Losers in 2008 outshine winners

As disgraced ex-Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann scrambled last week to prevent his tattered reputation from being completely ripped apart, this question came to mind: Will we ever be rid of such scum? A report from state Inspector General Thomas P. Charles on Dann’s 17-month tenure as Ohio’s chief lawyer justifies the use of such a harsh word.

Indeed, the word has appeared in this space several times in conjunction with other former officeholders who, like Dann, have given the region a black eye. It should be noted that scum has not been used to describe members of the Valley’s mobster class, because such criminals don’t wrap themselves in the cloak of respectability. They are honestly corrupt.

Not so individuals like Marc Dann, disgraced congressman-turned-federal inmate James A. Traficant Jr. and disgraced Mahoning County sheriff-turned-jailbird Phil Chance. They used their public positions to set themselves apart from common folk, but in the end turned out to be nothing but ... you know.

And so, 2008’s big loser is the former attorney general of the state of Ohio, who was forced to resign in May after an internal probe, triggered by allegations of sexual harassment against a member of his management team, concluded that cronyism and unprofessional behavior were the rule rather than the exception.

Extramarital affair

In stepping down, Dann admitted that he had an extramarital affair with his scheduler, Jessica Utovich, and conceded that the behavior contributed to Tony Gutierrez, his director of general services who was accused by two female employees of sexually harassing them, and Leo Jennings, his communications director, throwing caution to the wind in the way they conducted themselves. Both Gutierrez and Jennings were friends of Dann’s from the Mahoning Valley. All three shared a condo in Columbus. (Toga! Toga! Toga!)

As Inspector General Charles noted in his report of Dann’s administration and the expenditure of campaign finances, “the office was built for disaster.”

The details of Dann’s alleged financial transgressions have been well publicized, but the involvement of his wife, Alyssa Lenhoff, the director of journalism at Youngstown State University, and even his children makes this sordid affair even more egregious.

Dann will have the opportunity to formally answer to charges when they are filed, but it is clear that he cannot talk himself out of this mess — a mess that he alone created.

The Liberty Township resident isn’t the only loser of 2008. The other individual with a Big L on her forehead is Lisa Antonini, chairwoman of the Mahoning County Democratic Party.

It’s only a matter of time before Antonini resigns — because she has now become a political liability. She was slam-dunked by the Democrats in the Ohio Senate.

Indeed, her losing the battle to appoint a replacement for Sen. John Boccieri in the 33rd District — Boccieri is on his way to Congress — resulted in the emergence of two major winners. The first is former Senate President Harry Meshel, who persuaded political newcomer, Atty. Joe Schiavoni of Canfield, to make a bid for the 33rd District seat. Meshel lobbied the Democratic caucus on Schiavoni’s behalf. The other winner in the sweepstakes is Sen. Capri Cafaro, who will be the minority leader come January.

Cafaro of Liberty Township, D-32nd, ignored Antonini’s ranting about the recommendations of the party’s executive committee not being embraced.

Two-time loser

Indeed, Antonini was a two-time loser this year. In the general election, she supported an independent candidate for Mahoning County prosecutor, Marty Yavorcik, even though the Democratic nominee was incumbent Prosecutor Paul Gains. Gains crushed Yavorcik in the election.

Finally, Probate Judge Mark Belinky, a Democrat, deserves to be in the winner’s circle because he won the general election — despite some influential Democrats supporting Republican Scott Hunter, a county court judge.

Postscript: The end of one year brings wishes for the new year, and so, the following wish is made on behalf of the Valley:

That Marc Dann does us all a favor and returns home to Cleveland, where he can comfort Cuyahoga County government officials who are under investigation for pay-to-play.