Thursday, March 19, 2009

A spiritual voice in recall campaign?

WARNER MENDENHALL'S spring offensive is prompting speculation around town that the Summit County Republican Party is playing some role in the recall campaign against Mayor Don Plusquellic.  The fuse was lit by the appearance of Bryan C. Williams, the Summit County Board of Elections deputy director and a former GOP candidate against the Democratic Akron mayor, at Mendenhall's recent public meeting  to launch his campaign.  To put it politely, Williams has nothing but scorn for Plusquellic to this day. However, he rejects  the notion that he might be a back-channel operative for Mendenhall. 

  "I went to the meeting to give my spiritual support (to a recall election) but I' not actually giving my active support," Williams says.  "But I wish Mendenhall all of the success in the world." So mark that down in the category of  political spirituality.  Sort of Platonic.    

Likewise, GOP County Chairman Alex Arshinkoff sharply responds to talk that he might be aiding and abetting the current effort to overthrow the mayor.  "I'm not in it!  I kind of look at it with amusement.  We're thrilled that two Democratic factions (Mendenhall is a Democrat) are tearing each other apart."  Alex did confirm that the Mendenhall forces asked the GOP  to contribute campaign cash. But he said he denied their request.  

All of this will go on for awhile. Let's hope there will be some time left for other pressing matters in the city working through a serious recession.  Maybe a word or two about jobs, foreclosures,  and the growing pressure on the Akron food bank.  I doubt that you will hear a word about any of this from the recall forces until the issue is finally settled.    

8 comments:

Katie said...

If you believe any of this noice about the Repubs. not being involved with the recall, I have some swamp land in Florida. It is a prime location right next to a nest of aligators.

Grumpy Abe said...

Sorry, but I already have a swamp in my backyard.

Mencken said...

Congratulations Warner on creating something as fiscally offensive as the AIG bonuses....... a $300,000 recall vote.

Anonymous said...

The Republicans are not involved, they do not have any money to put in the race even if they wanted to.

Good for Williams, Plusquellic is the sonsumate bully, he could have been Governor but he deferred to the columbus Mayor...look how that turned out.

Warner Mendenhall said...

We are a non-partisan effort. We welcome involvement by people of all party affiliations. Our co-chairs are Libertarian, Democratic, and Republican. We had people from all walks of life at the kickoff meeting on March 11.

Mencken said...

Warner why is this worth $ 300,000 of taxpayer money? Finley ran, Finley lost. You want to run
against Don in the primary, more power to you.

What's really going on here?

Anonymous said...

First off, Mencken Why is it OK for Akron City Council to waste $800,000.00 on an old run down Canal house ready to fall apart but not OK to spend $300,000.00 to get rid of a two bit dictator wanna-be during an election that is already scheduled to be held?

Anyone who believes that Alex Arshinkoff is not in the background running things on the Republican side to get rid of Donnie had better wake up, he is and he is having Williams run the show while he is trying to say “I aint got nothing to do with it”. Williams was already warned by the powers that be not to give any appearance that he is involved in any partisan campaigning while in the capacity of his office and he did and he will be shortly dealt with and justifiably shown the door.

Plusquellic prefers to be the big fish of the pond plus with the way he’s been flushing Akron money down the commode there would have to much of a chance him loosing on a statewide ticket.

Mencken said...

The canal house expense has nothing to do with the recall expense... ask city council why they approved the money. Personally, I think it was a waste of money too. But even if it was the biggest scam in Akron history, Warner needs to explain why the recall is anymore fiscally responsible in light of the fact that Finley has already challenged Don and lost..

It's a simp[e question...... who benefits?