ALERT! - PLEASE READ! State Attorney General's Office...

[Jim O'Bryan]

This morning an LO poster, posted a document they thought came from the State Attorney General's Office regarding an investigation.

I call the OAG's office as soon as I saw it to confirm that it was a factual document, IT WAS NOT.

Someone used Mike DeWine's letterhead, to create a FAKE DOCUMENT, to create fraudulent letter about an investigation.

The document, the post and the letter were saved, and we are working with the OAG's office to find out who created it and why.

Members of the LO Project know there are people in this city that hate, FREE SPEECH, and open conversation, and are desperate to harm this project.

As of right know it is known the document was created last night, after the close of business.

All information about this has been turned over to the Ohio Attorney General's office.

more to follow....

.

[Bridget Conant]

It was clearly a fraudulent document crafted by a person with a subpar intellect.

[Michael Deneen]

Was it mailed?
If so, maybe the sender paid the postage with a credit card.

[Mark Kindt]

Here is the relevant statute:

Ohio Revised Code Section 2913.44 Personating an officer.

(A) No person, with purpose to defraud or knowing that he is facilitating a fraud, or with purpose to induce another to purchase property or services, shall personate a law enforcement officer, or an inspector, investigator, or agent of any governmental agency.

(B) Whoever violates this section is guilty of personating an officer, a misdemeanor of the first degree.

Effective Date: 01-01-1974.

[Mark Kindt]

Here are the relevant federal statutes:

Mail Fraud:

18 United States Code Section 1341

Whoever, having devised or intending to devise any scheme or artifice to defraud, or for obtaining money or property by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises, or to sell, dispose of, loan, exchange, alter, give away, distribute, supply, or furnish or procure for unlawful use any counterfeit or spurious coin, obligation, security, or other article, or anything represented to be or intimated or held out to be such counterfeit or spurious article, for the purpose of executing such scheme or artifice or attempting so to do, places in any post office or authorized depository for mail matter, any matter or thing whatever to be sent or delivered by the Postal Service, or deposits or causes to be deposited any matter or thing whatever to be sent or delivered by any private or commercial interstate carrier, or takes or receives therefrom, any such matter or thing, or knowingly causes to be delivered by mail or such carrier according to the direction thereon, or at the place at which it is directed to be delivered by the person to whom it is addressed, any such matter or thing, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both. If the violation occurs in relation to, or involving any benefit authorized, transported, transmitted, transferred, disbursed, or paid in connection with, a presidentially declared major disaster or emergency (as those terms are defined in section 102 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5122)), or affects a financial institution, such person shall be fined not more than $1,000,000 or imprisoned not more than 30 years, or both.

Wire Fraud:

18 United States Code Section 1343

Whoever, having devised or intending to devise any scheme or artifice to defraud, or for obtaining money or property by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises, transmits or causes to be transmitted by means of wire, radio, or television communication in interstate or foreign commerce, any writings, signs, signals, pictures, or sounds for the purpose of executing such scheme or artifice, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both. If the violation occurs in relation to, or involving any benefit authorized, transported, transmitted, transferred, disbursed, or paid in connection with, a presidentially declared major disaster or emergency (as those terms are defined in section 102 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5122)), or affects a financial institution, such person shall be fined not more than $1,000,000 or imprisoned not more than 30 years, or both.

[Mark Kindt]

Additionally, the Ohio statute against telecommunications harassment might also be applicable: Search Ohio Revised Code Section 2917.21

[Lori Allen _]

Yes, I did post the document in question. However, I did not write/author it. I too have been in contact with the Attorney General's Office.

[Mark Kindt]

Ms. Allen. If I can be of any assistance to you on this issue, please let me know.

[Bridget Conant]

Thank goodness for the Lakewood Observer and all the people associated with it who act ethically and responsibly.

This situation is a fine example of integrity in a news media group and it would behoove all readers here to understand what happened.

A regular poster created a thread and linked to a document that they had received that appeared to come from a government agency and a public official. I have no doubt they may have believed this document to be legitimate. I read that post and document and it was immediately apparent that something about it was not right. I know I reported the post and perhaps others did, too.

From what Jim has posted here, I see that he removed the post to Legal and attempted to verify the document rather than let false information be disseminated to readers. And as I suspected, the document WAS phony.

All of this occurred over a short period of time so thankfully the post wasn't up long enough to confuse people.

As it should be done, Jim took the time to investigate and verify rather than let a falsehood be perpetrated on readers. That is what a news organization SHOULD do - verify.

However, there are those in town crying on social media that Jim "censored" the post. No, that's not censoring, that's verifying that a supposed public document is legit before publishing it.

Ask yourself why they are in a huff over a fraudulent post being removed, yet not in the least concerned when a city employee, running a Facebook page entitled "Lakewood Community" that she started to present the official city narrative, routinely deletes constituents' posts and bans people from the site for asking questions? That, my friends, THAT is censorship.

Further, what is the motive behind the perpetrator of this fraudulent document? I can see it very clearly. Someone who wishes to silence and marginalize the Observer thinks that "planting" that document, that would eventually be discovered as a fraud, would be a great way to claim that the Observer spreads "fake news" and that the Deck participants are a bunch of looney conspiracy theorists, all up in arms because they foolishly believe in a document that isn't even legitimate.

I'm afraid the perp of this fraud believed that Deck participants would be easily duped. Guess again.

Whoever created and sent that phony document WILL be traced. They impersonated a government official. That is a felony offense. I hope they are prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

Be ever vigilant. There are many people in this town still intent on destroying the Observer. They attack, spread lies, and resort to subterfuge. They hate the Observer because it is threatening to them. They can't lie and hide and do their dirty deals without scrutiny.

Hold them accountable.

Hold the perpetrator legally responsible.

[Mark Kindt]

I remain deeply concerned that Lakewood citizens who exercise their First Amendment rights to discuss issues of public policy face unwarranted harassment or censorship of such discussions.

The false document incident reviewed in this thread is consistent with other kinds of actual public documents that have been reviewed on the Deck in my Honesty in Local Government series.

There seems to be a pattern to this:

1. Misrepresentations to the trial court in Skindell v. Madigan;

2. False affidavit filed with the appellate court in Skindell v. Madigan;

3. Proposed falsification of the official minutes of the Lakewood Hospital Association;

4. Endless misrepresentations regarding the hospital transaction.

There also is a separate track of harassment and intimidation against citizens who are vocal on public issues.

I write as a third-generation former public official with thirty-eight years of law practice behind me.

Why would anyone take the risk of violating the law by creating a false document from the Office of the Ohio Attorney General?

Clearly, because they think that they can violate the law with impunity.

[Bill Call]

Clearly, because they think that they can violate the law with impunity.

They can and they know it.

[Dan Alaimo]

Seems like it was someone determined enough to embarrass the LO that they perpetuated a time consuming fraud right before the election. Who has this motivation, the time to pursue it, and the means to make it happen? I'm guessing it's a fairly short list.

[Brian Essi]

Seems like it was someone determined enough to embarrass the LO that they perpetuated a time consuming fraud right before the election. Who has this motivation, the time to pursue it, and the means to make it happen? I'm guessing it's a fairly short list.

Round up the usual suspects...

F-Troop Bullock and Carson's Calvary

[Bridget Conant]

Round up the usual suspects...

It's often noted by those who study the criminal mind that people who commit crimes can't help but talk about it. It's part of the ego issues they have.

[Mark Kindt]

So here we witness one or more partisans of the city administration in obviously illegal harassment of a citizen and a publisher who are both critical of the city administration.

We should each be outraged by this! This is just another example of why I have been calling for widespread municipal reform in Lakewood. How many more examples do we need?

Especially, when we all know that the harassment of other citizens was fully documented by the Lakewood Police Department and Federal Postal Inspectors and nothing was done.

Let's keep firmly in mind that we are witnessing a violation of Ohio law in the fabrication of this phony document.

Both Ms. Allen and Mr. O'Bryan have guaranteed rights of free speech under both the United States and Ohio constitutions. We all do. We must continue to speak-up vocally in the face of wrong-doing.