On October 19, 2006, Cool Cleveland’s Thomas Mulready interviewed Jimmy Dimora, who was then one of three Cuyahoga County Commissioners and Chairman of the Cuyahoga County Democratic party, and who was convicted of racketeering, bribery and 31 other corruption related charges on March 9, 2012.
This interview segment begins with Dimora outlining all the drawbacks of the new county administration building in the old Ameritrust tower. At the time, the controversy was partially about the historic nature of the site, but also the shortcomings of the building, which were clear from the beginning of the process, and which are acknowledged by Dimora in this interview.
As Chairman of the Cuyahoga County Democratic party, Dimora endorsed and supported the candidacy of Judge Christine Russo, whose candidacy was tainted by a drug conviction and other drug-related personal issues, and she had been rated “Not Recommended” by five different area bar associations. However, in Cuyahoga, the surname “Russo” is golden, and Dimora continued to support and endorse Judge Christine Russo, calling evidence against her “innuendo.” He also boldly admits that he would support any candidate from his party:
Cool Cleveland: “There’s been some calls for Judge Christine Russo, who’s running as a Democrat, to step down, to not run. There’s some real serious issues about her candidacy. And yet, it seems like the Democratic Party in this part of the state just can’t be reckoned with. There’s no talking to somebody like yourself who says, ‘Look, I don’t care if this person’s an axe-murderer. They’re a Democrat and I’m going to support them.’ I mean, how bad does it have to get…”
Commissioner Jimmy Dimora: “We enjoy a strong dominant force in Cuyahoga County, the Democratic Party… Is there a strong presence in the Democratic Party locally? Absolutely. Do I intend to try to keep it that way? Absolutely. Do I want to see it any other way? Absolutely not. That’s just my job. And when I get elected to a position, I take full responsibility and I take an oath. And I try to carry it out to the best of my ability…”
In the last section of this segment, the conversation turns to the re-structuring of Cuyahoga County government. This was the first time the region began talking about the structure of a single County Executive plus County Council members elected by district, which was instituted in the election in November of 2010. Dimora strongly denies the viability of such a re-structuring, blaming it on Republican politics. “That’s never going to happen, it’s just not the right way to take it from one extreme to another… There’s no proof or evidence that I can see, that anyone can provide us, that shows us that changing the government to a County Exec and elected District Council members is a better way to run the government than three Commissioners…”
Remaining segments of this interview will be published subsequently on CoolCleveland.com.
Watch Part Two here: http://www.coolcleveland.com/2012/06/video-jimmy-dimora-interview-part-three/
10 Responses to “VIDEO: The Jimmy Dimora Interview, Part Two”
God
I see this loopy REIT leaseback multi use deal w/COUNTY gov using SOME of the floors… lets face it…THIS 30 story in your face deadconcretedynamicDebacle can see for HOW far …n this searching for ways to whutever far as parking to…n CHANCE to get rid of some *$*@ up ol rentawrecks in the process….lets see how that pans out… ONE SURE thing…JIMMY D aint cuttin NO redribbon ON MedMart..n MAY not live to ever fling a pokerchip IN HORSESHOE casino… WHA WOULD U DO if stuck w/something LIKE THIS?!
God
Okkkkk Levine College n rest…ANY ideas…Other..or iare folks AFRAID TO ask cuz get SOME *$@* studies which SOUNDS EVEN MORE *$*@ then the Purchase…last read,heard CSU MLC budget get cut….LE T the DYNAMITE n DOZERS DO THE DEED…if not ATower then OTHER huha… FINALLY HOW viable is all this ‘stuff’…MAY get some wundrous infotechMedicodeviceEcon BUT SOoo FAR…MAYBE A MED MART may be the ticket n milk n honey is gonna flow BUT SOMEHOW I just dont see that happening or MORE impotantly being able to sell THAT….
God
SHououuuuuuuuuuuld have HEARD JIMMY D SQUEEEelll n say F U when called w/SOooooooooiEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee at his phone #… Hmmm..just like the movie were along the river bank…
God
CUYDEMS? TOoo busy TRYING NOT to get indicted,etc. GONNA BE LONG time BEFORE ANY newbie projects… ACTUALLY begged fOR A KASICH to waltz in..WHA SECRET PLAN sooo CAN DO BLAMEGAME,etc.etc. NO matter HOW cut THIS….
God
GREEDY WHUTEVER who FINALLY got rolled ON…NOW THAT is a H of a “THOUGHT”AND EFFORT…DEFIES MY imagination… RASCALLY RUSSO ROUNDABOUT….were art thou?
God
I WUNDER WHA like for RUSSO to be running around in a bullet proof vest,etc.etc. w/price on head of…HOW THAT little F is able to waltz around like THAT w/out getting popped…WOW..LOT OF CHANGE if OLD daze…GONE… like HOFFA…MAYBE SOMEONE ALREADY TRIED n just hurt him or missed…HATE to like H for some poo agent to get HIT INSTEAD….
God
Watch the LITTLE F get a FEW YEARS,some clothes,n hustled out at 3AM to newbie life wherever….
God
DEAR COUNTY..stick to bridges,potholes,etc. LET A CSU peddle funky windturbines n other such…catch criminals…REST OF IT IS just gonna burn you…U KNOW gonna hear *$*@ for backing BiggieBahamaBruhmaMamaBucnchBroods down at bennie office…
DEAR MR.MULRONEY…GO to ANY bar,etc.etc. OR ANYTHING ANYWERE n ASK or STATE wha JUST POSTED ABOVE n see wha comments GET BACK…
God
IF LeGrandioseWetDreamie’ to clean out Old crew doing a dang good jobbie of it…Kuckinich,Hagan,Omalley,etc.etc.
God
MEANTIME REST of city waiting for nursing home slots,VNA,WIC,LINK,PASSPORT,wheels on n rest of it …or Mrs.OlEarys cow n the lantern…. GOTTA ask…PS1…whutever else say bout FRANK J HE DID sorta ADDRESS THAT $*@ dynamic…TOoo bad ONLY SOME HVAC jobs,porter jobs,etc.left n rest is this bizarror fruityloopywhutever til ENOUGH deaths,quites,etc.etc. N THEN FINALLY…meantime Freakonomics,kinkonomicsLand out here…