Note: I’m aware that Esrati.com has not been displaying properly on mobile. We were experimenting with a beta version of a site builder and the latest updates broke it. Hopefully, it’s fixed now

Montgomery County Democratic Part meeting last Thursday

Not a huge turnout, and not much news. A lot of candidates had petitions for signing sitting out, and I was circulating my petition for Congress. If any of you are a Dem or Undeclared, feel free to come by my office, 100 Bonner St. Dayton OH 45410 between 9am-6pm to sign- although Tuesday, the 27th, I’ll be at the South Dayton Dems meeting which starts at 5:30 (if the snow emergency is lifted). Location is: Fitz Center for Leadership in Community, 1401 S Main St, Dayton, OH, 45409. UPDATE- it’s on ZOOM. Unlike the MCDP meetings, you might actually learn something and be around people who want to work to get Dems elected, not just the Monarchy/Friends and Family. They are also friendly and welcoming to all.

Their invite:

Professor Dr. James Todd Uhlman. Dr. Uhlman will explore the topic “How Liberals & Conservatives Think Differently,” offering insight into the psychological and cognitive differences that shape political beliefs and behavior.

This meeting is a great opportunity to start the new year with meaningful discussion, learning, and community connection. All are welcome.

Hope to see you on the 27^th.

The Ohio 10 Congressional Seat race

So far, Mike Turner doesn’t have a primary opponent. Of course, knowing how Republicans work, someone else could be waiting in the wings to file at 3:59pm on Feb 4, 2026 as his heir apparent, and then Turner could withdraw. My guess might be Mega-Maga boy Rob Scott who is the current Kettering Clerk of Courts and Trump’s campaign manager from 2016 in Ohio. Don’t believe this isn’t in the party’s bag of tricks? Ask George Kordalis how that worked out? Independent Patricia Campbell filed and ran so hard Kordalis packed it in- and she’s the new judge.

On the Dem side, there’s me (if the Board of (S)elections doesn’t find some magic disqualification clause to disqualify my signatures – it’s been known to happen) and a gaggle of others. First to file and qualify to be on the ballot is Cincy resident Manuel Foggie- everyone else hasn’t turned in yet. https://www.foggieforcongress.com/

Hamilton County doesn’t let you look up voter records like Montgomery or Greene County do so I can’t tell you his voting record.

I’m not impressed by carpetbaggers, even if they manage to get the party endorsement (Amy Cox).

Tony Pombo who ran last time is giving it another shot. https://www.votepombo.org/
Pombo Voting History (up to county’s last 40 elections):
Voted:x – 11/04/2025 General Election
Voted:x – 11/05/2024 General Election
Voted:d – 03/19/2024 Primary Election
Voted:x – 11/07/2023 General Election
Voted:X – 08/08/2023 Special Election
Voted:x – 11/08/2022 General Election
Voted:D – 05/03/2022 Primary Election
Voted:x – 11/03/2020 General Election
Voted:X – 11/06/2018 General Election
Voted:X – 11/08/2016 General Election
Voted:X – 11/05/2013 General Election
Voted:X – 05/07/2013 Special Election

Jan Kinner 4808 Laurelann Dr. in Kettering has picked up petitions. He’s 71, worked out at the Base and was a Major. His voting record had him voting in Republican primaries in 2012 and 2022. His LinkedIn profile says he’s “Living Life Joyously” and that he works at Defense Acquisition University since 2008, with 2 short stints at CAC and Deloitte before that.  

Kinner Voting History (up to county’s last 40 elections):
Voted:x – 11/04/2025 General Election
Voted:X – 05/06/2025 Primary/Special Election
Voted:x – 11/05/2024 General Election
Voted:D – 03/19/2024 Primary Election
Voted:x – 11/07/2023 General Election
Voted:x – 08/08/2023 Special Election
Voted:x – 11/08/2022 General Election
Voted:d – 08/02/2022 Primary Election
Voted:R – 05/03/2022 Primary Election
Voted:x – 11/02/2021 General Election
Voted:x – 11/03/2020 General Election
Voted:d – 04/28/2020 Primary Election
Voted:X – 11/05/2019 General Election
Voted:X – 05/07/2019 Primary/Special Election
Voted:X – 11/06/2018 General Election
Voted:D – 05/08/2018 Primary Election
Voted:x – 11/07/2017 General Election
Voted:X – 11/08/2016 General Election
Voted:D – 03/15/2016 Primary Election
Voted:X – 11/03/2015 General Election
Voted:X – 05/05/2015 Primary/Special Election
Voted:X – 11/04/2014 General Election
Voted:X – 05/06/2014 Primary Election
Voted:x – 11/06/2012 General Election
Voted:R – 03/06/2012 Primary Election

Kristina Knickerbocker 2678 Sutton Rd. Yellow Springs just picked up her petitions on Friday, despite announcing her candidacy with a website, an expensive looking video with a ton of stock footage like she was in Top Gun instead of being a nurse. Her candidacy can be summed up with: I’m a veteran and affordability. She’s not said much else but she’s begging for cash. https://kristinaknickerbocker.com/

Her voting record? She’s technically not even a Democrat- never voted in a primary. And missed more than a few elections.

Knickerbocker Voting History (up to county’s last 40 elections):
Voted:x – 11/04/2025 General Election
Voted:X – 05/06/2025 Special Election
Voted:x – 11/05/2024 General Election
Voted:x – 11/07/2023 General Election
Voted:X – 08/08/2023 Special Election
Voted:x – 11/03/2020 General Election

I tried to reach her before I pulled petitions, via email and by phone. Nada. If I want someone in Congress that’s unreachable, well, we already have Mike Turner. My question is who put the money into her campaign video? And before you announce like that- maybe you ought to have your petitions already in?

My site is www.electesrati.com and will be updated soon with some new positions: mostly that if I’m willing to fight to remove Mike Foley with “no authority” to do it, imagine how I’ll fight to remove Trump as your new Congressman.

To be fair- here’s my voting record (notice- I don’t miss any elections)
Esrati Voting History (up to county’s last 40 elections):
Voted:X – 11/04/2025 General Election
Voted:X – 05/06/2025 Primary/Special Election
Voted:X – 11/05/2024 General Election
Voted:D – 03/19/2024 Primary Election
Voted:X – 11/07/2023 General Election
Voted:X – 08/08/2023 Special Election
Voted:X – 05/02/2023 Primary/Special Election
Voted:X – 11/08/2022 General Election
Voted:D – 08/02/2022 Primary Election
Voted:D – 05/03/2022 Primary Election
Voted:X – 11/02/2021 General Election
Voted:X – 05/04/2021 Special Election
Voted:x – 11/03/2020 General Election
Voted:d – 04/28/2020 Primary Election
Voted:X – 11/05/2019 General Election
Voted:X – 05/07/2019 Primary/Special Election
Voted:X – 11/06/2018 General Election
Voted:D – 05/08/2018 Primary Election
Voted:X – 11/07/2017 General Election
Voted:X – 11/08/2016 General Election
Voted:D – 03/15/2016 Primary Election
Voted:X – 11/03/2015 General Election
Voted:X – 05/05/2015 Primary/Special Election
Voted:X – 11/04/2014 General Election
Voted:D – 05/06/2014 Primary Election
Voted:X – 11/05/2013 General Election
Voted:X – 05/07/2013 Special Election
Voted:X – 11/06/2012 General Election
Voted:D – 03/06/2012 Primary Election
Voted:X – 11/08/2011 General Election

There may be some more candidates filing still. I’ve been so busy working on the Foley brief for the Supreme Court I haven’t had time to dig around.

The Foley Follies continued…

Today I filed my merit brief in the Supreme Court of Ohio in State ex rel. Esrati v. Foley, asking the Court to answer a basic question James Madison would recognize: when a public official is convicted of crimes involving misuse of office, who actually has the power, and the duty, to remove them?

The Ohio Constitution says that certain convicted officials “shall” be removed from office. In Mike Foley’s case, a Montgomery County grand jury indicted him on 12 counts. A visiting judge accepted his no-contest pleas to felony and misdemeanor charges, entered findings of guilt, and sentenced him. At that moment, under Article II, Section 38, he was no longer constitutionally qualified to serve as Clerk of Courts. But instead of enforcing the removal mandate, the system closed ranks: the special prosecutor cut a plea that tried to avoid “collateral consequences,” the trial court later vacated the plea and sentencing, and most of the original counts were dismissed by nolle prosequi without any public trial. Foley stayed in office throughout.

When I filed a quo warranto action to enforce the removal requirement, the Second District Court of Appeals dismissed it on standing grounds, saying only the Attorney General, a prosecutor, or someone personally claiming the office can bring such a case – even when every one of those officials is conflicted or unwilling to act. My brief argues that this reading turns the removal clause into a dead letter. The Constitution cannot depend entirely on the good will of the very officials it is supposed to restrain. I am asking the Supreme Court to hold that Article II, Section 38 has real force: that it cannot be bargained away in a plea deal, cannot be nullified by inaction, and that there must be a narrow path for citizens to enforce it when all of the “watchers” refuse to watch each other.

Next, we’ll have to wait for Jon Paul Rion to respond, which will take time away from his defense of the 83 year old Clark County man who shot and killed an Uber driver in cold blood in his driveway.

Here’s the brief:

I tried to make it understandable for the common person.

Current Events 101- or the ticking time bomb in Minneapolis

You don’t need to come to Esrati.com to realize that what’s happening in Minneapolis is criminal. I’ve been doing some serious soul searching about what I would do to protect my neighbors who play their music way too loud very early in the morning and don’t speak much English if ICE showed up.

Yes, I’d film. Yes, I’d question. And, truthfully, this is where I wish I was a current member of a well-regulated militia o stand up to punks coming into my neighborhood armed to the teeth, dressed for combat and wearing masks. That’s not how our laws or our government is supposed to work – that’s the way the people who rounded up my great grandparents and took them to the gas chambers acted.

Here’s the NYTimes video analysis. It’s pretty clear this was an execution- not a police action. These are pussies in combat gear and masks.

Every time I see Customs and Border Patrol “Commander” Greg Bovino playing dress up, I think Gestapo wanna be. And I’m not the only one.

.

Renee Good shouldn’t have been shot. Alex Pretti wasn’t a veteran, but he cared for my brothers and sisters and was murdered in cold blood. It’s time to round up the members of Congress and the higher ups who support this,  and try them all for treason. Or, maybe we don’t need to have trials anymore, Good and Pretti certainly didn’t get them. And we can’t wait 4 years like the January 6th commission- it needs to happen much faster.

I’m proudly Antifa. As in Anti-Fascist and starting Wednesday, you should be able to pick up my new t-shirt design for $15 at my office.

This is not a campaign shirt, those will be available on the website as soon as I get certified on the ballot.

Karl Keith’s apologizes for taxes being too high and other laughs a minute

County Auditor for life, Karl Keith gave his state of the county tax problem address last week.

“Our residents have told us that they can’t afford their taxes at the level they are now,” Keith said. “The changes that have been made that will help homeowners in the future are good, but they aren’t good enough. More tax relief is needed.”

He goes on to say he doesn’t think Ohio has a property valuation problem, instead, it has a taxing problem. The auditor said he would like to see a state-funded expansion of the Homestead Exemption program, which provides savings to lower-income seniors and disabled homeowners.

And he sums it up as being the fault of the owners of the Cleveland Browns:”Last year, the state gave $600 million to the billionaire owners of a losing football team,” Keith said. “That’s more than half a billion dollars that could have been used to help seniors on fixed incomes stay in their homes.”

I have a different take on all of this: competent unigov would cut the governmental overhead so much we’d be able to buy the Cleveland Browns. 608-611 school districts in Ohio- (we can’t get an exact count) – each with a superintendent, treasurer and a school board Let’s just kid around- and say they all make $100K a year (some make less, a lot make a lot more) and we have a bill of $121,600,000. Switch to 88 School districts- one per county- and we only have to pay: $17,600,000 a cool savings of $104 million.

When you consider Jefferson township’s district isn’t as big as my elementary school (they only have 250 students) this is the beginning of waste busting. But, hey- we have over 2,266 townships and villages/municipalities in Ohio- each with a bunch of politicians and administrators- vs only having 88 counties… you start seeing the cost savings in a heartbeat.

Do we really need a mayor and council in New Lebanon who are paying $6K a month to a lawyer to get them out of the legal messes they’ve made? Or do we need Miami Township, which is bigger than all but 3 cities in Montgomery County- and facing a $45M judgement that they can’t pay and the Supreme Court just told them to go pay it- don’t bother us kid? Or a County Sheriff who runs a house of horrors where they kill and beat inmates routinely and we get stuck with the bills- and he has some kind of immunity?

There are two problems with our property taxation system: we have way too many jurisdictions, banana republics- and even more semi governmental slush funds like “Educational Service Centers” and “the Downtown Dayton Partnership” and the “Dayton Development Coalition” and the Miami Valley Regional Planning Council” and Metroparks, and the Montgomery County Jobs and Family Services and Public Health Department – all of which have so little financial oversight it’s embarrassing.

The second part of the problem is our crazy valuation system.

Most wealth in America gets taxed when it’s realized. If your stock portfolio doubles, you don’t get a tax bill just because the market moved; you pay when you sell. But with a home in Ohio, the government effectively taxes you on price swings you didn’t cash in. Reassessments turn “unrealized” housing gains into a real annual bill, even if the increase is driven by your neighbor’s remodel or a hot market, not anything you did. That’s the disconnect: the rich get deferral; homeowners get mark-to-market. And the sheriff gets to be the number one realtor in Montgomery County- seizing your wealth because you couldn’t pay the current vig- and you get screwed. If this was 1776 the founding fathers would be dumping tea into the harbor and going to war.

Karl and the rest of them are criminals, kowtowing to the billionaires running our country into the ground. The correct answer is to STOP re-valuing properties based on “market rates” and start trying to provide services efficiently with minimum governmental overhead. You can read more on my 501c4’s site- www.reconstructingdayton.org