Mallory Sworn in As Cincinnati Mayor

Former St. Senator Mark L. Mallory took the oath of office as Mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio today, succeeding longtime Mayor and Cincinnati politician Charlie Luken. The ceremony was largely celebratory, except for the notable exception of Councilman David Crowley (D). Crowley was outraged that Mayor Mallory had stripped him of a Chairmanship in the City Council dealing with public access to the happenings at Cincinnati City Hall. Mallory made a surprised pick for Vice Mayor of the City by reaching across party lines and choosing Charterite City Councilman Jim Tarbell. Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-OH) made an appearance at City Hall to swear in fellow Republican and newly elected Councilwoman Leslie Ghiz. Ghiz's choice of Schmidt is puzzling not only because of the timing coinciding with Schmidt's controversial remarks on the floor of the US House concerning Jack Murtha's Iraq War pullout plan, but also because Schmidt's politics are considerably more conservative than Ghiz's. More on Schmidt and her troubles above.