The short answer is … nothing, he wasn’t thinking at all. Ken Johnson, in the end, was blinded by his own arrogance, which was on full display during his trial on a host of federal charges in Akron. The longest serving member of Cleveland City Council (that is, until his recent conviction) had been cooking the books for so long he probably thought the wrong he was doing was actually right.
The feds, however, saw his behavior otherwise and indicted Johnson on “two counts of conspiracy to commit theft from a governmental program; five counts of tax violations; six counts of theft from a federal program; and separate counts of tampering with a witness and falsifying records.”
After his conviction, Johnson’s lawyer, Myron Watson said, “These were honest mistakes. There was no intent to defraud the government.” He also stated that his client plans to appeal, obviously not knowing (or not caring) that the success rate of appeals on federal convictions is less than three percent.
Johnson’s long-time executive assistant, Garnell Jamison, who went on trial with Johnson, was also convicted of all 11 charges in his indictment. He could face up to five years in federal prison when the pair is sentenced in October. Johnson, at age 75, faces up to 10 years in prison when Judge John Adams — who is known to hand out fairly stiff sentences — hands down their punishment.
This is the same Ken Johnson that former Ward 7 councilman TJ Dow attempted to give over $730,000 of block grant money that he had accumulated over his eight years in office, money that was supposed to go to assist struggling residents with home repairs and other neighborhood projects. However, when voters booted him out of office in 2017, he used the time between his defeat in November of 2017 to his last day in office, December 31, to try to transfer the money to Johnson. Others on city council saw through the underhanded scheme and would not go along with it.
Now Dow is attempting to make comeback. However, when the Plain Dealer endorsed Stephanie Howse, it took the high unusual step of reminding ward residents of the dastardly scheme.
It wrote, “What ward residents should not do is bring back the destructive politics of TJ Dow, defeated by Basheer Jones by just 13 votes four years ago. Dow’s peevish response to that defeat says it all: He sought (unsuccessfully) to have $731,496 intended for Ward 7 projects transferred to Ward 4. Dow’s priorities? Himself, not Ward 7.”
What’s that old saying about “birds of a feather? They flock together.
2 Responses to “MANSFIELD: What Was Johnson Thinking?”
Chalsie Cloud, Realtor & Notary Signer
The community look up to these politicians to ensure that we voted in the right candidate that would assist these deplorably declining neighborhoods. The Block Grant has been put in place to help improve the quality of life and neighborhood throughout the Wards not to line the pockets or greedy politicians who are highly paid in efforts to ensure these funds are disperse into the community. Just look at oir EASTSIDE communities they are failing the housing market is declining its screaming for help. These old commercial and residential structures are eye sores and improvements are needed like years ago.
Four years in office my not seem like a long time but in that time alot could have been accomplished throughout these neighborhoods.
The neglect is overpowering the improved areas involving the infrastruture improvements and demo to a hand full of vacant properties this created mlre open spaces and field just left for the residents to contact the City to have cleaned and cut on a regular.
In this next Election we need a candidate that we can trust that they really have the vast interest of the community and not their bank accounts, cars and where the live outside of Cleveland.
2021 Elections is critical for all residents in all Wards to take their power back and elect someone who truely care for the quality of life for all.
Tedolph
The Black community will defend him simply because he is black. Will the PD apologize for endorsing him for the past 20years? No. The Black community has got to get past this and vote for somebody not based on race.