Democratic brand needs a makeover

After suffering the indignity of losing Mahoning County to Republicans John Kasich and Ralph Meacham and independent Robert Rusu, you would think that Democratic Party Chairman David Betras had learned his lesson when it comes to having morally dubious or flawed Democratic candidates run for office. You would be wrong.

Before focusing on the individuals whose presence on this year’s Democratic primary ballot prompts an “Are you kidding?”, let’s look at what happened last November when voters in predominantly Democratic Mahoning County went to the polls.

In the most significant race of the 2014 election, political novice Meacham, a certified public accountant who came out of retirement to run for office, defeated incumbent Michael Sciortino, a party insider.

Felony charges

What is significant about that race is that Sciortino, seeking a third four-year term, believed that the slew of state felony charges against him would not be a big deal for many Democrats in the county. He was right. Although he lost, he still garnered 31,115 votes.

Fortunately, thoughtful voters in the came out in enough force to give Meacham the win, with 33,602 votes.

But Sciortino’s presence on the ballot was a sad commentary on the state of Democratic Party politics in the area.

Probate Judge Rusu, who had been appointed to the bench by Republican Gov. Kasich after Democrat Mark Belinky resigned in shame and was subsequently convicted of a tampering-with-records charge, had never run for office. But he still defeated Democrat Susan Maruca in the general election.

Maruca had won the primary and had the full support of Chairman Betras.

Last, but certainly not least, there was Republican Kasich’s stunning victory in Mahoning County over Democrat Ed FitzGerald. Kasich also carried predominantly Democratic Trumbull County.

While licking their political wounds, Betras and his counterpart in Trumbull, Dan Polivka, placed the blame on FitzGerald for running such an incompetent campaign and on the state party for not adequately vetting the then-county executive of Cuyahoga County.

Neither chairman was willing to concede that the Democratic Party brand in the Mahoning Valley has been damaged by all the convictions of Democratic officeholders.

That refusal to face reality would explain why the forthcoming primary election in Mahoning County features candidates who do not pass the smell test.

Topping the list are the two contenders for the party nomination for mayor of Struthers. Both Ronald Carcelli and Danny Thomas Jr. have criminal histories, even though there are no court records to show what they did. However, The Vindicator’s archives provide all the details about their misdeeds.

Carcelli, a member of the Struthers Board of Education, was convicted for having an unlawful interest in a public contract, a misdemeanor, after he was indicted on felony charges of theft in office, bribery and theft related to his job with the city of Struthers. He received a six-month suspended jail sentence and was ordered to pay $5,000 restitution to the city and a $1,000 fine.

Thomas, a former council president and 1st Ward councilman, was convicted in August 1987 by a federal judge of illegal use of a communication facility (a telephone) to distribute cocaine.

Sealed records

The criminal records were sealed by local judges and Thomas also received a presidential pardon from Bill Clinton in 1999.

Now, one of these two individuals could occupy the mayor’s office.

And what does Democratic Chairman Betras have to say about that? Nothing.

In Youngstown, the Democratic primary for city council has attracted a slew of candidates, including John Vivo, who is seeking the 7th Ward seat.

Vivo was endorsed by the precinct committee members in the ward — even though he owes $14,176 in unpaid property taxes to the county for his home, his flower shop and a house he owns next to his business.

Non-payment of taxes is a disqualifier for holding public office. Why? Because it’s a matter of trust.

The Democratic brand needs a makeover — starting with Betras issuing a stern warning to potential candidates: If you run for election and have a criminal background or you’re a tax scofflaw, I will publicly repudiate you.