CLEVELAND, Ohio Following the publication of a fresh investigation that revealed Cleveland City Councilman Joe Jones threatened to kill a longtime council staffer, the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party Ward 1 Executive Committee convened on Saturday morning to reevaluate their endorsement of Jones.
Following a nearly half-hour debate, three members chose Ward 1 candidate Juanita Brent, while 16 members chose Jones. Jones’ support is upheld by the vote.
To maintain the endorsement, Jones needed at least 60% of members to back him, according to local Democratic Party regulations. David Brock, chair of the Cuyahoga Democratic Party, claimed that after counting the votes, the committee had reached quorum with 16 votes supporting Jones, giving him the support he needed to be endorsed.
Following the vote, Jones told cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer that he is honored and grateful to have maintained the party’s support.
I work incredibly hard for the people of Ward 1, and I’m honored and grateful. I’ll keep working hard and grinding.
I consider this to be a public service rather than a career.
Candidates for Ward 1 Brent, Lesa Jones Dollar, Marc Crosby, Aylwin Bridges, and Jones were given three minutes to address the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party on their behalf.
Brock claimed that when members voted to support Jones earlier this month, they were not given access to the investigative findings.
In a statement issued following the meeting, Brock admitted that recent occurrences have revealed systemic weaknesses, particularly when significant concerns regarding behavior surface after a vote has been cast, and suggested that changes could be required to improve accountability, openness, and public confidence.
The process itself makes a statement: We take concerns like this seriously and discuss them openly, Brock said, describing the rescheduled meeting as being about maintaining the integrity of the process and emphasizing the value of giving members the opportunity to make an informed choice.
Brock reiterated support for the democratic process while expressing significant distress about the accusations of Councilman Jones’ behavior. He noted that he had faith in the Ward 1 voters to assess the facts for themselves on September 9th during the primary and November 4th during the general election.
Cleveland City Council President Blaine Griffin and Clerk Patricia Britt wrote a letter summarizing the investigation, which focused on two instances that occurred on May 19. During a meeting in his office, Jones threatened to “f—— kill you on your motorcycle” and said, “I’ll f—— kill you three times,” according to a colleague.
The staffer, who has been with the council for eighteen years, chose not to file a police report but instead reported the incident to the FBI. Jones had a panic attack later that day after sitting next to a woman he was told to stay away from because of a previous harassment probe.
Both witnesses were deemed credible by investigators, who also came to the conclusion that Jones had broken rules regarding workplace behavior, especially those pertaining to violence. Jones claimed to have joked that he would blow you up on your motorcycle, but he denied making a death threat. That explanation was rejected by council leaders as being a distinction without a difference.
After being found guilty of federal mail fraud in 2005, Jones resigned from office and rejoined the council in 2017. He is running for reelection in the primary on September 9.
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