Ohio mayor who linked ice shanties and prostitution said he was joking, resigns
An update: Good news Monday from Hudson, Ohio. Mayor Craig Shubert has resigned in the wake of widespread condemnation and ridicule – of himself and his community – after saying that ice fishing and shanties could lead to prostitution.
In long statement announcing his resignation, he claimed he was trying "to inject a bit of dry humor" into a public council meeting. Instead he and his town became the punchline.
He said he was resigning because "my role as a change agent is complete."
That's no apology. But then again, we weren't expecting one.
Let's catch up. Here's how this ice-fishing shanty drama began
Hello from northeast Ohio, where womenfolk are worrying about what their ice-fishing husbands are up to, now that we know their ice shanties can be magnets for prostitution.
Kidding, kidding. Nobody believes this is happening, except for Craig Shubert, the mayor of Hudson, Ohio. He apparently is imagining sturdy ice fishermen in padded parkas casting aside their poles as they coo, “Come to Daddy, you Carhartt-clad vixen.”
Most of us – and by us, I mean the entire country by now – know about Shubert’s comments at a city council meeting because of a video clip shared on Twitter by Amanda Weinstein, an urban economist in Hudson who is also co-host of "The Suburban Women Problem" podcast.
Shubert’s theory, delivered in public: “Does someone come back (next year) and say I want an ice shanty on Hudson Springs Park for X amount of time? And if you then allow ice fishing with shanties, then that leads to another problem – prostitution. Now you've got the police chief and the police department involved.”
“Just data points to consider,” he added.
Here we go again.
Nonexistent rings of porn, prostitution
This is not Shubert’s first foray into public twaddling.
Last fall, he falsely claimed a high school writing program was distributing child pornography and demanded that the school board members either resign or face criminal charges. Shubert was hailed as a hero by conservatives after some right-wing outlets shared video of his stunt. Meanwhile, school board members endured an avalanche of hate mail and numerous violent threats.
Summit County prosecutor Sherri Bevan Walsh launched an investigation and issued a blistering condemnation of the mayor’s tactics: “The reckless conduct by Hudson’s Mayor resulted in threats, fear, and hate-filled words from around the country.”
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The video of the mayor, she said, “makes it look like this was all a staged, despicable political stunt intended to affect the outcome of an upcoming election, and that is shameful. … His conduct and behavior are not only rash but irresponsible.”
Shubert could have learned a valuable lesson from that debacle that brought national disgrace to his community. Instead, he is like too many politicians who relish attention, no matter how bad. He has doubled down, this time going after a nonexistent ice shanty prostitution ring.
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The mayor did not respond to my email and phone message. This is also the case for other journalists who’ve tried to reach out, including at The Washington Post. Nor did the president of Hudson’s Chamber of Commerce respond. Too often, this is how leaders of small towns attempt to stem bad publicity. Something bad or embarrassing happens, and the people who are supposed to protect and promote their communities instead stay quiet and hope the controversy will pass. It’s a tactic of delusional thinking and inflicts additional harm on a town and its residents who deserve better.
I did hear back, though, from the city’s communications manager, Jody Roberts, via email:
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“We will not be doing interviews on this subject. The Hudson Mayor is a part-time, ceremonial position with no vote and no power to enact legislation. City Council has the sole power to make laws. Based on Tuesday’s meeting and the fact that no City Council member spoke up after the mayor’s comments, I do not believe there will be any action take (sic) by council based on the Mayor’s comments.”
Unfortunately for Hudson, Shubert’s title is not ceremonial mayor. Here’s how well this strategy is working: Google “ice fishing and prostitution” and count how many entries mention Hudson, Ohio. Google “Hudson, Ohio” and note how the top stories about this city of 23,000 are all about ice fishing and prostitution.
This is what worries City Councilwoman Nicole Kowalski, who was willing to speak to me. “I just feel bad for all the residents of Hudson,” she said. “This is not representative of our town, or the people who live here.”
Where are the mayor's allies?
You don’t get elected mayor without friends, and it’s time for some of Shubert’s close associates to step up. He is in need of wiser counsel.
The mayor lost his wife to cancer last September, just four days after her 60th birthday. Undoubtedly, this has been a difficult time for him. However, hundreds of thousands of Americans have lost loved ones during this pandemic. We all mourn in our own ways, but grief is no excuse for inflicting intentional harm. (In his statement on Monday, Shubert talked about the death of his wife and retirement.)
If Shubert is unwilling to rein in his worst impulses, then others must. Every community is better than its worst leaders, and Hudson is no exception. It’s time for Hudson to prove it.
Connie Schultz is a columnist for USA TODAY. She is a Pulitzer Prize winner whose novel, "The Daughters of Erietown," is a New York Times bestseller. Reach her at CSchultz@usatoday.com or on Twitter: @ConnieSchultz
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ohio mayor resigns after ice shanties, prostitution embarrassment
