Sciortino should be very afraid

Michael V. Sciortino is no longer Mahoning County’s auditor, but rather than slither out of the courthouse, he was laughing (in a manner of speaking) all the way to the bank. That’s because the criminally indicted former Democratic officeholder was suspended with pay by three retired judges appointed by Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor to serve on a judicial commission. They were to determine if suspension was warranted given the felony charges filed against Sciortino.

Unfortunately for the taxpayers of the county, the suspension was a financial boon for Sciortino. His term in office was to have ended next Sunday because he lost re-election in November to a political novice, Republican Ralph Meacham. But while the suspension got him out of the courthouse, he will be paid $3,182 for not working. By any definition, that’s a vacation on the taxpayers’ tab — for a person who’s facing a boatload of state criminal charges for his role in the Oakhill Renaissance Place corruption case.

The state law under which Sciortino was suspended also gives him 30 days to appeal the three-judge panel’s decision. But why should he? He took the money and ran.

The successor

Today, Mahoning County residents are rid of an officeholder who violated the public’s trust, and have replaced him with an individual who is, first and foremost, honest. He also is eminently qualified to serve as county government’s chief financial officer.

Meacham, who was selected last week by the commissioners to fill the vacancy until he begins his four-year term Sunday, is a certified public accountant with an impressive resume. His tenure as the CFO of the Pittsburgh Steelers speaks to the diversity of his work experience.

Meacham is a breath of fresh Republican air — after the putrid Democratic stench that has emanated from the growing list of public officials who have polluted government.

The Oakhill Renaissance Place criminal conspiracy is only the latest of the government corruption incidents that has come to define the Valley.

Consider this: In addition to Sciortino, another prominent Democratic officeholder has been charged in the Oakhill scandal — Youngstown Mayor John McNally, relating to his tenure as a county commissioner.

A third defendant in the state case is Atty. Martin Yavorcik, who ran as an independent for county prosecutor.

If there is a silver lining in the Sciortino suspension with pay, it is that the three retired judges who reviewed his indictment issued a three-page ruling that should make the former auditor afraid — very afraid.

That’s because these individuals, steeped in the law, found that certain criminal acts that state prosecutors allege Sciortino committed were grounds to suspend him.

For instance, Sciortino is charged with receiving free legal services from Valley businessman Anthony M. Cafaro Sr., the purported mastermind of the Oakhill Renaissance conspiracy. The three retired judges concluded that act had an “adverse effect” on the then-auditor’s ability to do his job.

The retired judges also found that Sciortino’s alleged payment to Yavorcik in return for him burying the Oakhill investigation if he became prosecutor was reason to suspend him.

Compelling evidence?

The members of the judicial commission did not deliberate Sciortino’s fate in public, so we’ll never know what was said when they read the indictment and considered the specifics of the charges. But it is safe to conclude that they were swayed by whatever evidence they saw.

And that’s why Sciortino should consider making a deal with the prosecutors.

Reams of documents have been filed in court by the prosecutors and, thus, have become public record. What they show is that Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine and Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Timothy McGinty aren’t blowing smoke when they talk about a criminal enterprise, conspiracy, racketeering and bribery relating to Oakhill.

The bottom line: Cafaro, the retired president of the Cafaro Co., county officeholders and others were participants in a scheme to block county government from buying Oakhill.

Why? Because Cafaro did not want the commissioners to move the Job and Family Services agency out of the Cafaro-owned McGuffey Mall on the East Side.

In the end, this case is about the corrupting influence of money.