Did the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party Council Representatives violate the Ohio Public Meeting Law or any Ethics when they had their meeting as reported by the Plain Dealer earlier this month? 

I am insulted to hear such a blatantly contemptuous Democratic Party Representative try to undermine the "SECRECY", "BEHIND CLOSED DOORS", and ultimately "DISRESPECTFUL" ACTIONS of the participants at that meeting. 

Apparently, the DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF CUYAHOGA COUNTY, OHIO has no regard for the people it is supposed to serve....just it's players...who have spent the last several generations violating the public's best interests with scandelous corruption!!! 

I send a JIMMY DIMORA MIDDLE FINGER salute back to the CUYDEM's for such an unbelievable statement to the public! Your party caucus actions are an insult to every US Military servicemember and veteran under the sun who has ever lived and died upholding DEMOCRACY with honor! (See their rsvp to the PD article below!) Please, get out of the closet on matters of public interest! 

Criticisms waged by the Plain Dealer and others appear to confuse transparency in government with the process of party caucuses to select party leaders. Legislative leaders are determined by party caucuses at every level of government. Just last month party caucuses in Washington D.C. and Columbus determined the U.S. Speaker of the House, the Speaker of the Ohio House, the Ohio Senate President and other leadership positions. All of this activity was done within the respective parties. The actual votes will take place at the appropriate public sessions with the participation of all the members.

The same thing will happen with the County Council. On January 3, 2011 the entire council will meet and formally determine its leadership. It will be no different than what takes place in Columbus or Washington D.C. The council representatives who were recently elected chose to run under their party affiliation of which eight are democrats and three are republicans. The very fact that these representatives ran in partisan races, as contemplated by the Charter, underscores that they have certain philosophical differences and approaches to policy. The desire of the majority or the minority to discuss amongst themselves their leadership options does not violate either in substance or the spirit of open and transparent government in accordance with Section 12.05 of the Cuyahoga County Charter that specifically states:

“All meetings of the Council and any committee, board, commission, agency or authority of the County, as well as any similar body created by this Charter or by the Council, shall be open to the public as provided by general law.”

Stuart I. Garson

Cuyahoga County Democratic Party, Chair