Nothing like seeing a good old lynching by newspaper editor to make people "Believe in Cleveland" and Northeast Ohio. In an editorial today from the power-brokering "We" of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the "editors" make a move everyone in the know has expected from them since September 29th, 2006 [1], when the City of East Cleveland sued "dear friend" of the Plain Dealer Sherwin Williams for making East Cleveland "perhaps Ohio's most troubled city" by creating a public nuisance and economic and health crisis by selling lead-based paint long after it was well known and proved to cause permanent physical harm to humans. In a strong retaliation against the mayor who brought lead litigation to the State of Ohio, Eric Brewer, the Plain Dealer is creating dubious scuttlebutt about a situation in which the editors acknowledge "We don't know where the truth lies." To the Plain Dealer editors, this is personal... from their editorial: "as we've stated repeatedly, we do know Brewer can be rash, reckless and extraordinarily vindictive." The logical observation is that one of the world's most powerful and troubled companies, Sherwin Williams, and one of the world's most vicious law firms, Jones Day, (which have sued East Cleveland [2] for suing Sherwin Williams) have partnered with the region's most powerful media outlet, to which Sherwin Williams certainly pays $ millions for advertising, and they are all attacking the mayor of East Cleveland in as "rash, reckless and extraordinarily vindictive" ways as they may. Is it the duty of a newspaper to focus on facts, and allow due process, even when the publishers fear that bites the hands that feed them? No, the only purpose of a newspaper is to make the owners money. Read the opinion of the editors of the Plain Dealer here and imagine being the PD's next victim, if you ever hurt their feelings or threaten their bottom line:
A rash mayor and his friend [3]
Monday, December 04, 2006
It was only a matter of time before a major controversy landed in the lap of East Cleveland Mayor Eric Brewer. Frankly, we're a bit surprised it took 11 months to arrive.But now, late in Brewer's first year as a mayor of what is perhaps Ohio's most troubled city, two former high-ranking city administrators have accused Brewer of attempting to protect a dear friend who is suspected of taking bribes as a city code inspector.
Brewer, of course, denies protecting the alleged bribe-taker. Eventually, he'll get around to placing blame for this dilemma in all kinds of places it doesn't belong, including this newspaper.
We don't know where the truth lies. But, as we've stated repeatedly, we do know Brewer can be rash, reckless and extraordinarily vindictive.
With a whiff of obstruction of justice lingering in the East Cleveland air, this one deserves a long, hard look by the Cuyahoga County prosecutor.
Links:
[1] http://li326-157.members.linode.com/East-Cleveland-litigating-over-lead
[2] http://li326-157.members.linode.com/public-must-defend-cities
[3] http://www.cleveland.com/editorials/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/opinion/1165232874242750.xml&coll=2
[4] http://li326-157.members.linode.com/Massillon-lead-suit