Seems like Deja vu

In 2006, under the leadership of Mayor Lois Frankel, PBC was recognized as “Corruption County” when County and City Commissioners were removed from office after an investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the FBI.  Two City Commissioners, Ray Liberti and Jim Exline were prosecuted and jailed on public corruption charges along with 4 County Commissioners. Mary McCarthy, Warren Newell, Tony Masilotti and Jeff Koons. Why am I writing about this again? One reason. The public has a short memory and if they forget they re-elect the same people who do not have residents best interest, but rather bow to developers interest namely Related.   Read the FBI involvement below.


When the OBD was first presented 3 Commissioners, Moffett, Materio and Neering voted against it.
This was not acceptable and money was poured into the campaign to elect Kelly Shoaf and Christine Lambert. If they were elected the developer had Commissioner James in their pocket corner which was enough to give Related what they wanted. Well as you know they were elected, and 4 months after they were sworn in Mayor Muoio put the OBD back on the agenda and of course it passed. Win-Win for Related.

How Lambert won:  Easy just have Cornerstone, Rick Asnani as her political consultant defame Commissioner Materio with false mailers and lies. Materio didn’t roll over.

Materio:  Rick Asnani was sued by former Commissioner Materio for defamation and the lower court ruled she had the right to sue. Asnani appealed the ruling, and back to court where the 4th. District Court of Appeals has denied Asrani’s effort to shoot down a defamation suit. Materio won again and was awarded her attorney fees. Asnani is appealing the ruling once again. Now you understand why the courts are backed up.

March 2020 Election
Lambert has a challenger Steve Sylvester. I met him and like him, and will vote for him. WPB knows Lambert’s voting record and decisions she has made, and I don’t want 2 more years of Lambert and her love affair with Related and Flagler One.

How Shoaf won:  The day Moffett’s re-election papers were due, she dropped out of the race too late for anyone with name recognition interested in running. Martina Tate Walker was also running for Moffatt’s seat. Ms. Walker has no name recognition today except by the people she serves. Ms. Walker also has no political consultant or money from PAC’s, developers or the Chamber of Commerce. In fact she’s broke. You will not see political signs with her name on it or receive political flyers. She will not be endorsed by the Post, any past or present Mayors or commissioner. Know what that tells me?  Means she doesn’t owe anyone her vote. She has not been bought. She is her own woman. You have a choice between Shoaf and Walker in March 2020. What are you gonna do?

Richard Ryles has a challenger namely Christy Fox a women who worked for Related. Not much to report here as without the election, Fox is the new commission for District 3. How did that happen? Appears Ryles “forgot” to submit his papers for re-election. He forgot, I have a hard time believing that. He will not respond to calls from the media, or the people who trusted him and willing to work for his re-election. How could he not make a public announcement?  Big disappointment, and he has given us a Fox in the hen house.

If Lambert and Shoaf are successful there you have it. Three ladies who have proven they will support the Chamber and Related, What are you going to do?  Suggestion: Know your candidates and vote wisely.

I must leave this story on a good note.
Rep. Matt Willhite has requested Gov. DeSantis assistance in an investigation of James, and the Governor has the authority to remove him from office. If that doesn’t happen we have another choice.

At the 12/16 meeting resident Alan Levine stood at the podium and gave James a heads up. Mr. Levine who keeps track of city funny business announced he has been asked to lead a recall of James and remove him from office. Mr. Levine has accepted the challenge, and he will need help in moving forward. Here is the process.

Around 1,155 signatures of registered voters are needed to start the process.

30 days to obtain them, once the clock starts, which begins with the date of the first signature obtained, which cannot start until the March date James was elected but I think it could be from the date he was actually sworn in which was in April.  (One more item to verify)

If successful, the process will eventually require one more petition, filed by the Clerk,  which needs 15% of all the city’s registered voters, gathered within a 60 day period.

15% of approximately 38,000 registered voters is around 5,700. No doubt harder, but very doable. Just starting the process may be enough.

Once this all happens a new election is decided and most often the person being recalled quits. Let’s assume James won’t. The person that will run the city at that point is the city manager if the Governor decides not to appoint a temporary Mayor.

There is a municipal recall document that can be had on the County supervisor of elections site.