The Godfather In the Closet
The Republican boss of Summit County revels in crushing his enemies. Now his private life might crush him.
By Sarah Fenske
Published: June 11, 2003
Arshinkoff, 50, has run the county Republican Party for half his life.
Photo courtesy of Judge Mary Spicer
Republican Judge Mary Spicer held onto her seat — despite opposition from the party boss's niece.
Walter Novak
County Executive James McCarthy says people would be "all over" the report if it involved a young female hitchhiker.
It was past 2 a.m. when the kid left the bar and headed for home. Back from college for Christmas, he'd met up with his high school buddies at Annabell's, a neighborhood watering hole in Akron. Frustrated for reasons that no longer seem important, the 21-year-old Kent State student had been too annoyed to wait for a ride.
It wasn't long before he wished he had. It had been a white Christmas. The ground was still blanketed, early that morning of December 27, 2002; the air, frigid. Maybe a stranger would give him a lift.
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The kid told him to take a right at Main Street. But the man didn't. I'll get you home, don't worry about it, the kid remembers him saying. Then the man started rubbing his thigh.Are you gay? he asked. Are you bi? No? Are you sure?
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Then a second black-and-white pulled up. The officer gestured at the departing Audi with its ARA 1 vanity plate. "Do you know who that was?" the kid heard him ask. "That was Alex Arshinkoff. He's the chair of the county Republican Party."
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http://www.clevescene.com/2003-06-11/news/the-godfather-in-the-closet/full