Thursday, June 18, 2009
CLEVELAND (AP) — A top Cuyahoga County official has defied political allies and critics in Cleveland and says he won’t step down amid a federal corruption investigation.
Commissioner Jimmy Dimora, the county Democratic chairman, participated in roll call votes Thursday, defying a suggestion by his two Democratic commissioner colleagues that he abstain from voting during the FBI probe. His office was raided last year when the investigation kicked off.
Dimora’s GOP counterpart, Republican county chairman Rob Frost, told commissioners that Dimora should resign to restore public confidence. Dimora says he won’t quit and says he would be criticized for not doing his job if he abstained from voting.
He has not been charged and has denied any wrongdoing.