Most of us in Cuyahoga County have received a mailer by Ken Lanci declaring his candidacy for Cuyahoga County Executive. This mailer was either a brilliant piece of literature or a sad sign of what his candidacy may bring.
In politics, name recognition and publicity are very important and this mailer, for those who haven't tossed it, has people going to his site and asking, "Who the hell is Ken Lanci?" Other than a picture of fireworks, his web address, and claiming he was an independent, the mailer was just about blank.
Timmy "The Teen Tickler" Russo of Blogger Interrupted, and a candidate for Cuyahoga County Council, has graciously taken some time out from trying to destroy our country with socialism and did some research on Lanci with the following post at the Progressive pit of hell - Plundertard.....
It seems pretty hypocritical to me that the "if you didn't vote for Obama you're a racist" lefties are upset a candidate would reach out to the black community. Last I checked they live in Cuyahoga County too.Anthony gets a mailer, and immediately declares it the worst political campaign piece of the coming cycle.
And thus begins the self funded campaign of Ken Lanci for Cuyahoga County executive. Lanci’s website does have lots of words that do sound like a mattress sale. But one name leaps off the website, from the bio page.
Ken Lanci has also been actively involved in Project Love for the past thirteen years. In 2009, he accepted an invitation to act as Co-Chairman of the organization’s Remember the Children Foundation. He currently serves with Co-Chairman Arnold Pinkney.In fact, Pinkney’s is the only political name listed anywhere on the site. Now why would that be? Arnold Pinkney is Cleveland’s designated hired gun for anyone wanting to “get” the “black community”, for whatever corporate backed initiative that happens to be on the ballot. Most recently, Pinkney was Dan Gilbert’s window dressing for the Issue 3 casino measure. Like all such self-funded candidates who think they’re gonna fool voters, this “independent” schtick is Lanci’s entire reason for being.
Not knowing much about Lanci I won't call his campaign a farce like Issue 6 was, just yet. But by looking at who he has given campaign contributions, Lanci belongs in the Republican Party of Cuyahoga County where donating to both sides is almost like a prerequisite for your social club membership card....
The nice thing about such matters is that there’s always the FEC website to see just how “aligned with any political party” Ken Lanci actually is. And shock, horror, in 2008 Lanci gave a whopping $5,000 to the McCain Palin Ohio Victory Fund, and another $5,000 to the Ohio GOP in the final weeks of the campaign. Other interesting donations – Lanci gave $2,300 to Cleveland Councilman Joe Cimperman’s primary challenge to Democrat Dennis Kucinich. This year, Lanci gave $1,000 to Lee Fisher’s Senate primary campaign, proving yet again that Republicans REALLY want Lee Fisher to win this primary. Then it’s off to the Ohio Secretary of State database! Where we learn that Lanci gave $1,000 to Ken Blackwell in 2005.Other than exposing themselves as closet racists, the post on Lanci would have been some great insight on this candidate. But then Timmy shows his jealousy of the Tea Party's, which Lanci has no association with, by calling Lanci a closet Tea Bagger. I find this ironic as Timmy is out of the closet and being a "tea baggee" or "tea bagger" is one of his favorite past times with his friends.
To be fair, there’s a smattering of donations to Democrats, which all appear to either be attempts to feather his own nest, like the donation to no-hope gubernatorial candidate in 2002 Tim Hagan, or attempts to ratf**k Democrats; like donating to primary Dennis, or put up weak candidates to face a Republican in the fall, like Lee Fisher.
The dates on Lanci’s McCain-Palin contributions, 10/22/2008, and 11/03/2008, are telling. If you’re willing to flush $10,000 down the McCain Palin toilet in the last weeks before the election, after all of this, that makes you a borderline teabagger.
The Lanci family has a history with the La Casa Nostra, in particular Anthony(Tony)Liberatore. Tommy Lanci (Ken's brother)was virtually inseperable from Liberatore( they seldom made a move without consulting one another)Tommy was referred to as Tony's nephew. He was valuable because he had no criminal record and did not show up on any intelligence reports. But he had befriended many mob figures,both black and white. He, like his brother,was a high roller, had a interest in gambling and expensive suits and cars.
ReplyDeleteLanci and Liberatore were convicted of R.I.C.O. charges for bribing an FBI clerk.
Their involvement in the planning of the murder of Danny Greene would not surface until the others involved were already in jail, awaiting trial. When ex-convicts Louis (little Tony) Aratari and Ronald (Vic Guiles) Gulliani were arrested the spellbinding story that linked Liberatore and Lanci to Greene's demise began to unravel. Lanci was convicted of planning the murder of Danny Greene.
My family has known the Lanci family for many years.
ReplyDeleteKen has no connections with any crime activity and is a businessman. To paint Mr. Lanci as a criminal because of his brother's involvement in crime is political hackery at its worse.
Ken is a smart businessman and is exactly what Cuyahoga county needs. He will run the county fairly and with his knowledge will be able to bring back jobs to the county.
Political donations by businessmen is not uncommon and I am sure that Ken just wanted to make sure he had a say in whatever candidate was elected. It would be dumb not to in todays political world.
And with Obama's dismal record on the economy after a year of not doing what he said he was going to do, like get out of the war, not hiring lobyists, no taxes on the middle class, no to bailouts and Mr. Lanci was prescient in his political choices. Anyone would be better than Obama the liar.
Mr. Lanci will do what needs to be done with a no nonsense approach to county government.
I do not work for Mr. Lanci's campaign and just wanted to sound off.
Lanci's brother Tommy also turned RAT for the Feds and is now living in FL.
ReplyDeleteYeah, like I would ever vote for the brother of a Rat Fink!
I think Ken Lanci's choice of what car to drive shows how out-of-touch he is with the average Cuyahoga County resident. A $350K Maybach is more than I'll make in 10 years. Do we want someone that out-of-touch with reality running the show?!
ReplyDeleteAside from some ignorant ranting and guilt by association charges, this column is worthless. Choice of car? Who cares what sort of car? If I were wealthy, I'd drive a very, very nice car, too. Wouldn't you? Oh, come on --- of course you would. Would it please you if candidates were unable to drive anything more expensive than a Dodge Dart with a transmission problem? Donating to the Republican ticket? If you're a Republican and have the money to donate, who cares? It's his money, after all. And in your ignorance, you make it sound as if donating to a political party is criminal. It isn't. I have no idea what you're trying to say when you link Arnold Pinkney with Lanci. If Pinkney likes the guy, so what? It appears they have a professional relationship. Maybe more important than your cheap and unsubstantiated shots is this: Is the County in deep shit because it's been run as a business? I don't think so. It has been run more like a fraternity (funded with Daddy's credit cards,) and examples (and proof) are legion. Could it be that Lanci's experience could right this foundering ship? It may be. I don't work for Lanci (though I'd like to,) have never met him, know none of his family members or friends. But bad writing sometimes catches my eye, and your column was an excellent example.
ReplyDeleteJohn H. Tidyman
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