HALL OF SHAME SERIES #7

PANTS ON FIRE! PANTS ON FIRE! COUNCILMAN SWEENEY OF CLEVELAND, OHIO TOLD A  BIG TIME LIE ABOUT THE $50 MILLION JOHN MARSHALL HIGH SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION PROJECT AT THE JANUARY 12, 2012 CLEVELAND LANDMARKS COMMISSION MEETING WHERE THE COUNCILMAN RIGGED THE 5 TO 4 VOTE TO DEMOLISH HISTORIC 80-YEAR OLD JOHN MARSHALL HIGH SCHOOL!

THERE WAS A THREE-WEEK LONG HUNGER STRIKE BY A 70-YEAR OLD SIKH-AMERICAN TO SAVE JOHN MARSHALL. THE HUNGER STRIKE WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL.
 
 “I WAS UNABLE TO OVERCOME THE 100% CORRUPT POLITICAL SYSTEM IN CLEVELAND, OHIO – LED BY PHILISTINES AND DISHONEST POLITICIANS – MAYOR JACKSON AND COUNCILMAN SWEENEY AND WHICH IS AIDED AND ABETTED BY THE MEDIA – THE PLAIN DEALER AND CHANNELS 3(NBC), 5(ABC), 8(FOX), AND 19(CBS) – WHO ARE IN BED WITH CITY HALL AND WHERE THE SEWER FLOWS FROM CITY HALL ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE BELLAIRE PURITAS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION – AND ENGULFS EVERY ONE OF MAYOR JACKSON’S AND COUNCILMAN SWEENEY’S CRONIES, GOONS, AIDES, AND ABETTERS -- WHO WALLOW IN THE MUCK!”

INDIAN ETV TELEVISION NETWORK WHICH COVERED THE HUNGER STRIKE SIX TIMES DURING THE THREE WEEK PERIOD PUT THE CLEVELAND, OHIO BROADCAST MEDIA – CHANNELS 3(NBC), 5(ABC), 8(FOX), AND 19(CBS) TO SHAME ON ZERO COVERAGE OF THE HUNGER STRIKE!

THE HUNGER STRIKE WAS A CRY FOR JUSTICE – WHICH TO THIS DAY HAS NOT BEEN SERVED. THE PLAIN DEALER AND THE BROADCAST MEDIA IN CLEVELAND – CHANNELS: 3(NBC), 5(ABC), 8(FOX), AND 19(CBS) COMPLETELY IGNORED INVESTIGATION OF CITY HALL’S COLLUSIVE INACTION, VOTE RIGGING AND DENIAL OF DUE PROCESS TO OVER 2,400 PETITIONERS WHO WANTED TO RENOVATE HISTORIC JOHN MARSHALL HIGH!

AT THE JANUARY 12, 2012 CLEVELAND LANDMARKS COMMISSION MEETING WHERE THE COUNCILMAN RIGGED THE 5 TO 4 VOTE TO DEMOLISH HISTORIC JOHN MARSHALL  HIGH SCHOOL -- THE COUNCILMAN TOLD A BIG TIME LIE.

ACCORDING TO THE MINUTES, THE COUNCILMAN STATED: “THE HEART OF THE COMMUNITY WANTED A NEW SCHOOL.”

THE COUNCILMAN DID NOT SUBMIT ANY PETITIONS IN SUPPORT OF HIS STATEMENT WHILE THE SAVE JOHN MARSHALL CAMPAIGN – SUBMITTED OVER 2,400 PETITIONS IN SUPPORT OF RENOVATION.

THERE WERE TWO PUBLIC MEETINGS WHERE THE OPTIONS FOR A NEW SCHOOL AND A RENOVATED SCHOOL WERE VOTED UPON BY THE  COMMUNITY.                

AT BOTH MEETINGS, THE OPTION FOR A NEW SCHOOL GOT ZERO VOTES.         

AND YOU GUESSED IT RIGHT: COUNCILMAN SWEENEY WAS ABSENT AT BOTH MEETINGS.

AND WHAT ABOUT THE PLAIN DEALER: GUARDIANS OF THE PUBLIC MORALITY IN CLEVELAND, OHIO – THEY WERE ABSENT TOO – AT BOTH MEETINGS. ACCORDING TO THE AUGUST 4, 2012 PLAIN DEALER EDITORIAL: PUBLIC OFFICIALS SHOULD DISPLAY: HONESTY, TRUSTWORTHINESS, ACCOUNTABILITY, CLARITY, AND TRANSPARENCY -- AND NO ONE TO WATCH OVER COUNCILMAN SWEENEY.

HERE ARE THE DETAILS:

JANUARY 12, 2012 CLC(CLEVELAND LANDMARKS COMMISSION MEETING):
AT THE CLC MEETING, COUNCILMAN SWEENEY RIGGED THE 5 TO 4 VOTE TO DEMOLISH HISTORIC 80-YEAR OLD JOHN MARSHALL HIGH SCHOOL.

THE CHIEF ARCHITECT OF THE CITY OF CLEVELAND – WITH THE TITLE OF MANAGER OF ARCHITECTURE – VOTED FOR DEMOLITION – BUT PROVIDED NO EXPLANATION – AS TO WHY HE DID IT.

No reporter from The Plain Dealer was present at the CLC meeting.

The Plain Dealer did write an article about the meeting
by reporter Patrick O’Donnell in the Feb. 1, 2012 issue of the The Plain Dealer. While Mr. O’Donnell was not physically present – according to Mr. O’Donnell – he used a tape recording to report on the meeting. Mr. O’Donnell – did not report on Mr. Sweeney’s big lie, all the irregularities that took place, and made no mention about the vote rigging. Mr. O’Donnell made attributions about me and the SAVE JMH campaign without contacting me. When I complained – nothing was done about it. When Mr. O’Donnell and other Plain Dealer reporters were informed about the vote rigging and the irregularities – they are on the mailing list and copied on everything -- they never reported anything either.

Mr. Steven Litt – architectural critic of The Plain Dealer  – never wrote a piece to SAVE JMH – before the CLC meeting of January 12, 2012 – or afterwards.

No outrage was expressed by Mr. Litt that the Chief Architect of the City of Cleveland (with the title of Manager of Architecture) voted for demolition of an architectural gem. I am a retired Structural Enginner – who grew up in Le Corbusier’s Chandigarh – and have worked with the top U.S. architects – in designing buildings – every time I think of this – it makes me sick. And not a word of outrage from Mr. Litt.

DETAILS OF THE VOTE RIGGING HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED IN THE FOLLOWING REALNEO POSTS:

12-06-12
PLAIN DEALER IN BED WITH CITY HALL DELETES COMMENTS PERTAINING TO RIGGED VOTES TO DEMOLISH LANDMARKED JOHN MARSHALL HIGH SCHOOL

12-01-1212
DAY 12 OF HUNGER STRIKE & UNANSWERED QUESTIONS ON RIGGED VOTES TO DEMOLISH LANDMARKED JOHN MARSHALL HIGH SCHOOLI

11-30-2012
DAY 11 OF HUNGER STRIKE & WHY CHIEF ARCHITECT OF CLEVELAND VOTED TO DEMOLISH LANDMARKED 80-YEAR OLD JOHN MARSHALL HIGH SCHOOL?

11-28-12
DAY 8 OF HUNGER STRIKE & DID COUNCILMAN SWEENEY LIE IN THE CAMPAIGN TO SAVE 80-YEAR OLD JOHN MARSHALL HIGH SCHOOL?

FIRST PUBLIC MEETING:
On September 6, 2011, for the first time in over three years, the School District presented three options on the John Marshall High School Construction Project at the Neighborhood Education Committee Meeting held in Room 147 (Lecture Hall) of
John Marshall High School, 3952 West 150th Street.

After a public discussion, extending over an hour, a straw poll was taken.

Here are the results:

Option 1: New School  – an option promoted by the School District for nearly 4 years, an option approved by the Board without any comparative analysis, an option embraced by Ward 18 Councilman Mr. Sweeney, and promoted by the Bellaire-Puritas Development Corporation in their public events and newsletters – the option for a new school received 0 votes.

Option 2: Partial Demolition, Renovation + New Construction -- 8 votes.

Option 3: Full Renovation: 28 votes

Councilman Sweeney was not present at this meeting and neither was any reporter from The Plain Dealer.

SECOND PUBLIC MEETING:
After a discussion lasting for nearly two hours, by Neighborhood Education Committee of Ward 18 at their monthly meeting held in the office of Bellare-Puritas Development Corporation at 14703 Puritas Avenue on November 1, 2011, passed the following unanimous resolution:
 “Tearing down John Marshall and building new is not an option as far as this group (NEC) and community are concerned.”

Councilman Sweeney was not present at this meeting and neither was any reporter from The Plain Dealer.

REALNEO:
PLEASE SEE PREVIOUS POSTS ALL RELATED TO THE SAVE JOHN MARSHALL HIGH SCHOOL CAMPAIGN!
 

FACEBOOK & YOUTUBE:
 

Follow the SAVE JOHN MARSHALL HIGH SCHOOL group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/160386844035662/
Also, see the following three YouTube clips:

1. Save John Marshall High School, Cleveland, Ohio
http://youtu.be/S6Shgwi5cuU

2. Save John Marshall High School Pt. 2: Demonstration http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdTaCQrwoF4
 

3. Save John Marshall High School Part 3: Call for a Hunger Strike
http://youtu.be/nyoL5sFBjeA