Article published December 23, 2005
TOLEDO COUNCIL
Ashford offended by union chief comment
By TOM TROY
BLADE STAFF WRITER
While Councilman Michael Ashford was being ushered away from a breakfast table by union boss Bill Lichtenwald, he heard Mr. Lichtenwald say to Councilman Frank Szollosi, "Why are you talking to those people?"
Mr. Ashford, who is African-American, said he felt racially offended by the remark, which is further adding to the divide between A team and B-team Democrats.
The Wednesday meeting at a downtown Toledo hotel concerned the upcoming election of a new council president on Jan. 3.
Mr. Szollosi has said Mr. Lichtenwald, president of Teamsters Local 20, threatened his political career if he did not back Mr. Lichtenwald's subordinate, at-large Councilman-elect Mark Sobczak, for the post. Mr. Sobczak is vice president of the Teamsters union and was elected in November for the first time to City Council.
Mr. Lichtenwald - a resident of Delta, Ohio - was one of the leaders of the B-team's takeover of the Lucas County Democratic Party last year, along with then-former Mayor Carty Finkbeiner.
As a resident of Fulton County, Mr. Lichtenwald holds no office in the local Democratic Party. His power over Finkbeiner Democrats stems from his post as head of the Teamsters Local, which provides money and get-out-the-vote support for the B-team's slate of candidates.The Teamsters local represents more than 200 city employees, and its headquarters are in Toledo.
Teamsters leaders have not always supported Democrats. They were steadfast supporters of former Toledo Mayor Donna Owens and other Republicans.
Mr. Szollosi said he asked Mr. Ashford to accompany him to the breakfast meeting even though only he had been invited. When the two showed up, Mr. Lichtenwald told Mr. Ashford he was not welcome, chastised Mr. Szollosi for bringing him, and escorted him to the door.
"●'Why are you talking to those people' - you can take that either way," Mr. Ashford said, "meaning African-Americans, or councilmen who were not going to support his candidate."
Mr. Lichtenwald denied that he said or intended anything racist.
"If [Mr. Szollosi] had brought [Councilman] Ellen Grachek or anybody else I'd have felt the same way. I told Mr. Ashford that, and I apologized. I walked to the door with him," Mr. Lichtenwald said.
He said he has never spoken with Mr. Ashford before but had many discussions with Mr. Szollosi. He said his reference was to the A-team, B-team split.
"Other than the A-team, B-team thing, I never said anything like that, and when I talked about us and them, I was talking about the A-teamers and the B-teamers," Mr. Lichtenwald said.
Mr. Ashford said he accepts Mr. Lichtenwald's explanation but charged that B-teamers took over the party last year because they thought it was too dominated by minorities, women, and younger politicians. Several other members of council contacted yesterday said they had not had any conversations with Mr. Lichtenwald but objected to attempts from outside council to influence the choice of president.
Ms. Grachek said she was called yesterday morning by two members of the Northwest Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council on behalf of Mr. Sobczak.
"I said to the folks who called me today, 'I appreciate the input, we get lobbied on a lot of things, but these are really decisions to be made in January,'●" she said.
At-large Councilman Phillip Copeland said no one has spoken to him about Mr. Sobczak except Mr. Sobczak himself. Mr. Copeland said he was "shocked" by the political threat made against Mr. Szollosi.
"Maybe they haven't got around to me yet," he said.
Councilman Wilma Brown, an African-American, said she thought Mr. Lichtenwald's attitude toward Mr. Ashford may have displayed racial prejudice.
"It was not good. It is the council representatives who need to make this vote, not outside influences," Ms. Brown said.
Mr. Copeland, Mr. Ashford, Mr. Szollosi, Ms. Grachek, and Ms. Brown, all A-team Democrats, are said to have committed to Ms. Brown, leaving her in need of one more vote.
Mr. Szollosi also is campaigning for the post of president and says he believes he can win the A-team votes if he can get a sixth vote.
Mr. Sobczak said yesterday that he expected to support Councilman Bob McCloskey for president of council, but Mr. McCloskey has opted not to seek the post.
He said that leaves him as the only Democrat who "supported the philosophy of the new administration" of Mayor-elect Finkbeiner. "The benefits of a united Democratic Party and council leadership that shares a basic philosophy with the new administration could only be a win-win for council and the citizens of Toledo," he said.
Also seeking the post are Republicans Rob Ludeman and George Sarantou. Mr. Ludeman could not be reached yesterday.
Mr. Sarantou said he and Mr. Lichtenwald played phone tag but haven't spoken.
"He is a civic leader in our community, and I would welcome his opinion as others, regardless of party," Mr. Sarantou said.
The next president, Mr. Sarantou said, should be an at-large councilman rather than a district councilman who is elected by only one-sixth of the city's voters.
He has said the president of council also should be someone with prior council experience and a record of leadership on council, like himself.
"The last time I checked, nobody has six votes yet. Obviously we've got a fluid situation," Mr. Sarantou said yesterday.
Contact Tom Troy at:
tomtroy@theblade.com
or 419-724-6058.
Permanent Link
|
|
 |
|
Search
advertisement
