Brandon King vetoes East Cleveland’s appropriation law before he got it from council in the most crazed, self-dealing veto this writer as an ex-mayor has ever seen

The most audit of East Cleveland's finances is from 2014 and shows Mayor Brandon King and Gary Norton weren't requiring employees to record the times they started and stopped working.

CLEVELAND, OH – Richmond Heights resident Brandon King’s continued illegal presence in the office of East Cleveland mayor has created yet another problem for the city.  King doesn’t know it, but Michael Smedley and Belinda Kyle told friends when he was campaigning for the seat against Una Keenon and Devin Branch that he was “too dumb” for the job.  King’s latest veto of the 2021 appropriations ordinance gives their words an air of knowing credibility.

I don’t know King and have only met him in passing three or four times in life.  Maybe.  The most we’ve said to each other in past encounters has been “hi.”  As East Cleveland’s former mayor, and and based on my observations of his statutory conduct, I would have to agree with the assessment of the two city workers King inherited from Gary Norton who know him best.

King appears not to have waited until he received the appropriation ordinance council approved on December 29, 2020 to veto the line items that lowered his “professional services” budget.  It’s where King has hidden contracts with individuals like Wendell Lovelace, Willa Hemmons, Trevelle Harp of NOAH, Thomas Wheeler and others council has not approved.

 

Trevelle Harp has used non-profit NOAH to enrich himself while supporting criminals and non-residents for mayor of East Cleveland.

Harp, Lovelace and Patrick Peacock have been knocking off no-bid contracts of up to $30,000 a month from King to cut grass instead of funding the service department’s workers to do it.  King has required nor shown council proof they’ve done the work on their illegal no-bid contracts.  Harp is the scheming president of 501.c3 violator NOAH who’s been using the organization to get city help on a house renovation he didn’t pay back; and to keep stealing no-bid work from King.

Council cut the money King was paying his office supply company.  They also cut the $30,000 he was paying himself to rent the court an office for its domestic violence program. King’s late father, Norman King, was paid nowhere near that amount for rent during my administration.  The city could have renovated a landbank home and used it for an office to cut the cost of rent.

 

Instead of waiting for the official appropriation ordinance council amended during the December 29, 2020, King took the appropriation ordinance council reviewed before the meeting began and crossed out the amounts that had been reduced in every “professional services” category.  He then increased the line items in every reduced category and added his initials.  He then wrote that he was submitting his “line item veto” thereby effectuating their repeal and his “executive replacement.”

Excuse me.  I’m actually writing and laughing.  This criminally-minded idiot admitted in writing he was vetoing the lower line item for “office supplies” being paid to his company. The subpoeana the library board got to see the mayor’s office supply contracts with that body should have scared him.

There is a term King added to his “too soon” council correspondence that doesn’t exist in Section 60 and 61 of East Cleveland’s charter; or in Section 113(E) of the city’s charter as it explains the mayor’s veto authority.  There is also no “executive replacement” after a mayor’s veto. The “executive replacement” bullshit he wrote is hysterical.  The address he lists as his residence at 1735 Elsinore has been raided twice by police for drugs.  Didn’t Biggie say, “Don’t get high off your own supply?

The effect of King’s veto is that he “voided” the sections he vetoed.  It means there are no amounts funded for those categories and finance director Charles Iyahen had better not move a penny from one line item to cover Richmond Heights resident’s “executive replacements” without council approval.   He has every duty to ignore King’s penciled in executive replacements as if they do not exist.

Iyahen, who worked for me as a payroll clerk, is already in deep criminal trouble for the way he’s moved money outside the appropriations ordinance; and paid vendors without contracts council approved.  He should realize that finance directors go to jail for the unapproved contracts; especially since he’s discharging the duties of the office without an oath of office or a bond.  Ex-Youngstown finance director David Bozanich was sentenced on September 4, 2020 to a year in prison for bribery and tampering with records.  Three years probation plus restitution.

Judge Maureen Sweeney told Youngstown’s ex-finance director he should have made better decisions. Bozanich hired former federal prosecutor Ralph Cascarilla who represented OMI/CH2M Hill in my suit against the company Gary Norton thwarted.  Federal prosecutors upon convicting former East Cleveland Mayor estimated that OMI/CH2M Hill owed East Cleveland residents a minimum of $12 million I wanted for them.  Norton wrote a letter to OMI/CH2M Hill’s president telling him council would not fund the litigation.  Cascarilla said even he was surprised at the conviction.

This dude, Norton, hates American Negroes more than the 100 blue shirted Irish Catholic and Russians who tried to exterminate our people in East Saint Louis, Illinois on July 6, 1917.  300 American Negro men, women and children dead.  THE HOLOCAUST.  Read the National Archives. These labor union evil pisses of shit said they were going to “exterminate all the niggers.”

The budget Iyahen crafted for King as East Cleveland’s director of finance fails to comply Section 60 and 61 of the city’s charter.  I’ve been told it was created with no “Certificate of Estimated Resources” from the Cuyahoga County Auditor.

As one of County Western legend Charlie Pride’s cousins, I’m reminded of one of his peer’s songs. The Gambler, Kenny Roger. “You got to know when to hold them, know when to fold them, know when to walk away and know when to run.”  Run … Charles. Get away from East Cleveland city hall as fast as you can. You are in water way in over your head. You have destroyed the opportunity I gave you as a payroll clerk. Who do you think is going to hire you with all the known criminal acts associated with your “only” 38 year old name in audits, on the internet and possibly in an indictment for misappropriation of public funds? The picture of the man next to you is of a Soviet by the name of David Bozanich. Youngstown’s ex-finance director. He’s in his third month in prison. Do not think the new council is not going to do everything in its power, with my aid, to get the thieves out of city hall. I have no compassion for ANYONE who fucks over poor, trusting American Negroes. You’ve already lost. Each day you stay you make matters worse for yourself. Cut your losses. Leave just like Jack Johnson did. He knew when to “run.” Charles. You know gotdamned well EVERY purchase requisition is copied to council. You are so fucked you have no clue. I see jail in your future. Leave. Today. Every day you stay going forward adds another “count” to an indictment. You’re in over your heard. Your eyes were bigger than your stomach.

The $5.6 million Mayor Brandon King asked council to spend for three months is far more than the less than $6 million he’s collecting annually from local income taxes.  The roughly $3.4 million I once received annually from the state of Ohio’s Local Government Revenue Fund has been long gone.  The December 29, 2020 council vote on the appropriations ordinance is not even illegal.

Section 61 of the Charter requires a public hearing on the budget 10 days before it passed.  I see no evidence of council scheduling a “public hearing” on the budget and the Zoom meetings outside city hall don’t count.  I know as the city’s former mayor that the community is internet deficient.  Even the main cable provider is gone.  Council.  Open your meetings to the public … immediately.

I also know King obstructed council’s budget hearing by refusing to allow the directors to attend.  He’s also held no public hearing on the required “Action Plan” required before council approves the city’s block grant request to the United States Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD).

So King’s current veto is not worth the paper on which it’s written.  He should have waited for the “official” appropriation ordinance the council president signs that the Clerk of Council, Victoria Deneau, has not “yet” delivered to the mayor.  My sources say Council President Korean Stevenson hadn’t signed any legislation before King sent his incriminating veto and “executive replacements.”

Timothy Austin, Ernest Smith and Brandon King are all up for re-election this year. King lives in Richmond Heights, Austin has homes in East Cleveland that appear empty. Smith is just an ignorant, broke thief who has no business anywhere near a public office. Voters should not even sign their “nominating petitions.” That’s not advice.  I don’t tell grown folk what to do.  Austin should just be smart enough not to run. He got a pass in the last election. That won’t happen again. . Here’s a link to the EJBNEWS newspaper that features the story about Smith and his underaged strippers. https://www.clevescene.com/media/pdf/ejbnews.com.pdf

Secondly, East Cleveland’s mayor has no veto authority until the entire budget is approved.  He has to wait until he receives the “official” appropriation ordinance that includes council’s amendments.  King should obtain the legal opinions I got from my director of law, Almeta Johnson, when I vetoed two budgets.  This dude is just not smart at all.

Norton in 2006 had taken council’s appropriation ordinance and amended it at home.  He then submitted his amendments as if they were the original appropriation ordinance prepared by the finance director right before the vote.  No one knew what he had changed and I wasn’t signing off on his fraud.  The second veto included the vote on the appropriation ordinance that included Norton’s introduction of $65,000 for himself as the director of public safety as I was headed for a life of peace after East Cleveland city hall.  I warned him in that veto how his future included prison in December 2009.  He didn’t realize I have psychic abilities.  LOL.

East Cleveland’s mayor pursuant to Section 113(E) of the charter can disprove the amount of money council approved.  He just can’t re-pencil in his own amount and operate off it.  The money council approved for professional services is “void” if council doesn’t overturn his veto.  It means for Brandon he’s now got no money in professional services thank to his decision to “void it.”  Council simply has to let his veto stand and instruct Charles to ignore his penciled in changes which he must do anyway by law.

East Cleveland city council should anticipate a criminal tool in the form of an obstructive legal opinion from the unsworn private contractor impersonating the city’s law director named Willa Hemmons of Shaker Heights about Richmond Heights resident Brandon King’s veto of council’s temporary appropriations ordinance that includes no money for her “professional services” contract.

Since Willa Hemmons’ money is tied into professional services, council should expect the private attorney impersonating the city’s director of law to issue an obstructive opinion they should deliver to federal authorities as further evidence of her misuse of the public office she’s usurped. The way Tim Austin and Ernest Smith argued for the professional services amounts King wanted, the other three council members should question if they’ve got a “cut” in it for themselves.

Smith has been driving three city cars in violation of a council ordinance as a part-time member of thel legislative body.  Smith’s main source of income is the $4500 his broke azz gets from the city’s taxpayers.  His other income is the car he’s been driving, two he’s wrecked, and the money he’s been stealing for gas and maintenance without reporting the “benefit” to the Internal Revenue Service.  Dude’s even earning an extra income off the council monthly expense account by buying toys for his daughter.

Iyahn is in trouble for not reporting Smith’s added benefit as income to the IRS on every W-2.  Smith’s in trouble for annually stealing more than the $4500 in compensation allowed by the charter.  He’s still operating the old Club Dew Drop where he was arrested for his back to school fundraiser with strippers, drugs, guns and alcohol without a liquor license. Sources say the strippers were from Detroit he picked up in the city car and transported across state lines; some as young as 17. They called Smith “Dolla Bill.”

Convicted ex-Bridgeport, Ohio mayor David Smith got 36 months in prison in 2020 for theft in office and having a conflict of interest in a public contract. The auditor, Keith Faber, the same one reviewing East Cleveland’s financial records, requested the criminal prosecution. King and his crew of thieves should not try and use “the race card” when they’re indicted. It will not be available to them.

Juanita Gowdy took office on January 1, 2020 and asked for all contracts her first week in office.  Iyahen has never delivered any of the numerous contracts King entered with his friends and his own companies without council authority.  King has been approving budgets and contracts as mayor that include his own business interests as he’s specifically referenced the office supplies contract council never approved with his company.

If he vetoes the “official” appropriation ordinance with council’s amendments, King’s done the council majority’s job for them.  No money for professional services.  He can’t now change his self-dealing reference to the loss of his “office supplies” money even if he withdraws the public record I’ve shared with my readers who include federal and state authorities.

If King could simply pencil what he wanted into the temporary appropriations ordinance the citizens of East Cleveland wouldn’t need a council or a government. All they’d have is this Richmond Heights thief stealing with the help of the other thieves he manages inside East Cleveland city hall.

The same Ohio Auditor of State who’s been busting mayors, finance directors and directors for stealing got Sterling Heights Mayor Charles Neff, his administrator, Joe Johnson, and treasurer, Bonnie Liff. Nett was convicted of “dereliction of duty” for failing to credit 25 percent of village income tax revenue to the village’s capital improvement fund. Why did you hold the federal Payroll Protection money Brandon? Why are you giving checks to Smedley’s live-in girlfriend who no longer works for the city? The car to Ernest Smith? Uh oh. All the Sterling Heights officials were convicted of theft in office, altering records, paying workers outside the council approved salary ordinance and for other acts they same Ohio Auditor of State is investigating in East Cleveland. Three years in prison for the mayor. 10 years for the administrator. One year for the treasurer. The treasurer cashed in more sick time than she was authorized. All the shit they’ve been doing in East Cleveland.

I’ll be watching to see how King and his team of contract criminals proceed.  Thanks to Smedley and Kyle for their post-election analysis of King’s less than average intellect.  His moves as mayor have made me think King’s more than a little “off.”

Willa. Tell ya’ co-conspirator to withdraw his veto and wait until he gets the official, signed appropriation ordinance from the Clerk of the Council.  I have an idea, Willa, you’ll be seeing your name in a criminal complaint.

Eric Jonathan Brewer

Cleveland's most influential journalist and East Cleveland's most successful mayor is an East Saint Louis, Illinois native whose father led the city's petition drive in 1969 to elect the first black mayor in 1971. Eric is an old-school investigative reporter whose 40-year body of editorial work has been demonstrably effective. No local journalist is feared or respected more.

Trained in newspaper publishing by the legendary Call & Post Publisher William Otis Walker in 1978 when it was the nation's 5th largest Black-owned publication, Eric has published and edited 13 local, regional and statewide publications across Ohio. Adding to his publishing and reporting resume is Eric's career in government. Eric served as the city's highest paid part-time Special Assistant to ex-Cleveland Mayor Michael R. White. He served as Chief of Staff to ex-East Cleveland Mayor Emmanuel Onunwor; and Chief of Communications to the late George James in his capacity as the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority's first Black executive director. Eric was appointed to serve as a member of the state's Financial Planning & Supervision Commission to guide the East Cleveland school district out of fiscal emergency and $20 million deficit. Former U.S. HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson told Eric in his D.C. office he was the only mayor in the nation simultaneously-managing a municipal block grant program. Eric wrote the city's $2.2 million Neighborhood Stabilization Program grant application. A HUD Inspector General audit of his management of the block grant program resulted in "zero" audit findings.

As a newspaper publisher, Eric has used his insider's detailed knowledge of government and his publications to lead the FBI and state prosecutors to investigations that resulted in criminal prosecutions of well-known elected officials in Ohio; and have helped realign Cleveland's political landscape with the defeat of candidates and issues he's exposed. Eric's stories led to the indictments of the late Governor George Voinovich's brother, Paul Voinovich of the V Group, and four associates. He asked the FBI to investigate the mayor he'd served as chief of staff for public corruption; and testified in three federal trials for the prosecution. He forced former Cuyahoga County Coroner Dr. Elizabeth Balraj to admit her investigations of police killings were fraudulent; and to issue notices to local police that her investigators would control police killing investigations. Eric's current work has resulted in Cuyahoga County Judge John Russo accepting the criminal complaint he guided an activist to file against 24 civil rights-violating police officers in the city he once led for operating without valid peace officer credentials. USA Today reporters picked up on Eric's police credentials reporting from his social media page and made it national.

Eric is the author of of his first book, "Fight Police License Plate Spying," which examines the FBI and local police misuse of the National Crime Information Center criminal records history database. An accomplished trumpet player and singer whose friendship with Duke Fakir of the Four Tops resulted in his singing the show's closing song, "Can't Help Myself": Curtis Sliwa of New York's Guardian Angels counts Eric among his founding chapter leaders from the early 1980's role as an Ohio organizer of over 300 volunteer crime fighters in Cleveland, Columbus and Youngstown, Ohio. For his work as a young man Eric was recognized by Cleveland's Urban League as it's 1983 Young Man of the Year.

Known in Cleveland for his encyclopedic knowledge of government and history, and intimately-connected with the region's players, every local major media outlet in Cleveland has picked up on one of Eric's stories since 1979. There is no mainstream newspaper, television or radio outlet in Cleveland that does not include an interview with Eric Jonathan Brewer in its archives over the past 40 years.

Reply