Lateek Shabazz will be East Cleveland's new mayor: the third this year.
An Ohio Court of Appeals ruled in a 2-1 split decision Thursday that Shabazz, the City Council President, would assume the role after former Mayor Brandon King was convicted on corruption charges in May.
The dissenting judge said the case would best be resolved by the Ohio Supreme Court.
The decision comes after months of debate over who was in charge. In January, a Cuyahoga County Probate Court judge suspended King as he faced charges brought forth by prosecutors last year. The court appointed Sandra Morgan as interim mayor in February, per state law.
Shortly after King's conviction, City Council swore in then-City Council President Shabazz, citing the city's charter. But Morgan did not step down, pointing to the Ohio Supreme Court's rejection of attempts to challenge her appointment before King was convicted.
The debate was settled Thursday by an Ohio appeals court. At a Thursday press conference, Shabazz called Morgan a "classy lady" but maintained that he was the rightful mayor all along and criticized the courts' handling of the situation.
"All cities in Cuyahoga County should take notice of this, because if they could have did this to East Cleveland, they could have did it to Strongsville, they can do it to Bedford...so what they did was a bad mistake on their part and we'll see in the election," he said.
Shabazz said he is the right man for the job, vowing to clean up the city and police department.
"I'm going to get rid of these dope houses. I'm going to clean up the police department because they're the ones that have us in this $100 million debt. So, I'm going to clean from top to bottom on that one."
In a City Hall marred by scandal, corruption and in-fighting, Shabazz said everyone must work to get along.
"We all got to come together, you know? And whatever grievance you had before, let it go," Shabazz said. "We on a new direction, and this city is going nowhere but up."
Even so, he said he has plans to shake up City Hall staff. He said anyone who did not support the charter, presumably referring to his ascension to mayor, has "got to go."
"The ones who didn't respect the charter, I have no use for them," he said. "They got to hit the road. Because that's what keeps the city together: the charter."
When asked by a reporter what he meant by "they got to go," Shabazz responded, "I need to get her a dictionary."
Shabazz declined to say who he planned to fire but said he hopes they "know who they are" and resign.
Shabazz has already begun campaigning for the November election.
