Mary Springowski files election complaint against anti-J.D. Tomlinson campaign

Lorain City Councilwoman Mary Springowski, D-at Large, has filed an elections violation complaint against VoteOutJD.com for allegedly "illegally urging voters to oppose J.D. Tomlinson," she announced Thursday. According to a news release from Jonathan Petrea, who is assisting Tomlinson's reelection campaign, the VoteOutJD.com campaign "utilized a website and vans with large signs circling the (Lorain County) Board of Elections, the site designated for early voting." It could not immediately be determined who runs VoteOutJD.com. The website is anonymous, and contains no place to contact its operator, nor any source or copyright statement. The website references a 2019 rape case tried in Lorain County Juvenile Court, where attorney James Barilla alleged in court documents that the Prosecutor's Office committed misconduct by not consulting his client before offering plea deals to the suspects in her alleged gang rape, as was her right under Ohio law. In 2022, Barilla asked Juvenile Judge Sherry Glass to "refuse to accept the proposed plea agreement, and that if the facts are verified, that the court order the appointment of an independent prosecutor to investigate potential criminal liability for the violation of the victim's civil rights and to take over the prosecution of this case," according to a 2022 story in the Chronicle 2022 outlining Barilla's concerns. It couldn't be determined Thursday what became of the case or of Barilla's request. "YOUR DAUGHTER, YOUR WIFE, AND YOUR MOTHER DESERVE BETTER THAN JD TOMLINSON, JAMES BURGE, OR NICK CELEBREZZE AS PROSECUTOR, ATTORNEY, OR JUDGE. VOTE THEM OUT AND DEMAND THEY BE DISBARRED!" reads a paragraph, in all uppercase letters, on VoteOutJD.com. James Burge is Tomlinson's chief of staff and a former Lorain County Common Pleas judge. Celebrezze was at the time of Barilla's complaint the head of Tomlinson's Juvenile Division. He was elected to the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court bench in 2022. Springowski sent her complaint to the Ohio secretary of state's office, according to a copy obtained by The Chronicle-Telegram. "The actions of the operators of (VoteOutJD.com) potentially interfere with the electoral process by failing to provide the necessary transparency required by law," Springowski wrote in an affidavit accompanying her complaint. "I am submitting this complaint to the Ohio secretary of state's office to request an investigation into these activities and seek appropriate action to ensure compliance with state election laws." Tomlinson, a Democrat, is facing a highly contentious race to be elected to a second term as Lorain County prosecutor. His Republican opponent is Tony Cillo. Cillo on Thursday denied having anything to do with "VoteOutJD.com." He said he doesn't know who runs the website: "I don't have any control (of) or work with them," Cillo said. According to Springowski's complaint, VoteOutJD.com's actions violate Ohio electioneering law, "mandating that political campaign materials display a disclaimer identifying financial responsibility for the content," according to the news release. "Once again, we see the lengths the opposition will go to," said Springowski in Thursday's news release. "If they truly had the courage of their convictions, they wouldn't hide behind masks and fake profiles. It's troubling that they resort to out-of-town PACs and resources. Unable to counter J.D's accomplishments in office, they attempt to undermine him through election interference, knowing that their own track records are dismal." He also is charged in Elyria Municipal Court with three felonies — intimidation, tampering with evidence, and attempted bribery — for allegedly trying to get his former client, employee and girlfriend Jennifer Battistelli to recant accusations that he abused her while they were dating and while she was employed as his director of public relations/community outreach coordinator from January 2021 until she resigned in August 2023. In October 2023, Tomlinson paid Battistelli a $100,000 taxpayer-funded settlement out of his office's budget to settle employment discrimination charges she threatened to bring. His refusal to release documents related to the settlement led to Barilla, who is a Republican, filing a public records lawsuit against Tomlinson and the Board of Commissioners in Lorain County Common Pleas Court. That case is pending before visting Judge Thomas Teodosio. Burge also is charged with intimidation and tampering with evidence, both felonies, in that case. Both men have denied wrongdoing. Tomlinson also has denied ever hitting a woman. The criminal charges against him and Burge are set for a hearing Nov. 8 before visiting Judge Patrick Carroll in Elyria Municipal Court. Tomlinson and his supporters have claimed that Cillo, other Republicans and two fellow Democrats — former county prosecutor Dennis Will and Lorain County Sheriff Phil Stammitti — are targeting Tomlinson with a politically motivated prosecution. They have denied doing so. Stammitti's office, the state auditor's office and the FBI are involved in the investigation into Battistelli's allegations. Stammitti announced the investigation in May. A former Democratic candidate for mayor of Lorain, Springowski blamed "Cillo's pals" for trying to interfere with the election "with dirty investigations resulting in bogus charges, bringing tens of thousands of out-of-state dollars into the Lorain County prosecutor's race attacking Tomlinson and now illegal electioneering. What will be the cost to Lorain County and Justice when Cillo's debts come due?" A line at the bottom of Petrea's release states that it was "paid for by: The Committee to Elect J.D. Tomlinson for Lorain County Prosecutor." "J.D. Tomlinson is committed to upholding the law and the integrity of our electoral process and delivering justice for the people of Lorain County," Springowski's statement read. Contact Dave O'Brien at (440) 329-7129 or dobrien@chroniclet.com.