Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney, a Democrat who lives in North Avondale, will apparently be the newest member of Cincinnati City Council.
A source told WVXU Council Member P.G. Sittenfeld is expected to announce her selection Wednesday afternoon to replace Tamaya Dennard following her resignation from council last week.
Lemon Kearney is the president of Sesh Communication and the publisher of The Cincinnati Herald. She's also a licensed real estate agent and an attorney in private practice. Prior to starting a private practice she was with Taft Stettinius and Hollister.
She was born in Cincinnati and graduated from Walnut Hills High School. She has a degree from Dartmouth College, and a Juris Doctorate from Harvard Law School.
Lemon Kearney is married to former state senator Eric Kearney, who's now the head of the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky African American Chamber of Commerce.
She was one of several candidates Sittenfeld considered for the appointment.
Dennard resigned after being arrested and federally charged with wire fraud, bribery and attempted extortion. She had designated Sittenfeld to select her replacement if her council seat became vacant for any reason.
Federal prosecutors alleged between August and December 2019, Dennard engaged in acts and attempted acts of bribery and extortion, offering to exchange her council votes for money.
Dennard denies the allegations. She said she resigned to not become a distraction, and to focus her time on fighting the charges.
Just last week, Republican Betsy Sundermann was sworn in to replace Amy Murray, who resigned to take a job with the U.S. Defense Department.
