Drill Baby Drill

When Massillon's beloved Mayor for Life, King Francis the Eternal, was blaming all his political problems on 'carpetbaggers,' and not on the poor job he has done managing his city, it was brought to his attention by the Independent that he cheerfully solicits and accepts campaign cash from people who live outside the city wall.

"Despite his dislike of outsiders' involvement in city elections or city government, Cicchinelli said there is a "big difference" in accepting campaign donations from people who live outside of Massillon.

"There's no strings attached to that," he said...

When asked what the intentions are of people who live outside the city and support his campaign, he said:

"They support me. They support what I've done for the city of Massillon. They support the actions, the way I've conducted business. Of course, business people are going to give pro-business people money, pro-business elected officials. There's nothing wrong with campaign contributions. I don't hear from a lot of those people" (The Independent, February 8, 2011).

"I don't hear from a lot of those people."

Except when they want to drill for oil on city owned land.

On the agenda for last Tuesday's city council meeting was Ordinance 25-2011.

AN ORDINANCE authorizing the Director of Public Service and Safety of the City of Massillon, Ohio, to enter into a Non-Surface Development Gas & Oil Lease with Lake Region Oil, Inc., for a 1.7 acre parcel owned by the City of Massillon, and declaring an emergency.

Lake Region Oil, Inc.

The listed President of Lake Region Oil, Inc., is Howard Wenger, a regular and generous contributor to Massillon's Mayor for Life.

Of course, we believe there were "no strings attached" to his contributions.

Now he gets to drill for oil on city owned land.

What we do know, according to our mayor, is that when people give him money, it's just because they like the fine job he is doing as mayor. Certainly no campaign contributor has personally benefited as a result of their financial support of Frank Cicchinelli.

It's "No strings attached" here in Massillon.

Now let's get busy drilling!