CLEVELAND — Editor's note: Video at the top of this story was originally published on Nov. 24, 2020.
Cleveland Mayor Dennis Kucinich, who served one two-year term from 1977-1979, filed paperwork this week at the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections that allows him to raise money for a potential mayoral bid.
3News discovered the filing after reviewing recent candidate paperwork at the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections. The paperwork lists Joe Tegreene as his treasurer. He was Kucinich’s former finance director.
In a statement to 3News on Friday, Kucinich said: “This is only the establishment of a committee to raise funds. This is not an announcement of candidacy. At this point, I have no further comment.”
Cleveland voters elect a new mayor next year in a non-partisan race that includes a primary and general election among the top two candidates from the primary.
Elected mayor at age 31, Kucinich was the youngest mayor of a major American city. He is best known for a tumultuous two-year tenure and for refusing to sell the city-owned utility – then Muny Light -- as the city faced default in 1978, 42 years ago this month.
Now 74, Kucinich is publishing a book, “The Division of Light and Power,” about his effort to save the power company, now known as Cleveland Public Power.
In an exclusive interview with 3News last month, Kucinich talked about the book, the current state of the troubled utility and whether his future includes another bid for mayor.
During the interview he said he is seriously considering a campaign for mayor but said he would not be making that decision this year.
"You know it is absolutely mind blowing that 43 years after I first took office as mayor, I have people once again asking me to consider running," he said. "It's extraordinary. I am giving it serious consideration. I've had so many people from so many different walks of life contact me and say, ‘would you think about it,’ including, surprisingly, people from the business community.”
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