Michael B. Coleman

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Mayor Michael B. Coleman

Michael B. Coleman (b. November 18, 1954) is an American politician of the Democratic Party. He is the current mayor of Columbus, Ohio. Coleman earned an undergraduate degree in political science at the University of Cincinnati and a law degree from the University of Dayton. Coleman was a member of the Columbus City Council from 1992-1999, and served as President of the City Council from 1997-1999. In 1998, Coleman was the running mate for gubernatorial candidate Lee Fisher. Coleman ran for and won the Columbus mayorship in 1999, and was re-elected unopposed November 4, 2003. He served as a delegate for John Kerry on the Ohio delegation to the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston. In February 2005, Coleman announced that he would run for the Democratic nomination for Governor of Ohio in the 2006 gubernatorial race, but subsequently dropped out of the race on November 29, 2005, citing heavy work and family obligations.

1 Controversy
2 Coleman withdraws
3 See also
4 External links
5 References

[edit] Controversy

On April 20, 2005, Coleman made an on-air telephone call to conservative talk show host Glenn Beck after Beck had publicly criticized Coleman's administration concerning the rape of a handicapped girl at a Columbus high school, and the school's subsequent failure to respond. The much-publicized on-air argument that ensued between the two brought national attention to what had been a local news story. Coleman dismissed Beck's criticism as politically motivated.

On October 14, 2005, after the mayor's office initially approved a proclamation to honor leaders of Rod Parsley's World Harvest Church at a Statehouse lawn event, the mayor and his wife did not attend as planned and instead issued a statement criticizing the event sponsors. The sponsor group, Reformation Ohio, opposes abortion and gay rights. Parsley has appeared at public events with a Republican gubernatorial candidate, Ken Blackwell.

On October 20, 2005, Coleman's wife, Frankie Coleman, was arrested in Bexley, Ohio after failing a field sobriety test and charged with two counts of operating a vehicle while intoxicated. A blood alcohol content test result measured .271 (the legal limit in Ohio is .08). Since her blood alcohol level was in excess of 0.17, she faces mandatory jail time (AP 2005). Mrs. Coleman's vehicle struck a parked pickup truck. She was not injured in the crash.

[edit] Coleman withdraws

On November 29, 2005 Coleman withdrew from the race for the Democratic nomination for Governor. He cited family concerns and also that the city of Columbus needed him.