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Apr
18
Well, I’m pleased as punch to read Plain Dealer Editor Susan Goldberg’s reaction to Cuyahoga Councy Commissioner Jimmy Dimora’s ejection of two PD reporter, the very loveable Henry Gomez and Mark Puente (whom I don’t know) after they asked questions about a public employee, during a public meeting:
Plain Dealer Editor Susan Goldberg said Dimora was out of line.
“It is unacceptable that our reporters would be evicted from a public meeting for daring to ask a question,” Goldberg said. “I fail to see how asking an elected official about the role of a public employee — whose salary is paid by taxpayers — is grounds for removal from the meeting. These illegal, strong-arm tactics have no place in a free society. We strenuously object to this outrageous conduct.”
Now, how that will be followed up, I can’t say but let’s stay on that and hope.
But I am disgusted at what provoked the ejection. Do you think he will really “get out of this business” like he says?
The press pines over Marc Dann’s anger when his children are involved? More borderline to me. But they should be calling attention to Dimora’s decorum, or lack thereof as they do here.
You go girl.
And you know, I think Dimora needs a blog, don’t you? When I’m unhappy with the PD, I just write and write and write. Works pretty well. I even offer to give him free lessons. In a very public setting. Where there are lots of people around.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 11:13 am April 18th, 2008 in Cleveland+, Government, Media, Politics, Writing
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16 Responses to “PD’s Susan Goldberg, You go girl! (You go, too, Henry and Mark)”
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Supposedly 2006 was Dimora’s last election. So, if he continues in the tradition of many of the other Dems in the region (say late 2009) so that way they can appoint someone to fill the rest of his term and run as an incumbent.
God forbid there’s even an election with an open seat.
Meant to say “ever” in the last sentence rather than “even.”
I remember a decade ago how giddy and glib Dimora was in the papers when Mayor White was on the ropes. Deja vu eh?
This is so unlike him, going batshit at the PD. He’s scared. Something’s up. Yeah, he or Russo are financially supporting a local mob sters woman, but there’s gotta be more to it. Are the Feds on his tail?
[...] PD’s Susan Goldberg, You go girl! (You go, too, Henry and Mark) | Writes Like She Talks ‘And you know, I think Dimora needs a blog, don’t you? When I’m unhappy with the PD, I just write and write and write. Works pretty well. I even offer to give him free lessons. In a very public setting. Where there are lots of people around.’ (tags: YrGovt@Work) [...]
The PD article says this woman is on the Auditor’s payroll. One person interviewed said she works for the Commissioners too. So, the reporters call Dimora’s office and cell repeatedly, then call his house and interupt a meeting. He gets way too upset. Seems like he is old school, and won’t talk about other people’s employees. Probably helps him as Dem Chair.
Maybe she’ll kick him with her infamous fashionable high-heeled shoes.
At the BOCC, Dimora needs to see retirement – clearly he’s burned out. Hagan might escort him from the room of public service and I suggest neither of them return. It could be a graceful voluntary exit.
Since Goldberg seems to have stepped up, perhaps her next bold move could be to show Brent Larkin the door. He needs directions and not directions from the people who are telling him what to write currently. His sales pitches for the opportunity corridor make one wonder if someone is sliding him cash to promote this bad idea. The PD could benefit from someone who is part of the solution, not part of the problem.
To her credit, she has already signalled that she’s heard and understands the structural criticisms of Larkin and his crony-like ties to all manner of insiders, beginning with his best chum, Hagan. Not long after she arrived, she began visiting with various embedded powers in the region, without Larkin. That loud signal couldn’t have been missed by anyone.
well that would be good. a free press… what a concept. Do we have to dig up Upton Sinclair or can we just quote him?
“It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends on his not understanding it.”
I went to a county commissioners meeting. Demora arrives late as usual. He is joking with some toadies It appears that they just had a closed door meeting where business was actually conducted. The topics were hardly discussed before being voted approved. What a joke. He was like Boss Tweed in Tammany Hall. Most seem afraid to hold him accountable since he holds the purse strings for the county, but it is time for him to go.
Co-holds the purse string for the county and heads the county Dem party, a powerful combination, and the underlying source of his unique power and at least low-grade corruption.
posted this a while back in regard to Boss Tweed reference
http://realneo.org/blog/roldo/can-i-build-you-a-house-pay-you-to-live-in-it#comment-5550
No question that Dimora was out of line in throwing those reporters out of the room. But his frustration with the Plain Dealer is totally understandable. His reaction isn’t excusable – but I think it’s explainable.
Just one example is that the PD lambasted him years ago for offering the buyout to county employees, running story after story, editorial after editorial. Guess what? Dimora was right. The buyout saved taxpayers millions. And not a peep from the PD.
And how many references to his weight can they make? Yeah he’s a public official and it’s funny for a while – but come on, we get it: He’s fat. He also has kids.
In his diatribe against Gomez and Puente, I really felt sorry for him when he said he was tired of people pointing out his lack of a college education. I can understand people accusing him of being manipulative, unfair, lazy or intimidating. But he’s not dumb. Come on, how could he be good at those other things if he were dumb!?
So yeah, the reporters’ questions were totally legitimate, and throwing them out of the meeting was totally inappropriate. But it’s also inappropriate for a serious journalist to badger a public official at his home at 9:30 at night. And there’s a lot of genuine criticism that can be made of Dimora. But stop calling him fat and stupid.
Growing up ’round here is like a phrase in the TV series Battlestar Galactica “… All of this has happened before. All of this will happen again.”
If I’m not mistaken. Don’t the county precinct bosses determine who will be on the ballot representing Cuyahoga County’s Democratic ticket? Being that he’s also the HEAD of the county democratic party. Who can oust him? Other members of the party board?
As for Hagan…Man. I still can’t believe people chose him over Tim McCormack.
I recall Tim Hagan had a “dimora” moment like this in 1998 when he caught hell for the death of a girl the county was supposed to take custody of or something. He just went ballistic in a videotaped meeting on TV and I think, retired.
Danny – I haven’t seen the references re: fat and stupid but you wrote a very balanced comment so I’m going to take your word for it that that’s been intimated – and you are right – it’s unnecessary.
Since the PD has gotten more into online stuff, I find them getting even more loosey goosey – getting snarky when they’d get upset at a non-print connected writer doing the same.
They need to decide whether they are tabloid or not.
Sticking to the legitimate criticisms certainly should provide more than enough fodder and everyone has a breaking point. But Dimora – he is unique.
I’ve not met him personally in years and have met people who swear that he’s been their support and savior
But this kind of behavior and the reputation…well, it’s hard to support, don’t you think?
Dweller – I agree on Hagan – and he seemed SO passionless.
That’s part of what really galls me – at least Peter Lawson Jones acts like he WANTS and values his job outside of it being a paycheck.
There’s something much less genuine with the others somehow – can’t name it.