A Dignitary fights back

By Rick Morris

This time it's personal. One of The FDH Lounge Dignitaries is in a battle, but he's fighting back strongly.

Burrell Jackson, who has become, dare I say, a cult hero figure to listeners and viewers of our FDH Lounge program, is running for two positions this year under the Republican banner in Cuyahoga County here in Northeast Ohio. You can read about his situation below with his full press release. I want to offer a tip of the hat to Ben Keeler, who had the story first and chose to run a portion of the release with his commentary; you can check out his column at the Akron Beacon-Journal politics blog here. Our choice, since Burrell is part of the FDH family, is to run his entire press release.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 14, 2008

SCANDAL: State GOP Official Donates Maximum Amount to Democratic Congressional Candidate Joe Cimperman (Dennis Kucinich opponent)

CLEVELAND – Ohio Republican State Central Commiteeman David H. Gunning II (21^st State Senate District) has given the maximum campaign contribution allowable under federal finance law to District 10 Democratic congressional candidate Joe Cimperman. This is a betrayal of the local and state Republicans that Gunning claims to represent and furthermore, is obliged to promote effectively and exclusively.

Gunning’s opponent for state central committee in the upcoming March 4 primary, Burrell Jackson, unearthed documents proving Gunning’s Democratic interloping. Specifically, Federal Elections Commission Form 3, Schedule A, Reference #28930297185 reveals on December 16, 2007 that Cimperman received the aforementioned maximum contribution of $2,300 from Gunning.

Jackson is also a candidate for county clerk of courts this year. He is unopposed in the March primary. He consented to run after having been recruited by local party officials, only to see his opponent, Gunning, unanimously endorsed by the county organization.

“This is outrageous. Republicans at the grass-roots level are struggling to promote success county and state-wide, yet our elected state party officials are financially supporting the Democrats,” Jackson stated. “The Cuyahoga County Republican Party should revoke its unanimous endorsement of Mr. Gunning immediately or the entire party leadership should resign.”

Jackson was clear in his insistence that the credibility and honor of the local party organization is at stake in this matter.

“If selling out our Republican candidates isn’t grounds for repealing an endorsement, what would be?” Jackson asked.

I've got an additional quote from Burrell as well: "With the Cuyahoga County Republicans struggling to connect with voters to such an extent, their commitment to minority outreach will be revealed as a complete joke if an old boys' club mentality prevails here." Well said, my friend.

This situation is so completely, utterly ridiculous that it almost defies description. I hate to say this, but I hope Burrell isn't holding his breath waiting for the remedy that should be automatic. It won't happen, because I don't believe anyone in the inner sanctum cares that this guy is donating to Democrats while holding Republican office. From everything I've seen and heard over the years, it's probably even a laughing matter behind closed doors. I wonder if Republican congressional candidate Jim Trakas is laughing about an elected GOP official helping out a Democratic potential opponent. Probably not.

As the press release notes, the local Republican party recruited Burrell to run for county clerk of courts but closed ranks behind his opponent in this race; that's gratitude for ya. If he can't get that endorsement of his opponent reversed even after this egregious decision by his opponent, then the local party's attitude towards him will be forcibly revealed as (NOTE: my word, not his) TOKENISM of the worst sort. It's all well and good to recruit the young black businessman to contest a seat as an overwhelming underdog and in so doing fly the party flag in the minority community; apparently it's another thing altogether to endorse the same candidate in another race EVEN WHEN HE'S THE ONLY CANDIDATE IN THE RACE NOT MAKING ANY CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS, LET ALONG MAXIMUM ONES, TO DEMOCRATS!

This is everything people hate about politics right in one neat little bundle.