Ohio AG Wants To Suspend Ken Johnson From Cleveland City Council!

March 1, 2021 ruthmaxey1 473 Views african american lifestyles, african American news northeast ohio, cnvdc, contract steering, corruption, councilman ken johnson d-ward 4, cuyahoga county, david yost Ohio AG Wants To Suspend Ken Johnson From Cleveland City Council!, dereliction of duty, false tax returns, garnell jamision, ken johnson in Cleveland council since 1980, ken johnson served 41 years in Cleveland city council, ohio attorney general, public official corruption, theft in office, witness tampering

FEATURED PHOTO: OHIO ATTORNEY GENERAL DAVE YOST

Ideastream.org, By Nick Castele, Posted March 1st 2021

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost moved Friday to suspend Ken Johnson from Cleveland City Council while he faces federal corruption charges.

Yost filed the request with Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor under a state law allowing the suspension of local officials charged with felonies for conduct in office.

If Johnson does not voluntarily step aside, O’Connor could appoint a three-judge panel to decide on his suspension.

A federal indictment unsealed this week accuses Johnson of filing false expense reports and siphoning money from federal grants, allegedly pocketing about $177,000 since 2010.

Johnson pleaded not guilty Tuesday in U.S. District Court to charges including federal program theft and witness tampering.

The Ohio attorney general has similarly pushed to suspend indicted council members in Toledo and Cincinnati.

“Sadly, it’s become routine for us to initiate suspension proceedings for indicted city council members – Ohioans deserve representation free of public corruption and we must constrain those that abuse their power,” Yost said in a news release Friday. “The suspension of a public official facing charges of public corruption is the proper remedy while the criminal case is resolved.”

Earlier this week, Cleveland City Council President Kevin Kelley stripped Johnson of his chairmanship of a committee overseeing parks and recreation.