More Trouble for Convicted Criminal Doug Guetzloe

I'm putting together some notes detailing some of my past interactions with everyone's favorite local miscreant, Doug Guetzloe, but here's some fun reading for now:

Guetzloe - FDOE Probable Cause Finding

This is what's called a "Order of Probable Cause" from the Florida Division of Elections ("FDOE"), and relates to a complaint I filed against Doug Guetzloe and his Ax the Tax group for actions during the 2008 elections.

Essentially, what the FDOE Order says is that they have found probable cause that Guetzloe and Ax the Tax violated several election laws, relating to the required disclaimers for political advertisements and also campaign finance issues related to Ax the Tax.  

When Ax the Tax was formed, it was organized as an "issue-based" political committee ("PC").  Under Florida Statutes, issue PCs can take in unlimited contributions and make unlimited expenditures in support of or opposition to an issue or ballot referendum.  (For  example, see Citizens for Lower Taxes and a Stronger Economy, Inc., supporting "Vote No on 4.")  However, issue PCs cannot support or oppose any candidates, and candidate PCs have greater financial restrictions: they can only take contributions up to $500 and can only spend up to $500 per candidate per election cycle.  Basically, what Guetzloe did with Ax the Tax is form it as an issue PC and take advantage of the lack of financial limitations of issue PCs, but then turned around and used Ax the Tax to support and oppose candidates.

The complaint I filed isn't the first time Guetzloe has been in trouble with FDOE.  In my opinion, one of the best illustrations of Doug Guetzloe's arrogant disregard for the law is summed up in the first footnote of the Staff Recommendations from the FDOE order:

(click to enlarge)

 

Guetzloe was fined $3,000 for election law violations in 1995, and another $4,000 in 2007, but as the footnote states, "Mr. Guetzloe has not paid either of the fines." 

Why is Guetzloe allowed to continually scoff at the law?  Why isn't the FDOE pursuing collection of these fines?  Is the law really without any teeth?

On a more positive note, Guetzloe hasn't entirely escaped the long arm of the law in other areas.  Despite his blatant misrepresentations to the contrary, he is still in some serious legal trouble in several other pending cases.  

Regarding the 2006 failure to include electioneering disclaimers case, Guetzloe is fond of saying that the charges against him were "dismissed," or that he was "cleared."  Not true.  A review of the public records shows that Case No. 2006-MM-009313-A-O is still open and pending, but tied up in several appeals (see one here).  Note also that Guetzloe pled "nolo contendere," or "no contest" to the charges, was adjudicated guilty, and sentenced to county jail time.

Guetzloe's appeal relates to the sentence.  He has not prevailed and the conviction still stands.  This means that legally, right now, Douglas Guetzloe is a convicted criminal.  In the past, Fred O'Neal usually sends nasty little demand letters or files lawsuits against anyone who calls Dougie a convicted criminal, but sorry, Fred, that's the truth, and you can't sue someone for libel or defamation for just stating the truth. 

Doug Guetzloe is a convicted criminal, the case has not been dismissed and he is still awaiting sentencing.  In fact, Judge Arnold held a status hearing just last Friday.  The heat is starting to get turned up on ol' Dougie boy.

Also, a 2007 civil case filed by Richard Mask against Guetzloe appears to be rapidly approaching its day in court.  A summary of the case by the Orlando Sentinel can be found here, and a funnier synopsis (but with some NSFW language) by the Orlando Weekly is here.  A Notice for Jury Trial was issued last December, but O'Neal pulled his usual delay tactics and the case was continued, but a new Notice for Trial was issued on June 10, 2010. 

Now, add in the ever-growing number of concerned citizens who are connecting all the dots between Doug Guetzloe, Fred O'Neal, their Fake Tea Party, and Alan Grayson.  Bruce O'Donoghue, Republican candidate for Congress, had a great press conference last week discussing some of these issues, and a threatening letter he received from O'Neal.    

Some more fun reading for you:

Orlando Sentinel | Brew-ha-ha?  Tea Party could help Grayson win re-election

Orlando Sentinel Central Florida Political Pulse Blog | O'Donoghue and Tea Partiers attack Guetzloe-Grayson

Orlando Sentinel Central Florida Political Pulse Blog | Will Tea Party help re-elect Grayson?

Orlando Political Press | Alan Grayson and the Florida Tea Party

WDBO | Guetzloe denies Florida Tea Party Connection to Grayson

Click Orlando | Republican Candidate claims Florida Tea Party A "Sham"

BREAKING NEWS...MORE ANNOUNCEMENTS TO COME SOON...

A little birdie told me that WKMG Local 6 will have a story on Guetzloe tonight during their 6 pm news broadcast.  I'm setting my DVR and will provide a link to the Click Orlando website as soon as it's posted.

UPDATE at 8:30 p.m.:  Here is a link to some fantastic reporting by Local 6's Tony Pipitone, brand new breaking news tonight...

Grayson Campaign Paid Company Formed By Fla. Tea Party Candidate - Politics News Story - WKMG Orlando

STILL MORE links between Alan Grayson and the Florida Tea Party

Where there's smoke, there's fire...and there's an awful lot of smoke detectors going off recently around Alan Grayson, Doug Guetzloe, and the Florida Tea Party Fake Tea Party:

Orlando Political Press | Blog Archive | Alan Grayson and the Florida Tea Party

Orlando Sentinel | Brew-ha-ha?  Tea Party could help Grayson win re-election

Bruce O'Donoghue, who is running in the Republican primary for District 8, responded to this news with a press release yesterday:

Alan Grayson’s fingerprints are all over the creation of this so-called “party,” and he insults the intelligence of voters by claiming he had nothing to do with it. Grayson has brought Central Florida politics to an all time low and he is playing fast and loose with federal election law. Grayson must immediately answer questions about his relationship with his media buyer and whether he had anything to do with the creation of this sham "party."

As the Sentinel article points out, Alan Grayson has been running ads on Doug Guetzloe's radio program for awhile.  I remember hearing the ads during the 2008 election season, and also hearing Guetzloe's supportive comments about Grayson and friendly interview with the candidate.  

I don't care what excuse Guetzloe gives for allowing Grayson's ads on his program, Guetzloe was under no obligation in 2008 to give a friendly "softball" interview to Grayson or to say positive things about the candidate (I heard him do this with my own ears), and this year, he's under no obligation to act as an advertising buyer to assist Grayson with placing ads on other programs on the radio station.  

The facts that Grayson appointed Guetzloe to an advisory panel, and one of Guetzloe's sons interned in Grayson' Congressional office just further shows the connections between the two.  If Guetzloe was really opposed to Grayson's reelection, there is no way that Grayson would appoint him to anything or allow his son to work in his office.  "Guetzloe" is a pretty darn unique name, so it's not like the kid could have walked in there incognito.

Peg Dunmire (along with the rest of the Fake Tea Party candidates) needs to wake up.  I had a little "interaction" with Dunmire on Twitter yesterday (links to original tweets):

pegdunmire: Did you hear who won the first internet straw vote for Florida District 8? It wasn't a Republican. #tcot, #florida republican, #foxnews

rumpfshaker: @pegdunmire Repeating Alan Grayson's talking points again? R U giving up denying no connection between Guetzloe's Fake Tea Party & Grayson?

pegdunmire: @rumpfshaker Why do YOU believe lies and rumors? What makes you think the Tea Party is fake? It is real. The state of Florida says it is. 

rumpfshaker: @pegdunmire I've been dealing with Guetzloe since 2008. I know what I know. FTP may be a "real" registered party but isn't named honestly

rumpfshaker: @pegdunmire FACT: Guetzloe & Egoroff were kicked out of OCREC. FACT: FDOE has issued finding of probable cause against Guetzloe & AxTheTax

rumpfshaker: @pegdunmire (if this is actually Dunmire & not a staffer) I feel sorry for you. Guetzloe is taking advantage of you to get back at RPOF.

...and we get crickets from Dunmire...

The "first internet straw vote for Florida District 8" to which Dunmire refers is the poll conducted by George Crossley of the People Power Hour.  I am unaware of that website or poll being promoted anywhere other than on the People Power Hour itself and Guetzloe's radio program and email lists.  Thus, given the liberal tendencies of the People Power Hour's listeners, and the chip-on-the-shoulder-mommy-the-Republicans-were-mean-to-me rebellious outsider attitude of Guetzloe and his minions, is anyone surprised by the poll results?  Even the People Power Hour admits the poll was nonscientific.  Statistically speaking, that means the results are complete crap.

Of course Grayson and Dunmire were the top two vote getters!  They only promoted the poll among programs targeted towards Grayson and Guetzloe supporters.  That's like me bragging that I had won a poll among my law school classmates for their favorite person with the last name "Rumpf."  Now, there's plenty of other nice people out there named Rumpf (including my wonderful family of course), but many of my classmates only knew me or if they met any of my relatives, it was only briefly.  

Polling 101: By controlling the group from which you select your voters, you control the results.

Stay tuned to Sunshine State Sarah this week for breaking news on this and other local political topics...we've got some real humdingers coming soon!