July 28, 2008. That’s when it started. That’s the day over 100 FBI agents raided the public offices of Cuyahoga County to kick-start a sweeping investigation of corruption that reaches inside the highest offices of Greater Cleveland.

            And still their targets, “Public Offical 1” and “Public Official 2”—also known as Jimmy Dimora and Frank Russo—have not been indicted.

            19 months.

            A lot can change in 19 months. A lot has changed.

            No one could have predicted that Cuyahoga County residents would vote for a complete restructure of government in 2009. In fact, Issue 6 never would have passed if it hadn’t been for the raid and subsequent trials of lower-level foot soldiers.

            Ironically, one of the leading architects of Issue 6, Bill Mason, was kept out of the loop by the FBI during that raid. They didn’t ask Mason—the top lawman of the county—to help them go after the bad guys, they just took what they wanted. The feds don’t trust him. But apparently voters do. It must make their heads spin. Kind of like Batman watching the citizens of Gotham run to the Penguin after he busts the Joker.

            But they’re on the slow burn. They’re indicting from the bottom-up, a tried and true tactic used to illicit deals and testimony from witnesses they hope to use against their bigger targets. They have their own timetable.

            Unfortunately, that timetable needs to be rewritten now.

            Because of Issue 6, they cannot afford to wait, not if their true goal is to save Cuyahoga County’s soul, and what other goal should there be?

            This Fall, voters will elect 11 county council members and a county executive. Election Day, in the hearts of Cuyahoga County residents who tire of reading about the ongoing investigation, is Day One. A new beginning. A clean start.

            The Department of Justice needs to respect that wish. And the only way to do that is to wrap this thing up already. Indict these officials. Get it over. And give us time to try to forget it before we go to polls.

            Rumors abound of back room deals being cut in order to negotiate a peaceful surrender of Public Official 1 & 2. Let’s hope it’s just that; rumor. Because, well…19 months, man. If you can’t close in 19 months, what’s the point? We don’t like these rumors and we have begun to distrust the DOJ, too.

            Also, after all this foreplay, we want something BIG. We’re talking years in prison. And not one of those bed and breakfasts the feds have for insider-trading nerds, either. One of the concrete places. Leavenworth, perhaps? Or Guantanamo. I hear there are some rooms available. If the DOJ took so much of our time and patience for 6 months and probation, they’ve seriously misjudged the residents of Cuyahoga County. Remember Art Modell? He barely escaped Cleveland with his life. People were calling radio stations with his location on the highway as he drove out of town. When someone screws us over, we hold a grudge. Modell is not welcome here. Ever. Same goes for the guys they’re planning to indict. So, for their sake, put em away for a long time.

            Finally, the FBI needs to tie up their loose ends. If they can indict more officials on lesser charges of bribery or fraud or illegally reading emails of court officials, for example, just throwing that one out there, then those indictments should come with the others. Get it all out. With Issue 6, the goal at this point should just be to get them out of office so we can start fresh with a new slate of elected officials in the Fall.

            That’s our timetable. Respect it.

            We don’t want to hear about deals. We don’t want other bad guys to stay free because you’re waiting for some bigger charge down the road.

            Times up. We call.

            Let’s see your cards.

 -James Renner