Hypocrite! Kevin Coughlin gets caught dealing with the Democrats!

Apparently, Kevin Coughlin has his holiday shopping done as he's been hard at work over the past few days working to undermine the 2008 Summit County Republican slate of candidates and exposing himself for what he is - a hypocrite.

Case in point -

A republican candidate for County office reported that Kevin called to discourage this person from running for County office. Further, this person claims that Coughlin indicated that he (Coughlin) has been in discussions with the Democrat chairman - and County Executive - Russ Pry in order to work out a deal for Republicans and Democrats for 2008. Kevin asked that this person not run for office. (Is Coughlin making deals with the Democrats? After he accused the party's current leadership of this conduct?)

This person told Coughlin to take a hike. Further, this person asked Coughlin how his search for a chairman has been going - apparently - there are no takers - or so Coughlin claims...

Take aways - Coughlin's up to his eyeballs in collusion with the Democrats. Other examples -

(1) Coughlin's key point person in the City of Green, David Reilly, worked to support a Democrat, Andy Padrutt, for Green mayor against Republican Dick Norton. Reilly went so far as to place his name on a pro-Padrutt mailer.

(2) Coughlin supporter Pete Kostoff has publicly supported Democrats for office, including Lee Fisher, and works for Roetzel & Andress, the politically-wired law firm where one of his partners is the Democrat Finance Chair Wayne Jones. When asked if he was involved with the "new summit republicans" Kostoff is said to have stated "Kinda sorta".

(3) Rumors have it that Kevin Coughlin (or his supporters) provided supporters of Cuyahoga Clerk of Courts, Lisa Zeno Carano, a photograph of her Republican challenger, John Widowfield, with former governor Bob Taft. The photo was used in an attack mailer against Widowfield. Where was the photo taken? The front of Coughlin's home. Who took the photo? A Coughlin staffer.

Can Coughlin be this much of a hypocrite? Or, is he just too dumb to understand that the Democrats are playing him like a violin?

Kevin Coughlin's Leadership Crisis...

.... He doesn't have a leader for his "new Summit County Republicans"...

Less than one month before the filing deadline for the Summit County Republican Central Committee, and it is clear that Kevin Coughlin is desparate. Desparately in need of a candidate for Chairman.

Coughlin has been burning the phone wires contacting individuals, asking each to run for Chairman in his brave new world. In fact, on election night, Coughlin is rumored to have called an unsuccessful candidate for office to ask him to run for chairman. The candidate was not interested. No one is interested. At least no one that Coughlin can credibly place before the Summit County Republican Central Committee.

No one wants to be associated with Coughlin's movement, especially not at its helm.