Jon Stainbrook

Here is what the Former chair of the Lucas County Republican party is doing:

New Central Committee chair adds legal challenge
http://toledoblade.com/article/20100319/NEWS09/3190325/-1/news09

Brunner defends her pick; Local GOP case in top court
http://toledoblade.com/article/20100320/NEWS24/3200359/-1/NEWS

High court to consider GOP squabble in April
http://toledoblade.com/article/20100313/NEWS24/3130362/0/OPINION

Stainbrook coverage issues in the Blade
http://toledoblade.com/article/20100307/COLUMNIST17/3070316/-1/OPINION

Jon most likely gambled that if he were to drag the decision in the court, he would get appointed by default. Looks like Brunner sent a large lump of coal to the Stainbrook group by appointing Ben Marsh to the Lucas County Board of Elections.

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In the Blade:

Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner on Monday appointed Republican Party veteran Ben Marsh to a disputed vacancy on the Lucas County Board of Elections.

http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100301/NEWS09/100309977

More detailed story:
http://toledoblade.com/article/20100302/NEWS09/3020429

In the article in today's Blade, Jon is saying the Fire Department caused the delay and even suggested they were in cahoots with the Jeff Simpson faction to get the meeting closed down. You can see in the story a clearer picture of what went on (view the full story). I wanted to provide some more background now that I see how the article went and Jon's take on the event. At no time did Jon or anyone say what was going on downstairs. If there was an issue, why not send someone upstairs and explain the delay? For the whole 40-45 minutes during the delay, no one said what is going on or why there is a delay, it was only after the meeting started that Jon and Megan came up and said why there was a delay. The fire department inspectors were only upstairs for 3/5 minutes, at that time everyone wondered what was going on and it was a period of time after they went downstairs (10-20 minutes) that where we thought Jon would never start the meeting, especially after what appeared at the time that he called the fire department. So for Jon to say that the meeting started in violation of the fire inspectors is assuming he actually had the skills to communicate what was going on.

Prosecutor drops GOP signature fraud case
Cuyahoga County Special Prosecuting Attorney James A. Gutierrez released a report Feb. 26 in which he stated, “criminal prosecution is not appropriate” in the GOP signature fraud investigation.

Who would have thought that Jon would go back to the courts. How many times will the court accept this? Jon has filed in almost 3 jurisdictions now and they all said the same thing.
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Lucas County Republican Chairman Jon Stainbrook has lodged an appeal to recognize him as the legitimate chairman and to force Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner to appoint him to a vacancy on the Lucas County Board of Elections.

http://toledoblade.com/article/20100225/NEWS09/2250370

The Lucas County Republican Party will appear to have an interesting central committee election again. Of course some of the contested races are a bit strange, like Jon Stainbrook running against one of the Manson Girls Kelly Bensmen and there are a few other races of Stainbrook supporters challenging other Stainbrook supporters. Once the lists are certified, then we can see who is actually challenging who and who is a supporter and who is not. Until that time, you can get the uncertified list at:
http://oh-lucascounty.civicplus.com/DocumentView.aspx?DID=5030

Hmm, I wonder who they are referring to feeling mistreated.
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The Lucas County Board of Elections (BOE) had a video camera running all day Feb.18, the deadline for May primary petitions.

Linda Howe, BOE director, said the camera tri-pod was set up in the morning to film the entire day, with switching of tapes periodically.

http://www.toledofreepress.com/2010/02/19/boe-films-petition-filings/

As promised, Jennifer Brunner, the Ohio Secretary of State, moved to intervene in the Lucas County litigation over political power in the Republican Party — except she was too late.
Ms. Brunner on Thursday asked to be part of the Lucas County Common Pleas Court case only to solve one problem — to fill an upcoming vacancy on the Lucas County Board of Elections.

Judge Charles Doneghy on Friday overruled the motion, saying he had already terminated the case. The case ended when he denied a preliminary injunction sought by Lucas County Republican Chairman Jon Stainbrook on Thursday.

This just in from Michael Miller of the Toledo Free Press: Like all of the other courts Jon has tried to argue his case in, they are all saying the same thing. Why is it that Jon does not want to bring his case to the Ohio Republican Party? Is he afraid of the result? Thankfully we can move on with this now that Judge Doneghy has ruled. When the story is posted, I will go ahead and link to it. The judge has ordered the Ohio Republican Party Central Committee to take the case and to move forward as prescribed by law.

The latest stumble in the inevitable. Jon is just buying time.
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A lawyer for embattled Lucas County Republican Party Chairman Jon Stainbrook urged a judge yesterday to rule Mr. Stainbrook’s rival, Toledo lawyer Jeff Simpson, out of compliance with state law in his bid to be the rightful party chairman, while Mr. Simpson’s lawyer urged the judge not to venture down that legal path.

http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100218/NEWS09/100219...

It is always interesting that Jon wants to enforce the law in court, but when it comes to his own issues like with the fire marshal, petition deadlines, and campaign finance, he is never in a rush to follow the law. But this is Jon we are talking about. Jon is arguing that the Central Committee meeting was delayed because of another court order in 2008 and that is why he is the only recognized chair. But what the judge said was both factions did not meet in the scheduled time in 2008 so even if he wins it, it will still be in Columbus. Jon for some reason wants to avoid the unavoidable.

Are Jon's days numbered? Judge makes ruling we all knew. Now it is in the correct venue. Saw this on Maggie's blog, click on the link to read the full post.

Other coverage:
http://www.toledofreepress.com/2010/02/11/judge-denies-stainbrook-injunc...
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Judge sends LCRP chairmanship issue to the ORP
Judge Charles Doneghy issued the following ruling today in the case filed by Jon Stainbrook and/or Megan Gallagher against Jeff Simpson over who is the chairman of the Lucas County Republican Party

Back in December, when the Fire Marshal was called to the Lucas County Republican Party headquarters, they actually filled out a fire inspection report and there were building violations which had to be fixed. On the report, the follow-up inspection date was written down, but in a recent informal conversation with the Toledo Fire Inspectors, the building was locked up on the day they were supposed to do a follow-up inspection and attempts to contact Jon have been unsuccessful. So why was no one there on 1/28 and why has Jon not re-scheduled a follow-up inspection? Who knows. But you would think he would want to not have this hanging around. It is probably not a good idea to avoid a follow-up report. The report is attached below.

We will finally hear the end of the forgery situation. There is a witness to the event and it only involved Jon and one of the Manson girls. Someone will have problems. Something will come out of it, either criminally or through the Ohio Elections Commission.
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A decision on whether to move forward with the Lucas County Republican Party
signature fraud case will take place in the next 30 days, according to
Cuyahoga County Prosecutor James Gutierrez.

The Cuyahoga County prosecutor’s office is investigating the alleged

Any takers on how he is going to rule?
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Lawyers for embattled Lucas County Republican Chairman Jon Stainbrook sought to show that the attempt to oust him was based on faulty documents and has created confusion among party members, during a hearing yesterday in Lucas County Common Pleas Court.

Judge Charles Doneghy heard arguments on Mr. Stainbrook's petition for an injunction to block the attempt to remove him as chairman. The judge did not rule. He gave both sides until Wednesday to file final briefs.

Paralize the judicial system with a blizard of motions is always one way to buy time. Good for you, but bad for the legitimate cases. The Blade has the latest.
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New motions added to the legal wrangling over control of the Lucas County Republican Party forced another delay yesterday in determining who is the rightful party chairman.

Lucas County Common Pleas Judge Charles Doneghy delayed until tomorrow a hearing on incumbent party Chairman Jon Stainbrook's petition for an injunction against an effort to have him ousted.

Jon keeps wondering why people won't listen to him, it is because it is the Ohio Republican Party that has the ultimate authority. If you read what everyone has said, they all are saying the same thing.
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The tangle of party politics and election law created by the attempt to unseat Lucas County Republican Chairman Jon Stainbrook could start to be unwound tomorrow in Lucas County Common Pleas Court.

Secretary of State refuses to back Stainbrook claims on sending the list to Columbus.
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The Ohio Secretary of State's Office ruled yesterday that the Lucas County Board of Elections was not required to verify the list of officers and committee members turned in by a faction of the Lucas County Republican Party seeking to oust Chairman Jon Stainbrook.

The written opinion doesn't directly address the argument Mr. Stainbrook has been using to defeat the challenge to his leadership: that the opposing group filed a "fraudulent" list of committee members.

In the Blade:
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After weeks of confusion in the Lucas County Republican Party over who’s in charge, Lucas County Prosecutor Julia Bates Thursday said the dispute is tying the Lucas County Board of Election in knots and asked Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner to step in.

In a two-page letter to Ms. Brunner, Mrs. Bates said she’s aware of "significant irregularities in this intra-party dispute which I believe warrant your intervention." Both elected officials are Democrats.

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100121/NEWS09/10...