Frost, Garson's joint statement on Tucson shooting

A lot of local politicians have released statements on the attempted assassination of U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. But this one from Rob Frost and Stuart Garson stands out. It's a bipartisan gesture, especially thoughtful about the biggest question emerging from the shooting: the way we talk about our political opponents.

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Joint Statement of the Chairs of the Cuyahoga County Democratic and Republican Parties

On behalf of the officers, leaders and members of the Cuyahoga County Democratic and Republican parties, we wish to convey our profound condolences for the victims and their families in the senseless and tragic shootings that took place in Tucson this past Saturday. We have no sufficient words to describe our horror and disdain for such intolerance and wanton disregard for human life.

However it is our intention to demonstrate that, although on occasion, our respective parties may share a different philosophical approach to our political issues, we do not perceive one another as enemies. Our democracy can only flourish and thrive in an atmosphere of respect and tolerance for each other's views. As local party chairs we are dedicated to civil discourse that at all times strives to advance our respective positions in a thoughtful and constructive manner.

We hope all our residents of Cuyahoga County will join with us in reflecting on this tragic moment in our hopes that we can achieve a new spirit of political conciliation and cooperation for our families, community and country. We could not ask for any more of ourselves or from each other in the New Year.

Sincerely,
Stuart Garson, Chairman, Cuyahoga County Democratic Party
and Robert Frost, Chairman, Republican Party of Cuyahoga County
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The whole country is debating whether vicious rhetoric and violent political metaphors had anything to do with the shooting, or whether Jared Loughner is just a lone nut job whose act had no larger meaning. (Essential viewing: this video of Giffords, who happened to read the First Amendment during Congress' recitation of the Constitution last week -- and put special emphasis on the word peaceably.)

But if the shooting becomes any sort of turning point in our politics (and it might not), it could be a moment when "restoring sanity" becomes a bipartisan project, not just Jon Stewart's. That's what Frost and Garson are reaching for here.

Dems, FitzGerald defy scandals, celebrate victory

“I was a little late coming down,” Ed FitzGerald told local Democrats at the downtown Doubletree hotel tonight, “because I couldn’t decide if I should change into my czar uniform.”

FitzGerald was joking about one of his top opponent’s attack ads, one volley in a barrage he’d withstood. Now, his czar moment was behind him. So was his PO14 moment. The Democrat had survived Republican attempts to tar him by association with Jimmy Dimora and Frank Russo. He’d beaten Matt Dolan 45 percent to 31 percent to become the leader of Cuyahoga County’s new government.

“A stream of scandals were laid at our doorstep, whether it was fair or not,” FitzGerald said as 11 o’clock news cameras’ spotlights glowed white. “We had to deal with it over and over again. … We still won.”

Like Cleveland mayors on their victory nights, the county executive-elect declared that his campaign had bridged divides between the East and West sides, black and white — and urban and suburban, he added. “These divisions have held this county back. [Our campaign is] proof positive that we can shake off those old habits once and for all.”

FitzGerald acknowledged the need to shake off corruption’s damage. “Faith in county government has never been at such a low point,” he declared. “Speeches cannot fix that.” Instead, he said he’d tackle his agenda: restoring “the idea that public employment is a trust,” creating a jobs program, making higher education more affordable, caring for the poor and encouraging regional cooperation. “I want to make Cuyahoga County a national model for how to get things done,” he said.

As FitzGerald stepped down from the stage, Democratic chair Stuart Garson closed the speeches with a reminder of their party’s bad election night nationwide and a final nod to the scandals Cuyahoga Democrats had shaken off.

“Look what we do with a gale force in our face,” he said. “Imagine what we can do next year with a gentle breeze at our back.”

To read my coverage of FitzGerald in the September issue of Cleveland Magazine, click here.

Garson calls for Dimora and Russo to resign

"I'm going to have a very low threshold of tolerance for any ill-toward behavior," Stuart Garson, the local Democrats' new chairman, told me for my article about him in this month's Cleveland Magazine. Guess he meant it.

Garson is calling on Jimmy Dimora and Frank Russo to step down for the sake of "our community, party and our candidates." The Plain Dealer's Mark Naymik broke the news on cleveland.com today. It's not a reflection on their guilt or innocence, Garson says -- but the appearance of impropriety caused by the endless FBI investigation "has compromised the public's trust."

About time! I can hear you scandal-weary readers saying. So why is Garson saying this now? He's been party chair for about two months, enough time to establish his authority. And the party's focus is turning to the elections for the new county government. Early voting has already started for the Sept. 7 primary, with dozens of eager Democrats competing to be the party's nominees for county executive and council.

"The resignations will allow our candidates ... to focus on their ideas for governance, economic development and social services without any further distraction," Garson said in the PD story.

Translation: Republican and Independent candidates will try to hang Dimora and Russo around the Democrats' necks in November. Garson wants to give his candidates an easy answer: Hey, we've moved on!

Naymik's story includes one vague but tantalizing detail:

Garson said he personally told one of the two officials of his announcement, though he wouldn't identify which one. But he said, "It didn't go well."

Wish I had an audio clip of that!

The Hangover: Garson, Democrats' new chairman, promises integrity

"The Hangover," my piece on Stuart Garson, the Cuyahoga County Democrats' new chairman, is out now in the August issue of Cleveland Magazine.

Jimmy Dimora was the good-timey, devil-may-care Democratic chairman; Garson's the guy stuck cleaning up the place now that the Party's party is over. The trial lawyer and former fund-raising chair for Sherrod Brown is every bit the reluctant volunteer, but he's ready to do his part to restore voters' trust in local Democrats.

"I'm going to have a very low threshold of tolerance for any ill-toward behavior," he told me, including "anybody who's attempting to use their office to enhance their own financial gain."

My Garson piece appears on the Politically Minded page, one of the many alternating elements in Lake Effect, the magazine's front section. Politically Minded debuted in June with this piece by Ryan Dezember on Kenneth Merten, U.S. ambassador to Haiti, who's from Hudson.

Brown, Fudge push Stuart Garson as Democratic chair

Cuyahoga County Democrats have figured out who'll succeed Jimmy Dimora as party chairman, says the Plain Dealer's Mark Naymik. And it's not one of the usual suspects. It's Stuart Garson, former campaign treasurer for Sherrod Brown.

Garson has lined up support from Brown, Marcia Fudge, and Bill Mason, Naymik reports in his column today -- nearly enough to clinch the job before the party's June 16 vote.

This tells us a lot about where the local Democratic party is going. Now that the Dimora and Frank Russo era is over, Brown and Fudge are stepping into the vacuum, getting involved at the grassroots, nudging rank-and-file Democrats toward new names and strategies. They've lined up Mason's support in the party chairman contest, but they're not deferring to him. That's a sign that Mason's political network will remain a factor in Democratic politics, but not dominate it.

Here's another sign: Tom Day's name didn't come up in Naymik's column at all. Last year, the Bedford Municipal Court clerk was considered the insider choice for party chair. He counted both Dimora and Mason as allies -- which, in the old party politics, was more than enough to make him a front-runner. But handing the party chairmanship to a prominent figure in the Mason machine was not what Brown and Fudge had in mind.