Youngstown-Area Democrat Party Leaders Stand by Demorcrat AG Marc Dann
Published May 6th, 2008 @ 9:44 am. Tags: cafaro, christ michelakis, lisa antonini, marc dann“It’s been very quick,” Mahoning Democratic Chairwoman Lisa Antonini said about the public outcry for [Marc] Dann to resign. “He’s done some great things for the state and the party.”
Sexual harassment charges against Anthony Gutierrez, who served as Dann’s general services director, by two female subordinates prompted the investigation.
The report criticized Dann’s office for failing to properly oversee management employees, cronyism and a litany of judgment errors by the attorney general and senior staffers.
Dann, who is married, also admitted an affair with Jessica Utovich, his former scheduler, who resigned Thursday, a day before the report’s release.
Also, the investigation led to the firing of Gutierrez and communications director Leo Jennings III, both longtime friends and former roommates of Dann, and the resignation of Edgar Simpson, his chief of policy and administration.
Strickland did what he felt was best for the state and the Democratic Party, Antonini said, and she respects that.
But she won’t call for Dann’s resignation, saying that’s a decision the attorney general has to make with his family.
Dann is “on his own, and he has no one to protect him,” Antonini said. “With your own party telling you to resign, it’s going to be hard for him to do the job.”
Strickland said Dann refused to quit Sunday saying, “There is nothing I have done to make me resign.”
Democratic officials say they will seek to impeach Dann — as soon as today — if he doesn’t resign. State Republican leaders agree impeachment is in order if Dann doesn’t quit.
“I think that there is a great chance that we can continue to do great work for the people of the state of Ohio,” Dann wrote Monday in an e-mail to his employees. “I know that this is difficult, and I am truly sorry to have put all of you in this position.”
Christ Michelakis, Trumbull Democratic chairman, also said he wouldn’t call for Dann’s resignation. Dann lives in Liberty, a township in Trumbull County.
“He’s a local guy, and I don’t want to do that,” Michelakis said.
When asked if that was his entire reason for not calling for Dann’s resignation, Michelakis said, “Yes.”
The chairman also said even though Dann has lost the support of his state party’s leadership, “he’s going to get through this. It’s going to be difficult, but it’s possible.”
I suppose when you are involved in political machines which are close to the mafia, having an affair with your scheduler, soliciting perjury, and sexual harassment doesn’t seem like such a big deal.
But speaking of the mafia, State Senator Capri Cafaro, daughter of mafia boss and well-connected Democrat JJ Cafaro (He bought Dann’s former seat in the legislature for his daughter by donating heavily to Dann’s AG campaign), is even calling for Dann to resign:
State Sen. Capri Cafaro of Liberty, D-32nd, who succeeded Dann in the Senate when he was elected attorney general in 2006, said she’s not surprised Dann is fighting the resignation calls. But he should quit for the sake of the Democratic Party and his family, Cafaro said.
Regarding GOP possible replacements.. it all depends on if Cordray runs or not. If he does, he has a million in the bank now and all the special counsel have already indicated that they will line up behind him with more $$. Also, the big banks will contribute more as he still is the State Treasurer. Any wise GOP officeholder will realize that it will take at least 2 million to beat Cordray. No way for a GOP candidtae to raise that much money in a few months for a run at the AG’s office.
Regarding Republican replacements:
1. Goodman wont even be asked to apply - he is so, so, so liberal on EVERY single issue, it is amazing how he got his chairmanship in the Senate. He is also currently running for Court of Appeals and he is not raising any money and will probably lose if he stays in the race. Already lost countywide a few years back.
2. Betty - her old political hack WEAVER is the one pushing her right now to run…. only so he can become relevant again, it has nothing to do with her. My sources tell me that other people close to her, who actually care about her are telling her not to do it. She is doing fine in the private sector. Also, we can’t keep living in the past with former statewide officeholders.
3. Petro - good guy, buy he is making an incredible amount of $$ working for Stan Chesley now …. an incredible amount of $$ (good for him)….. he aint interested in this job.
4. Grendell … good guy, but wont have the statewide support and deep down inside, he knows that he is better off staying in the safe senate district he is in now. I believe he is up for relection any way.
5. Ron O’Brien - keep an eye on him. Yes, he is up for relection, but there is a chance he would do it. I beleive in 2006 the name O’Brien received more votes than Hartman and/or Blackwell. Good statewide name that would play well up north.
6. Phil Heimlich - there is a chance…. he is sitting on several hundreds of thousands of dollars from his last campaign and has personal wealth and the Cincy money guys would kick in big bucks.
We can sit around here and speculate all we want, but at the end of the day, a few guys sitting around a table at ORP HQ (and Maybe Jo Ann) will make this decision for all of us. Isn’t democracy grand!!!