The controversy over adding to Summit County's commom pleas court drags on. The BJ editorialized about Alex's latest moves yesterday. An editorial from October provides an earlier snapshot. To briefly summarize: the Ohio Supreme Court has recommended at least one more seat to ease case loads. (As of a few of years ago, criminal loads ran as high as the 80s or 90s. I've not heard that they have eased.) Our local Senators, Zurz and Coughlin, have introduced a bill bumping our quota up one to nine. Similar bills have stalled in the house where Speaker Husted, at Alex's apparent behest, refuses to give them an up or down vote. This meets your Recommended Daily Allowance of irony.
Why? It's all about maintaining control over the court. Summit County leans Democratic as a whole, but also tends to reelect appointed judges. When a Republican judge is ready to retire, Alex can usually orchestrate that judge leaving the bench early so that the Governor can appoint someone to run as a quasi-incumbent. A new seat, on the other hand, is filled in the next General Election.
Right now the court comprises five Republicans (Cosgrove, Hunter, Murphy, Spicer and Unruh) to three Democrats (Bond, Shapiro and Stormer). Of the Republicans, only Judy Hunter could reasonably be called vulnerable, and she's up again for a full term in '08. Meanwhile, Murphy and Spicer are sufficiently fed up with Alex's high-handedness as to generate speculation that they might not leave early when their time is done. And finally, as the BJ notes, a Democratic Governor would render the last consideration moot.
In all, Alex's hold on the Common Pleas general division has never been more tenuous. This after once again losing an absolute majority in Akron Muni. If he loses the Republican majority in the division, he loses a number of patronage job slots, a fair amount of political juice county-wide, and needed muscle in his ongoing fight against Oriana House.
The BJ may publicly hope that Husted will stand up to Alex's pressure, but given the stakes, I think we can count on Alex leaving it all on the floor in this fight.
RIP, JOHN OLESKY
5 months ago
2 comments:
If we could get Arshinkoff out of AK politics for good.. I would have the bestest Christmas ever!
thx for helping keep tabs on this guy.
Alex is quickly losing traction with mainstream Summit County Republicans who have been watching him "lose it" in past 2 years. Dissent from Sen. Kevin Coughlin on the addition of an Akron judge is indicative of this trend, whereas Mary Taylor is fiscally-obligated to tow A2's (pronounced A-squared) line if she wants funding for her State Auditor's race. Before recent Nov. election, blue-haired old ladies who have worked the GOP polls for years nearly quit following the recent Board of Elections parking in the handicap spot -fiasco. That week was coupled with the scandal in the ABJ of 3 Akron GOP judges writing affidavits attesting to A2's continuous judicial tampering relating to his angst over Oriana House. Again, Brian Williams dissented from A2 in actually using Board of Elections stationary addressed to the Akron Traffic Court to support the Dem. female employee parking in the handicap spot after hours and for security reasons. Let’s hope that as this sexual-predator is out cruising W. Market St. at 2:06AM the day after Christmas this year, the Akron P.D. will have the intestinal fortitude to book and print him this time. CANNOT WAIT FOR THIS OVER-RATED FUND-RAISING BEHOMETH TO MOVE ON SO THAT LOYAL GOP MAINSTREAM, NON-RELATIVES, NON-CLOSETED HOMOSEXUALS CAN REPRESENT THE PARTY AGAIN.
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