Cuyahoga
Politics Today
South
Euclid mayor spanked in intraparty feud
South
Euclid mayor Georgine Welo was disciplined by the County Democratic Party last
week.
The
action was taken by the Party Unity Review Committee [PURC] after Welo endorsed
a Republican who is running against incumbent South Euclid councilwoman Ruth
Gray, a fellow Democrat.
Party
officials and elected Democrats are prohibited from “actively and publicly”
supporting a non-Democratic candidate in a non-partisan race. South Euclid
council races are non-partisan.
Gray
filed a complaint on July 10 with then-party chairman Stuart Garson, after
learning that Welo had endorsed Gray’s opponent, Kenneth Atchinson in this
year’s November election. Atchinson has been a registered Republican for the
past seven years, according to election records cited in her letter.
The PURC ruled unanimously in Gray's favor last week, kicking Welo off the party’s executive committee, and rendered her ineligible
for party office or party endorsement for the next election cycle. Their action
means Welo cannot receive the party’s endorsement if she runs for reelection in
2019.
Gray’s
complaint cited other instances where members of the South Euclid Democratic
Club have backed Republicans over qualified Democratic black women. Gray also
referenced efforts to undermine South Euclid Municipal Court Judge Gayle
Williams Byers, contending, “There is a pervasive pattern and practice of
animus against African American female Democrats in South Euclid.”
The
current political turf battles in South Euclid have given rise to reports that
freshman councilman Jason Russell may toss his hat in the ring for the post of
city leader, a nongovernmental position currently held by councilman Marty
Gelfand.
Gray,
who ran against Welo for mayor in 2015 and lost, is seeking reelection to her
fourth term on city council. She is also president of the Cleveland chapter of
the National Council of Black Women, a growing presence on the local political
scene.
A call
to Mayor Welo was not returned for press time.
# # #
9 comments:
Last year RUTH GRAY publicly supported Republican State Representative candidate CASSANDRA MCDONALD, instead of Democratic Incumbent KENT SMITH. Why was Ruth Gray not removed from the Executive Committee? Why not dig into that? And everything Ms. Gray contends regarding Judge Byers, who has alienated just about every colleague except Gray and Mr. Icove (and her cousin) countywide over the last five years. Ken Actchinson, is a talented African American citizen who signed an affidavit that he is a democrat (wouldn't you if you had Trump leading your party?). Welo also supported new County Chair Brown (another African American). Who did Ruth Gray support? A WHITE MAN - Trevor Elkins! People also forget that it was Welo that helped both Gray and Russell get elected to council. She took their petitions door-to-door and campaigned for them. Gray's continued crying wolf about race proves that she see the world through just one lens. The County Democratic Party is in disarray and they make rules for one candidate and different ones for another. This is why I left the Party last year. I am a democrat aligned with the Cuyahoga Progressive Democratic Caucus.
You should also look into how Ruth Gray's daughter was hired by Judge Byers to work in the court earlier this year and given a full time job. The job was never posted. As a council, Gray approves the court's budget and personnel salaries. Corruption and hiring hall politics at its worst.
@Anonymous.
First, thanks for reading. And beaucoup thanks for responding. Feel free to contact me directly. I am not hard to find.
As to why Ms Gray was not disciplined by the Party for her support of Ms McDonald, I have no idea. Perhaps it was because no one complained. Perhaps more to the point, is Ms Gray a member of the Executive Committee?
If you are acquainted with Mr. Atchinson, please invite him to contact us.
I will not presume your racial identity, but please note that we see race as a complex issue, seldom as a matter of ONLY black and white. Mr. Atchinson's race was not the basis of Ms. Gray's complaint, and hence irrelevant to the decision. With respect to the CCDP being in disarray, I'm not sure what your frame of reference is. Ms Brown's election was a demonstration that politics makes strange bedfellows.
Finally, I'm not sure what you mean when you say you left the Party last year. Did you vote in the Democratic Primary? If so, you are a Democrat according to Ohio Law, as are, I suspect, the vast majority of Caucus members. And you may have betrayed your status in calling them the CPDC. They are actually the Cuyahoga County Progressive Caucus.
Let's continue the dialogue. Again feel free to contact me directly. Your anonymity will be protected.
RTA
Great article Richard. Too bad the poster named Anonymous is Anonymous. Seems to me if one really believes what they stand for, and are presenting facts and not fiction, they would not want to withhold their identity.
Thanks, Lora!
How is your campaign going?
Richard, I appreciate your comments. Lora, I do not present my name because I work for a court and do not want to lose my job (and believe me I would if I used my name. However, like you, I am entitled to my opinion, and just because I post anonymously, it does not make what I say fiction. They are all indeed facts and verifiable with records requests. Check it out for yourself.
Anonymous,
As I understand you yourself may be under scrutiny because of your position and affiliation, to choose not to self identify is appreciated. However, not in defense of anyone or anything other than the truth, Councilwoman Gray in no way, private or public ever endorsed my candidacy. We have to give her more credit than that. She wouldn't use the same tool against herself as used to challenge Mayor Welo's open and undeniable support of a Republican candidate.
Furthermore, the defense should not focus on morality or defense of anyone that we "like" as a person, but substantiated by egregious error of law, which is the primary purpose of this article. There can be no argument to effectively challenge the fact the Mayor Welo negligently overstepped the creed and bylaws of the Democratic Parties written law. Therefore, as it is also understandable that it is only justifiable that people tend to side with the person they most identify with and argue their case in favor of a more pleasurable outcome, the fact of the matter remains; Ruth Gray is not the issue on this present day and I cannot in anyway see in the future where her ethics, and commitment to holding true to the Democratic Party can be challenged.
Me, being who I am, if Mrs. Gray was wrong, I would not participate in this commentary because a rebuttal would be justified. However, that simply does not exist. I don't bite my tongue for anyone.
Therefore, in as much as I make clarity to Ruth Grays position as endorsing me as a candidate, simply not true. As far as clarity on my behalf, I have nothing else to do with this...
Please note that Marty Gelfand resigned from the post of city leader in order to run for judge.
Thanks for this update, Pat!
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