The Observation Deck

i raised this question privately, but it's a good enough question to ask in the open:
If an officer of the court, say an assistant prosecuting attorney in Lake County, was presented with strong evidence of government malfeasance in a nearby municipality, say Lakewood, would that person have a legal obligation to act on it in some way?
Probably the lack of ethics guidelines in Lakewood negate this, but does anyone have further thoughts?

Hi Mark. I know we have discussed ethics in city government before, but I wanted to submit my answers for all to see.

From the beginning of my campaign, I have stressed transparency, integrity, and clear communication. When City Hall was spiking the ball over their “win” over the Lakewood Observer, I was one of the residents who questioned this victory. It is not common that I see cities paying a defendant $40k in fees if there were no harm done. This was a self inflicted wound done to the community by leaders’ failure to fulfill valid public records requests.

One of the first steps we can do as a city is to have a more user friendly website with actual search functions and the ability to determine how votes were cast on council. Our current methodology is to just dump everything on to the site. There is no way the average citizen could effectively research anything, outside recent events, to be informed on the issues or investigate possible impropriety. A better site should also allow public record requests to be automated and set up for self service. The records belong to the community, and the city should do whatever it takes for all to have ease of use and access.

Additionally, I believe in being held accountable. While there are a few exceptions, there are not regularly held town hall meetings from the current representatives. These townhalls should be an opportunity for the rep to provide digestible updates to the residents that have occurred over the quarter, but it should also be a free, open forum to allow residents to raise their concerns. I have been demonstrating my desire to be open and transparent by hosting several meet and greet functions throughout Lakewood at coffee shops, small businesses, and the local parks. I also make sure that my time slots that I offer are for a wide variety of dates and times because not all families and households work banker’s hours. Their City Council person needs to be accessible to all demographics and time requirements.

Finally, it means realizing that the job is bigger than the person. While I believe I am bringing great ideas with my platform to Lakewood City Council, I am there to serve Ward 2. There are going to be times when the overwhelming majority of Ward 2 is going want their councilperson to take a specific action. My job is to action on that request. They did not elect me to be their voice on council, only for me to act like I know better than they do. I will put my pride aside in order to do what is in the best interest of the residents and their wishes.

At the end of the day, this role is a civil servant. We are there to represent Ward 2. This is a serious responsibility and not something to pad a resume for further political aspirations. It is why I proactively took the Ohio Ethics Commission course back on May 24, 2019. The person who is honored with this role needs to take it. It is why questions around who is eligible to replace Meghan George on council if she were to be elected mayor are important to ask. It gets to the root cause of why someone is running. For me, I don’t believe Sam O’Leary or any incumbent who has lost voters’ support should be appointed back onto council by insiders. While it is a risk to give someone with no political experience a shot, it is a bigger insult to voters to install someone whom they have already rejected.

Brad is so transparent that (insert your own joke here).
He's like that lawyer in Liar, Liar - he can't lie.

My previous post--He's the essence of a representative in our form of government.

Jason,

My Onondaga neighbors told me that you and O'Leary were at least standing together and that O'Leary introduced you.

I just returned from asking Beth Ann whether I had heard her correctly when she first told me the story.

She affirmed that her husband saw both of you standing together, and that she had spoken to both of you.

It's such a small thing to push back against. It causes me to wonder why you are answering questions the way you are.

Jason---- You're an attorney. Has Sam O'Leary been endorsed by the Lakewood Democratic Club? Stan

dl meckes wrote:Jason,

My Onondaga neighbors told me that you and O'Leary were at least standing together and that O'Leary introduced you.

I just returned from asking Beth Ann whether I had heard her correctly when she first told me the story.

She affirmed that her husband saw both of you standing together, and that she had spoken to both of you.

It's such a small thing to push back against. It causes me to wonder why you are answering questions the way you are.

It's what I learned during Watergate: the cover-up is worse than the crime. But in this case, the only thing even potentially wrong is the optics. Why lie?

Dan

It’s more than “optics.”

Jason was asked TWICE if he was out visiting potential voters with Sam O’Leary and TWICE he said he did not go “canvassing” with him.

Here we have a Ward 2 resident directly contradicting him and saying he was with Sam.

I’d like to know more.

Bridget Conant wrote:Dan

It’s more than “optics.”

Jason was asked TWICE if he was out visiting potential voters with Sam O’Leary and TWICE he said he did not go “canvassing” with him.

Here we have a Ward 2 resident directly contradicting him and saying he was with Sam.

I’d like to know more.

There's nothing wrong with talking publicly or canvassing with another candidate, except that certain people - you, me, others - have a problem with the connection between the two. It's optics. No problem really. Lieing about it, big problem. The cover-up is worse.

Michael Deneen wrote:

Jason Shachner wrote:Yes I was introducing myself to people on Onandaga on July 29. No, Sam O'Leary was not with me.

THis proves one thing.....Sam the Sham is in trouble.
Here we have a council candidate actively trying to distance himself from the O'Leary campaign. (Despite the fact that they are both supported by the exact same set of supporters......Summers, Budish, FitzGerald, etc)
Schachner wouldn't be saying this if he thought Sammy was winning.

dl meckes wrote:Jason,

My Onondaga neighbors told me that you and O'Leary were at least standing together and that O'Leary introduced you.

I just returned from asking Beth Ann whether I had heard her correctly when she first told me the story.

She affirmed that her husband saw both of you standing together, and that she had spoken to both of you.

It's such a small thing to push back against. It causes me to wonder why you are answering questions the way you are.

Years ago while working for an opponent of Kevin Butler in the ward 1 primary, Fitzgerald and Butler came by my home to explain why Butler, a registered Republican, was running in a Democratic primary. I didn't buy it buy it, but Butler, a Republican, won the Democratic primary. You cannot call yourself a progressive while aligning oneself to a power structure that was born out of Republicans disguised as Democrats. In Lakewood this will only get worse because longstanding Republicans are jumping party and declaring themselves Democrats either because they are never Trumpers or it's politically expedient or both. Hitching ones wagon to what appears to be the most expedient path to election may forever link one to a toxic stench that will be difficult to shed.

If a candidate wants to canvass with Sam O’Leary, that’s perfectly fine. It lets people know who they are aligned with.

What’s NOT fine is if they don’t want to admit it.

You just have to wonder WHY?

Brad Presutto wrote:Hi Mark. I know we have discussed ethics in city government before, but I wanted to submit my answers for all to see.

From the beginning of my campaign, I have stressed transparency, integrity, and clear communication. When City Hall was spiking the ball over their “win” over the Lakewood Observer, I was one of the residents who questioned this victory. It is not common that I see cities paying a defendant $40k in fees if there were no harm done. This was a self inflicted wound done to the community by leaders’ failure to fulfill valid public records requests.

One of the first steps we can do as a city is to have a more user friendly website with actual search functions and the ability to determine how votes were cast on council. Our current methodology is to just dump everything on to the site. There is no way the average citizen could effectively research anything, outside recent events, to be informed on the issues or investigate possible impropriety. A better site should also allow public record requests to be automated and set up for self service. The records belong to the community, and the city should do whatever it takes for all to have ease of use and access.

Additionally, I believe in being held accountable. While there are a few exceptions, there are not regularly held town hall meetings from the current representatives. These townhalls should be an opportunity for the rep to provide digestible updates to the residents that have occurred over the quarter, but it should also be a free, open forum to allow residents to raise their concerns. I have been demonstrating my desire to be open and transparent by hosting several meet and greet functions throughout Lakewood at coffee shops, small businesses, and the local parks. I also make sure that my time slots that I offer are for a wide variety of dates and times because not all families and households work banker’s hours. Their City Council person needs to be accessible to all demographics and time requirements.

Finally, it means realizing that the job is bigger than the person. While I believe I am bringing great ideas with my platform to Lakewood City Council, I am there to serve Ward 2. There are going to be times when the overwhelming majority of Ward 2 is going want their councilperson to take a specific action. My job is to action on that request. They did not elect me to be their voice on council, only for me to act like I know better than they do. I will put my pride aside in order to do what is in the best interest of the residents and their wishes.

At the end of the day, this role is a civil servant. We are there to represent Ward 2. This is a serious responsibility and not something to pad a resume for further political aspirations. It is why I proactively took the Ohio Ethics Commission course back on May 24, 2019. The person who is honored with this role needs to take it. It is why questions around who is eligible to replace Meghan George on council if she were to be elected mayor are important to ask. It gets to the root cause of why someone is running. For me, I don’t believe Sam O’Leary or any incumbent who has lost voters’ support should be appointed back onto council by insiders. While it is a risk to give someone with no political experience a shot, it is a bigger insult to voters to install someone whom they have already rejected.

Thank you for your timely and serious response. I am impressed!

Where’d Jason go?

Jason disappeared!

Bridget Conant wrote:Jason disappeared!

I'm sure he's out there somewhere, walking (not canvassing) alongside " the man who wasn't there."