Mr “Friends and Family” plan Russ Joseph has freed himself from the basement of the County building, leaving his cushy “Deputy Director” position appointed by the Dem party. This job has paid anywhere from $100K to $150K+ a year depending on how much dirt you had on folks. The big dollars went to Steve Harsman (now double dipping working for the Felon Mike Foley in the Clerk of Courts). Foley only won for 2 reasons, he made voters think he was former Dem County Commissioner Dan Foley- by mimicking his signs, and because he was running against Russ- who had been appointed to clerk of courts, after he lost his job as appointed County Treasurer to John McManus.
In case it’s not clear to the cartel that runs the Dayton Democratic Party, no voters like Russ Joseph. He’s not anything like his brother, Dayton City Commissioner Matt Joseph, who is one of the nicest people in office.
Russ Joseph hasn’t worked a non-patronage job his whole working life according to his Linkedin profile. After graduating from the University of Dayton with a degree in Political Science/Sociology in 1999, he’s worked for the Montgomery County Treasurers office, the Dayton Municipal Clerk of Courts, where he was chosen to be the Clerk of Courts after Greg Brush resigned mid-term, then after he lost his first actual election, he was given the job of Montgomery County Treasurer, after Carolyn Rice resigned to become a County Commissioner. He lost his first election there to John McManus.
Then he got a job for US District Court Southern District of Ohio, which he didn’t like either, so when the Board of Elections job was handed to him after the Dems hung Sarah Greathouse out to dry, he was happy with his big check for not much work, except leaking confidential info about Mary McDonald’s race for County Commission to Montgomery County Dem Chair Mohamed Al-Hamdani (who keeps wishing he could get a cushy high paying government job- hmmmm, want to bet he names himself to be Joseph’s replacement?)
It’s people like Russ who think they run our government for their friends and family connections, instead of working for the public good, that make people disgusted with government, voting and paying taxes.
To any politician that thinks hiring Russ is a good idea, don’t. It will be an issue when you stand for re-election. It’s time Russ had to work for a living, in the private sector. Although I’m sure embattled Montgomery County Clerk of Courts Mike Foley will want to hire yet another political operator- he’s hired so many….. and he’s not in prison yet. I’m sure Russ would tithe high for a six figure job in his old office….
Song: Get a real job, Russ by David Esrati
Good riddance about time
He actually resigned?
And what about Gary (one-term mayor of Dayton) Leitzell?
Democrats are all Dirty ? All the way to the Top ?
This is a job for T. Gasper! She means business!!
Any rumors to what caused this? I am sure he will continue to fail upwards.
No rumors necessary, Elizabeth/Potter Stewart. It’s all related to corrosive and corrupt hyper partisanship by both political parties. BOTH political parties need to clean up their act!
https://www.courtnewsohio.gov/cases/2025/SCO/0617/240325.asp
David has personal animus against Democrat Russ Joseph that apparently goes back a long way. I fail to see any crime Russ Joseph allegedly committed. It’s not a crime to work in civil service, but some civil servants do commit crimes while performing their job. Joseph should get some serious ethics training before he gets hired for any future job though.
Both former Deputy Directors of the Montgomery County Board of Elections (MCBOE), Democrats Russ Joseph and Sarah Greathouse, ran up against two gerrymander-loving, voter roll scrubbing, Republican party, henchmen: Current Attorney/MCBOE Executive Director Jeffrey Rezabek and current Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose.
In a 2022 Ohio Supreme Court case, Frank LaRose had his directive rescinded because he was wrong (being wrong happens a lot). LaRose tried to shut out people who wanted to run for public office by shifting deadlines. Democrat Sarah Greathouse accepted the last minute filing of Democrat Leronda Jackson’s petition to run against Republican Phil Plummer, but didn’t let Rezabek know in a timely manner. Greathouse was vindicated when the court found against LaRose and Jackson was permitted to run.
https://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/rod/docs/pdf/0/2022/2022-Ohio-2173.pdf
In this new 2025 Ohio Supreme Court case, Jeff Rezabek was found to have violated public records law by trying to hide behind legal privilege. (Yes, he is an attorney and a former state house rep.) Perhaps we should look into removing him from office. Then, he would have more time to bowl on Fridays instead of cutting out early (as is his way, apparently).
https://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/rod/docs/pdf/0/2025/2025-Ohio-2079.pdf
The long term effects of this recent public records case will reverberate across Ohio and not in a good way. Some civil servants and elected officials will do their public work in private and no one will be held to account. We will not be able to learn of it and that will be a problem.
Russ “Mr. Democrat” Joseph is the poster child of everything that is wrong with politics. He used his white privilege and connections to gains jobs he was not qualified for, again-and-again. Plus, he is extremely arrogant and unlikeable. Hopefully he is gone like Nan Whaley.
Elizabeth/Potter Stewart, what does your wife say when you diss Dem Nan like that?
There’s a political giant who wins hands down in the “poster child of everything that is wrong in politics”. Inconsequential Russ Joseph pales in comparison to the great orange one, Republican Donald Trump. He wins hands down in my book.
Turncoats and traitors are a dime a dozen in politics, locally and elsewhere. No one seems to stand for honesty, integrity, or display good character in politics. Many have not been honest with the voters and are shilling for money and sycophantic loyalty at the expense of good governance. It’s been happening for quite some time.
2016:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhsoYDVRo4E
2018:
https://dayton247now.com/news/local/rezabeck-announces-hes-running-for-montgomery-co-juvenile-judge
I saw in his campaign filings Republican Clerk of Court Mike Foley hired a “soul soldier” to do special chores during his last political campaign. I understand former Democrat Mary Montgomery’s grandkids call Republican Jeff Rezabek a pet name. Give “Uncle Jeff” over at the Montgomery County Board of Elections a call. As Executive Director, he can email you a copy to read. So far, it’s still a free public record. Call early on Fridays.
2025:
https://www.facebook.com/MCOhClerkofCourts/videos/an-important-conversationclerk-mike-foley-invites-you-to-our-next-connecting-wit/1940075590129561/
Oh look, there’s Dem Deb in her new job!
Gary (one-term mayor of D8N) Leitzell can employ him to paint toy soldiers.
Board of Elections: Deputy director will resign, take job at local municipal court.
Russ has an insane skill set!
Welcome back, Potter! As you state, Russ Joseph has landed on another Dem party pillow where he will be carried by the loving arms of Dayton Municipal Court Clerk Marty Gehres. I guess it had to be there – or over at Karl Keith’s stable. Mark Owens is gone, but he’s never far from his power wielding party planner.
“… In his new role, Joseph said he’ll be assisting the Dayton Municipal Court with implementing a new courthouse software system and other tasks. “Russ’s experience at nearly every level of our judicial system will be invaluable to our efforts to modernize the Dayton Municipal Court. We are lucky to have someone with his experience return to the Dayton Municipal Clerk of Court Office,” said Dayton Municipal Court Clerk Marty Gehres….”
https://www.daytondailynews.com/local/board-of-elections-deputy-director-will-resign-take-job-at-local-municipal-court/AHB5HV6J2BH4VNFLG2ESMKD3HY/
Luck had nothing to do with it. We can’t forget this no sports puff piece by Dem Tom Archdeacon on the Gehres family legacy in Dayton. Dem Dan Gehres and his Dem party pals don’t hold court at the Legacy Pancake House on Keowee anymore, but life still serves up cushy delights with his sons as Dayton municipal court judge and clerk. Nepotism and cronyism are always on the menu.
https://www.daytondailynews.com/local/fire-destroys-dayton-pancake-house-no-injuries-reported/ZTQ6S67VYRHSNMEYE24QBEYOAA/
https://www.daytondailynews.com/sports/archdeacon-for-the-judge-and-the-bailiff-a-paradise-partnership-in-dayton-comes-to-an-end/4W7P3DXOAFAAXMFDX36EB5WRLU/
It’s time to push back from the table and air out the chambers.
The big question is did Dayton Municipal Court Clerk Marty Gehres post this position? Did he interview anyone else?