This news outlet obtained the email Tuesday following a heated election board meeting.
“It appears that on or about September 16, 2025 Mr. Rezabek attempted to ambush several members of the Montgomery County Commission and Administrator after their meeting in Clayton,” Al-Hamdani wrote in his email to board members requesting an investigation. “He is reported to have verbally attacked them and accused them of wrongdoing and making verbal threats towards them.”
10.7.2025 MCBOE Board MeetingOctober 7th, 2025 Board Meeting
Posted by Montgomery County Board of Elections on Tuesday, October 7, 2025
The Sept. 16 Montgomery County commission meeting in Clayton followed an earlier meeting that day with Montgomery County Board of Elections representatives, where election board officials wanted to explore alternative locations for its office. Board leaders have voiced concerns over plans to remove escalators from the Montgomery County administration building.
Rezabek was outside Clayton City Hall as county commissioners and other county officials were departing from the Sept. 16 meeting. A press conference — at which a Dayton Daily News reporter was present — about the county’s contract for the $20 million behavioral health unit at Montgomery County Jail was also dissipating at the time.
Rezabek approached at least one county commissioner and accused her and the county administrator of being dishonest during the meeting earlier that day.
“According to what I understand and what I’ve heard from several people, some of them didn’t feel safe and had to be escorted by the sheriff’s office to their cars,” Al-Hamdani said at Tuesday’s meeting.
Voting members of the Montgomery County Board of Elections include Democrats Al-Hamdani and Rhine McLin and Republicans Thomas Routsong and Erik Blaine.
Rezabek is a Republican and runs the agency alongside his Democratic counterpart, Deputy Director Guy Aber.
Rezabek told this news outlet that he was disappointed in Al-Hamdani and felt the motion against him was a set of “political games.”
“It’s disappointing because it distracts from the good work happening here,” Rezabek said.
Al-Hamdani said he wanted the board to consider assembling a team consisting of at least one Democrat and one Republican to review the incident, but also review other claims about the office.
“Moreover, from discussions with several employees of the BOE, it sounds like this behavior is not an aberration, but par for the course when it comes to our director. With many in the office afraid to speak up fearing retribution or facing the director’s wrath,” Al-Hamdani wrote in his complaint.
The Montgomery County Board of Elections voted 2-2, down party lines, on the motion to create an investigative team.
“I think those are very important issues that we as a board need to address,” Montgomery County Board of Elections Chairwoman McLin said during Tuesday’s meeting. “Everybody that works for this board of elections, whether it’s board members or staff, represents the Montgomery County Board of Elections on and off duty.”
Blaine said he had not reviewed the complaint before the meeting, voting down the call to assemble an investigative team after asking to table the discussion. He also questioned whether discussion of an investigation should occur in open session.
Routsong said the director is “a part of our responsibility” and they “have addressed it.”
“You’re saying that you had addressed it, the issue?” asked McLin.
“Mmm hmm,” Routsong replied.
“OK. And how have you addressed the issue?” McLin asked.
“I think if we want to go into personnel discussions, I think that’s a matter of executive session at this point,” Blaine cut in.
Al-Hamdani and McLin suggested referring the motion to the Ohio Secretary of State. The legal representative for the Montgomery County Board of Elections is also reviewing the board’s policy around internal investigations.
“We’ll wait for our attorney to come back with an answer,” McLin said.
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