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Going forward, two issues
are clear. One, the legal process is going to drag on for
quite a long time, if past legal processes are any
indication – some have opined that a minimum of 18 months
will be necessary to settle the matter.
Second, the four council
members are faced with the problem of what to do with
respect to their status on City Council. All indications are
that no one, in the political or governmental landscape,
wants the four to remain on council. Mayor Wade
Kapszukiewicz, Council President Matt Cherry and Lucas
County Democratic Chairman Michael Ashford wasted no time in
issuing statements that, for the good of the city and the
community, the four should resign immediately, regardless of
their guilt or innocence, so that the community can move
forward.
“The best thing they can
do for the City – they should step down and let the City
conduct its business,” said Ashford in a recent conversation
with The Truth. “They have lost the public trust and no one
will believe anything they say.”
Indeed, stressed Ashford,
the Democratic Party is looking into “legal ways to find a
way clear” in case any of the four refuse to resign
immediately. Ashford hopes City Council will delay any
future meetings until they are removed.
“There will be a cloud
over their heads and they will be scrutinized in every
vote,” says Ashford. “Every vote will be magnified and
examined. They need to resign immediately.”
Elected to City Council in
2013 as an At-Large representative, Larry Sykes has a
lengthy history in public service in Toledo. A Scott High
School graduate who attended Central State University, Sykes
retired from Fifth Third Bank after 30 years – a vice
president and community affairs officer in his final
position.
He served on the Toledo
Board of Education for a dozen years – as president of the
board for several terms – and also has been a longtime
member of the Lucas Metropolitan Housing Authority board.
More recently he has been on the boards of Lucas County
Children Services, St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center, the
Mentoring Collaborative Advisory Council, the University of
Toledo African American Community Advisory Committee and the
Victim Witness Program.
Recently, Sykes has led
the charge on City Council to pass an ordinance dealing with
the issue of lead poisoning, particularly in the inner city.
He has described his priorities as an elected legislator, of
improving the well being of his constituents – health,
safety, financial success.
His culpability is said,
by the affiant, to be $1,500 in bribes accepted.
Yvonne Harper was first
appointed to City Council as the District 4 representative
in 2015 to replace Paula Hicks-Hudson. Harper, a Woodward
High School graduate and subsequently won election in her
own right.
A longtime Democratic
Party activist – the executive director of the Party for
years – Harper has served as the president of the Perry
Burroughs Democratic Women’s Club, which has been an active
fundraiser in the community for almost 20 years under her
leadership. During her time on Council, Harper has been a
tireless advocate for the citizens in her District, fielding
numerous concerns and complaints that come to her, as
various constituents note.
Harper is alleged to have
accepted close to $13,000 in bribes and to have extorted
another $3,000.
Tyrone Riley, a lawyer in
private practice for years, was elected to his District 1
seat in 2011 to replace Wilma Brown, who finished her years
on Council as president of the body. Riley has distinguished
himself on Council by hosting numerous events and providing
entertainment, gifts and funds for his constituents – ice
skating events, writing contests, Smithfest, Summer Breeze.
Riley is said to have
accepted $11,800 in bribes.
Gary Johnson, a
businessman who founded AFI Contractors 16 years ago, has
over 30 years of experience with the Lucas County Sheriff’s
Office and is the most recently elected member of the
Council, having won his At-Large seat in 2017.
Although newly-elected,
Johnson has over 30 years of community service with
organizations such as the Rotary Club, the Northwest Ohio
Hispanic Chamber, Latins United, NAACP, African American
Chamber, the Zoo Foundation, among others.
He attempted to run for
the position of Lucas County Sheriff this year but loss in
the primary to former Toledo Police Chief Mike Navarre.
Johnson is alleged to have
accepted $3,000 in bribes
Keith Mitchell, a member
of the Ohio State Bar Association since the late 1980s, has
long been active in the community with politics – he ran for
the chairmanship of the Lucas County Democratic Party
earlier this year and lost to Ashford – and fundraising for
charitable causes, assisting several of the four council
members with their activities.
Mitchell is reported to
have accepted $2,000 personally in addition to what he
accepted for Harper.
The 40-page affidavit
details over 100 incidents relating to the bribery and
extortion charges: Riley’s many incidents in soliciting
money for votes, Harper’s attempting to funnel money through
Mitchell as well as extorting a business for the benefit of
a constituent, Sykes and Johnson requesting money for their
upcoming campaigns.
The affiant submits there
is probable cause to believe that Riley, Harper, Sykes,
Johnson and Mitchell violated the bribery statutes of the
United States Code and that Harper has violated the
extortion statute.
All have been released on
bond and the next court appearance, at the time of this
report, has not been determined.
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