With big Frank Russo news hitting fast and furious almost every week now (hell, almost every day), there’s a hilarious refrain coming from obvious quarters that I, by reason of my last name, must be tied to all of it. Why hilarious?
Because if I was so tied to Frank Russo, the county Democratic Party, Jimmy Dimora, and all that, don’t you think I’d have a job in county government by now? Apparently, they can be created in a matter of seconds for anyone at all, including people under investigation.
Now, before we start throwing the 2002 criminal conviction around, I’ve been in Democratic Party politics in this town, county, and state since 1988. I have not once – NOT ONCE – been offered a single job in county, city, state, or federal government. Not in 22 years, including the 9 years since I got into trouble. My last name being Russo didn’t seem to help at any point. I did finally get a little sugar after the 1996 re-elect, when I got sent abroad for NDI. But that had zero to do with anyone on the ground in Cleveland, it was sheer persistence on my part, and I won it on substance.
Frank Russo would not recognize me if I shoved my mom’s canoli in his face. Neither would Jimmy Dimora, despite me working with Democrats on his ticket before, during, and after he was chairman. And before spending the last 9 years burning every scintilla of evidence that I ever worked for any Democrat in Ohio, these folks spent the previous 13 years ignoring me, and every single other person not in their circle. Why? Because the criminal racket that is currently under this cloud is so tribal, so small and cabal-like, so virulently insular, that not even your last name matching the ring leader’s gets you anywhere. THAT’S how corrupt county government has become.
And that’s one reason why I’m running for this seat.
