Q&A

http://www.cleveland.com/forums/solon/index.ssf?artid=41783

5078. Question
by solonjoe3, 01/26/12 9:21 AM

In principle, what the difference between bribing Jimmy Dimora with sexual favors to get a job and bribing our current mayor with a promise to drop out of the race and hire the old mayor’s secretary?

[Joe's] Answer: Nothing. In both situations the public gets screwed.

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5078.4. Answer
by SolonPol, 01/26/12 1:15 PM
Re: Question by solonjoe3, 01/26/12 1:15 PM

Brace yourself, you won't like it. But read it with an open mind, it is logical, just call me Spock. And if you still don't like my post, just remember that without my contrarian views to spark conversation, you guys would be just reading quotes of stupid comedy channel programs like South Park, just call me spice for the forum.

First, there's the evidence, Jimmy was on tape, lots of tape, Susan's situation is for the most part speculation, lots of it. And not "fair and balanced speculation" but whacko conspiracy theory speculation only found in Roswell, NM.

For Sally we have Joe's wild speculations and exaggeration, stretching what would never pass as "judicial evidence" to new wild fantasy. Bribery with something of little value (endorsement = 1/20 cent), then he switches the briber and bribee. Susan bribed Kevin for an endorsement? Why, when she supposedly had all her "dirty tricks", none of which compared to Bob's. And then saying that Susan got Patton to leave the race, oh please, it was the allure of the Mentor city manager job where no one knew Kevin's weaknesses. Next we'll hear that Susan talked Scott into running as Bob's spoiler, PULEASE!

But the real issue is of parity, Susan giving current employees "a chance" doesn't even come close to Jimmy's whores and payola for jobs. For Jimmy, we have all the sorid details on tape complete with F bombs and anatomical descriptions. For Susan all we have is a supposed conversation where Patton asks Susan to give his people a chance rather than the customary swinging of the ax the first day. Was this a bribe? Or even a favor? My candid council conversations of the time uncovered some councilman who would have OBJECTED to a mass house cleaning, who were concerned with the small changes she made early on.

So Patton may have ASKED Susan to CONSIDER giving some people a chance. And she did! But in the end, the IT Director, the Law Director, and the personal asst didn't pass muster and were replaced.

Was there a better way to handle this, would it have been cleaner to have a mass execution day one? Probably... But in the end, Susan is no Jimmy, just look at the pictures of the two of them, one is very very large.