Portune Working with Berding

Hoping to quell growing dissent among some rank-and-file Democrats, Cincinnati City Councilman Jeff Berding invited two popular local Democratic politicians to speak at his campaign fundraiser this week that featured a host committee stacked with Republicans.

Hamilton County Commissioner Todd Portune said Berding asked him about two to three weeks ago to speak at Thursday evening’s fundraiser, and Commissioner David Pepper said he was asked sometime after that to also speak at the event.

Political observers believe the pair’s involvement was a cynical after-thought by party leaders to boost Berding’s credibility among members, some of who have called him a “DINO” — a Democrat in Name Only.

“I did not see the original e-mail invitation (to the event) and wasn’t involved in planning it at all,” Portune said.

Pepper added, “I was invited to attend, and later Jeff called and asked me to introduce the elected officials. I didn’t know I was going to do that until the last minute. Originally, I was just going to attend.”

The event was held at downtown’s Westin Hotel and was designed to raise money for Berding’s reelection campaign. Ohio Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher, a Democrat, was the featured speaker. Suggested contribution levels were $140 and $500 per person.

Upset by some of Berding’s recent actions on city council, a group of local Democrats recently expressed their outrage through e-mails and in the blogosphere after it was revealed that about 25 members of the fundraiser’s host committee were active Republicans or have strong ties to the Cincinnati business community.

Host committee members include financier Carl Lindner Jr., a frequent contributor to conservative causes and candidates; Reds owner Bob Castellini; Jim Zimmerman, CEO of Federated Department Stores; Stuart Dornette, Bengals attorney; John Taylor, CEO of PNC Bank; John Schiff, CEO of American Financial; and John S. Leffler, a major contributor to President Bush’s campaign.

Some party loyalists, including some Democratic city council members, disliked Berding’s stance during recent city budget negotiations, when he called for steep cuts to the Cincinnati Health Department, as well as his tendency to hold important policy discussions out of public view and his past help to a Republican incumbent campaigning against a Democratic challenger.

One local Democrat, Bill Joiner, sent an e-mail criticizing Berding which quickly made the rounds among party circles. The e-mail read, in part, “While it is nice that for once, a ‘Democrat’ will have substantial financial backing, and this is a list that has provided substantial financial backing for Republican candidates at every level, I believe that a price must be paid for this kind of support, and I believe that a price already has been paid by Jeff’s actions in his first year on council.”

After Joiner’s e-mail began attracting attention and was featured here and on other local blogs, party leaders quickly touted Portune and Pepper’s involvement.

About 75 people attended the fundraiser, including Brian Garry and Greg Harris, two Democratic candidates for city council. Most of the Republicans listed on the host committee didn’t show up in-person, guests said.

Portune questioned Berding’s endorsement by the party during the 2005 election when it was revealed that he had campaigned for Hamilton County Commissioner Bob Bedinghaus, the Republican then-incumbent who negotiated the Bengals stadium lease, against Portune in the 2000 campaign. Berding is a Bengals executive, and the team later hired Bedinghaus after he was ousted from office.

This time around, Portune supports Berding.

“I understand the arguments that people are making against him but I’ve had lengthy conversations with Jeff, particularly about healthcare,” Portune said. “I’ve come away from these conversations with the conclusion not that he has any axe to grind with providing public healthcare, but is trying to deal with various pressures including balancing the city budget.”

In fact, Portune added, he and Berding are working on a proposal that will “result in a significant expansion of health care to the poor.” Also, the pair plans on holding a poverty summit in May.

“I’ve tried to reach out and work with every member of council and continue to do so,” Portune said. “But what I’ve told Jeff and others is I’m not going to get involved with the internal battles of council.”

The Bengals and county commissioners have a long history.

Led by Portune, Hamilton County in 2004 sued the Bengals in federal court over its lease for the $458 million stadium that the county built for the team. A judge dismissed the lawsuit but commissioners are appealing. Last month commissioners said they wouldn’t file a separate lawsuit against the team in state court, publicizing the move as a compromise to help jumpstart long-stalled development on Cincinnati’s riverfront next to the stadium.

— Kevin Osborne

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