The Observation Deck

This weekend, I sent out a strongly worded letter to Lakewood residents about some very deceptive campaign materials they may have received recently.

Let me tell you directly how this came about.

Last Wednesday, I started receiving calls from friends and supporters, all asking me the same thing- why was I endorsing Ryan Demro? I had no idea what they were talking about until I was shown the literature Demro had sent out.

In case you haven't seen it, it features a banner headline stating ENDORSED, and directly beneath it a photo of me and a quote of a polite statement I made out of courtesy to Ryan at his last council meeting.

The intent of the literature was crystal clear- to mislead voters into thinking I had endorsed his candidacy. It's a cheap, deceptive tactic, and it prompted my strongly worded response.

I've watched Mr. Demro for years, and he's pretty predictable. He specializes in the 11th hour sneak attack- in this case my phony "endorsement" of him. Two years ago, it was a nasty letter he sent to my neighbors saying I was an ultra-liberal tool of organized labor. Two years before that, he ran council campaigns which launched a slew of cheap shot attacks against Nickie Antonio and Kevin Butler. Two years before that, he savaged Dan Brennan just before the election.

What he doesn't understand, and never will, is that his colleagues' opposition to him is motivated by his temperament, not his political affiliation. Lakewood has had effective Republican members of council and the school board, he just wasn't one of them.

His tactics, overheated rhetoric and exaggerated view of his own importance are just a distraction from the serious work we need to do in Lakewood. It's past time for him to be called out on it, and that's exactly what my response did.

The letter I sent out today,

November 1, 2009

Dear Friend,

I was recently attacked in a campaign mail piece by Mayor Ed Fitzgerald and city council candidate Monique Smith. The Mayor levels 3 specific objections to my campaign literature:

OBJECTION #1
1) Authorized use of his photograph.

ANSWER
Under Ohio law, the image of a “public figure” is allowed to be used by anyone in any way they see fit. It cannot be restricted as we are “public figures” when we become candidates or elected officials. Secondly, the Mayor makes it sound like I used a photo with him where I quickly stood next to him and had someone take a shot against his will. In fact, the photo that he refers to is an OFFICIAL photo of city council taken by City Council Clerk Mary Hagan in 2005. This photo was posted on the city website and has been used in city publications in the past.

OBJECTION #2
1) The Mayor characterizes my time on City Council as being associated with, “bickering, infighting, grandstanding, and general ineffectiveness.”

ANSWER
The Mayor was a member of City Council during my entire term. In fact, he was the Vice-President of City Council. How is it possible to characterize my time on city council in this way and not his? The reality of the situation is that when you are in the political minority you can take two routes when the majority disagrees with you 1) Go Along, Get Along or 2) Stand up for what you think is right and what you believe the people of Lakewood want. I too often had to take the second route for several reasons:

a) I was 23 years old when I was first elected. Most people on the council were at least 10-15 years older. So natural skepticism of youth inclined them to shut down everything I would propose from the start.
b) I was a Republican and they are all Democrats, so again, their natural inclination was to shut me down and prevent success in order to marginalize and eventually get rid of me through the electoral process.

So the strategy in this campaign by the Mayor and Smith has been to try to paint me as confrontational and ineffective. Here are some examples where I was confrontational.

Skatepark: After a decade of community discussion and debate, and two children dying as a result of not having a safe place to skateboard, City Council thought it was a good idea to kill the idea of a skatepark by not including it in the Lakewood Park Master Plan. The community did not support this and I knew it. So I rallied the Skatepark group, citizens who supported the idea, and the media. That night every member of the council, Fitzgerald included, changed their vote. Without that “confrontation and grandstanding” we would not have a park today.

Lakewood Center North: This HVAC system on this skyscraper in downtown Lakewood had been making a whining noise at 4am and waking up residents in the St. Charles, Belle, and Warren Avenue neighborhoods for 20 years. Tom George did nothing about it as a councilperson and continued to ignore it as Mayor. I tried to get him to fix it without “confrontation and grandstanding” and he refused. So I went to the media, brought affected residents to city council and eventually the problem was resolved.

So you have to ask yourself, “Did the skateboarders and their families and those who were affected by the skyscraper appreciate my efforts to stand up for them?” I know that they do and that is exactly what I will do for others if re-elected.

Lastly, if I was so ineffective and uncooperative as a councilman how did I introduce and win support for:

1 The Chronic Nuisance Law
2 The Revised Curfew Law
3 The Sex Offender Law
4 Revised Litter Laws
5 Bringing the Lakewood Project to July 4th
6 Building a Skatepark
7 Forcing the revision of the Sidewalk Repair Program
8 Advocating for changes in the methods to allocate funds to repair streets

Why did City Council appoint me to:

1) The Governing Board of Lakewood Hospital (at 23)
2) The Youth Master Plan Task Force
3) Chairman of the Housing Committee (at 23)

These things did not happen by accident and the Mayor is either lying to you or playing petty politics.

OBJECTION #3
The Mayor asks that you not associate any of my “mudslinging” with him. The question I would ask is, “Where is the mud?” I have produced ZERO campaign pieces that make personal attacks on any other candidate in the race; however, the same cannot be said for Fitzgerald. Check out this piece he unleashed on me and Jared Shapiro during the primary:

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=8529

How is it possible to be positive candidates when you issue negative pieces? In addition, Monique Smith has denied having any involvement with this piece. Yet, she called Mr. Shapiro’s wife the night prior to the release of this piece (they work together at Hyland Software) to let her know that her “team” was going negative.

CONCLUSION
I do not claim on my literature that the Mayor is endorsing me. My piece clearly says that the SUN HERALD endorses me. We designed it with a demarcation between the endorsement and the quote from the Mayor.

Let me be clear, you may like the way the Mayor is governing the City, but you shouldn’t excuse his dirty politics. Generally, I like the way he is running the City. He is using the same platform I ran on when I ran for Mayor; however, I know that this is not the type of behavior residents expect from their elected officials. The Mayor is trying to build a political machine with his handpicked candidates for city council. This is the same thing that disgraced County Commissioner Jimmy Dimora and disgraced County Auditor Frank Russo did across the county.
Don’t let Lakewood be next. Help elect a Councilman who will be watchdog and advocate for you at City Hall. Our country was built on the idea that there should be checks and balances in government. How do you have checks and balances when the three at-large candidates are not only supported by the Mayor, but their campaigns are funded by him? Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

My goodness, is it ANY wonder no one likes or trusts politicians?

Pompous, self-centered, disingenuous, petty, self-serving, obnoxious, boring ,,,,

Anyone care to add to the list?

Racist, homophobic, sanctimonious, bombastic, duplicitous. . .

More later.

Deceptive tactics? In politics? O.M.G. I am in shock...just in shock. It is a sad day when you can't trust a politician....*ok i just fell over laughing at that one*

Please give us some credit. We have received enough fliers to know that the mayor endorses Powers, Smith and Antonio and discourages votes for Demro. In no way did I interpret Ryan's recent piece as an endorsement by the mayor, in fact I immediately thought "Ed's not going to like this." I anticipated a response but not to arrive in a letter from Monique. Then a rebuttal from Ryan. The hardest part for us (the voters) is to figure out which candidates can rise above this aspect of politics and serve effectively.

“One man may hit the mark, another blunder; but heed not these distinctions. Only from the alliance of the one, working with and through the other, are great things born.”

—Antoine de Saint-Exupery
(1900-1944), aviator, writer

I thought Ryan's mailing was completely HYSTERICAL!

Like Meg said, give us some credit, please. Even though it's a "non-partisan" election, we all know who is a Dem and who is a Repub and we all know Demro and Fitz are in opposite corners.

I thought Ryan's use of Ed's quote was brilliant. When I got the mail that day I laughed so hard my stomach hurt.

Best campaign flyer/literature of the past year, and I'm a Dem!

Ed's just mad he didn't think of something as good.

Dang it!!! I am so upset...I have yet to get anything from anyone about this election. I miss out on everything!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *sad*

Aw come on guys.

Remember when you teamed up and debated an empty podium
with Tom George's name on it?


During happier times, from left to right; Lakewood City Council President Michael
Dever, Lt. Ryan Patrick Demro,and Mayor Edward FitzGerald


.

I thought Ryan's mailing was completely HYSTERICAL!
Like Meg said, give us some credit, please. Even though it's a "non-partisan" election, we all know who is a Dem and who is a Repub and we all know Demro and Fitz are in opposite corners.
I thought Ryan's use of Ed's quote was brilliant. When I got the mail that day I laughed so hard my stomach hurt.
Best campaign flyer/literature of the past year, and I'm a Dem!
Ed's just mad he didn't think of something as good. Grace O'Malley

Mrs. O'Malley

I agree, I was not sure who was on what side, except from what I have read here. I thought the piece from Friends of FitzGerald that presented itself as "supported by the Democratic Party" was certainly more misleading, especially after reading the comments of Dan Shields who had won the endorsement of the Lakewood Democratic Club. Dan came to my door and had some really good ideas. I never heard from Mrs.(?)Smith, Mrs(?) Anotnoio, or Mr.Powers. Republicans fighting Democrats is what politics in America is all about! Democratic infighting and misleading makes me think of that Phase III cover-up, and the Bush Administration taking us to war! I really do not believe party designation means all that much in town elections.

I might have to vote for a Republican for the first time in a long time just because of how clever the Ryan Demro mailing was, and that it seems to upset the according to some, the too powerful status quo in this city.

“We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the vitriolic words and actions of the bad people, but for the appalling silence of the good people.” Martin Luther King, Jr.

Ed FitzGerald wrote:Last Wednesday, I started receiving calls from friends and supporters, all asking me the same thing- why was I endorsing Ryan Demro? I had no idea what they were talking about until I was shown the literature Demro had sent out.

There was nothing wrong or deceptive in that campaign literature. I thought it was very clever and positive. It listed the positive things he did and addressed the issue of "getting along" alongside a quote from you.

He just quoted you saying something nice about him. There is a lesson there somewhere.

I think you are doing a fine job as Mayor but I don't think you need to have a rubber stamp council. Demro or Shields would offer an independent voice on council. I prefer Demro because he is the republican of his experience and maturity but Shields is also a good candidate.

I haven't seen anyone offer any reason to vote for Monique Smith. You desperately want her on council but haven't said why.

Ken Wilder wrote:Republicans fighting Democrats is what politics in America is all about! Democratic infighting and misleading makes me think of that Phase III cover-up, and the Bush Administration taking us to war!

My sentiments exactly

Grace O’Mally

…“all know Demro and Fitz are in opposite corners.”

Really? I beg to differ.

Ryan Patrick Demro

“Generally, I like the way he is running the City. He is using the same platform I ran on when I ran for Mayor”.

Demro at least publicly stated what he was and what he would do. The voters said NO, that is not what we want for Lakewood.

Fitzgerald wraped himselve up in the package of a for the people Democrat, then behaved in a way and manner even no elected Republican would of dared (nor would of a Republican gotten away with)

The slimier of the two? Fitzgerald by far. Because we expected something diffrent then what we would of gotten from a Republican.

I am a life long Democrat. Ed Fitzgerald is in no way a Democrat save the political monical and his seeming similarity to Russo and Dimmoria ethics standard.


Or did I miss the mailing on how we Democrats now prey on the elderly, take from the disadvantaged, pillage the working class, wage war on families with children and build empires with shrines, legacies and predetermined succession.

With issues like these to debate, it's no wonder that a total of zero posts have been made to the forum below since October 14.

Council at Large Candidates Forum - 2009
This is a non-discussion area where candidates ONLY may post their platforms, views, and ideas. At certain points questions will be posed to the candidates from the public.

I guess that one particular aspect of all of this, that I really find troubling, is how and why the name of Dan Shields was left off the several mailers that came to my door, full of persuasion, asking me to vote for the other 3 Democrats in the race, but not him?

Dan is a Democrat, and a very sincere individual and fellow church member, whom I've known for years. Why he is not being mentioned is beyond me.

Now please understand this:

I've already voted by mail, and will not say how. Nor will I endorse anyone, so please do not take this as a Shields endorsement necessarily.

Vote for whomever you please.

But something is WAY not right here, at least in my opinion.

Back to the banjo...(but it might be awhile before we can sit down for that campfire sing-a-long)

David Anderson wrote:With issues like these to debate, it's no wonder that a total of zero posts have been made to the forum below since October 14.

Council at Large Candidates Forum - 2009
This is a non-discussion area where candidates ONLY may post their platforms, views, and ideas. At certain points questions will be posed to the candidates from the public.

The only concerns this batch respond to are their own. They only folks they defend themselves against is each other.

So why would it shock anyone that ZERO posts have been made in the Council at Large Forum?

Voters do not matter to the elected officials of Lakewood. Nor do our opinions, input, needs, concerns nor questions.

That is the truth which is backed up by the fact that Republicans, Democrats and Independents’ are all saying

“I thought the answer was that we regular moms and dads and residents make sure that everyone is registered to vote, and then make sure that everyone does vote. But if the people we elect are going to step down and appoint more insiders, with their narrow vision of what is "good" for the city, what are we supposed to do?

Betsy Voinovich”

As diverse as Lakewood is, I'm not sure our elected officials (as a group) are equally as diverse in their attitudes. The trouble comes in when everyone in power thinks the same and opposing opinions are disregarded, then the vision does not reflect that of the entire community.

Meg Ostrowski

Even more troubling is all of the talk about appointments, long running programs of stepping down, and moving along. Candidates with little experience getting large amounts of votes even though they have never been to my door or to the doors of our friends in the city. Almost like a machine is running the entire process on all levels. Candidates remaining silent and having other politicians coming in to speak for them!

Ken Wilder

“I hope the rumors are wrong about one getting in unopposed and retiring to allow someone different to step in. Again. Because that would be wrong no matter how the charter is written.
Justine Cooper

Iwas under the impression it was a public process to appoint a successor? Posted here on the Deck as Matt Markling stated. Are you saying there was another list that was intended to subvert the process? And this is the first time the general public is hearing about it. If the public knew sooner, there might be challengers to the unopposed. Too late now.
Charlie Page

Who will be the secret replacement if she wins? Who will be Councilman Bullocks replacement if he wins? Who will replace the Mayor if he seeks appointment next year to Countywide office? Those unanswered questions make it more important than ever to have one or two independent voices on council.
Bill Call

Vote for whomever you please.

But something is WAY not right here, at least in my opinion.
Gary Rice

Seems that the fact "something WAY is not right here" is a TRUTH all of Lakewood residents can fully agree upon.

Question is now, what are we going to do about it?