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More Drama from the Summit GOP
- Filed under: Arshinkoff / Coughlin
- Date: Mar 15,2008
Our own Akron Beacon Journal reports that Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner said in her 169 page deposition from her Ohio Supreme Court hearing that it was Wayne Jones who said Alex Arshinkoff should not be reappointed to the Summit County BOE. Jones also reportedly was the one who said Arshinkoff's preferred replacement, Brian Daley, should also not be on the board (Don Varian was Brunner's eventual choice). The deposition took five and a half hours on Wednesday night.
I hate to say it, but this all sets up perfect for Alex to play the victim and try to gain sympathy. There is no question that he should not have been back on the elections board. Not now or ever. His conduct there can't be defended. Brunner, in my estimation, probably overstepped her boundaries, and unfortunately I think that will overshadow the fact that Alex was rightfully kicked off the board. Now that will be overshadowed and Alex can go on the attack (Sidebar: Can you imagine the uproar if this situation was reversed and Ken Blackwell had thrown Wayne Jones or another Democrat off the Summit County BOE?)
This whole battle just continues to get stranger by the day, but one thing hasn't changed: Alex has still spent over $300,000 of party money to save his job - money that could clearly spent, you know, helping Republicans win races. When someone needs to spend that kind of money to save their job, doesn't that tell you something? Arshinkoff continues to claim Kevin Coughlin is working with Wayne Jones, which is an absurd statement. On that subject, Jones said "'I have never had a conversation with Coughlin. I don't have a dog in that fight. I could care less. I hope both of them pull guns out and shoot each other." Nice. Jones obviously wants Arshinkoff out of his life, but he isn't working with Coughlin.
Who knows what is next.
Ed Esposito at Akron News Now has some audio of the situation and more information on a package containing an anonymous complaint and material against Arshinkoff that arrived at the SOS office in Columbus. Brunner used the information to help make her decision.
10 Responses for "More Drama from the Summit GOP"
Brunners conduct is out of line regardless
ORC says she has the right, period. The atmosphere there has already improved with Alexes henchmen gone. I suggest that before people comment on the subject (not Alex or the parties invoved) find out for yourselves what is really going on and come to your own conclusion.
Could the atmosphere have gotten worse?
Nice blog, Ben and Kyle. Your discourse is orders of magnitude better than what reigns on the comments pages. And it keeps former Summit County residents like myself in touch with what's going on in the old neighborhood.
-JRS (Boulder, CO)
Ben,
She didn't overstep her bounds (statutorily speaking). She made a bold move to effect much needed change at the disfunctional BOE….Disfunctional because of Alex and a few of his henchmen. He was the cancer and she HAD to remove it regardless of the political consequences. Daley's appointment would have clearly continued the absolute madness there and everyone knew it.
There are two obvious Republican camps in Summit. Having both represented on the Board could arguably be a great thing. Alex still has his boy Jack Jr. there. That is, if he can keep the door of his graveyard of a closet shut for a little while longer.
This charade is a political move so Alex can claim that his conspiracy theory that R&A is trying to take over the world has merit and to gain sympathy from Republicans that don't know what this guy is all about . Does this temporarily play into his hands? Sure. Will it ultimately change the outcome? God help us!
Alex has always overplayed the "I'm a victim" thing - as if he's never wispered in the ear of an elected politician with whom he had influence with (law of the prairie Alex, law of the prairie). Give me a break. Don't fall for it Ben. Like it or not, Brunner is shaking things up all across Ohio. Summit BOE was crying out for a shake up. If it takes a Democrat to rid us of the cancer that is Alex Arshinkoff, then so be it. This, without a doubt, will be better for the Summit GOP and the BOE in the long run.
I've never been one to defend Jones but he knows that keeping Alex around means nothing but good things for his party in terms of maintaining their total dominance in Summit. I believe, however, in this instance, that he is genuinely concerned with restoring some level of civility, fairness and honor among theives in Summit County politics.
Bows, nods, and gives a grandious hyperboly. Your are right on the noggin with this Ollie, I witnessed it, and lived it. She did what Taft and Blackwell would not do. The saddest thing is that it took a Democrat to do what a Republican would not do. Now if we can just get O'Connoor to recuse herself that would be a great thing as well.
Wow…secret packages with materials targeting someone? I thought Lucas County was the political drama zone but I think you have us beat Ben.
Thanks Phanotm. We need to keep the pressure on her to do the right thing in the end. You just know he is calling in every marker on this one. Someone should depose her on what her conversations were/are with Arsh or one of his confidants about this case.
Thanks JRS. I hope for your sake in Boulder you are a liberal, othherwise your survival would be in question there.
Ok everyone here is the thing that gets me. O'Connor has been the tie breaker so far as all the things with Brunner, with that said the main thing now is literally every function that Alex Arshinkoff has her at she stands, smiles and says "I would not be here if it was not for Alex!" with that said look into the Secretary of States web site and you tell me with all those donations that good old Alex is giving her if you think she can be fair and impartial? also when you check the history of her office a few years back there was a little thing that happened with some finance dinner tickets in relation to Alex and it became real quick a small problem swept under the rug. Now can anyone deny that there is a vested interest there? My Lady, Me thinks you should recuse yourself according to Judicial Canon, or are you the one that has some sort of partisanship here?
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