COLUMBUS, Ohio — Editor's Note: The above story aired on February 23, 2021
Days after being arrested by the FBI and indicted by a federal grand jury on corruption charges, Cleveland City Councilman Kenneth Johnson is now facing a possible suspension by the Ohio Supreme Court after proceedings begun Friday by state Attorney General Dave Yost.
Yost's request for Johnson's suspension comes on the heels of the February 18 indictment on 15 felony counts. Johnson is accused of engaging in two separate schemes to steal over $175,000 in federal grant money and also falsifying a number of official documents, including IRS tax returns for multiple years.
“Sadly, it’s become routine for us to initiate suspension proceedings for indicted city council members – Ohioans deserve representation free of public corruption and we must constrain those that abuse their power,” Yost said in a statement. “The suspension of a public official facing charges of public corruption is the proper remedy while the criminal case is resolved.”
In addition to Johnson, Yost has called for the suspension or resignation of four city councilmembers in Toledo and two in Cincinnati within the past year.
Johnson's assistant, Garnell Jamison, and former head of the Buckeye Shaker Development Corp., John Hopkins, were also named in the 29-page indictment. The men face charges of:
- Conspiracy to commit federal program theft
- Federal program theft
- Aiding and assisting in the preparation of false returns
- Tampering with a witness
- Falsification of records in federal investigation
The charges come after this month’s guilty plea involving another city official.
Robert Fitzpatrick, a 35-year-employee of the City of Cleveland with close ties to Councilman Ken Johnson, pleaded guilty via video arraignment on a federal charge that he conspired to commit theft from a federal program. Fitzpatrick was charged in what is known as a bill of information in U.S. District Court, a signal he planned to cooperate as part of a plea deal.
Just weeks before federal agents arrested the 74-year-old Ken Johnson at his home on Tuesday, he requested paperwork from the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections to seek another four-year term.
Johnson has known for years he’s been under scrutiny for his council expense report and for his ties to a neighborhood nonprofit that received federal money he earmarked by him to the organization.
Johnson, whose council salary is $87,000, cannot be removed from the body right now, Council President Kevin Kelley said Tuesday. But Kelley removed Johnson from his chairmanship of the committee that oversees the recreation department.
If Johnson resigns, council members will vote on a replacement. In the past, council members who vacated a seat early were allowed to recommend a replacement. Johnson will not get a say in his replacement if he leaves early, several council members said.
You can read Yost's request to the Ohio Supreme Court for Johnson's suspension below:
More coverage:
- Cleveland Councilman Ken Johnson requested re-election paperwork weeks before FBI arrested him
- Mark Naymik Reports: Cleveland city employee tied to FBI investigation of Councilman Ken Johnson pleads guilty
- Mark Naymik reports: Feds file charges against Cleveland city employee linked to FBI investigation of Councilman Ken Johnson
Editor's Note: The below story aired on February 23, 2021