Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Warner: Questions but no answers

IF IT ISN'T one thing, it's something else with Warner Mendenhall, the Robespierre  of  the recall uprising against Mayor Plusquellic.  As a lawyer, he's doing some things in a lawyerly fashion to get his message to his perceived jury.   Today's news  from the front (i.e.,  the Beacon Journal)  for example,  reported that Mendenhall  questioned in an e-mail whether the city's new schools are safe, then he asks:
"Were electrical inspections done by phone on our new school buildings? This isn't safe.  An honest man objects then gets fired.  Was Plusquellic involved?"
Well, Warner, was Plusquellic involved or wasn't he?   Was he the person on  the phone doing the inspections?  You really don't tell us.  It's an old rhetorical trick:  raise the question without answering it.  

The point here is that simply by asking a question before his jury, this lawyer served his case by creating doubt about the person on trial.    And who fired the guy in your e-mail? The mayor? From what I understand, it was his  employer, J.W. Didado Electric.  All of this happened a couple of years ago, and even though the complaint against the building inspector was  sent to the state, no action was taken on it by the Ohio Board of Building Standards. A board spokesman said, "There was nothing of substance to warrant any action."

Warner, why are trying to assert your "leadership" while treating the rest of us as dummies?  Will there be more of this nonsense as the campaign barges on?   I'm afraid so.  And when it does, I'm sure  it will be challenged. Good Lord.  What a way to waste the summer months!  

                                                                             *  * * 

 MAYBE MY BRAIN is a bit soggy from all of the rain hereabouts, but I don't follow the logic  of hiring a thoroughbred Republican lobbyist for $142,000  as an associate vice president of "strategy and finance" at the budget-challenged University of Akron. The recipient of the newly-created position is Scott Borgemenke, and, says the Beacon Journal, his job will be to develop "innovative  solutions to challenges."  In other words, a lobbyist.  And one who was the designated hitter as the top strategist for the Ohio Republican Party.

The irony in this should be clear enough.  Borgemenke, a former race track executive,  is a first team figure in a political party that, as we all should know by now, has been damning the stimulus and government spending - big socialist  dollars.  And I presume such dollars are what the university is looking for from the new guy on the campus.  Or in Columbus.    And maybe even from the hated Democrats.  



2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Abe, This is a little long, sorry.

“Borgemenke's broad job description calls for him to develop ''innovative solutions to challenging problems'' in budgeting and financing.”
How about all administrative positions get a 50% pay cut to help in University admissions?

“Case said his new hire's expertise — as chief of staff for Ohio House Speaker Jon Husted, a top policy adviser for former Ohio Gov. Bob Taft and as a consultant — will be an asset to the university.”
Does everyone remember what the former Governor did to this state? Does everyone remember how much in campaign cash good old Jon Husted took off with for his Secretary of State run? It could have helped people in his party win and retain control of the Ohio House instead of losing control of it.

''We want him to help us in terms of the state budget and making sure that the university gets the most of it,'' Case said.
Does everyone know that this guy helped Jon Husted raise Ohio Budgetary spending thru the roof?

“He said Borgemenke is commuting from his home in Dublin, a Columbus suburb.”
Every day? 5 days a week? Once a week? I want to see the receipts, gas, mileage, Etc or is he using a university provided vehicle? If it is each day he is on the road I guarantee 3 ½ to 4 hours round trip. So I guess we are paying for that to? Because I know he is not.

“Borgemenke also is well-known in Ohio as the head of the state Racing Commission from 2002 to 2004. He was executive vice president of Canada's Magna Entertainment Corp., the largest owner and operator of race tracks in North America, including Thistledown in Northfield, for about six months last year.”
So gambling is coming like it or not.

“He returned to Columbus last fall to become chief strategist for the Ohio Republican Party.”
And the Republican Party lost the Ohio House.


"He was a trustee for his alma mater, Ohio University, from 2006 until 2008, when he resigned, citing work commitments."
He did them a Hugh favor.

fargo said...

Mendenhall learned his tactics by watching Fox News. Pose the question then run for cover...all the time maintaining a plausible denial for his actions.

I see no redeeming value for the man anymore...he officially resides on the dark side now.