EAST CLEVELAND TATTLER

Issue Number 10, Ma y 2012 May Send an email to eastc le velandleaks@gmail.com to g et the Tattler emailed to y ou eastcle lev get you

PROSECUTE NORTON
Sources say council is contemplating criminal charges against Norton, finance director and others for law violations
By CLYDE CLODHOPPER Sources close to Council are strongly suggesting that Mayor Gary Norton may not complete his four-year term in office as its members and newly-hired attorney move forward with plans to investigate him for the way hes ignored city, state and federal laws, and as hes used public funds to manage the city. Employees like detective Ralph Spotts, Scott Gardner, Vanessa Veals, Ron Riley and Jack Johnson have chosen sides instead of staying out of the politics because they thought Norton would always be there to protect them, said media expert Jon Davis. They didnt realize that if Norton is out, the same council president theyve been disrespecting will be their boss. They really screwed themselves. In response to the state auditors announcement in January 2012 that East Cleveland was facing a $5.8 million deficit, council president Joy Jordan, vice president Chantelle Lewis, Nathaniel Martin and Barbara Thomas scheduled meetings twice and sometimes three times a week to discuss the citys financial affairs with Norton, finance director Jack Johnson and various department heads. Section 113 of East Clevelands charter gives council the power to meet and openly discuss the affairs of each department with its director. Chapter 525 of the citys codified ordinances has laws that prohibits public employees, who are also public officials, from lying and performing duties that exceed or dont meet the expectations of the public offices (jobs) they hold. Violating the majority of any East Cleveland ordinance is a first degree misdemeanor, which includes acts of insubordination found in chapter 123 of the citys Administrative Code. [NOTE: All of these documents are in email form and can be obtained from clerk William Ellington at 216-681-2310.] Section 91 of East Clevelands charter gives council the power to investigate or appoint a committee to investigate the affairs of any officer or public employee in any department. The council has the authority to issue subpoenas to
Oh snap. My butt cheeks dont grip like they used to. I just wet farted all up in my new pants.
Egotrippin Gardners Facebook profile picture

Ma yor ,c hief silent w hile cop disr espects J or dan and calls her stupid May or, chief while disrespects Jor ordan

Detective Scott Gardners been disciplined twice for insubordination and again for stealing a big screen television from police evidence. Why is chief Ralph Spotts allowing this proven thief to disgrace an East Cleveland uniform while he investigates others for the same crimes he committed?

Thanks to 44112 News for this photograph we downloaded from its website BLACK WOMENS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE MEMBER AND COUNCIL PRESIDENT JOY JORDAN was called stupid and repeatedly interrupted by detective Scott Gardner as she challenged the lies Gary Norton was telling city employees and the media about council not funding medical benefits. Norton didnt say a word to Gardner as he disrespected Jordan as council president . As mayor of a predominantly African American city, whose aging residents migrated north to escape the type of racist disrespect that Gardner showed Jordan, Nortons generation of so-called black politicians thinks self first and do nothing to protect the interests of the black people who elected them to public office. In his latest media-created drama, Norton placed the safety of black children at risk by refusing to spend the $31,000 that council placed in the budget for school crossing guards. This lying asshole then told parents council didnt give him crossing guard money.

anyone with knowledge of the unlawful conduct of an elected official or public employee. Once the investigative committee is assigned, its members will have the authority to order the police chief to cause the arrest of any official who refuses to appear and testify. Through legislation, the council can order the citys director of law to file criminal or civil charges against any elected official or public employee for violating its ordinances and obstructing the official business of the city. Ohio law gives the legislative authority of a city full control over its finances, not the mayor. Ohio law and section 113 of the charter requires the mayor to enforce the duly passed resolutions and ordinances of council whether the individual holding the office, Norton, wants to or not.

The penalties for failing to enforce council ordinances depends upon a number of circumstances. Violating some ordinances compounds daily, meaning each day a public employee or official is in violation counts as a separate violation. Spotts, as an example, has failed to provide council with monthly reports of the law enforcement trust fund as required both by state and local laws. The violation is a first degree misdemeanor. Beginning with the first day Spotts failed to deliver the first monthly report on January 31, 2010, each day afterwards counts as a separate violation for every day he failed to deliver that one report and then it begins a again with the second, third and so forth. Even his
Flip it over

EAST CLEVELAND TA TTLER, NO . 10, MA Y 2012 TATTLER, NO. MAY

THESE TW OP AGES ARE MORE CREDIBLE THAN THE ENTIRE PD TWO PA

Bomb about to be dropped on ordinance-violating employees

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receipt of overtime in violation of Chapter 123 of the administrative code is a first degree misdemeanor, compounded criminally by potential theft in office charges for each time he recieved wages. A prosecutor could charge Spotts for submitting a time card with his illegal overtime request and claim that he used it as a criminal tool to unlawfully divert public funds to enrich himself. Council could charge him for insubordination and obstruction of justice for failing to investigate detective Randy Hicks unlawful use of out of pocket confidential informants while he was a police officer. Spotts was told Hicks conduct violated federal laws when he and ex-Mayor Eric Brewer met with ex-Special Agent in Charge Frank Figgliuzzi in 2009. The chief confessed to the detectives relationship with murder victim Sandra Varney. Spotts told Figgliuzzi and three federal agents that Varney was Hicks out of pocket informant. Council members complain that Norton and Johnson are withholding financial information even though the finance directors relationship with council is statutory. In other words, Johnson has no choice but to openly and honestly share financial information and documents with the legislative authority and enforce the ordinances and resolutions they approve. Martin specifically asked the finance director to explain how Norton found $3.2 million. Johnson exceeded the authority of the office when he told the legislative authority, and did so during an official meeting, that he was not there to discuss it, did not discuss it and left. Were trying to figure out how to solve the citys $5.8 million deficit and the person who is mandated to give council accurate financial information is arrogant, does what the mayor says and acts like he doesnt have to respond to us, Martin has complained. Ive been here longer than anyone else and seen more politicians and employees go to jail for this type of stuff for the longest. They think they can come in here and steal from the taxpayers, but in the end they all get caught. This time were not waiting. The people are telling us theyre tired and want something done and were going to give it to them. This will all be over soon. Jordan told friends Nortons latest two media stunts are the straws that broke the camels back. Jordan had been willing to give Norton the

DID WE SA Y SOUP COOLERS? SAY

We knew wed seen those yoodlers in a movie before. Producers of The 5th Element that starred Bruce Willis, Milla Jovovich and Chris Rock used a plaster cast of Garys lips to create the same ones seen on the mongoloid monsters in the 1997 hit film. Gary wont disclose how much he got paid or whether those were his ears on the mongoloid, but wed long suspected that smackers like his had to be good for something else other than lying.

benefit of doubt with the $3.2 million story he concocted until she looked at the budget and saw the money in the bond account where it belonged. But when Norton created a panic among parents and employees by publicly telling them council didnt fund crossing guards and employee medical benefits, Jordan told residents she was done with him. Jordan issued a statement to the media and used plain language calling Norton a liar for deceiving the citys employees and residents. With all due respect to the office of mayor, the person holding that office is not telling the truth to the citys employees, residents and the media, Jordan said in her statement. As officers of the city we cannot sit by and allow his lies to obstruct the citys official business and our ability to deliver services to our residents. The Plain Dealer ignored Jordans statement, giving credence to councils now-confirmed suspicion that the newspaper was drowning out and censoring its members criticsm of Norton. Jordan was particularly ticked-off because reporter James Ewinger sat, observed and reported how Norton ordered a police officer to remove her from his office after she challenged lies he was telling and then ignored what shed said. WEWS-TV5 and Fox 8 chose not to cover Nortons media stunt. WKYC-TV3 reporter Amanda Kyle ran with Nortons lie and wrongly concluded that benefits would run out even though she was provided with meeting minutes and a budget showing the mayor was not telling the truth and that the money was in place. Kyle censored the council presidents statement and decided not to include her comments about Nortons lying, which sent a totally different type of message to the general public. This is why many politicians dont like talking to reporters, Davis said. They try to fit you into their own package rather than just telling the story that youre in the middle of in a straightforward manner. Coverage of public controversies would be more interesting and informative if reporters used public records to share information instead of unverified comments from actors whove been invited to the drama. Gardners a Norton minion and the man on the street wasted air and information sharing time because the reporter failed to understand the nuances of the topic she was covering. Davis said, as an example, Gardners been brought up on charges three times, twice for insubordination and once for stealing a drug dealers big screen television out of police evidence. He said the cop wears a suit the city bought for him and has had no professional development as a detective or supervisor. Hes got a big mouth not a big brain and wouldnt understand the budget if it was microchipped in his thick skull, Davis said. He got an ego trip from being on television and all the reporter and the public got was an uninformed and inflammatory comment from one of Nortons ass-kissing stooges. Davis said WOIO-19s Scott Taylor, however, made it a point to show and say he was sharing both sides of the story, and cleverly dramatized it

Finance director Jack Johnson, police chief Ralph Spotts and his secretary, Vanessa Veals, have blatantly and publicly disrespected council and may have engaged in criminal acts of theft in office and obstruction of official business. Spotts could find himself accused of receiving stolen property because he unlawfully received overtime in violation of a first degree misdemeanor law.

by contrasting Norton and Jordans versions of the facts. As council pursues its plans to investigate and hold Norton and several key employees accountable for violating its ordinances, sources said Jordan believes the citys legislators will finally get the information council needs to draft legislation that resolves the $5.8 million deficit. Jordan has reportedly told councils newlyhired attorney, Darryl Pittman, to be prepared to file a writ of mandamus in the Court of Common Pleas next week if Norton fails to comply with appropriations Ordinance 33-12 and refuses to pay employee medical benefits and put the school crossing guards back on the streets. The writ of mandamus would compel Norton to perform the duties associated with the office of mayor and be admissable evidence that he violated the duties of the office if a judge has to order him to comply with councils ordinance. It would confirm that he exceeded the mayors authority by failing to perform the jobs duties. Council is also anticipating a report from Auditor of State David Yost about whether or not Norton should have received and continued to receive wages as safety director. Sources said state auditors requested and obtained a copy of ex-mayor Brewers 2009 veto of Nortons self-introduced legislation that added wages for a safety director in 2010. The sources said auditors also asked for a copy of the actual tape recorded discussion that took place in the special meeting Brewer had called to add a line item for the city to receive federal grant funds for the police department. Under Ohios open meetings laws, council could only vote on legislation or discuss issues relative to the subject of the publicly-announced meeting and nothing else. Brewers three-page veto shows Norton wrote the legislation to give himself the extra money and then added it to the agenda in violation of the states open meeting laws. Nortons legislation falsely listed Brewer as its requestor. Exlaw director Almeta Johnson is heard on tape telling Norton his introduction of the legislation at the special meeting was illegal. Norton is heard throwing a tantrum and voting in excess of the council presidents authority. You have to give Joy credit for one thing since shes led council, said council watcher Loretta W. Every time Gary and his crew act up on tape, she always says, let them talk.