Former Mayor Sinagra Charged With Bribery And Fraud

[Bill Call]

http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf ... ate_s.html

[sharon kinsella]

Isn't he a Republican? Could we have bi-partisan corruption?

This whole kettle of fish stinks and they all should be ashamed of themselves for violating the public trust.

[dl meckes]

My heart breaks for the Sinagra family. I read the article and I know how this looks, but I also know the many and varied contributions that the family has made.

They have done so much for Lakewood that the city can't really begin to repay them.

[Stan Austin]

My relations with Tony have been primarily as a political competitor and go all the way back to 1972.

In the intervening years he and his family have added to our "good ole" hometown immeasurably.

Therefore, this is such a saddening turn of events.

I do hope the family is able to achieve some solace and reconciliation as they cope.

Stan Austin

[Grace O'Malley]

Poor Tony Sinagra. He's such a great guy.

He took $190,000 for NO work as part of a political deal. That's no small amount of money and he admits he's guilty of at least what he got caught with.

But hey. he's a great guy.

Wanna bet he gets a slap on the wrist? If the average Joe pulled a deal like that where do you think he'd end up?

[dl meckes]

I don't think I said anything condoning the activities that led to a guilty plea by Mr. Sinagra.

I was thinking about the family. They don't deserve this.

[Bryan Schwegler]

Isn't he a Republican? Could we have bi-partisan corruption?

Yes, but he is Italian like the others...

just kidding

[Jim DeVito]

Bryan, I would like to meet with you to discuss what it would take for you to retract your previous statement. (Bring a large knapsack with a dollar sign on it.)

This is so absurd. At what point do we need to make the burden if proof shift to the elected official to say "I'm not on the take".

[Bill Call]

Poor Tony Sinagra. He's such a great guy.

He took $190,000 for NO work as part of a political deal. That's no small amount of money and he admits he's guilty of at least what he got caught with.

But hey. he's a great guy.

Wanna bet he gets a slap on the wrist? If the average Joe pulled a deal like that where do you think he'd end up?

I always wondered why the kid that robbed a liqour store got more time than a guy that robbed the taxpayer.

How many other homeless agencies are cash registers for the well connected?

Republicans are fooling themselves if they think they can ride these corruption investigations to victory. Ideology trumps good government. The Democrats in California have turned that state into a banana republic yet their candidates lead for governor and senator and there is not chance the Republicans will take over either house.

Here in Cuyahoga County it will take a democrat to clean house. While I think a Democratic team will win with a promise to clean house the likely result is more of the same. The attitude will be "Now it's our turn boys (girls)!"

Ed Fitzgerald is the wild card. He is a realist who recognizes the futility of real reform. He is a politician who understands the need to get along to get elected. But, I think, enough of a reformer to be tempted to wave the bloody flag, take the pitch forks out of the barn and campaign against the satus quo. In a quiet, lawerly kind of way.

Of course he is enough of a politician to see that trying to reform government is like trying to swim in quick sand.

Will he take the plunge? And if so too what purpose?

Personally, I'm not bothered by corruption so much as by the lack of result.