Where is the Outrage?

 More Corruption from The Democratic Machine

When I heard the news today that two staffers at the Cuyahoga County Board of Revision, one fired for incompetence, and the other quit because he was breaking the law, were rehired by Frank Russo, I was not surprised, but I was disgusted.

For Democratic County Auditor Frank Russo to say that these jobs did not violate the county hiring freeze is a smack in the face to Cuyahoga County taxpayers. Does Frank Russo actually believe that? I don’t think so!

Thank you to The Plain Dealer’s Mark Puente. At least someone is being diligent in the absence of common sense in the county departments.

Let me begin by saying, there are at least two people - Councilman Day and Mr. Chambers - who should get ready to be fired on January 1, 2011. When I am County Executive, I will not tolerate incompetence and illegality amongst employees in county government. Period.

These two’s jobs will be eliminated as quickly as they were created. It is so appalling that tens of thousands of Cuyahoga County residents are out of jobs, and the Democratic Machine continues to reward these types of people and create jobs for them - when there is supposedly a hiring freeze - and the general public has no ability to apply for these jobs.

These jobs are great jobs, earning an average of 30 percent more than the mean salary of the average Cuyahoga County resident to boot. There are thousands of people who would have been qualified and would love a great job like Messer’s Day and Chambers just got, all in one day and with no job interview or apparent qualifications, for jobs that didn’t exist.

This is outrageous, but typical of the Cuyahoga County Democratic Machine. I am sick of this and as outraged as you are, but where is presumptive Democratic Executive Nominee Mayor Ed Fitzgerald on this outrage? He may be quiet because Councilman Brian Day (D- 4) of Parma has endorsed him. Did Mayor Fitzgerald wink and nod and promise to keep him in his job? You cannot say that you are running to clean up the county, when one of those who have stained the county is one of your supporters, as listed on his website,

The beat will not go on when I am your Executive. I will eliminate the patronage system and replace it with qualified public servants dedicated to the people, not the political parties that nurture them along, regardless of skill. I am dedicated to eliminate the double dipping, being “retired” and drawing a salary any way. You can either retire, or work, but you can’t do both at taxpayer expense. I may hire a few experts back on a contract basis, but double dipping ends when the Lanci Administration begins.

There is only one way to break this cycle of political patronage, incompetence, and illegality. Elect me, the real Independent, County Executive, and it will be done. On day one, just as quickly as The Democratic Machine created these patronage jobs, I will eliminate them. As a champion of the people, you have my word that this will be done, in your name.

Read about my lawsuit filed last week to block decisions made by commissioners and the auditor to protect taxpayers. Read coverage from this blog here.

Campaign Blogs