L. Mialon Morris, a Democratic primary candidate for Summit County Common Pleas judge, says she is focusing on her campaign and “just ready to move past” a critical flyer that circulated on social media.
The flyer, paid for by the Truth Coalition PAC, includes claims such as “Morris isn’t even a Democrat” and “Morris would risk a safe vote to the GOP.” It also lists a “Criminal Rap Sheet” with a driving under the influence charge and various alleged crimes and contains a mug shot.
Signal Akron posted the flyer on its website, stating that it includes inaccuracies and issuing a warning that some readers may find it offensive.
However, the PAC’s treasurer told the Beacon Journal that the group ultimately decided against using the flyer, and it hasn’t been mailed or distributed to voters.
Morris previously shared with the Beacon Journal that she was arrested for driving under the influence and possessing marijuana, then completed court-ordered programming.
Morris is running against incumbent Judge Kelly McLaughlin in the May 5 primary
“The fortunate thing for me is that I live a transparent life,” Morris said. “I believe in transparency, and I believe in order to really have an impact on the community you serve, you’ve got to be vulnerable, you’ve got to be transparent, you’ve got to be relatable – because people don’t want to listen to people that they don’t think have any idea of what they’ve been through or what they’re dealing with.”
Addressing the flyer, Morris, a Black woman, said, “I mean, obviously, I felt that it was racist propaganda.”
She noted that Common Pleas Judge Susan Baker Ross, a white woman, also has a criminal past, including two operating a vehicle while under the influence charges, and that Baker Ross has gone on to “inspire people like myself.”
Several community leaders ‒ including Akron Councilman At-Large Eric Garrett and Summit County Common Pleas Judge Joy Malek Oldfield ‒ issued statements online criticizing the flyer.
Addressing her party affiliation, Morris said she is a Democrat and running as one.
“I mean, essentially, I don’t care about it,” Morris said of the flyer.
The flyer is the latest twist in the heated Democratic primary for the judge seat.
The primary race has seen McLaughlin, a lifelong Democrat, lose her party’s endorsement to Morris. McLaughlin also accused the Summit County Democratic Party chair of bribery, allegations now in the hands of the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, according to the Akron Police Department.
Both McLaughlin and Morris have had their party loyalties questioned in social media posts.
The winner of the May 5 race advances to the November general election; attorney John Greven is running unopposed for the nomination on the Republican side.
PAC treasurer: Flyer wasn’t finalized, but group sees Morris as ‘flawed’
Andy Padrutt, treasurer of the Truth Coalition PAC, said the flyer wasn’t finalized and that the group ultimately decided to take a different approach to support McLaughlin in the primary. The pivot included focusing on McLaughlin’s endorsement by Akron City Council President Margo Sommerville, he said.
“So, what you are seeing was never put out there to a single voter – not online, not in the mail, nowhere,” Padrutt said.
Padrutt said he’s unsure how the draft “got into the Morris people’s hands” and accused her supporters of circulating the flyer.
“So, I don’t know how they got their hands on it,” he said. “I wish they hadn’t”
Padrutt, a former executive director of the Summit County Democratic Party, former Barberton clerk of courts and former Green city councilman, himself was found guilty of driving under the influence in 2004 and an OVI with prior refusal in 2016.
Addressing the flyer criticizing Morris, Padrutt said he gathered information and came up with some of the messaging.
“It’s never the first draft that is the final draft when we do these things, especially this kind that has a lot of research and documentation on it and that you know is going to create a stir, let’s say,” Padrutt said. “We check and double check all that stuff but never kind of got to that final phase because we didn’t send this out.”
However, he said including publicly available information in campaigns “is generally considered fair game” and that the flyer is “nothing compared to what the Republicans will do in November if we nominate such a flawed candidate.”
McLaughlin says through campaign: ‘I unequivocally condemn racism’
Through her campaign, Judge McLaughlin shared an emailed statement about the flyer that said in part, “Judge Kelly McLaughlin and this campaign had absolutely no involvement in, coordination with, or prior knowledge of that material.”
“I have always believed this race should be decided on experience, integrity, and justice, not personal attacks,” McLaughlin said. “Campaigns can become heated, but civility matters. Cooler heads and a focus on the issues that truly impact people’s lives will always prevail over negativity.”
McLaughlin added, “I unequivocally condemn racism in any form.”
Morris meeting with voters at board of elections for early voting
Morris said she has recently been at the Summit County Board of Elections every day meeting with voters.
“I’m sure most of them – this may be their first time voting or their first time voting in a primary,” Morris said. “And, so, that’s what all of this is about, having an impact on the community, continuing to be that person that encourages them, especially not to make the same mistakes that I made, and to ultimately be better than me, be stronger than me, go further than me.”
Patrick Williams covers growth and development for the Akron Beacon Journal. He can be reached by email at pwilliams@gannett.com or on X @pwilliamsOH. Sign up for the Beacon Journal’s business and consumer newsletter, “What’s The Deal?”
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Summit County judge candidate calls attack flyer ‘racist propaganda’
Reporting by Patrick Williams, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
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