Attorney says he will not pursue legal challenge with Dems in mayor shuffle

An Avon Lake attorney said Sept. 11 that he will not pursue a legal challenge against the Lorain City Democratic Party’s Central Committee.

In a letter to local media, Gerald W. Phillips wrote his clients Lorain Ward 2 Councilman Dennis Flores and the organization Ohio Citizens for Honesty Integrity and Openness in Government Ltd. have decided not to pursue a legal challenge to the committee’s process of choosing Jack Bradley to appear on the November ballot as the Democratic candidate for mayor of Lorain.

Bradley was chosen to replace former Lorain Mayor Chase Ritenauer on the ballot after the latter stepped down from his post to take a position with Republic Services outside of Chicago shortly after clinching the nomination.

A large field of Democrats stepped up to put in for the spot on the ballot, but many of those were also on the primary ballot for various city council openings. Due to state law, those who appeared on the primary ballot for one office could not appear on the general ballot for a different office.

Phillips then entered the fray by circulating a legal memorandum claiming that interpretation of the law was incorrect, which is contrary to opinions from Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose and Lorain County Prosecutor Dennis Will.

Lorain County Democratic Party Chairman Anthony Giardini rejected Phillips’ opinion in the June 25 meeting where Bradley was tapped to be the nominee. Not to be deterred, Phillips, Flores and Joyce Early filed protests July 22 with the Lorain County Elections Board. Those protests were forwarded to Will’s office and the Elections Board ultimately chose not to act on the protests citing an opinion from Will’s office.

In his Sept. 11 letter, Phillips blasted the process used as unlawful and illegal.

He wrote that while there is no legal challenge forthcoming, he will still seek to raise the question of alleged ethical violations with LaRose’s office.