Bush is coming to Kirtland Hills - July 30

[Kolesar]

Home of Edward S. Crawford (or one of them)
Fox Spring Farms - Booth Rd.

Bush will arrive 7PM

Crawford owns Park-Ohio
On Executive Policy Committee - Cuyahoga Co. Rep.
This info was in the PD yesterday.

This is quite near me. Post widely. Get the blogs hopping.

[cmd]

1. I've never been to Kirtland - yet

I may see you soon, Spike. It will depend on what the Kerry campaign wants me to do that day. I'm signing the next the next three and a half months of my life over to them tomorrow morning.

[Kukesa]

5. That's the spirit, CMD!

I'm working for Kerry-Edwards, too. I have more time than money to donate and I'll do anything I can.

Keep up the good work!

[Kolesar]

2. Coming to Cle for the Children's Games that week---combined events

http://www.cleveland.com/search/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1090056637180621.xml?ncounty_cuyahoga

July 17, 2004

Bush to attend Children's Games in Cleveland
President Bush will help Cleveland welcome the world to the
International Children's Games.
The White House won't officially confirm the visit, nor will
Children's Games organizers, but two sources connected with the
negotiations say it's a go. And on the day of the opening ceremonies,
July 30, Bush already plans to be in Northeast Ohio for a fund-raiser.
The organizers of the games invited the president months ago. ...
Organizers expect to break attendance records, drawing nearly 2,500
athletes, ages 12-15, plus coaches, dignitaries, friends and families
from almost 60 countries to Cleveland. ...
If Bush attends, it would be his 19th visit to Ohio since taking
office. He already is scheduled to be in Greater Cleveland on July 30
for a $2,000-per-plate reception in Kirtland Hills.
Edward Crawford, chief executive of Park-Ohio Holdings Corp. and
chairman of the executive policy committee of the Cuyahoga County
Republican Party, recently e-mailed invitations to local Bush
supporters.
Campaign workers for Sen. John Kerry, the presumed Democratic
nominee, have also contacted Children's Games officials about
attending,
although nothing is confirmed, Gilbert said.
The invitation to the Children's Games was sent to the president in
March by games Co-Chairman Alex Machaskee, president and publisher of
The Plain Dealer.
Organizers say they are ready to accommodate a presidential visit
by
altering the schedule if necessary. Details on arrival time, speech
topic and additional security would be fleshed out once a visit is
confirmed, Gilbert said. ...

[Beware the Beast Man]

3. Great....I work in Mentor

It's going to be a FUN commute that day!

By the way, Kirtland is speed trap city. I hope he gets a ticket! :evilgrin:

[Kolesar]

4. There will quite likely be a "Rally" at Penitentiary Glen Metropark

That is near the Fox Wood Estate. I will keep you posted. There will also be an event at Public Square Mall A, B, or C in downtown Cleveland.

[Kolesar]

6. Location moved to Lakeland Community College in Kirtland on OH 306

"They are closing all the streets in the area"

The location of the Bush demonstration in Kirtland Hills has been changed, because all roads to the park will be closed Friday evening. (See previously sent email.)

New location: Lakeland Community College, 7700 Clocktower Dr., in Kirtland. It's on Rt. 306, just off I-90 (south). Will start at 6:00 PM. on Friday, July 30th.

There will be no bus from Cleveland. We want to make this a local affair, as much as possible, to show there are people in Lake, Geauga and Ashtabula who oppose Bushes policies.

So, call everyone you know in those three counties - union members, elected officials, faith-based groups, environmental and community groups, students, etc. -- to come out and say NO to Bush!

[Kolesar]

7. last I heard from the police chief is that the roads are not closed

:shrug:

[Kolesar]

8. Protest is at 6:00 pm Friday at Lakeland Community College

It's a go!
DEMONSTRATE AGAINST BUSH

Friday JULY 30th
Lakeland Community College
Kirtland , Lake County
6:00 PM

7700 Clocktower Dr., in Kirtland. It's on Rt. 306, just off I-90

George Bush will be attending a $2,000/plate fund-raiser at Ed Crawford’s house in Kirtland Hills. Crawford is the CEO of Park Ohio Holdings Corporation and a wealthy contributor to the Bush campaign. He is anti-union and anti-living wage. Come demonstrate your opposition to the greedy Bush agenda. We are urging that people who live in Lake, Geauga and Ashtabula go to this event and let Bush know that he is not liked in all four counties.

Organized by the Rapid Response Network that is comprised of numerous organizations.
For further information call Michelle Murphy or John Gallo at 216-881-7200

I plan to be there by 5:30

[Kolesar]

9. Scathing press release by AFL-CIO

Working People from Lake, Geauga and Ashtabula Protest
Bush Exclusive Fundraiser


Friday, July 30 at 6:00 PM at Lakeland Community College

AFL-CIO Agrees with Bush on Location for Fundraiser
AFL-CIO Labels Crawford Estate “Appropriate”


Cleveland – President George W. Bush’s limousine will have to pass working people protesting the president as he heads to the posh Kirtland Hills estate of controversial industrialist and Republican Party chieftain Ed Crawford. A group of greater Clevelanders, including clergy, environmentalists, and labor union members will be waiting for the presidential motorcade as it enters the exclusive town.

“It is appropriate that President Bush would appeal to his base of wealthy contributors at Crawford’s house,” said Cleveland AFL-CIO President Tom Frisbie. “Crawford stands for everything we protest about the president. He tried to get tax abatements without complying with the Cleveland Fair Employment Wage Law, fought the Bakers Union with an anti-worker campaign at one of his facilities, and busted the Steelworkers at another facility,” said Frisbie.

“It is ironic that President Bush would visit the mansion of a tycoon who was recently involved in an election procedure haunted by questions of illegality,” said Frisbie. Frisbie also noted that, while Crawford does not live in Cuyahoga County, the millionaire funded a campaign to change in the Cuyahoga County government structure that is not even supported by the local Chamber of Commerce and with signatures that were fraudulent. Crawford also chairs the executive policy committee of the Cuyahoga County Republican Party.

A coalition of labor unions, faith-based groups, advocates, students and others will hold signs and chant slogans as the presidential motorcade passes on its way to Crawford’s two thousand dollar per-person event. The group wants to send the message that after November 2nd, George Bush’s services will no longer be needed.

Directions from Cleveland: I-90E, off at Kirtland exit. Rt.306 south, left on Clocktower Dr. Kirtland


President Bush’s Base

After President Bush smiles for the cameras at the Children’s games, he is going to a $2,000 a plate fundraiser at the home of Edward F. Crawford, Chairman and CEO of Park-Ohio Industries. The host of the posh fundraiser provides a clear view of the Bush Administration’s Ohio base. Take a look at the facts:

Nepotism and Insider Deals

Last year, Edward Crawford’s son, Matthew V. Crawford (34), was named president and chief operating officer of Park-Ohio. He first became an officer of the company in 1995 and a director in 1997 – while he was still in his mid-twenties. Though the company is run like a family business, Matthew and Edward Crawford together own only about one third of the shares.

Last year, Park-Ohio subsidiaries leased property from Edward Crawford, his wife, and son for $957,876, with Matthew Crawford getting the lion’s share of these insider deals. All told, the company has paid Crawford family members roughly $5 million in rent since 1996. In 1995, the company bought a manufacturing company from Edward and Matthew Crawford for $1,500,000.

Diversity Issues

In 1999, the Plain Dealer cited Park-Ohio as one of eight big companies in Northeast Ohio with an exclusively white male leadership. Since then, the company has added former talk-show host and two-time Republican Senate candidate Ronna Romney to the board.

Anti-Worker Activity

Last June, Park-Ohio closed its Geneva Rubber plant in Harpersfield, Ohio, laying off 161 workers. The previous year, the company had begun moving equipment to a warehouse in Cleveland, according to Steelworkers Local 905.

USWA representative Kirk Davies accused the company of trying to escape from a collective bargaining agreement, since the company did not notify union members of the new operation (they found out about it when they followed equipment to the new facility). Before the company announced the plant closing, the USWA had filed grievances on outsourcing other matters.

During an earnings conference call, Crawford boasted that the new rubber and plastics plant would be “union-free.” However, the company apparently later negotiated a collective bargaining agreement with another union that was unaware of the history behind the new plant.

The Ohio Department of Development had approved a $50,000 training grant and $1.5 million low-interest loan for the Cleveland plant, but announced it was reconsidering when it was informed of the layoffs at the Geneva Rubber plant. In its application for the grant and the loan, Park-Ohio had claimed no jobs at Geneva Rubber would be affected by its expansion in Cleveland.

Earlier, in 1997, Park-Ohio subsidiary Cicero Flexible hired union buster Cosmos Consulting to beat back the workers’ organizing drive with the Bakery, Confectionery and Tobacco Workers International Union Local 1. BCTWIU Local 1 accused the company of circulating anti-union literature and of trying to bribe workers with new health, sickness and insurance benefits after the organizing campaign began. (Cosmos claimed the workers were already entitled to these benefits, but were not aware of them because of language barriers.) The union also said the company gave some workers as much as a $4-per-hour wage increase after the petition was filed.

Park-Ohio’s anti-union activities do not end there. For seven weeks beginning in June 1994, eighty members of Boiler Makers Union Local 1086 went on strike at Park Drop Forge a Park-Ohio subsidiary. The company demanded concessions of $8,000-$13,000 per worker, after the union had already granted concessions during three previous contract negotiations. The two sides did not reach an agreement until a year later.

Job Training Scandal

In 1993, state auditors questioned whether Cuyahoga County's biggest job-training program acted properly when it paid more than $32,000 in expenses to Crawford’s company, the Crawford Group. At the time, Edward Crawford was chair of the Private Industry Council (PIC), which administered Job Training Partnership Act funds.

[Kolesar]

10. Watch Channel 8 Cleveland news tonight

We had sixty or more people and they did interviews including me. The Moveon.org PAC staffers were excellent. They arranged the media interviews. Then they drove down to the Crawford ranch with boxes of 8000 signed pink slips to deliver to George Bush--with the cameras running.

[cmd]

11. I will force myself to watch channel 8

But if Wilma sighs one time, it's going off.

[cmd]

12. That was very good coverage

I doubt that they realized that showing the enormous tent and detailing who got to go to dinner, was not a help for the commander in thief. Great work, Spike!

It's raining cats and dogs here. I'm headed downtown in about an hour for another "personal greeting" for *.