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City official's advice upsets contractors
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH ^ | Saturday, April 11, 2009 | By Robert Vitale

Posted on 04/12/2009 6:55:24 PM PDT by staytrue

"He was saying, basically, that we have to pay to play," said Shawn Straughter, a member of the Minority & Independent Contractors Alliance who owns a marketing and public-relations business. "Play the game. That's how he labeled it, 'the game.' "

Eight people who attended the meeting on April 3 said that Safford told contractors they need to contribute to Columbus officials' political campaigns if they expect to win contracts from City Hall.

(Excerpt) Read more at dispatchpolitics.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; News/Current Events; US: Ohio
KEYWORDS: payola
fyi, the Columbus, Ohio city govt. is run by democrats with a democrat city council and a democrat mayor.
1 posted on 04/12/2009 6:55:24 PM PDT by staytrue
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To: staytrue

All on tape, right?


2 posted on 04/12/2009 6:56:54 PM PDT by SkyDancer ('Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow for those who do not..' ~ Thomas Jefferson)
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To: SkyDancer

Here is another good quote from the article:

“But Safford ended up infuriating some of the contractors, who said afterward that he had told them that qualifications matter less than relationships with City Hall decision-makers.

“The way he said it, the way all of us perceived it, it’s like a rite of passage,” said Mock, who sat recently on a panel appointed by Gov. Ted Strickland to suggest reforms in the state’s construction-bidding process.

“These are seasoned, skillful guys,” he said of the minority contractors. “He told them no, they didn’t play the game.”


3 posted on 04/12/2009 6:59:58 PM PDT by staytrue
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To: staytrue

democrats? I’m SHOCKED! SHOCKED, I say!!!


4 posted on 04/12/2009 7:24:56 PM PDT by stefanbatory (Do you want a President or a King?)
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To: staytrue

Isn’t it 100% dem now atleast that is what I thought I heard?


5 posted on 04/12/2009 7:27:13 PM PDT by chris_bdba
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To: staytrue

That is the way it works everywhere, be it democrats, republicans or in non partision city councils.

Obviously the so called “minority” contractors are just cheap skates that do not want to pay up like we White Folks!


6 posted on 04/12/2009 7:35:23 PM PDT by texican01
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To: staytrue

You would never know who ran Columbus from the coverup story.

Thanks for the tip-offs.

Hope the Dispatch is soon dispatched to the hell for the liberal media.


7 posted on 04/12/2009 7:46:45 PM PDT by MadMax, the Grinning Reaper
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