CLEVELAND, OH – Lawyers for the mayor of East Cleveland and a former city councilman blamed their political opponents for criminal charges against the two men on Friday.

“It’s disappointing to see the county attorney now involved in the political fight with the people of East Cleveland,” said defense attorney Charles Tyler, who represents East Cleveland Mayor Brandon King.

“It’s a very sad day that the criminal justice system is being used this way,” said East Cleveland Law Director Willa Hemmons, who appeared with former Councilman Ernest Smith during Smith’s arraignment. “No one wants to see the criminal justice system turned into a weapon against a political adversary.”

But the Cuyahoga County prosecutor said the cases against the couple followed investigations by the Ohio Ethics Commission and the Ohio State Auditor.

“These charges arose as a direct result of those investigations,” prosecutor Michael O’Malley said in a statement. “The people who continue to suffer from these actions are the residents of East Cleveland.”

Mayor Brandon King pleaded not guilty to two counts of theft in office, four counts of having an unlawful interest in a public contract, four counts of representation by a public officer or employee, one count of filing a false disclosure statement and one count of soliciting improper information. compensation.

King is accused of authorizing and paying for more than $76,000 in public contracts between the city of East Cleveland and companies owned by the mayor and his family.

But Hemmons said Friday that those contracts predated King’s time in city government and said King relinquished any financial stake in the companies following guidance from the state ethics commission.

“If we’re going to prevent all legitimate citizens and all businessmen from entering politics, we’re going to lose a lot of good people,” Hemmons said.

The mayor is also accused of improperly providing Smith with a municipal vehicle and gas cards to purchase fuel.

Investigators said Smith purchased $6,791 worth of gasoline at the city’s expense.

Smith insisted the car was only used in connection with his work, but said Friday that included instances when he took his children to school.

“My son and daughter are East Cleveland residents,” Smith said. “I live in East Cleveland. We went to East Cleveland schools. It’s dangerous outside. You can’t even walk to school without prostitutes and drug dealers messing with everyone.”

Smith also pointed to a 2017 document from the then-council clerk, which noted that Smith received the keys to the 2003 Ford to use “for city business” as proof that everything was in order.

“I didn’t go to the mayor to get the car,” Smith said. “I don’t work for the mayor. (The) council doesn’t work for the mayor. I found out there was a city car out there and my clerk found it for me.”

Smith, who was ousted by voters in 2022 and lost his council seat, said he is “very confident” he will be vindicated and said he plans to run for city council again in 2025.

He told a judge Friday that he did not have money for a lawyer and was appointed attorney.

Tyler said the mayor has no plans to resign even as a three-judge panel evaluates whether King should be suspended until his criminal case is resolved.

Tyler said King, not the city, is paying for the mayor’s legal defense.