I found it quite amusing him attacking anyone that had reported anything negative about him.  Tip of my hat to him for invoking the "vast right wing/ Karl Rove conspiracy" defense.  This train wreck just took on a whole new level of amusing.

Italian Americans should be outraged over this, OUTRAGED!  :lol:

I may be mistaken but didn't Z. Reed try to turn his last DUI conviction into a prejudicial thing too? IMO, that whole press conference smacks of desperation.

K&G construction manager Henry "Hank" Picozzi was sentenced to two-years in prison for bribing two Cleveland building inspectors...

 

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2009/09/kd_group_construction_manager.html

 

The doo-doo has hit the fan and is now starting to splatter...

 

Bribery charges filed against construction exec, nightclub operators

By Mark Puente, The Plain Dealer

October 08, 2009, 5:22PM

 

CLEVELAND, Ohio —The corruption probe that has gripped Cuyahoga County government for more than a year -- but played out exclusively in federal court -- made its way to state court Thursday when five local businessmen were charged with bribery.

 

The FBI investigated the Cleveland Building and Housing Department earlier this year. Agents then turned over the case to Cleveland police this spring and said state charges could follow.

 

More at http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2009/10/post_58.html

 

FFS, he sure took his time.

 

Cuyahoga County Auditor Frank Russo resigns

 

CLEVELAND, Ohio

 

Cuyahoga County Auditor Frank Russo resigned this morning.

 

Russo is a top target of a large-scale federal corruption probe that broke into the public consciousness in July 2008, when dozens of federal agents fanned out across the county to raid the offices of government officials and businesses that had won public contracts.

 

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2010/09/post_350.html

Now if the other one could just do the same... probably won't happen though. 

http://www.cleveland.com/countyincrisis/index.ssf/2010/09/county_commissioner_jimmy_dimo_1.html

 

Well, DiMora was arrested this morning by the FBI.  Wonder why he gets the dog and pony show while Russo did not?

Just guessing here, but didn't Russo have a deal worked out? If Dimora does not, that would probably explain it.

hahaahahhah

I wonder why the chains were considered necessary.

 

FINALLY!

I wonder why the chains were considered necessary.

 

Have you ever seen King Kong?

I wonder why the chains were considered necessary.

 

Have you ever seen King Kong?

 

LMAO! 

 

Although it would've been hilarious watching Dimora try to scale the Key Tower!

My favorite part of this whole story is that the voters of Cuyahoga county basically were the ones to fire him, and shake things up to try to end what seems like systemic corruption.

 

 

I wonder why the chains were considered necessary.

 

Have you ever seen King Kong?

 

LMAO! 

 

Although it would've been hilarious watching Dimora try to scale the Key Tower!

 

For accuracy he'd have to scale the iconic TT.  That would make for a better story.

Chains??  Sweet!!!

DiMora and the two judges refused to cooperate with the Feds from my understanding.  That is why they got arrested the way they did.

I wonder why the chains were considered necessary.

 

Have you ever seen King Kong?

 

LMAO!

 

Although it would've been hilarious watching Dimora try to scale the Key Tower!

 

For accuracy he'd have to scale the iconic TT. That would make for a better story.

 

I guess that would be better size proportion!!!!!

You have to give the feds a big pat on the back for taking the time and (seemingly) getting EVERYONE involved.

You have to give the feds a big pat on the back for taking the time and (seemingly) getting EVERYONE involved.

 

True, but if they don't get serious convictions, the folks in CC will say, "the government spent all that time and taxpayer money only to have it blow up in your face."

 

Now that the county adminstration is being cleared, lets hope that the new people move the county forward and we just dont circle around the drain like have been for a while.

 

The city seems to be recovering financially, population (inmigration) and from a business perspective.  Suburbs seem to be stabalizing.

 

Lets hope our new government can move forward for the better of all NE Ohio.

I would ABSOLUTELY love a Fitgerald type federal prosecutor to come into Cleveland once he is done in Chicago. 

Well, Fitzgerald let Karl Rove get away. 

 

I wonder why the chains were considered necessary.

Yeah, it's not like Dimora was going to outrun them.  More likely, it was done so that the Plain Dealer could have a sensationalistic picture for the Wednesday late edition. 

 

The WCPN "Sound of Ideas" show covered this.  These bums took $5000 payoffs to get people placed into jobs and trips to Las Vegas from contractors.  They fleeced the public and they fleeced them often, but the scale of the rip offs is still penny-ante.

 

Meanwhile, Karl Rove walks free.  Where is the justice?

They fleeced the public and they fleeced them often, but the scale of the rip offs is still penny-ante.

 

I would agree most of the damage cause by this Jimmy D/Russo crew wasn't the direct cost to the taxpayer or the bribes, which themselves are pretty small, it was the impact they had on doing business in CC and CLE. The real value lost was the business (and tax revenue) lost strictly because they gave the area a bad (worse than deserved?) reputation for doing business that a lot of companies decided it wasn't worth the hassle.

Well considered, CBC.

 

The Plain Dealer wrote an editorial where they (1) heavily insinuated that Fitzgerald was a bum and (2) mentioned that the Plain Dealer had been enthusiastically endorsing these politicians although they actually knew better.

 

One of the commenters recalled how Alex Machaskee controlled the editorials and news content to protect his buddies.  As Roldo Bartimole used to say, Alex Machaskee wanted to be "a player" in this town and affect what developments happened.  It has been decades since I read that column by Bartimole.

Meanwhile, many of the gangsters who controlled Dimora still roam free. All that happened this week was their puppet was arrested. Unless Dimora or Russo talk, their puppetmasters will find new puppets to run.

what are you saying?  This all leads back to Sam Miller?

Rattlesnake Island?

That was fast

 

 

Former Auditor Frank Russo pleads guilty, will spend more than 21 years in prison

Published: Thursday, September 16, 2010, 4:30 PM    Updated: Friday, September 17, 2010, 7:09 AM

 

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Frank Russo -- once the gregarious front man of the local Democratic Party -- solemnly agreed Thursday to what amounts to a life sentence in prison in exchange for concessions that protect his family from further prosecution and allow him to stay free long enough to witness the birth of three grandchildren.

 

Russo pleaded guilty to 21 corruption-related offenses as part of a deal accepted by U.S. District Judge Kate O'Malley. The 60-year-old former Cuyahoga County auditor will be sentenced to nearly 22 years in prison.

 

Russo said that he took the plea deal to spare his family further harm.

 

http://www.cleveland.com/countyincrisis/index.ssf/2010/09/former_auditor_frank_russo_adm.html

His son's company is VinCore? Hilarious.

 

Russo rolling over to protect his kid took the fun out the blood sport spectacle that I was expecting in their corruption trial. Oh well there is still Jimmy D. I can't wait to hear the details of how he once was bribed with two pizzas with extra cheese and mushrooms because the meeting ran through lunch. :)

 

I have been torn on Fitzgerald going forward, so far I have been happy with him as mayor of Lakewood.He's obviously has higher ambitions. If he isn't on the up and up 100%, it is not in the same league of Russo and DiMora, hell he wouldn't even be in the same sport. He worked for the FBI so I think he knows how to walk the line between getting things done and not technically breaking the law. I just realized that I get the same feeling from him that I used to get from John Edwards, I like him but there was something that I couldn't put my finger on.

Meanwhile, many of the gangsters who controlled Dimora still roam free. All that happened this week was their puppet was arrested. Unless Dimora or Russo talk, their puppetmasters will find new puppets to run.

 

Gangsters?  Puppet masters?  Come on now, I think someone's watched the Godfather a few too many times.  Let's be honest, even though the facts against Dimora will be pretty overwhelming, what is he really guilty of?  Alot of favors in exchange for favors.  The stuff with the judges is very petty.  Helping a buddy get his divorce cleaned up?  Hardly a multimillion case and certainly nothing involving "gangsters".  He got some masonry work done at his house and an ice machine installed to set up a fund raiser.  Big whoop.  Got a bj and some free trips to Vegas.  Hardly gangster stuff here.  The sad part is really how easily these fools were bought & sold...  Russo is probably the exception, sounds like he had a bit more of an elaborate scheme going with the appraisal firm, but again, I wouldn't call it gangster activity or as if he was reporting up to some ultimate puppet master.  No information has revealed that these two were reporting up to anyone besides themselves and their own selfish indulgences.

Meanwhile, many of the gangsters who controlled Dimora still roam free. All that happened this week was their puppet was arrested. Unless Dimora or Russo talk, their puppetmasters will find new puppets to run.

 

It's the new model of being a "gangster".  The network is more thin these days - in terms of a central authority...and they're not really gangsters like in the 50's.  But it has the same structure - "I'll owe you" type of thing.    They lean on each other for a mutual benefit. 

 

At the end of the day, this is what happens when you live in a 1 party town.  The "problem" is the Democratic Political Machine in Cuyahoga County.  You take out one or two of the leaders and there are new ones ready to step in. 

 

The network runs deeper than you can imagine and let's face it - people in the county are voting for the Democrats no matter who they trot out there.  Let's not forget all of this about DiMora and Russo isn't really "new" yet they easily won their last elections.  There isn't a lot of turnover in the County either.  A high percentage of people who live here have been in the area for multiple generations.  There isn't a mass of new Non-Native Ohioans moving in that can cycle these cadidates out of office.

 

Whoever controls the Democratic party has all of the power.  Maybe there will be a little in-fighting until 1 group takes control of the party,  but after that, we'll be right back to where we are now.  There's no opposition to the party.  Manuever your way into office and then you start making moves to stay in office.  And that means appointing people you know and can influence, supporting candidates you know and can influence, etc. 

 

My dad was an elected official here for 20 years...I know how it works all too well.

I have been really out of the loop with local news lately, but wed I stopped by the house for lunch and  2 guys giving off the federal agent vibe were looking for stonebridge (um you are right in front of it). It struck me as curious, so much so I sent a text to the spouse "2 feds pulling into SB when I was leaving. LOL can't be good".

 

^So which was your dad, a gangster or a puppet master?

^So which was your dad, a gangster or a puppet master?

 

Keep asking questions and you'll find out.

 

 

...At the end of the day, this is what happens when you live in a 1 party town.  The "problem" is the Democratic Political Machine in Cuyahoga County.  You take out one or two of the leaders and there are new ones ready to step in. 

 

The network runs deeper than you can imagine and let's face it - people in the county are voting for the Democrats no matter who they trot out there.  ...

 

Whoever controls the Democratic party has all of the power.  Maybe there will be a little in-fighting until 1 group takes control of the party,  but after that, we'll be right back to where we are now.  There's no opposition to the party.  Manuever your way into office and then you start making moves to stay in office.  And that means appointing people you know and can influence, supporting candidates you know and can influence, etc. 

...

Let's get cynical, cynical

I wanna get cynical

--for all you Olivia Newton John fans out there

And why aren't you cynical given all that has happened?  Just following the Shepard I suppose.

The network runs deeper than you can imagine and let's face it - people in the county are voting for the Democrats no matter who they trot out there.  Let's not forget all of this about DiMora and Russo isn't really "new" yet they easily won their last elections.  There isn't a lot of turnover in the County either.  A high percentage of people who live here have been in the area for multiple generations.  There isn't a mass of new Non-Native Ohioans moving in that can cycle these cadidates out of office.

 

Whoever controls the Democratic party has all of the power.  Maybe there will be a little in-fighting until 1 group takes control of the party,  but after that, we'll be right back to where we are now.  There's no opposition to the party.  Manuever your way into office and then you start making moves to stay in office.  And that means appointing people you know and can influence, supporting candidates you know and can influence, etc. 

 

This is exactly why I feel that anyone voting for Issue 6 specifically because of this scandal was only fooling themselves.  No matter what shape the government has, the same names will squeeze their way in.  Just look at the primary results.

 

What would have worked better would have been an independent committee writing a package of laws designed to combat this sort of thing and then either put it directly to voters as an amendment to the county charter, or used popular opinion to pressure the commissioners into adopt the package as-is.  Of course, we could still do the same thing under the new charter.

 

The Plain Dealer wrote an editorial where they (1) heavily insinuated that Fitzgerald was a bum and (2) mentioned that the Plain Dealer had been enthusiastically endorsing these politicians although they actually knew better.

 

One of the commenters recalled how Alex Machaskee controlled the editorials and news content to protect his buddies.  As Roldo Bartimole used to say, Alex Machaskee wanted to be "a player" in this town and affect what developments happened.  It has been decades since I read that column by Bartimole.

 

I'd be interested in hearing what people have to say about this editorial.  Here's a link:

 

http://www.cleveland.com/opinion/index.ssf/2010/09/assessing_the_damage_from_dimo.html

^I actually don't think the editorial inferred too much about Fitzgerald.  He may in fact be a bum, but it would take a lot more than the revelations in the indictments to demonstrate it, IMHO.

cynical: The new Cuyahoga County government will have new ethical standards.  That means that if someone is getting kickbacks in money or "other gifts" that there will be "disciplinary" process.  The person could be fired or referred to prosecution.  The old system did not have that.

 

The PD is putting FitzGerald's (sic) name in the editorial as a means of weakening him before the November election.

 

It obviously does not occur to the wealthy out-of-state patricians who own the Plain Dealer that the Democratic Party actually represents the values of the people in this part of the country and that's why we vote for them.

 

The PD is putting FitzGerald's (sic) name in the editorial as a means of weakening him before the November election.

 

 

Well, you can look at it two ways.  Weakening him, or educating the voters.  I prefer the latter

Well if the new County Govt has disciplinary procedures, they should be amended that judges or other officials placed on administrative leave, like the judges charged, do not continue to receive full pay.

http://www.wkyc.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=148865&catid=45

 

Three more judges implicated in the DiMora indictment.  Although not specifically identified, it is fairly clear that two of them are Probate Judge Anthony Russo and Domestic Relations Judge Cheryl Karner.  The other is an unnamed Common Pleas judge.

 

Sheeeessh....

 

The PD is putting FitzGerald's (sic) name in the editorial as a means of weakening him before the November election.

 

 

Well, you can look at it two ways.  Weakening him, or educating the voters.  I prefer the latter

 

At the end of the day, the PD is all about selling newspapers and getting readers to the website.  This county corruption thing must've been a godsend for that.  Blowing up every little detail & development is what they do best.  Making a mountain out of a molehill.  See the Warehouse district tensions for further evidence.  I"m sure they'd love to see Fitzgerald get a little dirt on him now to keep the race close. 

 

Anyone else think it's a little too coincidental that the feds waited till the week after the primary votes to drop the hammer on these clowns?  I suppose a better question is, would the votes have come in much differently if these latest arrests had come a month earlier?

At the end of the day, the PD is all about selling newspapers and getting readers to the website. This county corruption thing must've been a godsend for that. Blowing up every little detail & development is what they do best. Making a mountain out of a molehill. See the Warehouse district tensions for further evidence. I'm sure they'd love to see Fitzgerald get a little dirt on him now to keep the race close.

Nailed it.

Adios Bill.  Don't drop the soap.

 

http://www.clevescene.com/scene-and-heard/archives/2010/09/21/sources-bill-mason-expected-to-resign-soon-face-charges-from-feds

Sources: Bill Mason Expected to Resign Soon, Face Charges From Feds

 

"Cuyahoga County’s corruption scandal has touched almost every corner of county service except the Prosecutor’s Office. That will change in the coming weeks, according to sources with close ties to county politics. Mason is expected to resign by the second week of October, the sources say. Federal charges against him are expected within the next two months.

 

“There’s a reason why they’re not included [in the federal indictments] at this point,” says one of the sources, who spoke with Scene on condition of anonymity. “They’re collecting more information.”"

^lets wait until a better source that the scene prints something credible.  Or wait until there is a named source, or an allegation, or something

 

 

Jimmy Dimora went back to the commisioners meeting? Are you f'n kidding me?

He should have some class and resign.  Even IF there is no impropriety, the appearance of impropriety is so strong that he cannot effectively carry out his duties IMO.  If the county judges have to step down until this mess is cleared up, then so should he.  The Federal Judge did put a restriction on his ability to vote on specific, enumerated matters

He should have some class and resign.  Even IF there is no impropriety, the appearance of impropriety is so strong that he cannot effectively carry out his duties IMO.  If the county judges have to step down until this mess is cleared up, then so should he.  The Federal Judge did put a restriction on his ability to vote on specific, enumerated matters

 

that fat ass needs to step down now, since he cares so much about the people of cuyahoga county!

And the drama continues. I couldn't make this stuff up. Not that is really a big deal in anyway however the timing on it is just perfect.

 

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2010/09/jimmy_dimora_collides_with_tim.html

 

Jimmy Dimora drives SUV into Tim Hagan's car in county building parking lot

Published: Tuesday, September 28, 2010, 11:30 AM    Updated: Tuesday, September 28, 2010, 12:38 PM

Mark Puente, The Plain Dealer

 

The Plain Dealer Share Tweet 12 Comments CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cuyahoga County Commissioner Jimmy Dimora said his car slipped on the wet pavement outside the county Administration Building this morning and his car crashed into Commissioner Tim Hagan's car...