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GERBERRY RESIGNS; CANDIDATES EYE SEAT
YOUNGSTOWN
Gerberry Resignation Letter
Document
Resignation Letter from Ronald V. Gerberry to Cliff Rosenberger, Speaker, Ohio House of Representatives.
With Ronald V. Gerberry resigning from the Ohio House on Aug. 21 – the same day he is expected to plead guilty to unlawful compensation – there is no shortage of candidates interested in replacing him.
The Vindicator exclusively reported Tuesday that Gerberry, of Austintown, D-59th, was to plead guilty to that misdemeanor charge related to campaign-finance irregularities and resign from office.
Just hours after the story was published, Gerberry made the resignation official.
Mahoning County Prosecutor Paul J. Gains, whose office is handling this case, confirmed Tuesday that the criminal count Gerberry faces is unlawful compensation, that the state representative is scheduled to plead guilty Aug. 21 in a bill of information and that he is barred from holding elected office for the next seven years.
Gains added Gerberry has been “cooperating, which is the reason for the plea agreement.”
When asked if Gerberry would cooperate in the Oakhill Renaissance Place criminal-corruption case, Gains declined to comment. But sources close to the investigation said Gerberry would be a witness for the prosecution in that case.
A Tuesday statement from the office of Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien’s office, which assisted with the investigation, read: “Gerberry, among other things, filed false campaign finance reports at the [Ohio Secretary of State’s] Office in Columbus thus there was an offense committed in this county.” But Gerberry’s plea will happen in Mahoning County rather than Franklin, the statement reads.
Sources close to the investigation told the newspaper that Gerberry supposedly overpaid vendors to make it look like he spent money and then had much of it returned to him later as a refund.
Gerberry, an elected officeholder for 42 years, including 27 in the House, did this with several vendors, one source said. In his campaign-finance reports, The Vindicator found several examples of money refunded to Gerberry.
By appearing not to have much cash in his campaign fund, the sources said, Gerberry would pay less money to the Ohio House Democratic Caucus.
Gerberry, the most-senior Democrat in the Ohio House, sent a brief resignation letter to House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger of Clarksville, R-91st, stating his resignation would be effective Aug. 21.
“It has been an honor to serve the people of Mahoning County along with the dedicated members of the House,” Gerberry wrote. “I appreciate the opportunities that I have been granted and will cherish the memories and friendships that I take with me into private life.”
Gerberry has declined to respond to numerous attempts by The Vindicator to contact him.
In a prepared statement, the Ohio House Democratic Caucus wrote: “Reports of campaign finance wrongdoing are deeply concerning to this caucus and this institution. Obviously, we will look closely at details and facts as they emerge from this situation, but at this time, we need to remain respectful of the legal process in order to have a better understanding and complete picture of what transpired.”
David Betras, chairman of the Mahoning County Democratic Party, said, “I’m sad that a person with as long a career as Ron is going out like this.”
The Ohio House Democratic Caucus will decide who succeeds Gerberry, and will convene a screening committee of about three to seven House members to determine that person, said Jordan Plottner, a caucus spokesman. There will be House Democratic staff assisting with administrative work, but not voting.
Details about the process to replace Gerberry will be made in the next few weeks.
The caucus will consider “input and recommendations” from the Mahoning County Democratic Party, Plottner said.
The two early leading candidates to replace Gerberry are John Boccieri, a former state representative and senator and U.S. House member, and Mahoning County Commissioner Anthony Traficanti. Both are from Poland.
“I’ll make a decision soon,” Boccieri said. “I’m always looking for an opportunity to serve our community again. I’ve never closed the door on such opportunities. I have to talk to my family and sort all of this out.”
Traficanti said, “I’m going to really think hard about this. My heart is in the county, and I will go where I feel I can do my best to help it. I’m going to keep my options open. I’d be a strong voice, and I’d put a lot of effort into it.”
Traficanti said he was disappointed by Gerberry’s actions. “I’m shocked this is something he’ll be admitting to. I’m in total amazement that a man of his stature who’s been in office for so many years” would do that. “He’ll end a pretty good career on this negative note.”
Other Democrats who said they’re considering seeking the vacancy include Austintown Trustee Jim Davis, Poland Trustee Robert Lidle and former Boardman Trustee Robyn Gallitto.
Mark Munroe, chairman of the Mahoning County Republican Party, said after he read The Vindicator article on Gerberry: “My thought was, ‘When is this crap going to end?’ I am so angry. I’ve lived in this Valley my entire life. It’s a good place to live. This political stench casts a pall over the whole area.”
Gerberry is named in documents regarding the Oakhill Renaissance Place criminal-corruption case, though he hasn’t been charged in connection with that probe.
A Cuyahoga County indictment accuses Youngstown Mayor John A. McNally, ex-county Auditor Michael V. Sciortino – both Democrats – and Martin Yavorcik, a failed 2008 independent county prosecutor candidate, with conspiring with others to illegally impede or stop the move of the county Department of Job and Family Services from the Cafaro Co.-owned Garland Plaza to Oakhill.
The three face a total of 83 criminal counts including engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, conspiracy, bribery, perjury, money laundering and tampering with evidence. The three have pleaded not guilty.
Oakhill documents list Gerberry’s campaign-finance reports for 2008 to 2010 and a spreadsheet of his campaign contributions and expenditures for those years complied by an FBI agent.
Gerberry also is on secretly recorded tapes by a confidential witness in the Oakhill case that the FBI turned over to prosecutors last year. He mentioned the supposed scheme on those tapes, according to one source.