What Leadership Looks Like When It Fails: December 6, 2024, at Cleveland Heights City Hall
On December 6, 2024, Mayor Kahlil Seren stood by while his wife shouted and cursed inside Cleveland Heights City Hall for over 20 minutes—making no effort to de-escalate the situation or protect staff. This incident, and the city’s refusal to release key footage, raises serious concerns about transparency, accountability, and leadership in a democratic society.
Incident Summary: December 6, 2024 – Cleveland Heights City Hall
On December 6, 2024, shortly before 1:00 p.m., Natalie McDaniel, the wife of Mayor Kahlil Seren, entered Cleveland Heights City Hall and approached the security desk. According to a police report, she asked the officer on duty if he knew where the mayor was. When the officer replied that he did not, Ms. McDaniel became angry, resulting in approximately 20–30 minutes of loud shouting and cursing.
The situation escalated to the point that two additional police officers were called to the scene. Security footage (without audio) from the atrium and the hallway outside the mayor’s office confirms the duration and intensity of the disruption. During this time, Mayor Seren arrived to the situation. Despite the public nature of the incident and the presence of multiple city employees and officers, the mayor made no visible attempt to de-escalate or intervene.
Eventually, Ms. McDaniel, Mayor Seren, and a police lieutenant moved to the building’s lower level, which houses the police department. What occurred afterward is unknown.
The incident was documented in a report by the officer at the security desk. He stated in his report, which can be seen HERE, that his body-worn camera was activated for part of the incident. However, as of this writing, the city has not released the audio/video footage from the body-worn camera, despite multiple public records requests from concerned residents.
Analysis Through a Democratic Lens
This incident, and the mayor’s inaction during it, raise serious concerns about the health of democratic governance in Cleveland Heights. Evaluating this through the lens of core democratic values and necessary conditions for democracy reveals troubling failures:
Values of Democracy
Transparency: The failure to release the body-worn camera footage undermines transparency. Residents have a right to understand what occurs in their public buildings, especially when city employees and police officers are involved. Withholding this footage creates the appearance of a cover-up.
Equality: If the disruptive behavior had been committed by a private citizen, consequences would likely have followed. The lack of accountability for the mayor’s spouse suggests a double standard—one for the powerful, another for everyone else.
Pluralism: A pluralistic society depends on mutual respect and inclusion in public spaces. City Hall must be a safe and respectful environment for all employees and visitors. The mayor’s tolerance of abusive behavior in this setting creates a hostile atmosphere that marginalizes staff and weakens institutional integrity.
Citizen Empowerment: Citizens cannot hold leaders accountable without access to facts. When information is withheld and power is protected rather than questioned, citizens are disempowered, and the mechanisms of democracy are weakened.
Conditions Necessary for Democracy
Trust in Government: Trust erodes when elected officials appear to protect themselves and their families at the expense of public accountability. Residents must believe that their government acts with integrity. This incident damages that belief.
Citizen Involvement: The public records requests demonstrate active citizen engagement. The city’s failure to respond adequately discourages further involvement and sends a message that resident concerns are secondary to political image.
Civil Discourse: The conduct shown in this incident directly violates the principles of civil discourse expected in a democratic society. When such behavior is tolerated—especially by leadership—it sets a dangerous precedent for public engagement and employee well-being.
Education: Democracy requires informed citizens. Without access to the full scope of this event, including the audio from the body-worn camera, the public cannot form accurate judgments or engage in meaningful dialogue about leadership and accountability.
Fairness of Opportunity: City employees deserve a workplace free from verbal abuse. When leadership allows or excuses such behavior from those close to power, it undermines the fairness and equity of the public workplace.
Cleveland Heights deserves leadership that protects its employees and upholds the principles of democracy. Demand the release of the body-worn camera footage.
