undesirable as Trump is.

On Saturday morning, incumbent Commissioner Regula's Democratic opponent John Mariol came out with this challenge to Regula and impliedly to all Stark County Republican subdivision candidates.

I think any Republican candidate or current office holder (my opponent included) that has endorsed and stood by Donald Trump needs to explain why they are putting party loyalty in front of the dignity of women. The Citizens and more specifically the women of Stark County deserve to know why party loyalty is more important then the dignity of women.

The SCPR has contacted many of Stark's Republican candidates for local office but has only received a smattering of responses, one being this morning's telephone interview with Regula.

One of the most understandable justifications of a local Republican candidate for countywide office in seeing appeal in Trump as the Republican presidential standard bearer came earlier today from a SCPR telephone interview with Republican prosecutor candidate Jeff Jakmides.

Jakmides says that his attraction to Trump is very, very narrow.  And that is "the Wall" that Trump says he wants to build on the U.S./Mexico border stop the flow of illegal immigrants and illegal drugs (heroin overdose deaths are a huge problem in Stark County and accross America).

Jakmides says that if Clinton was stronger on the interdiction of heroin and the like from filtering in across the U.S./Mexico border, he would have no problem whatsoever despite his being a Republican supporting her over Trump.

But, he says, in his estimate that simply is not the case.

A local powerful/popular Republican countywide, Stark County Commissioner Janet Creighton, is not running for re-election this election cycle.

She has embraced Donald Trump from her perspective of being a woman in heading the Stark County unit of Women for Trump and "trumpeted" same to the SCPR a couple of weeks ago.

Has Creighton rethought her support of Trump given the "caught on tape" incident?

Not at all, to wit:

Janet Creighton <janetweircreighton@...>  Oct 8 at 4:13 PM

To:  Martin Olson

I am disappointed in his remarks but it does not negate the actions of Hillary as Secretary of State.
  
She is not creditable.   I am voting for Trump.  

The SCPR agrees with Creighton, Clinton is not credible (ref: [for one] her private/public positions on Wall Street interests).

Being the father of three daughters two of whom are high ranking military officers (one of whom worked in the sexual assault prevention and response unit at the Pentagon) there is no they should be working for a commander in chief who sat by and allow even own his daughter (ref:  Howard Stern interview) to be described as "a piece of a**.

The SCPR has been at the forefront in Stark County government and politics advocating and pushing for women joining as equal partners with men in bringing effective, efficient, honest, transparent, accountable government to Stark County government irrespective of the political party identity.

The Report has a high regard for a few of Stark County's Republicans who hold and are running for Stark County political office.

But the Trump "fusillade on women" (going back at least to 1990 up to the present) lack of articulated and meaningful response on the part of too many Stark County Republican officials/candidates and should be taken by voters as their being too willing to abide a hostile gender specific model of leadership in service of political party interests.

And the same applies to local "organized" Democrats in relation to Bill Clinton when they minimize or are dismissive of his outrageous historical relationship with women as being mere objects.

Yesterday's blog included Family Court judge candidate David Nist's failure to meet the Trump offense head-on and Saturday's  49th Ohio District candidate Dan McMasters non-response.

A family court judge candidate cannot roundly condemn Donald Trump by name?

Wow!

Finally, still no word from Republican Stark County treasurer Alex Zumbar.

Hmm?

DISCONNECT: STARK CO/OHIO/USA LEADING REPUBLICANS?

UPDATE:  3:08 PM

(SOURCE:  UNDERLYING GRAPHIC/https://www.facebook.com/StarkCountyGop/)

(photo, Creighton text and highlighting added)

OVER 150 TOP REPUBLICANS NATIONWIDE

ABANDON

TRUMP

(LINK)

It appears to the SCPR that there is a somewhat of a disconnect between Stark County's leading political figures as contrasted with a number of Ohio's statehouse Republicans.

Stark County's leading Republican countywide and Stark County commissioner Janet Creighton (as seen in the graphic above) is sticking by the GOP's nominated for president man:  Donald J. Trump.

And here is what the Stark County Republican Party (presumably the words of [or at least approved by him for release] Stark GOP Chairman, Jeff Matthews (also executive director of the Stark County Republican Party).

Matthews has not responded direct to the SCRP in response to an e-mail inquiry sent him and other leading Stark County "organized" Republicans early yesterday morning seeking reaction as a consequence of a "caught on tape" video in which Republican presidential candidate Trump can be heard saying (in 2005) that he had attempted to seduce a married woman and seemingly he could do whatever he wished of a sexual nature with women he took a liking to by virtue of his, at the time, being a star.

The Report has received no response from Stark County treasurer Alex Zumbar and prosecuting attorney candidate Jeff Jakmides.

Republican Stark County commissioner candidate and current Canton Township trustee Bill Smith did respond saying that he was preoccupied with working on campaign matters and dealing with family located in Florida in the pathway of Hurricane Matthew.

Here is what Republican Family Court candidate David Nist had to say:

My parents always taught my sister and I not to say anything that we would not be willing to repeat to our grandparents. They also taught us the value of the golden rule. 

Despite our best efforts if we did ever offend someone we were directed to give them a sincere apology and hope the offended person forgave us. As parents, my wife and I try to instill some of the same values in our children. 

n our jobs, my wife and I try to always remember that the individual or people we are dealing with could be someones brother, sister, wife, husband, mother, father or grandparent and so we do our best to treat them with respect. 

Several state of Ohio elected officials/federal officials and thereby public figures had these comments which are in marked contrast to what is coming out of the mouths of Stark County GOP officials (source:  Columbus Dispatch article [LINK]):

State officials disapproving and NOT endorsing Trump:

State officials disapproving of Trump's "caught on tape" but apparently still supporting him pretty much in line what Stark GOP elected officials/candidates are saying:

Federal elected official disapproving of Trump's words and WITHDRAWING a previous endorsement which, of course, is tune with what Kasich and Yost have done.

And, finally, statements from two of Stark County's representatives in Congress which are pretty much in line with the Stark County/DeWine approach:  (Gibbs, most of Stark County; Renacci the northern part of Stark County)

Notably "among the missing" (as of the time of publishing this blog) are state GOP elected Mary Taylor (lieutenant governor), Josh Mandel (Ohio treasurer) and Jon Husted (secretary of state).

There has probably never been a more trying time for "organized" and "elected to office" and "candidate for office" Republicans whether it be at the local, state or national level.

WILL LOCAL GOP OFFICE SEEKERS "STAND BY THEIR MAN?"

UPDATED:  2:33 PM

STARK CO COMMISSIONER CANDIDATE RACE 

JOHN MARIOL ISSUES CHALLENGE TO OPPONENT RICHARD REGULA

& 

ALL OTHER LOCAL REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES

ON 

TRUMP

"CAUGHT ON TAPE" ATTACK ON WOMEN

I think any Republican candidate or current office holder (my opponent included) that has endorsed and stood by Donald Trump needs to explain why they are putting party loyalty in front of the dignity of women. 

The Citizens and more specifically the women of Stark County deserve to know why party loyalty is more important then the dignity of women.  

Councilman John Mariol II

Ward Seven

One of the Republican attacks on Democrat presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is her famous (24 years ago on CBS' 60 Minutes) in response to the Bill Clinton/Monica Lewinsky scandal:

 "I'm not sitting here some little woman standing by my man like Tammy Wynette."

But that Hillary assertion was far from the truth of what she actually did.

And the SCPR agrees with the Republicans, in participating in the effort to discredit Lewinsky and others consorting with Bill, Hillary was disserving women.

Now we the have the GOP's Donald Trump's "war on women" that may date back to 1990, if not before.

The question in 2016 is whether "organized" Republicans care more about the continue viability of the party's presidential candidate and by extension Republican political party interest preservation over the dignity of women.

Going back to the days that Stark County commissioner candidate Bill Smith (trustee, Canton Township [Canton South]) was running in the March 15, 2016 primary election against fellow Republican Dave Mungo of Alliance for the Republican nomination for the commissionership, neither was for Donald Trump in the huge array of (16, 17 or so) of candidates seeking to be the Republican nominee for president in the November 8th election.

Smith said he was solid for Republican governor John Kasich.

Mungo said he was supporting Ben Carson.

On reflection, the SCPR's take away was that both had a dim view of the candidacy of Donald Trump.

One of Bill Smith's qualities is being a team player.  As a Canton Township trustee, he for 15 years worked with the township's other to trustees to advance the interests of Canton Township residents in a positive way.

Accordingly, it is not surprising that this John Kasich supporter opted to perhaps put his individual self-interest political stance on the back burner and get on board in supporting Trump as a reasonably loyal Republican as demonstrated in his backdrop presence at Trump's September 14 Canton Memorial Civic Center appearance.

Less than a month later, Smith and other Stark County Republican candidates for countywide office and in one statehouse race (District 49, Democrat councilman Thomas West opposed by Republican Dan McMasters) are faced with having questions posed to them by the likes of The Stark County Political Report regarding their continuing support in light of the revelation yesterday of a Donald Trump videotape (the audio portion) which reveals a Donald Trump promoting marital infidelity in the context of just having married for the third time himself and his revealing, in his take, that because he is a rich and famous man he could pretty much has his way sexually with adoring women.

With that videotape hitting the airwaves, Republican supporters of Trump (officeholders/candidates from school boards through national office) now have to chose between staying with the GOP presidential nominee or backing off in protest to Trump's outrageous conduct in his relationship with women outside his immediate family.

Recently, daughter Ivanka (who Stark County state Rep. Christina Hagan, the 50th) is on record as being impressed with was out saying (paraphrase) my father is not a predator.

More than any other assessment/attribution, "predator" is the one the SCPR thinks is most used by political/social "on-air" analysts since the story broke yesterday.

If nothing else, Trump ought to be totally ashamed of himself for having allowed his daughter to be out on the political hustings on his behalf having to have known that he had engaged in conduct revealed by the 2005 tape.

The SCPR has contacted Smith and other Stark Republican candidates and officeholders via e-mail for a reaction.

It will be interesting to see what kind of response the Stark County media collectively will be have to elicit from local Republican candidates/office holders.

The Stark County Republican Party candidates cited by name and/or alluded to in this blog, all seem to the SCPR to be high quality human beings.

Yours truly is registered as a non-partisan voter.

To boot:  the father of three terrific daughters; all highly accomplished academically & professionally, all highly thoughtful, all "respect" demanding.

In order:  a USAF medical doctor, an attorney (near completing her PhD) and a public relations officer (Colonel) in the United States Air Force Reserve.

In the 1988 through 1996 era as the Olson girls were learning what it like to be a woman in American society, there were battles to be fought and won in alliance with their father.

For example, the Lake School System having vastly superior locker room facilities for basketball for boys as compared to those for girls.

Another example, the men of the North Canton YMCA trying to run the Olson girls out of the use of one of two gyms located in the bowels of North Canton facility notwithstanding that the Olson family was dues paying and therefore entitled to a shared use.

Accordingly, it is important that local Republicans holding/running for office to qualify for the Martin Olson support/vote to publicly disavow the Trump 2005 conduct and moreover to make clear disavowing statements that his "in being in an entertainer mode" could somehow in his screwy mindset could be a justification for calling women "fat pig, slob, dog, disgusting animal."

Trump's disparagement of women goes back to at least 1990.

(LINK)

The SCPR is fanning out across Stark County to get public official/candidate/citizen reaction (Republican & Democrat) to the Trump "caught on camera" revelation.

Here is a reaction from former Canton councilman (Ward 5) and Democratic candidate for county commissioners (would have been Bill Smith's opponent, if he had won the Democratic primary.

Kevin Fisher <kevinforcanton@gmail.com>  Today at 9:04 AM

To:  Martin Olson

Marty,

I can't say that I'm surprised by the 2005 tape...Trump is a man who has built his celebrity and now his presidential campaign on bluster and outrageous comments. He has has spent his life and his candidacy insulting women, Latinos, Muslims, African-Americans, and just about anyone else who crosses his mind.

I am, however, grateful that my 11 year daughter will not only see the first woman be elected president next month...but also see her do so by defeating the biggest misogynist to ever seek the White House.

KF

Stark County's most prominent woman officeholder is Stark County commissioner Janet Creighton.

The Report got into a little bit of a flap with Creighton on exactly how committed she is to Donald Trump as presidential candidate.  (LINK)

The SCPR has a great deal of admiration for Creighton in light of her history of having had to struggle to get to the top of Stark County Republicanism in the face of her as a woman getting the respect of the men who have controlled the leadership of the Stark County Republican Party sense her days years ago as Stark County recorder.

Here is a re-post of Creighton's e-mail to the SCPR in response to the SCPR's questioning of her loyalty to the Trump presidency effort:

As the chair of "Stark County Women for Trump,"  it will be interesting to see if Creighton will respond to a SCPR e-mail inquiry as to whether or or not she stands by her presidential candidate man:  Donald J. Trump, no?

Being as politically close to Governor Kasich as she is, it should have been a clear signal to her to "beware" Donald Trump in the light of the Kasich steadfast refusal to endorse the Republican presidential standard bearer.

Republican candidate Dan McMasters weighs-in with the SCPR in the following e-mail exchange, to wit:

Dan McMasters <dan.mcmasters.byg0 ...  Today at 12:23 PM

To:  'Martin Olson'

It will make for an interesting debate topic tomorrow. This whole thing is headed into the gutter

Dan F. McMasters
...

-----Original Message-----
From: Martin Olson [tramols@att.net]
Sent: Saturday, October 08, 2016 11:22 AM Eastern Standard Time
To: Dan McMasters
Subject: Trump "caught on camera" matter

Dan,

As a leading Stark County Republican who has shown support for Donald Trump (e.g. Civic Center September 14th), your reaction to the Trump "caught on tape" matter of yesterday?

Thank you,

Martin Olson
tramols@att.net
330 499 0465

Is that answer responsive?

Sounds like "standing by 'our' man, no?

BILL CLINTON FOR HILLARY IN CANTON 10/05/2016 SIGNIFIES THE "POLITICAL DEATH" OF TED STRICKLAND?

DEMOCRAT UNITED STATES SENATOR

SHERROD BROWN

FORGETS? 

TO MENTION

FELLOW DEMOCRAT 

TED STRICKLAND'S

SENATE BID?

(See Brown Clinton Intro Video)

UPDATED:  09:32 AM

Most media present at the Bill Clinton political rally for the election of Hillary Clinton as president on Wednesday at Local 550 Ironworkers' training facility located at 6th and High Street NW in Canton came away focused on what Bill had to say.

Not The Stark County Political Report.

Yesterday, The Report focused on the moving presentation by Massillon mayor Kathy Catazaro-Perry and daughter Vanessa on behalf of Hillary (LINK).

Today, the focus is on the absence in the presentation of Democratic United States Senator Sherrold Brown on nary a word on behalf of the candidacy of former Democratic governor Ted Strickland in his quest to defeat incumbent Republican senator Rob Portman in a contest for Ohio's "other' U.S. Senate seat.

Take a look/listen of Brown as he prepared to introduce William Jefferson Clinton, the 42nd president of the United States of America.  (video:  8:21)



Hear any mention of Ted Strickland?

An oversight?

Hardly.

Checkout this website (LINK) chronicling the political demise of Ted Strickland's U.S. Senate run.

Strickland being behind by some 17 points behind in the polls is now being taken for having politically succumbed and therefore about 30 days before election day being assigned a place in the "passed on from political viability" political graveyard.

With Portman having a lead of 17 percentage points, one would think that the likes of Republican candidate for Stark County prosecuting attorney would be imploring him and chief support for down ticket Republicans; namely, Republican governor John Kasich (still refusing to endorse Republican presidential candidate Donald J. Trump) to come to Stark County and have a very public event asking Stark Countians supporting Portman to be sure to vote for Jeff Jakmides, too.

The SCPR did e-mail the Clinton campaign asking about the slight of Strickland at Wednesday's rally.

No response as of the latest update of this blog.  Hmm?

It was fitting a proper that Stark Countians Johnnie A. Maier, Jr.,  George T. Maier and R. Shane Jackson were present at Strickland's more or less "official" passing from the Ohio political scene.

While Strickland was among the "politically viable" living, the Maiers and Jackson (or at least his mother, former Stark County commissioner Gayle Jackson) seem to have benefited enormously from Strickland having been governor.

And, no doubt, hopes were soaring among the aforementioned trio and their Stark County political loyalists that Ted Strickland would be making it to the political hustings of Washington, D.C.

But those aspirations are all dashed now unless Strickland becomes a political appointee of the likely to be elected president Hillary Clinton.

Never say never, but it appears that the Maiers' inside track to state and national prominence are also buried in the political grave site of Ted Strickland.

How long will it be before Strickland is listed for one reason or another in the annals of POLITICALGRAVEYARD.COM?  (LINK)

CLINTON CAMPAIGN RALLY: LOCAL 550 IRONWORKERS HALL 10/05/2016 STAR PRESENTATION!

UPDATE:  10:37 AM

NOT 

BILL CLINTON

BUT RATHER

MASSILLON MAYOR KATHY CATAZARO-PERRY & DAUGHTER

(See SCPR video of the mayor's presentation)

Normally, one does not encounter heart rending stories at political campaign rallies.

But yesterday Bill Clinton's appearance at the Canton-based Local 550 Ironworkers Hall (High & 6th St NW) before some 500 persons was the exception.

The Clinton campaign accomplished two things yesterday in presenting Massillon mayor Kathy Catazaro-Perry and her disabled daughter as a featured before Bill Clinton presenter at the rally promoting the presidential candidacy of Bill's wife Hillary.

First, it is the heart warming story of a carrying the burdens of being a public official mom who has a superlative personal history of being a caring person caring a torch for disadvantaged Stark Countians.

Second, it set the Clintons up as being empathic with and highly supportive of in terms of public policy for the disadvantaged in contrast to Republican candidate Donald J. Trump.

On or about November 24, 2015 Trump mocked a reporter whom he thought had a disability, to wit:



On or about October 1, 2016 Trump mocked Hillary Clinton for having had a health problem during a 9/11 memorial last month.



Contrast the foregoing the Clinton campaign providing center stage to Mayor Catazaro-Perry and her daughter yesterday.



In a mere 4:49 Mayor Kathy and her daughter makes the case for Hillary Clinton to all who have a sense of being attentive to human needs in the context of being developmentally disadvantage or something that we all encounter from time to time:  being ill.

For those who might want to think that there is no objective evidence that Clinton has made children a priority going back in her political career of  public life and office holding, they might want to take a look at these websites:

• the S-Chip program,
• the effect of her involvement with the Childrens Defense League,

Whoever put together the pre Bill Clinton speaks part of yesterday's rally did Hillary Clinton a whole lot of good in provide space to the Catazaro-Perry family.

Will the campaign have the sagacity to put snippets of the Catazaro-Perry presentation in contrast to the Trump mockings in a 30/60 second ad?

It could be a difference maker, no?

BOXING GLOVES IN NORTH CANTON: DEHOFF/LEMMON VERSUS THE CITIZENS

UPDATE:  SNYDER DENIES THAT HE HAD ANY KNOWLEDGE OF NORTH RIDGE ABATEMENT 
(SEE HIS E-MAIL TO SCPR) (6:10 AM 10/06/2016)

SNYDER EMAIL:

jsnyder@... Oct 5 at 9:11 PM

To:  tramols@att.net

Martin,

It's true I have a personal relationship with Lemmon and DeHoff,  As i've told you before, I had nothing to do with the North Ridge Tax Abatement.  Eric Bowles offered the abatement; with whom he spoke within the Administration I have no knowledge.  

I look forward to being placed under oath or to be deposed relative to this issue.

Whomever is your source, should verify their facts before pointing fingers. 

 If they check with the actual parties involved they will verify I had no involvement in this matter.

Best regards,

Jon Snyder

VIDEO

NORTH CANTON CITY SCHOOLS 

SUPERINTENDENT JEFF WENDORF

ON

NORTH CANTON'S CRA

North Canton citizens Melanie Roll and Miriam Baughman are leading the fight to "roll back" tax abatements granted by North Canton former economic development director/housing officer Eric Bowles on behalf of North Canton government to North Ridge Place, LTD (owned by well known Stark County/North Canton real estate developers Robert DeHoff and William Lemmon as well as the property owners of 331 Harmon St, NW, North Canton.

The issue that Roll and Baughman along with a number of other North Canton citizens have zeroed in on is what is known as the North Community Reinvestment Areas legislation in terms of:

• its past application,
• whether or not it should be expanded, or 
• done away with altogether

No matter where one stands on CRAs, North Cantonians deserve a thoroughgoing vetting of the matter.

On past and prospective application, the SCPR sees nothing disharmony and dispute which likely will only be resolved in a court of law.

On expansion or jettisoning of the CRA (probably at next week's council meeting) it will boil down to counting councilperson noses.

For jettisoning:

Peters  (Ward 2, council president)

Foltz (Ward 1)

For expansion:

Kiesling (at large)

Werren (Ward 3)

Could go either way:

Cerreta (at large)

Griffith (at large, on record as being against CRAs that affect school revenues)

On expansion, Ward 4 councilman Dominic Fonte being in the real estate business has been recusing himself and the SCPR expects him to continue doing so.

On jettisoning, Fonte, if he votes at all, will likely vote to do away with North Canton's CRA.

If the CRA is scrapped, contrary to local media reports to the contrary, the SCPR thinks CRA in North Canton is a non-starter for the foreseeable future.

The Stark County Political Report applauds Roll and Baughman for taking on the role of citizen activists in their (along with a core of other North Canton community activists) quest to compel North Canton City Council to face up to the ramifications (mostly to the schools of North Canton) of council having created a municipal legislative scheme authorized (if properly done) by Ohio statutory law.

The claim is that North Canton government has gone about forming and implementing the relevant "Community Reinvestment Area" legislation all wrong therefore "as a matter of" needs to clawback abatements already given and to rescind future abatements.

The SCPR has been led to believe that city officials were in discussion with Lemmon and DeHoff about getting a voluntary agreement from them to give back the first year's abatement and forego those in the offing over the next 11 years.

But DeHoff and Lemmon are having none of that.  Clearly, a case of wishful thinking on the part of city officials (in the main, Mayor David Held), no?



Let's parse the DeHoff/Lemmon letter.

Translation:   Councilwomen Marcia Kiesling and Stephanie Werren (wife of Republican Canton Municipal Court judge Curtis Werren, who, himself received to Republican John Kasich Stark County judgeship appointments).

While six of seven of North Canton's councilpersons are Republicans (Ward 1 councilman Doug Foltz being the only Democrat), most of them are "reasonably" loyal to Republican political connectedness whereas The Report believes that Councilwomen Kiesling and Werren are "sold out" Republicans who let political party identity and connectedness have an undue place in whom they support for North Canton staff positions (e.g. the law director position) and, perhaps, on issues like the CRA; especially, when well-known Republicans such as DeHoff and Lemmon (at least it appears that they are registered as such on the Ohio secretary of state registered voter list) have a stake in a given issue.

Kiesling (a councilperson at large) admitted at a North Canton Wards 2 and 3 meeting several months ago that she had in received "in the past" political contributions from DeHoff and/or Lemmon.

The SCPR thinks Kiesling and Werren rank among the most partisan of all of Stark County political subdivision councilpersons.

Because of their perceived high degree of partisanship, it is difficult to think that political I.D. doesn't factor into their government decision making.

Of course, one always has to take the position that Kiesling and Werren denials that political party I.D. nor political connections with DeHoff/Lemmon have anything whatsoever to do with their respective positions on the DeHoff/Lemmon abatement and/or their support of a CRA expansion could be true.

But such always comes down to the reality among extant among everyday citizens:  "Who is going to believe it?"

Many issues at the local level of politics have no political factor to them whatsoever and partisanship/non-partisanship is irrelevant.

However, every once in a while an issue that has a historical Republican/Democrat point of view to it will surface.

For instance, Democrats generally favor enforcing government regulations to deal with community problems.

Republicans generally  are in love with turning to the private sector to solve this or that community problem.

A part of the DeHoff/Lemmon argument that does hold water, to wit:

But to compare North Canton's housing stock to Cleveland, Akron, Canton, (why is Massillon missing?) and Alliance is just "way out there!"

Oh yes, there are properties that need attention and the SCPR agrees with DeHoff/Lemmon that local government official and the failure to do "due diligence" code enforcement is the reason why many cities in Ohio, Stark County and, indeed, the nation inner city housing stock is being torn down in huge numbers (Canton is presently facing a 3,500 unit, more or less, problem).

Canton, Massillon and Alliance are heavily involved with the Stark County Land Reutilization Corporation (a non-profit) in getting funding (to the tune of millions and millions of dollars) to tear down its abandoned and condemned housing.

North Canton's neighborhood housing stock deficiency has more to do with the "due diligence" factor cited above and the lack of foresight and vision on the part of past generations of North Canton government leaders in allowing homes to be constructed on very small lots, in some cases without basements and/or garages.

Undoubtedly, decades and decades ago, developers were clamoring city hall in the way of pressuring government officials:  "let's get them up and get them up now, with no planning" for their future viability in terms of durability and saleability.

Talk about setting up prospects for having a hard time marketing housing stock?

Overall North Canton's deficient housing stock is nowhere near the likes of Stark County's other urban centers.

To lump North Canton into afore-described is forcing an argument of the significance of the DeHoff/Lemmon contribution to the overall improvement in North Canton housing stock, is more than a little bit disingenuous.

Again, some agreement on the part of the SCPR with DeHoff/Lemmon.

The Report believes from talking with former and present North Canton officials that Bowles was indeed the initiating factor on the North Ridge project.

Moreover, itis hard to believe that nobody in North Canton government knew about the Bowles action vis-a-vis North Ridge Place, LTD, especially Held and Law Director Tim Fox.

Some North Cantonians tell the SCPR that they think that former Ward 4 councilman and president of council Jon Snyder knew but because of a close friendship with DeHoff and Lemmon failed to alert other city officials and/or school officials object himself to the loss of perhaps as much as $800,000 plus in school revenues.

(Note:  See post-orginal-posting of blog e-mail at the beginning of this from Snyder denying any knowledge of the North Ridge LTD abatement)

Again to say, the SCPR believes that ultimately this matter may well come before a court of law.

And that could be a good thing.

For in that context there is a strong likelihood that the likes of Bowles, Held, Sndyer, Fox, DeHoff and Lemmon will be required to testify "under oath."

Maybe such will be the only context in which North Cantonians will get to the truth of the matter, no?

Here is a video of Superintendent Wendorf as he raised objections to the abatement having been given North Ridge and the continuation thereof.



An interesting side to the Wendorf video is the zeal with which Councilwomen Kiesling and Werren support the abatement and, indeed, an expansion of a North Canton CRA.

Hmm?

The downside of the looming fight between and among citizens city officials and DeHoff/Lemmon on the abatement/CRA issue, is that therein lie the seeds of a whole lot of damage being done to the North Canton body politic.

The DeHoff/Lemmon letter suggests that they are in no mood to do a "come let us reason together" rapprochment with city officials on the matter.

And that could well mean the divergent interests putting the boxing gloves on in an endeavor to beat the other side into submission in a zero-sum fashion.

It that happens, you can bet your bottom dollars that North Canton will never be the same again.

Is that a good or bad thing?

Answer:  It will all be in the eye of the beholder, no?

But in any event, the matter the issue needs to be fully

VOL 4 OF 4: SCPR ANALYSIS OF REP/LWV CANDIDATES NIGHT 09/27/2016

JAKMIDES VERSUS FERRERO

IF THERE WAS EVER ANY DOUBT, THIS ONE-ON-ONE 

RESOLVES ALL IN FAVOR OF

?

Democrat John Ferrero (not Ferraro as spelled by LWV placard (as seen in accompanying video) preparer) is in for the political fight of his life to remain as Stark County prosecutor come January 1, 2017.

Leading Stark County criminal defense attorney and Republican Jeff Jakmides is going all-out to put Ferrero (a former Stark Dems' chairman originally "appointed" to the office in 2003) on the political sidelines.

Ferrero handily defeated Jakmides in 2004.

But the SCPR believes that the 2016 election might turnout to have a different result.

For those Stark County voters who want to know "the full story" of the varying perspectives of the functioning of the prosecutor's office as between Ferrero and Jakmides, here is a list of blogs done by The Stark County Political Report which collectively detail the differences between the two.

Ferrero/Jakmides on March 28, 2016,

Ferrero/Jakmides on March 30, 2016,

Ferrero/Jakmides on April 19, 2016,

Ferrero/Jakmides on May 6, 2016,

Ferrero/Jakmides on May 16, 2016 [NextChapter Debate],

Jakmides (prosecutor) campaign kickoff on July 1, 2016,

Jakmides on the issue of trust on July 5, 2016,

Ferrero/Jakmides on August 19, 2016,

One of the most impressive things about Jakmides to the SCPR is that he is financing his own campaign.

From The Report's perspective, nobody connected to the Stark County justice system and running for political office should be accepting campaign donations because one can bet her/his bottom dollar that if the need arises a contributor for him/herself or others she/he by virute of having made a financial contribution likely attempt to weigh in for special favors of a prosecutor, judge, sheriff or law director.

Not to eliminate all but the financially well of like Jakmides in running for a justice system office, Ohio should consider setting up public financing of justice system elective offices elections.

One of the SCPR's main beefs with John Ferrero (going back to 2009) is that The Report thinks that Ferrero—in pushing the prosecution of Marlboro Township police chief Ron Devies and his son Kyle on felony counts in what the SCPR thinks was at worst a misunderstanding/miscommunication involving the township's internal computer operations/Internet presence—was motivated by political connection factors.

Here are a number of blogs which bear on how Ferrero handled the Devies mattter and constitute a way in which readers can familiarize themselves with Ferrero's (his office's) conduct in with the Devises.

(Note:  interesting and perhaps in a sense ironically [hindsight being 20/20] Jeff Jakmides represented Ron Devies)

• January 27, 2009, (the beginning of the politically inspired "witch hunt?")
• "Area press reports have recounted how Marlboro Township trustees voted on January 12th to put the chief on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation by the Stark County sheriff's department on possible misconduct involving township computers."
• April 7, 2009, (bearing on SCPR's take on Ferrero's political connections),
• May 20, 2009, (what if the Devieses are acquitted, apologies forthcoming?),
• May 21, 2009, (The Repository editorial board minimalizes the matter),
• March 23, 2010, (Ferrero's political attack on the SCPR),
• May 26, 2016 (Devies charges dismissed by Judge Lee Sinclair)

Ever since Devies came up, The Report has come to think of Ferrero to be far too infected with a political calculus to be viewed as a "for the impartial administration of justice" prosecutor.  He does seem to be a respecter persons and therefore not somebody Stark Countians should want to continue on as Stark County prosecutor.

Ferrero and his office stumbled and bumbled in making the county treasury whole as a consequence of the theft of upwards of $3 million by now former Stark County Chief Deputy Treasurer Vince Frustaci which surfaced in April, 2009.

Only the pressure/efforts of local attorney and civic activist Craig T. Conley did he and his office get going on any semblance at all of restoring Stark County's financial loss from those subject to civil liability for the loss according to Ohio law.

Ferrero also was in the thick of a political challenge to George T. Maier's qualification to be county sheriff in early 2013 on the development of the "for health reasons" inability of elected in November, 2012 as sheriff Mike McDonald to take office.

In a highly ironical sense, the Ferrero/Maier face off  (the SCPR thinks) is battle of two of Stark County's most political elective office holding officials.

A number of folks think Ferrero stepped forward and used a function as prosecutor (i.e. interpreting the-then Ohio sheriff required qualifications statute) to advance his political interest in his well known and publicized fight with the Johnnie A. Maier, Jr Massillon Political Machine.

Ferrero is a former Massillon law director/city prosecutor.

And, remember, he is a former chairman of the Stark County Democratic Party.

Shouldn't having been the chairman of a political party be a disqualifying criterion for anyone being eligible to run for an elected position in Ohio's justice system or a the very least in the minds of voters, if we want that system to have the confidence of the integrity of that system?

Now on to the candidates forum sponsored by the Canton League of Women Voters (C-LWV) and The The Repository.

First, the candidates' opening statements.

The video:  (4:34)



From here on out, this blog frames the forum Q&A by:

• the overall title of the question/issue, 
• the video of the exchange between Jakmides and Fererro, and 
• the SCPR analysis of the answers

QUESTION/ISSUE # 1: DIRECT INDICTMENTS

The video:  (6:43)



SCPR analysis:

A key issue brought out by Jakmides from the beginning of his campaign which Ferrero has been scrambling to deal with in terms of having a spotty record on in implementing and/or staying with.

Ferrero in this video introduces a new tack.  County financial woes forced him to curtail if not eliminate direct indictment implementation.

Interesting, no?

If Jakmides is correct that implementing it saves Stark County subdivision taxpayers thousands upon thousands of dollars, it is a no brainer that one find the seed money to fuel the great savings.

In this election, Ferrero is receiving the endorsement of much if not all of law enforcement.

Hmm?

Could it be that it is payback for protecting the overtime pay police and others in the law enforcement get in a muted implementation of direct indictment?

The SCPR remembers during the most recent county budget crisis (2011-2012) Ferrero threatening the Stark County commissioners on the issue of budget appropriations for his office (see this blog of January 25, 2012 LINK) with farming out the prosecution of cases via forcing judges to appoint private practice attorneys which, of course, would have been very costly to the overall Stark County "general fund" budget and thereby jeopardized the financing of other aspects of Stark County government.

Pretty atrocious behavior for a justice system elected official, no?

QUESTION/ISSUE # 2: DEALING WITH HEROIN EPIDEMIC

The video:  (6:43)



SCPR analysis:

Look at this graphic:

In the 2012-2013 reporting period, there were an over the two year span average of 34 deaths from heroin and other opiates overuse related deaths.

Guess where the number is as of August 25, 2016?

According to a local media report:  36!

Looks like to the SCPR that the Stark County criminal justice system (which Prosecutor Ferrero is a key element of) is not being very effective, no?

In his LWV presentation, Candidate Jakmides makes a convincing case that he is equipped to be more effective in tamping down this increasingly chronic problem than the sitting prosecutor, no?

QUESTION/ISSUE # 3: PLEA BARGAINING

The video:  (4:54)



SCPR analysis:

It there was no "plea bargaining" and prosecutors were forced to try every case in which there was not "a guilty as charged" plea, it would take forever to get cases disposed of.

So knowledgeable people understand and support "a reasonable use" of plea bargaining.

Jakmides point is that the Ferrero-led Stark County prosecutorial team overuses plea bargaining.

And this is exactly where lay persons are coming from when they complain about the use of plea bargaining.

In one of the blogs linked above, the SCPR (based on material researched by Jakmides [confirmed independently by The Report] shows objective data on the highly excessive use of plea bargaining by the Stark County prosecutor's office on cases that weigh heavily on the public safety going forward.

It appears to the SCPR that with his over 500 jury trial experience will play large in Jakmides playing tougher with accused criminals resulting in them being out of Stark County neighborhoods and behind bars for a longer period of time.

QUESTION/ISSUE # 4: HANDLING OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASES

The video:  (3:56)




SCPR analysis:

Domestic Violence case only become a matter for the Stark County prosecutor when there are multiple offenses which escalates what normally a misdemeanor (handled entirely by municipal courts) into being a felony.

And, as Prosecutor Ferrero, points out, all to often the victim becomes uncooperative if not refusing to aid in a prosecution.

However, when yours truly's daughter was a prosecutor in the Atlanta, GA area, she was able to gain a conviction of in a misdemeanor domestic violence case.

Skilled prosecutors can and do get convictions in the face of not having an ideal case.

Jakmides, as seen in the video, gives practical clothes to his argument for more extensive use of direct indictments in Stark County.

Direct indictments in domestic violence cases would bring the case to a head much quicker and presumably reduce the likelihood that the key witness becomes uncooperative.

QUESTION/ISSUE # 5: COMMUNITY INITIATIVE TO REDUCE VIOLENCE (CIRV)

The video:  (3:39)




SCPR analysis:

In this video Ferrero explains why he does not think direct indictment is effective in resolving the domestic violence program.

Ferrero is far more effective in embracing the CIRV program that Jakmides is.

Jakmides appears to be out to prove how tough he is on crime.

Nobody thinks John Ferrero likes crime and wants to coddle criminal.

The Report thinks that Jakmides is overdoing the "tough on crime" thing especially in the context of this question.

QUESTION/ISSUE # 6: CRIMINAL JUSTICE & MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES

The video:  (3:56)



SCPR analysis:

From the video, which candidate do you think has a better handle on criminal justice and the mental condition of defendants?

It looks to The Report that it is Candidate Jakmides.

QUESTION/ISSUE #7: CRIMINAL JUSTICE & FELONY REENTRY TO JOBS

The video:  (4:05)




SCPR analysis:

Here the edge goes to Candidate Ferrero.

He effectively answers in citing an instance in which he helped a person gain employment by responding to the inquiry of a prospective employer.

QUESTION/ISSUE #8: SENTENCING REFORM

The video:  (4:05)




SCPR analysis:

Candidate Jakmides has the more responsive answer.

He takes a forthright position in the way of eliminating mandatory sentences.  And he makes a strong statement in support of fairness in sentencing between those who are well stationed in life as compared to the everyday or down and out citizen.

QUESTION/ISSUE #9:  JUSTICE RE: ABUSIVE/ACCUSED OF CRIME POLICE OFFICERS

The video:  (5:42)




SCPR analysis:

Both candidates of course are for holding police to the same legal standards that we are all are accountable to.

If one believes Jakmides, Prosecutor Jakmides staff has not done an effective job on that score in Stark County.

The Report agrees with Jakmides that there is concern that police stick up for one another and perhaps particularly in Stark County.

It appears that Prosecutor Ferrero is so connected to Stark County policing to the effect that policing is held to different criminal law standard than Stark County political subdivision policing generally is.

The Stark County public should have more confidence in Jakmides than Ferrero on this score.

CLOSING STATEMENTS