Mayor and former East Cleveland councilman blames politics for the charges

CLEVELAND, OH – Attorneys for East Cleveland’s mayor and a former city council member each blamed political opponents for the criminal charges against the two men Friday.

“It is disappointing to see that the county attorney is now involved in the political battle with people within East Cleveland,” said attorney Charles Tyler, who represents East Cleveland Mayor Brandon King.

“It is a very sad day that the criminal justice system is being used in this way,” said East Cleveland Legal Director Willa Hemmons, who appeared with former Councilman Ernest Smith at Smith’s arraignment. “No one wants the criminal justice system to be weaponized against a political opponent.”

But the Cuyahoga County prosecutor said the cases against the couple followed investigations by the Ohio Ethics Commission and the Ohio Auditor of State.

“These charges arose as a direct result of those investigations,” prosecutor Michael O’Malley said in a statement. “The people who continue to suffer from these actions are the residents of East Cleveland.”

Mayor Brandon King pleaded not guilty to two counts of theft in office, four counts of having an unlawful interest in a government contract, four counts of representation by a public official or employee, one count of filing a false disclosure statement and one count of requesting inappropriate information. compensation.

King is accused of authorizing and paying for more than $76,000 in government contracts between the city of East Cleveland and companies owned by the mayor and his family.

But Hemmons said Friday that those contracts predated King’s time in city government and said King gave up any financial interest in the companies after receiving advice from the state ethics commission.

“If we want to prevent every legitimate citizen and every businessperson from ever entering politics, we’re going to lose a lot of good people,” Hemmons said.

The mayor is also accused of improperly providing Smith with a city vehicle and gas cards to purchase fuel.

Investigators said Smith purchased $6,791 worth of gas at the city’s expense.

Smith insisted the car was only used in connection with his work, but said Friday that this included instances when he was taking his children to school.

“My son and my daughter are residents of East Cleveland,” Smith said. “I live in East Cleveland. They attended schools in East Cleveland. It’s dangerous outside. You can’t even walk to school without the prostitutes and drug dealers messing with everyone.”

Smith also pointed to a 2017 document from the then-clerk’s office, which noted that Smith received keys to the 2003 Ford for use “on city business” as proof that all was well.

“I didn’t go to the mayor’s office to pick up the car,” Smith said. ‘I don’t work for the mayor. The city council does not work for the mayor. I was told there was a council car there somewhere and my clerk found it for me.”

Smith, who was recalled by voters in 2022 and lost his council seat, said he was “confident” he would be proven right and said he plans to run for council again in 2025 .

He told the judge on Friday that he had no money for a lawyer and was appointed counsel.

Tyler said the mayor has no plans to resign even as a three-judge panel weighs whether King should be suspended until his criminal case is resolved.

Tyler said King, not the city, is paying for the mayor’s legal defense.