At the September 15, 2026 Hudson Council Meeting, President Mike Bird explained to Council members and the public what the Ohio Ethics Commission considers a conflict of interest. He then failed to follow up with Councilor Samantha D’Eramo’s clear conflict of interest regarding her brother’s law firm suing the City of Hudson. He allowed D’Eramo to remain in privileged meetings for over a month before Clocktower Files exposed the very serious conflict of interest. Bird, D’Eramo, and the rest of Council (sans Sutton who recused himself) have likely left Hudson taxpayers with an enormous legal bill to clean up their mess.
Ohio’s legal definition of a conflict of interest is at complete odds with Councilor Samantha D’Eramo sitting through six Executive Sessions regarding a lawsuit her brother’s law firm is suing the City over. D’Eramo heard the definition and she continued participating in the legal matter which her brother is to benefit. She finally recused herself October 20th.
D’Eramo’s brother is a partner at Tucker Ellis, the law firm suing the City of Hudson on behalf of the developers who attempting to circumvent Hudson’s charter to develop Canterbury Meadows. The embattled Councilor finally decided to come clean after a Clocktower Files story this month exposed her previously undisclosed conflict.
Bird read the Ohio Ethics Commission’s standard for a conflict of interest:
“It is important to note that under the Ohio Ethics Commission’s interpretation, a conflict of interest generally exists when a public official’s ability to act objectively could be impaired by the official’s personal interests or by the interest of a family member or outside business associate. The commission identifies three principal sources of conflicting interests: the official’s own interests, the interest of family members, and the interest of outside business associates.”
WATCH:
That is the standard. Family members’ interests count.
Samantha D’Eramo was born Samantha Clunk. Her brother is Patrick F. Clunk, a Partner at Tucker Ellis LLP in Cleveland. He was at her swearing in. Their mother was there to and gave D’Eramo’s constituent speaking at the podium the middle finger. Clunk’s bio is public on the firm’s site. He practices intellectual property. The conflict is not his docket. It is the firm.
Tucker Ellis represents the Canterbury Meadows developers (Prestige Builder Group, George Vizmeg, and related entities) in the litigation and settlement with the City of Hudson. Partner John P. Slagter has appeared as counsel for the developers, including at the September 15 public hearing.
Tucker Ellis operates as a single-tier partnership. On its own website, the firm explains that it reverted to a single-tier structure so partners are equals—one person, one vote—and “keep an even playing field.” The page quotes former Managing Partner Joe Morford on the American Lawyer interview.
In a single-tier equity partnership, partners share in the firm’s profits. Bloomberg Law, citing American Lawyer data, reported that Tucker Ellis generated more than $145.1 million in gross revenue and that each of its equity partners received $766,000. Partners have a direct financial interest in the firm’s overall success, including the fees and outcomes generated by significant matters.
Ohio Ethics Commission treat siblings as family members for conflict-of-interest purposes. A public official’s ability to act objectively can be impaired by the interests of a family member. Here, the family member is an equity partner with a profit share at the firm representing the party across the table from the city on a major land-use and settlement matter.
D’Eramo participated in council meetings, workshops, and executive sessions on Resolution 26-118 and the Canterbury Meadows settlement. Executive sessions exist for pending litigation so the city can discuss strategy. She later recused herself after public attention from a Clocktower Files article. Councilor Skylar Sutton recused himself earlier because his property is affected by the development. Immediate family of a profit-sharing partner at the opposing firm is a clearer basis for recusal from the start.
Bird laid out the standard on video. The facts fit it. The firm’s own site confirms the single-tier structure in which partners share profits. The Ethics Commission treats family-member interests as a principal source of conflict. Hudson residents are left with the legal costs and the settlement that followed.
The Ohio Ethics Commission can be reached regarding complaints at 614.466.7090.
D’Eramo, who is a Nurse Practitioner at the Cleveland Clinic, was previously caught on police body camera video yelling that she hopes someone has a heart attack and nobody helps him.
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