Dunlap takes $$$, then does their bidding

A couple of campaigns ago, Helen Dunlap used the word INDEPENDENT to describe how she would behave if elected to Broadview Heights City Council.

The word that better describes her activities in recent years in Council is this: CAUGHT. Like a kid who says “I didn’t do it,” when you see his hands in the cookie jar, there’s a direct trail of crumbs from the City’s “cookie jar” of contracts and actions to people giving money to Dunlap’s campaign.

Here are just a few examples:

Gas connections

On two occasions, Dunlap has apparently put personal interest above that of the public interest and even public health and safety when it comes to natural gas. She accepted a campaign contribution from Cutter Oil’s Elizabeth Cutter in April 2009. See the contribution below.

Cutter Oil's Elizabeth Cutter contributes to Helen Dunlap's campaign.

Why?

In April 2009, Cutter Oil Company wanted to get several leases to drill new natural gas wells through City Hall. Some of these leases required using city streets. For example, getting to the “Pine Unit #2D” at the edge of the soccer fields meant cutting through the parking lot and west end of Lazzaro Drive.

Apparently, the night of the second reading of the enabling 43-09 ordinance – on April 20, 2009 — Cutter Oil owner Elizabeth Cutter decided she needed “help” to secure the bill’s passage.  So she gave that $200 contribution to Councilwoman Helen Dunlap’s campaign on April 21, 2009. (Councilwoman Dunlap had a fund raiser scheduled in May, but that was too late for Cutter Oil.)

When the legislation came up for its third and final reading on May 4, 2009, Councilwoman Dunlap moved to approve it.  The motion was seconded by Councilman Tom Pavlica. The motion passed 6-1, and Cutter Oil had approval to begin drilling.

Three months later , on August 6, 2009, Elizabeth Cutter made another donation, this one $250 to – you guessed it – Councilman Tom Pavlica’s campaign.

You can see the timeline and copies of these two campaign contributions here.

HelenDunlapCutterOilTimeLine

Next, Dunlap received a $500 contribution from North Coast Energy rep. Michael Kennedy in May 2009.

See that contribution below.

North Coast lobbyist Michael Kennedy's check to Dunlap's campaign.

Then, at a July 13 Council meeting, Dunlap made a motion to suspend rules and then moved to approve on an “emergency” basis a gas contract for the City from Kennedy’s Exco-North Coast Energy Corp. that gave Broadview Heights a rate of $9.19 per mcf for its natural gas for TWO YEARS.  The City overpaid for its own natural gas by at least $95,000 due to this contract, and by August 2011 we were paying the HIGHEST RATES OF ANY CITY IN THE STATE OF OHIO for our own natural gas. See the Council meeting minutes (and Dunlap’s actions to expedite this contract) below.

http://www.broadview-heights.org/PDFs/CouncilMeeting7-13-09.pdf

County Corruption connections too

Numerous people who’ve been indicted in the Cuyahoga County corruption scandal have also made contributions to Helen Dunlap’s campaign.

Jimmy Dimora and Tony Sinagra both made contributions in 2009. One of the largest to Dunlap’s campaign that year came from Charles Randazzo, who’s been convicted for attempting to bribe Dimora.

Here’s the contribution to Dunlap’s campaign:

…and here’s the link to a story on Randazzo’s criminal activity:

http://www.cleveland.com/countyincrisis/index.ssf/2011/04/money_manager_charles_randazzo_1.html

Dunlap’s biggest donor is ….

…who’s given the most money to Dunlap’s campaign?

Friends of Sam Alai, which made a $700 contribution in April 2009.

Here it is:

Some of Dunlap's 2009 campaign donors, with the largest check coming from Friends of Sam Alai

Why?

Mayor and Mrs. Terry Alai also wanted Helen Dunlap to attack Joe Price, and perhaps prevent him from getting elected to Council, back in 2009.

Money talks, so Mrs. Dunlap did just as the Alais wanted.  She introduced a resolution to City Council in September 2009 to “prosecute” Joe Price, claiming illegal campaigning! See this link:

The Ohio Elections Commission dismissed Dunlap’s charge as groundless, but NOT BEFORE Law Director Vince Ruffa and Council Reps Dunlap, Pavlica and Stewart – the “Kennedy Connection” Three – and Boldt all went down to Columbus at taxpayers’ expense for a hearing. (REMEMBER — Kennedy had given Alai, Dunlap, Pavlica and Stewart at least $3,100 in campaign contributions at this point.)

Here’s the newspaper story:

http://www.cleveland.com/sunstarcourier/index.ssf/2009/10/complaint_against_broadview_he.html

WHO PAID FOR THIS? We taxpayers in Broadview Heights did – and we’ve NEVER been reimbursed for this expense.

SEE FOR YOURSELF – If you wish, you can view and download all of these campaign contributions. They are public record documents.  Find them at:

http://boe.cuyahogacounty.us/en-US/campaign-finance-reports.aspx

Time and Time again, Helen Dunlap’s been “caught” with her hands in the cookie jar. Maybe this time voters will say enough to her – and some of her “friends” as well — come November 8.