Protesters call for Cleveland Heights mayor to resign as wife is accused of sending antisemitic text messages
The protest took place before Monday night's city council meeting. Inside, accusations against the mayor's wife Natalie McDaniel grew louder as the mayor sat silent.
'You are a public servant. We trusted you when we elected you,' said one resident.
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Another said, 'These are serious allegations that reflect a growing and dangerous trend of casual antisemitism being brushed aside.'
In a complaint filed on May 14 with the Ohio Civil Rights Commission against the city of Cleveland Heights, the mayor's wife is accused of sending antisemitic text messages targeting Jewish colleagues and residents.
In one text message, targeting Planning Commission Chair Jessica Cohen, who is an Orthodox Jew, McDaniels references her as a 'brood mare who is destined for the glue factory — a derogatory statement referencing Jewish women having many children.
The complaint also details other comments about other Jewish city officials, accusing Orthodox colleagues of nepotism and for having inappropriate relationships.
'For some saying that this is your wife's problem: You are the mayor,' said one resident. 'You could have turned off access to keys, you could have not granted permission to areas of the building that are not public access.'
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City council members also spoke out.
'Her words have created personal anxiety, anxiety amongst staff and most recently anxiety among our Jewish community and those who support the statement,' said Gail Larson.
Anthony Mattox Jr. said, 'It's extremely dangerous to remove all accountability from this council and anything that has happened in this city and place it solely on one person.'
FOX 8 News reached out for a comment to the city. Officials said they will send a statement to the press once it is prepared.
This November, Cleveland Heights will have its second mayoral election in the city's history. It's unclear if Seren will seek reelection.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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