Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb started the year with almost $641,787 available to spend on his reelection campaign.
Bibb disclosed his latest fundraising numbers in a filing with the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections at the end of January. The board hasn’t yet audited the filing, which covers the latter half of 2024.
The mayor received major support from the construction industry – both the bosses and the workers. Bibb reported $106,500 in contributions from building trades groups, or about 40% of his $263,545 fundraising haul since July.
Another $16,400 came from members of the DiGeronimo family, which runs a hub of construction and development companies. The DiGeronimo Cos. has a hand in projects all over Northeast Ohio. One of their most closely watched enterprises is just outside Cleveland’s border. The company is part of a joint venture that owns the land in Brook Park that the Haslam Sports Group is eyeing for a new Browns stadium.
Bibb also banked $500 from a political action committee for the Construction Employers Association. Another $1,500 came from Dominic Ozanne, the president and CEO of Ozanne Construction Co.
The largest gift that an individual can give to a mayoral campaign is $5,000, and Bibb reported several maximum contributors. One was Connie Rath, the president of The Clifton Foundation. Her brother, Jim Clifton, hired Bibb at Gallup a decade ago.
Another max donor was Jon Pinney, a prominent local attorney who is also managing partner of the developer TurnDev. Among the company’s projects are apartment buildings on the West Side and the new Cleveland police headquarters.
The mayor also received $5,000 each from the wife and daughter of former Fox News journalist Geraldo Rivera. As Weekly Chatter noted last year, the Riveras hosted a meet-and-greet with Bibb at their Shaker Heights home.
Political action committees can give up to $7,500. Bibb reported a $6,500 donation from Rock Holdings Inc. PAC, a committee linked to one of Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert’s companies.
The Gilbert empire is establishing a firmer foothold downtown with help from a Cleveland tax increment financing deal. Gilbert’s Bedrock plans a major development on the Cuyahoga riverfront, where the Cavaliers are moving their practice facility.
Here’s one Bibb campaign expense of note: $5,000 for petition circulation by the firm of Columbus-based political consultant Bob Young. Bibb needs 3,000 signatures from registered Cleveland voters to get on the ballot.
Four years ago, a cadre of volunteers lent hands collecting petition signatures for Bibb. This time, the mayor isn’t taking his chances. He’s calling in professional assistance.
Griffin not hitting the cash ceiling yet
Council President Blaine Griffin walked into 2025 with about $201,300 on hand for his election year.
His latest unaudited disclosure shows he hasn’t made much use of Cleveland City Council’s new, higher campaign contribution limits. Last year, Griffin and his colleagues raised the cap on annual donations to $3,000 for individuals and $6,000 for political action committees.
The Cleveland Teachers Union gave Griffin $500 in June and $4,750 in September – above the old limit but just short of the $6,000 mark. Philanthropists Albert and Audrey Ratner each gave the council president the new maximum of $3,000 in June.
Griffin has long avoided saying whether he’s running for mayor or whether he’s content seeking another four years upon the council president’s dais.
But one recent quote showed what Griffin thinks of his current post. At the end of council’s last meeting of 2024, the council president offered these parting words to his colleagues:
“This is a tough job,” he said, “but I tell everybody, I’m built for it.”
