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Suspension Proceedings Move Forward for Indicted Toledo City
Council Members
Ohio Attorney General Dave
Yost last week announced the filing of a Request to Commence
Suspension Proceedings for four members of the Toledo City
Council charged with bribery and extortion.
Until allegations of public
corruption are resolved in court, a suspension is the proper
remedy to balance the accuseds’ right of a presumption of
innocence with the public’s interest to have a functioning
city council, Yost said.
The request, filed in the
Supreme Court of Ohio, states that Larry Sykes, Yvonne
Harper, Garrick Gary Johnson and Tyrone Riley are charged
with felonies stemming from alleged criminal activity that
occurred in public office and cannot continue their duties
as city council members while facing charges of bribery and
extortion.
In response, three of the
four city council members voluntarily signed a consent
judgement entry, agreeing to the suspension pending the
resolution of the felony charges in federal court. Johnson
has yet to sign a judgement entry at this time.
A consent agreement is
voluntary on the part of the accused, said Shelly Kennedy,
managing attorney of the Ohio Attorney Generals regional
office in Toledo. The parties in this case will present the
agreements to the Supreme Court, who in turn, may approve
the suspensions.
Toledo Mayor Wade
Kapszukiewicz and City Council President Matt Cherry
requested that Yost initiate proceedings under Ohio Revised
Code 3.16 to suspend the accused city council members from
office.
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