( 18 Votes )

Written by Michael Metzinger | March 08, 2010

If you live in the Mahoning Valley you have probably heard of the Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative (MVOC), a group of community organizers right here in our area. At first glance they seem to be an independent group of local activists trying to improve neighborhoods in our community, but a deeper look into their partners shows a troubling line of associations that everyone should be aware:

1. UFCW Union- This is the union well known throughout the Mahoning Valley for boycotting Henry Nemenz IGA and Save-A-Lot Food Stores. This "wonderful union"  forced Nemenz to shut down two of his area stores: one in Hubbard and one in Poland. In my eyes the UFCW is an extremist group with a radical agenda to take down nonunion business in the Mahoning Valley. Back in July 2009, I wrote an article attacking this radical union for trying to destroy Henry Nemenz and his local grocery stores. Of course few, if any politicians have come to speak out against this union and their agenda.

2. SEIU Union- This is arguably the most corrupt union in America today. Their leaders have been charged in political fraud cases, illegal unionization drives, and they played a role in the Rob Blagojevich corruption scandal.. The SEIU is spending $150 million dollars to get ObamaCare passed. This organization receives $6.6 million dollars annually from the Federal Government, which does not include other money they may have received in the Stimulus package.

After closely studying their associations and their agenda, I truly believe the Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative could be the local operating arm of ACORN, the most corrupt organization in America today. As you all know, ACORN has been charged in voter fraud cases in a number of states. They are under investigation in a total of eighteen states as of last September, including Ohio (that number may be into the twenties now). Of course people will attack me for connecting the two groups together, but this article is only a hypothetical analysis of the potential connection between each group. I am not saying that there IS a connection, I am trying to say there COULD be a connection.

What bothers me about the MVOC is the following:
1. The group had three members (Ian Beniston, Stephen Flannery and Heather McMahon) review the $32.4 million HUD grant that scored very low marks across the board by HUD officials.

2. The MVOC had a vested interest in the HUD grant. It appears that the group would have received some money to rehab houses in Youngstown and Warren.

3. After the Mahoning Valley received no money from HUD, the MVOC held a press conference to speak out against the HUD's decision. As you can see on this video, just about every Democratic politician from the Mahoning Valley was at that press conference. This leads me to believe the MVOC is working hand and hand with local politicians to push their agenda.

4. They come across as an independent group, yet are associated with left wing groups and are clearly pushing a left wing agenda. They are in DC this week to push for the passage of ObamaCare. Considering every poll out there today is calling for ObamaCare to be scrapped and for Congress to start from scratch, the MVOC is showing their true colors pushing for the passage of this disastrous bill.

5. Congressmen Tim Ryan may have some connections with the group. His press secretary is Heather McMahan, who is one of the three people from the MVOC that was involved in the review of the HUD grant. When the Vindicator asked her to comment on the situation, all she could say was "no comment." Another one of Tim Ryan's former interns, Allison Kukla, was an intern at the MVOC during the same time she was with Tim Ryan: January 2009-May 2009. It's one thing to intern at each place at different times, but Kukla interned at each place at the same time. That leads me to believe the MVOC could have been giving her marching orders to get stuff passed through Tim Ryan, but we'll never know for sure.

6. My biggest concern is that this group actually has an influence over our local Democratic politicians and believe it or not has a role in the government of the City of Youngstown! I'd love for Mayor Jay Williams to explain why this community organizing group was actually allowed to review the HUD grant in its final stages? If they are an independent group, they should not have been allowed to play a role in the HUD process. It is very irresponsible of Jay Williams to allow outside groups like the MVOC to be involved in something of this magnitude.

If I were mayor, groups like these with their own agenda's would not have any influence within the city government. They may have the best interest of the area at heart, but considering they are partners with the UFCW and SEIU unions, I have a hard time believing they are an untainted group.

What say you?

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