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New election complaint turns tables in Orange
(by Sali McSherry - February 23, 2011)
New election complaint turns tables in Orange
By SALI McSHERRY
Orange resident Frank Bona has filed a formal complaint before the Ohio Elections Commission, claiming that several campaign violations were made last fall by Friends of Orange Village.
Village Council President Mark Parks Jr., who was treasurer of the friends committee, Mayor Kathy U. Mulcahy and Councilwoman Lisa Perry also were named in the complaint.
In his complaint, Mr. Bona said the political action committee filed certain campaign finance reports late and failed to file others. He said no addresses were provided on a campaign finance report for several contributors and that the committee and individuals failed to reveal and report some specific expenditures. He said that a piece of campaign literature did not list the required disclaimer.
Mr. Bona said last week that there was a typographical error in his complaint regarding a reimbursement check to Ms. Mulcahy. The complaint listed the amount as $5,332.60, but the check actually was for $332.60.
"I think it's a shame that, because of a lack of a few names and receipts, which we can produce, that this would have to involve a complaint with the Ohio Elections Commission," Ms. Mulcahy said.
Mr. Bona said, "The complaint speaks for itself." According to his complaint, "The filings were made knowingly with the intention of omitting necessary information and denying the public essential information regarding election contributions and expenditures, which the public is entitled to as required by law."
Ms. Mulcahy said the complaint was "motivated by political undertones but not for any substance or content on the part of the PAC."
She said she's tired of a small "group of people dragging Orange Village into a civil war and that the complaint was further evidence of the group's efforts to make trouble where none exists."
Mr. Parks said Monday, "We will fully cooperate with the Ohio Elections Commission to address this issue and look forward to the resolution of this matter."
Two other election complaints were filed in 2010 in Orange.
In one filed by Councilman Daniel Brown and Mrs. Perry last May against the political action committee Wake Up Orange, they claimed that false statements in campaign literature were distributed. The complaint was tossed out by the elections commission, which cited a lack of evidence.
Mr. Bona was the treasurer of the Wake Up Orange committee. Others named in that complaint were Councilmen Mark Bram and Edward Bonk and former Orange Mayor Joseph Dubyak, who served as attorney on the case, his wife Kristin, and attorney David Gallup.
Last July, the Dubyaks and Mr. Gallup were fined a total of $600 by the elections commission for campaign violations following a complaint filed by Mr. Brown and Mrs. Perry. The elections commission unanimously ruled that they violated the Ohio Revised Code for concealing or misrepresenting a contribution, as well as late filing of campaign financial reports to the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections.
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