George Forbes, the Misdemeanor Culprit

Please, tell me I’m having a bad dream.

George Forbes indicted. On mere misdemeanors!

After all the questionable deals Forbes pulled during his long tenure in City Council, much of it as its president, he gets caught taking little grub and a couple of flights. You gotta be kidding.

Moreover, the crime is NOT reporting the gifts. Spare me.

Has Cleveland sunk so low that even its Premier Power Broker proves to be a minor league delinquent? How embarrassing...

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I loved his interview with Tom Beres of WKYC, Ch. 3. Forbes, almost straight-faced, told Beres, I didn’t even know my daughter worked for the company that lost $200 million. Forbes was interviewed in his backyard sporting a grilling costume to show his humble side. You know, just a simple common guy enjoying July 4, toasting up ribs.

My memory may fade but a “misdemeanor guy” is not the Forbes I’ve known.

Is this the Forbes that cut a secret deal that allowed his good friend Dick Jacobs to walk away with the highly desirable Chagrin Highlands development land, worth untold millions of dollars? Thereafter, Forbes left public office and his firm represented the same Dick Jacobs. And how many flights to New York City entertainment venues did George take with Dick on his private plane?

Is this the same George Forbes who became a partner with the late James Carney when Carney was Democratic Party boss and a wealthy businessman with numerous downtown interests? (Same interests as nephew John Carney strategically located on the same Port Board today).

Is this the same George Forbes who took paper bags of money in the carnival kickback days only to be ruled blameless by a retired judge sent up to Cleveland by Gov. Jim Rhodes, another of Forbes’ Republican backers? Forbes is a Democrat in name only and long has played with Republicans to advance himself.

Is this the same Forbes for whom a shipping firm was established as a minority firm but turned out to be a white front? It was later sold to Pickands-Mather, one of Cleveland’s old time corporations, with Forbes walking away with a cash settlement. The firm got a favorable loan from the Nixon administration, despite staff objections about the nature of the firm.

Is this the same Forbes who joined with Squire, Sanders & Dempsey’s managing partner James C. Davis when the firm was trying to help CEI steal the city’s municipal light plant, as Davis helped Forbes with the first black law firm in the bond counsel business? The same Davis – called the Great White Father by Forbes – who tried to have Gov. James Rhodes take over the city to thwart Dennis Kucinich’s term as mayor and who wanted to fund (by bonds, of course) a jetport in Lake Erie?

Is this the same Forbes who when Republic Steel wanted an ore dock to itself on Lake Erie served on the above-mentioned company board with a key Republic Steel official in the ore dock deal? Forbes in hearing legislation said of the land desired by Republic, “I’m almost willing to give it to them for nothing.” Mayor Dennis Kucinich nixed the deal and caught plenty of flak.

Is this the Forbes who a city employee who claimed to be a Forbes relative and got more than $1 million in minority contracts for asbestos removal and demolition from Dick Jacobs at the subsidy-soak complex - the Key Center and Marriott hotel?

Is this the same Forbes who went into business with landfill and trash owner Pete Boyas? At the time I wrote, “Boyas has had many scraps with city and state officials and seems to get gentle, if not special, treatment. The firm intended to produce oil and gas commercially from nine to 17 wells located in Ohio.”

Is this the same George Forbes whose wife got a $200,000 loan on a deal from a bank that had recently help toss the city into default?

Is this the same George Forbes who blocked a $250,000 a year tenant (Regional Sewer District) from occupying a city building so that the tenant would rent at a building owned by someone who gave his law firm business?

Is this the same Forbes who went into business with former Mayor Michael White in a partnership to rehab two former Cleveland schools? The deal involved schools purchased cheaply from the Cleveland system.

Is this the same Forbes who held up legislation for the building of a parking lot by Joe Cole behind the old Press building to force operation of the new facility into the hands of a favored parking lot operator he represented?

Is this the Forbes that tried to hold up the Red Cross by stalling legislation – ready for months, said city officials - that could expedite the purchase of land for a new Red Cross building? Forbes’ law firm represented the owner of the property who bought it for $46,500 in 1980. His client reportedly wanted $1 million for the property housing a seedy bar.

Is this the same Forbes who pushed through tens of millions of dollars for Jacobs and the Ratner downtown hotels at zero interest loans and with 20-year, 100 percent tax abatements?

One can’t just make this stuff up. It’s the material of at least a cheap novel.

The charge usually reads, “High crimes and misdemeanors.” But Forbes was never much of a misdemeanor type of guy.

It’s hard to take that he gets caught for what amounts to a parking ticket violation. At least so far. It’s not over. Yet, I don’t see him taking the Nate Gray way.

The greatest sin in Forbes long list of offenses, however, may be that he stifled black leadership in this town. He was notoriously harsh on young black council members, especially if they had the temerity to defy him as Jeff Johnson did.

He didn’t care enough to train new leadership – for fear of competition - and the town is worse for it. If we one were to write a history of the past couple of decades, this would be Forbes’ legacy.

He played a pivotal role in Kucinich’s downfall and the city’s default. He clearly represented the Business Establishment in its desire to dethrone Kucinich. He followed by joining with now Sen. George Voinovich in freely bestowing subsidies to the same businesses.

Forbes was a wheeler-dealer. He lacked or spurned vision unlike, for example, Carl Stokes. Forbes possibly never had the passion to spur a progressive city. The civil rights movement wasn’t a spur to him as much as something to ride personally.

He was not an inspirational leader, rather a bullying figure.

He didn’t help lift a city. Instead, he sowed division to maintain personal power.

His one-time political protégé Michael White became a little dictator after Forbes was forced from Cleveland politics in 1990. Council rebelled against his leadership. This forced Forbes to run for mayor. He had promised White his backing for White to run for mayor. However, he reneged. White defeated him anyway.

White turned out to lack the human touch that Forbes sometimes reveals.

We here have all suffered the consequence of these failed leaders.

Forbes told Beres, “I’ve done it all.” He told the truth.

Cleveland Plus, Plus and Plus

Developer Scott Wolstein says it’s essential that Cuyahoga County commissioners and Mayor Frank Jackson straighten the Cuyahoga River for his Flats project to be viable.

Wolstein says that a straightened Cuyahoga River will bring thousands more tourists to Cleveland and offer new land for more downtown housing or strip joints.

“I’m ready to invest in Cleveland. Cleveland has to invest in this project,” he said.

“It’s essential for the future of Cleveland,” said the popular developer.

“I think he’s right, of course. We can’t afford to be negative,” said Commissioner Tim Hagan. “A crooked river gives the city a bad image.”

“What the hell. Who’s it going to hurt? There ain’t any fish there to eat,” said Jimmy Dimora.

“If it’s good for downtown, it’s good for the city, it’s good for regionalism. I’m for it,” said Mayor Jackson.

“Man, that guy is phenomenal. Awesome. Why had no one in all these years here ever thought of this? I’m firmly behind this project. It will wake up this city,” said Councilman Joe Cimperman. Cimperman said he would sponsor legislation immediately to straighten the crooked river.

“Who wants a crooked river anyway?” said Cimperman.

The Greater Cleveland Partnership (GPC) released a statement indicating support. GCP offered a $5,000 grant for a study of how to straighten the Cuyahoga.

“We’ve failed to take advantage of our natural resources. Now here’s an opportunity to spur economic development. The community must rally around this idea. Future generations will look back at this time and be able to say that’s when Cleveland became the Comeback City,” said the release.

“It will make the bike path easier, too,” added GCP boss Joe Roman.

“This would make us, Cleveland++,” added Roman.

“No,” interjected downtown booster Joe Marinucci, “It makes us Cleveland+++.”

“I’m not completely sold yet,” said Plan Commission chairman Tony Coyne. “Has anyone checked if they’ve done this in Chicago?”

“I’ll handle the details if you’d like,” said managing partner Fred Nance of Squires, Sanders and Dempsey. “Of course, we can also handle the bond work. For the usual small fee.”

The Plain Dealer reported 300,000 jobs would be created, citing a study by Cleveland State University’s Urban Affairs dean Mark Rosentraub. Rosentraub predicted property taxes will rise by at least $l billion. “The city can use that money,” he said.

Rosentraub said there could be as many as 500,000 permanent new jobs created. “Rivers are an important urban asset,” he said.

“I’m pumped up. It is definitely the big push this community really needs,” said Rosentraub, continuing, “I hope we have the foresight to pursue it, even it if requires a small increase in the sales tax to 12 percent. This is no time for public cynicism. This is a win-win project. We must rise to the occasion.”

“Who wants a crooked river,” said Pepper Pike Mayor Bruce Akers. “I think the suburban mayors will get behind this idea.”

“We’ll move the earth. Or at least some of it,” said Wolstein.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Roldo Bartimole roldoATadelphia.net
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