By Michael D. Clark
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Schiavone

MIDDLETOWN - Mayor David Schiavone's rising political star has been tarnished by a suspension and resignation from his Butler County job - a development he blames on county politics.

In his first in-depth interview since he resigned from his job of 18 years with the Butler County Adult Probation Department at the end of May, Schiavone claims he was targeted by county Republican Party officials who saw the non-GOP leader of the city of 52,000 as a potential challenger of their countywide dominance.

Schiavone contends that allegations of misconduct made against him at his full-time job with Butler County, where all top elected officials are Republicans, were politically motivated to undermine his stated aspirations of running for a county office as a Democrat or independent.

"I was targeted by the Republican Party because they saw me as a threat, and then there was an opportunity for them to make me look bad," he said.

That so-called "opportunity" came earlier this year when Schiavone was investigated by probation officials, along with other employees, and accused of 10 unauthorized absences from work.

Schiavone was later suspended with pay from his manager's job after further allegations by Gary Yates, chief probation officer and court administrator for the Common Pleas Court's General Division, that Schiavone had pressured other employees to testify on his behalf.

Last month Schiavone avoided a departmental predisciplinary hearing by signing a separation agreement with probation officials that ended his employment. He now works as a probation officer and court bailiff for Mason Municipal Court in Warren County.

But Schiavone claims county Republican officials continue to target him and recently lobbied some Middletown City Council members to vote him out as mayor.

GOP leaders, however, dismiss the mayor's claims as groundless. And Yates said "there was no political motivation" behind his department's investigation of Schiavone.

Schiavone contends Yates was prompted by GOP officials to intentionally discard the department's traditional policy regarding flex time. He said allegations that he had unexcused absences, took overly long lunches and, on one occasion, consumed alcohol while on county time, were incorrect under what had been policy.

"I think the allegations against me were twisted to meet the Republican Party's needs. Yeah, occasionally I took an extra half-hour for lunch, but I always made it up and worked my full shift," said Schiavone. "And, if there was any problem, why wasn't there any warning given to me as there had been for others in the past?"

Three City Council members - Earl Smith, Bob Wells and Nancy Nix - said they were recently called by Joyce Finney, secretary of the county GOP's central committee, and urged to vote Schiavone out.

Fellow councilman and Republican Bob Wells said he also was called by Finney, was told of a recent GOP meeting "and (she) said we all met ... and we all agree Mr. Schiavone should go."

Finney denies she was lobbying for the county party, but rather "was doing that as a private citizen."

Scott Lepsky, director of Butler County's Republican Party, said "the Schiavone situation was never brought up" at a recent central committee meeting.

Schiavone sees his problems rooted in a December conversation with Thomas Ellis, a GOP committee member. He says he told Ellis he might run for county commissioner as a Democrat.

Ellis confirmed having the conversation, but said: "I don't recall at all that he said he would run as a Democrat," adding that Schiavone's other claims are "totally without basis in fact."

E-mail mclark@enquirer.com