Cafaro, Wilson are here to stay

Even if they spend the next two years in the Ohio Senate just sitting on their assets, millionaire heirs Capri Cafaro and Jason Wilson will not attract any substantive opposition when they run for full four-year terms in 2008. That's because their family fortunes and connections will be tough to match in an arena where money and IOUs are the weapons of incumbency.
Cafaro is the granddaughter of shopping center magnate William Cafaro and daughter of Cafaro Co. executive J.J.
Wilson is the son of Charlie Wilson, funeral home and furniture store owner.
Who's your daddy?
J.J. Cafaro has spent the last two decades using his money to collect political IOUs in the Mahoning Valley, in Columbus and in Washington. He also is a convicted felon, having pleaded guilty to bribing former Congressman James A. Traficant Jr.
Capri has never held public office, has never needed a job to keep a roof over her head and has run twice for Congress -- and lost.
Yet, Democrats in the Ohio Senate decided last week that she is imminently qualified to replace Marc Dann of Liberty Township as the 32nd District senator. Dann will become the state's attorney general in January.
Charlie Wilson is currently the 30th District senator who is on his way to Washington to serve as the congressman from the 6th House District.
Jason manages his father's furniture store in St. Clairsville, has never held public office and in this year's 6th District congressional race was responsible for a blunder that prevented Charlie from being on the Democratic primary ballot. That forced the elder Wilson to launch a seemingly impossible write-in campaign, which he did -- successfully. He beat the odds and won the Democratic nomination with a combination of hard work and hundreds of thousands of dollars of his own money. He went on the win the general election over Republican Chuck Blasdel, who currently represents the 1st District in the Ohio House of Representatives.
Senate Democrats obviously decided that Jason's access to the family goldmine overshadows his political ineptitude and lack of experience.
While the meeting of the caucus at which the selections were made was held behind closed doors, it is not hard to imagine the Democrats involved being swayed by the fact that two wealthy senators on their side of the aisle means never having to worry about using state party funds to help them election time.
But not needing financial help in two years isn't the only reason why Cafaro and Wilson will scare off any substantive opponents -- there will be a smattering of political nonentities -- when they run.
For Capri, it's about the power of the Cafaro name in the Mahoning Valley. Any individual who has political aspirations would be foolish to take on a member of one of the most influential families in the region, if not the state.
And if that doesn't do the trick, there is always the Cafaros' power of persuasion. Just ask state Sen. Robert F. Hagan of Youngstown, D-33rd, who will be returning to the House of Representatives next year. Or their willingness to intimidate. Just have a chat with Congressman Stephen LaTourette, who was challenged two years ago by Capri Cafaro, about his experience.
If a serious challenger does emerge, he or she will find out what it means to take on an individual with friends in many places.
Unspoken message
As for Jason, having a father who is a member of Congress means that largess from Washington for local communities will come with an unspoken message for government types: My son and I had better not see your names on the ballot when we run for re-election.
With Democrats in power in Congress, there will be opportunities for even freshmen legislators to funnel federal dollars to their districts, but money will be tight. Therefore, Wilson will be in a position to trade -- albeit in the shadows.
Two weeks ago, Democrats in the Ohio Senate were warned in this space that appointing Capri Cafaro, a two-time loser and former Republican, would anger residents of the 32nd District. In all probability, that will occur. But, in the end, such anger will be for naught if voters don't have any real choices.
The decision by Democrats in the Ohio Senate to select Capri Cafaro and Jason Wilson makes clear that it isn't only Republicans in the state who are willing to sell their political souls for so many pieces of silver ... make that gold.