Kucinich gets serious challenger for his Congressional seat

[ShaneGR]

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1196760794145060.xml&coll=2&thispage=1

(snips)
When Cimperman was elected to council 10 years ago, he was a political nobody, a social worker at the West Side Catholic Center who grew up on Cleveland's East Side, the son of a machinist.

Since then, he has become the political point person on development and housing downtown while maintaining his advocacy for the poor. He has also forged a relationship with some of the region's biggest businessmen, who have given tens of thousands of dollars to his campaigns.

Kucinich spokeswoman Natalie Laber would not comment on Cimperman but suggested his bid for the seat is tainted.

Referring to Kucinich, Laber said, "Whether he runs or not, the seat doesn't belong to him, it belongs to the people of the district, not corporate developers."

Kucinich has praised Cimperman in the past.

"I think he has great potential," Kucinich said in a 1999 Plain Dealer article. "He is passionately involved with his community. He's an activist, and an activist approach is necessary in order to catalyze the progress of the people you represent. I can identify with that."

Cimperman said Kucinich's second bid for the White House triggered his decision to run against his one-time ally.

Asked about his ability to be a full-time councilman while campaigning for Congress, Cimperman said he can do both much easier than Kucinich can serve his district while running for president.

"There's a difference in travel time along I-480 and going to Honolulu."

[TechBear_Seattle]

1. Now that Kucinich is becoming a real threat to the Corporate Party

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Cimperman was directed by the DLC to run for Kucinich's seat.

[OzarkDem]

3. Not as much the DLC

as the corporate leaders downtown, working with the GOP.

[TechBear_Seattle]

4. Same thing n/t

[OzarkDem]

2. Joe Cimperman

He's been Cleveland city councilman for many years for the downtown area - where he caters to the needs of a few wealthy people who own most of the real estate downtown.

No doubt Joe is taking his orders from the billionaire's club. I'm sure they'll put a lot of money behind him, but he's not likely to beat Kucinich.

On edit: it sounds as though the GOP is getting worried about Kucinich's calls to impeach Cheney and Bush.

[KharmaTrain]

5. What Does Impeachment Matter?

boooosh and cheney will be gone after 1-20-09...the same date the person who wins that seat takes their oath. I highly doubt impeachment has anything to do with this. The article quotes Cimperman talking about DK's runs for president and his lack of attention to the district. This is up to the voters in his district to decide if there's other motivations here...and surely they will come to light. A challenge shouldn't be a problem for a congressman who serves his/her district well...let's see what the voters in that district have to say.

[Tesha]

12. Impeachment matters because we are (allegedly) a "nation of laws".

You don't get to break the law time and time again
and then argue "you can't prosecute me because I
changed jobs"; there' sno reason why the President
or Vice President should be allowed to get away
with that either.

*ONE OF THE PRINCIPAL REASONS* we're suffering through
all this is because the criminals from the Regana and
Bush-I administrations were gven a pass and not prosecuted
for their crimes while in office. As a result, they got
to continue their crimninal careers in the Bush-II
administration.

Investigate crimes. Enforce the laws. Punish the guilty.

Impeach for "high crimes and misdemeanors".

Tesha

[KharmaTrain]

14. Stick To The Subject

My question is how does impeachment affect this seat considering that booosh and cheney's terms will expire the same day the winner of that congressional seat takes the oath. Simple question. I don't need the usual song and dance about impeachment, that's not the issue here.

The poster blames impeachment for this challenge, I'd like to understand how that matters. Again, a simple question.

I'm working with groups challenging an incumbent in my district...we feel we're not being properly represented...maybe, just maybe the folks in DK's district may feel the same thing.

[Tesha]

15. Impeachment can certainly be done ex post facto. So can criminal indictments. (NT)

[KharmaTrain]

17. Again...Not The Point

Look back and you'll see me strongly supporting impeachment...especially a de facto impeachment with a larger Democratic majority in both houses and a Democratic president. I've also strongly called for actions by the world court to investigate and indict many members of this regime, just not booosh and cheney as the crimes they've committed are way beyond impeachment...they require a war crimes tribunal.

That said, back to the original topic/question...and that being how impeachment has any bearing on why the folks in DK's district would consider a challenger. There are plenty of threads (thread-worn as far as I'm concerned) on the validity and means of impeachment. That's not the issue here...it's DK keeping his house seat.

[OzarkDem]

20. Plain Dealer and local billionaires have close ties to GOP leadership

They don't like Kucinich pushing impeachment and calling for an exit from Iraq. They've been seriously trying to get Kucinich out of Congress for a couple of years now. Their dirty tricks campaign has escalated ever since Kucinich started talking about impeachment.

When he introduced the resolution in Congress to impeach Cheney, they started the "Ron Paul" smear. When he announced he was drafting an impeachment resolution against Bush the other day, we suddenly hear Cimperman is running for his seat.

They're trying to marginalize him and turn Dems against him. The local billionaires will raise a lot of money to put behind Joe to run against Dennis. I don't think it will work.

On edit: this isn't an effort by the regular voters in Dennis' district - its outside influence, big money, working to put pressure on Kucinich. Most of the voters in his district will always support him.

[MrsT]

6. How much of this is because of the Ron Paul vice president issue?

Is there much of a reaction from his district?

[Tesha]

7. Perhaps this will finally drive Dennis to leave the party that long since left him? (NT)

[skipos]

8. I highly doubt Kucinich will pull a Lieberman

All kinds of Dems get primary challenges. Not all of them are babies about it.

[cali]

9. If having a challenger drives him to leave the party

so be it. It's amusing that anyone here would object to any rep having a primary challenger.

[Tesha]

10. I'm thinking of it more in terms of Dennis finally seeing the light

in a sort of "Geez, this people never do anything besides
spit on me!" moment, where he finally gets fed up and
tells the Democrats where they can stuff it.

After all, the party doesn't seem very interested in
either his ideas or his ideals.

Tesha

[cali]

13. Maybe that has as much to do with Dennis as with the party

How do you explain the dem party support for Independent Bernie Sanders? And he's gotten plenty of dem support over the years.

[Tesha]

16. (Some) Vermonters are smarter than your average DNC/DLC member. (NT)

[cali]

18. The national party supports Bernie, as well as those of us here

in Vermont who are registerd dems- and the vast majority of registered dems and the the dem party leadership here support him.

[Tesha]

19. Why? He's not a Democrat!

(This, of course, is a rhetorical question.)

Tesha

[The Stranger]

11. Where is Cimperman getting his political contributions and MONEY?

[OzarkDem]

21. Dick Jacobs, the Ratners, Sam Miller

those who own most of the city, make lots of money off the federal, state and local governments and are major fundraisers for the GOP.

[PVnRT]

22. OBVIOUSLY he's a DLC plant!!!

Who else would run against St. Dennis? The evidence is clear!!!! :sarcasm:

[book_worm]

23. If DK's constituents think he cares more about running for president than serving them

then he could be defeated. We'll see. DK hasn't said he is running yet--filing deadline is a month away.