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Orlando Mayor Suspended From Office

By TChris, Section Misconduct
Posted on Sat Mar 12, 2005 at 05:14:56 PM EST
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by TChris

Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, a Democrat, has been kicked out of office by Florida's Republican Governor, Jeb Bush. The suspension followed the return of grand jury indictments against Dyer, his campaign manager, Patti Sharp, accused ballot broker Ezzie Thomas, and Circuit Judge Alan Apt. All except Thomas are charged with "providing pecuniary gain for absentee ballot possession or collection," while Thomas is charged with "accepting" payment. A Florida law, passed in 1998, prohibits payment for the collection of absentee ballots.

"The charges are without merit and are totally politically motivated," Dyer said this afternoon, relying on a "vague Florida statue that has never been applied." Dyer, a Democrat, was first elected mayor in 2003. Brad King, the special prosecutor who conducted the investigation, is a Republican.

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    Orlando Mayor Suspended From Office | 8 comments (8 topical)
    Re: Orlando Mayor Suspended From Office (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Mar 12, 2005 at 10:30:41 PM EST
    sometimes you get the bear and sometimes the bear gets you. Buddy played both sides of the fence once to many times.

    Re: Orlando Mayor Suspended From Office (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Mar 13, 2005 at 09:42:42 AM EST
    No, he did not. This case is a message sent by Bush to those who thinks blacks should vote, "don't." Mayor Buddy was once a possible threat to run for Gov., not now. There were Rep. cantidates who used the same vote buyer and were not investigated or charged.

    Re: Orlando Mayor Suspended From Office (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Mar 13, 2005 at 12:59:51 PM EST
    This is no doubt associated with the scandal last year when Jeb's version of the FBI went into elderly black homes at night with weapons at hand to accuse them of having taken bribes to vote as instructed by activists. The activists, of course, were just helping the elderly to get their absentee ballots in, and NO actual evidence was produced that anything otherwise was happening. So, turn to a corrupt Grand Jury and a partisan prosecutor for a fishing expedition.

    Re: Orlando Mayor Suspended From Office (none / 0) (#4)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Mar 13, 2005 at 05:14:33 PM EST
    Buddy went after the elderly black voters only because he could count on them to vote democratic, not because he cared about them. If he didn't know he had the vote he would not have used his time. Dyer is not a knight in armor trying to rescue the oppressed. If that were true he would not be bulldozing their homes to make room for his rich developer friends to build businesses. Don't make him a saint. He is just the one that caught. He is complaining just like someone is chain of speeding cars. "Why should I get a ticket... noone else did." Well the fact is everyone was speeding and you got caught first. sorry ima fake, don't make a man a hero and he won't fall as far when the sun comes up.

    Re: Orlando Mayor Suspended From Office (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Mar 13, 2005 at 05:59:11 PM EST
    "Posted by buddy dyer: "Buddy went after the elderly black voters only because he could count on them to vote democratic, not because he cared about them." Thanks for making my point. If these were elderly Democrats, then you don't have to pay them anything to vote Democratic, now, do you? I would love for wingers to be stuck in a room for one day short of eternity, with their own lies and illogic ringing in their ears.

    Re: Orlando Mayor Suspended From Office (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Mar 13, 2005 at 06:55:57 PM EST
    Well Paul, I am glad I could make your point for you. He is charged with paying someone to collect absentie ballots. Not collecting democratic ballots. He is charged with the crime that he commited. He was not charged with vote buying. This law was enacted in 1998 in florida to stop the process entirely. The Dyer squad knows the law and made a choice to break the law. There is a large portion of white elderly in the north end of orlando. Some of these citizens are in trailor parks and nursing homes. Dyers people made no attempt to help these citizens vote. Might that be because they tend to be more republican. Nice of him to pay someone to collect only the votes that will help him. What a saint.

    Re: Orlando Mayor Suspended From Office (none / 0) (#7)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Mar 14, 2005 at 01:32:52 PM EST
    "Posted by buddy dyer: "He is charged with paying someone to collect absentie ballots." Collect ballots? You can't collect absentee ballots. "Not collecting democratic ballots. He is charged with the crime that he commited." An indictment is not a conviction, Buddy. "He was not charged with vote buying." I didn't say he was. When Jeb Bush used his enforcement power to invade the homes of black voters and accuse them of serious crimes, THAT was a crime. This action sounds suspiciously like more of Jeb's crimes. "This law was enacted in 1998 in florida to stop the process entirely." Stopping the process of (black) voting in Florida has been an ongoing effort for 200 years. "Dyers people made no attempt to help these citizens vote." Unless he used state funds, he is under no requirement to hire persons to do so. "Might that be because they tend to be more republican. Nice of him to pay someone to collect only the votes that will help him. What a saint." That's what every politician in the country does. What they don't do is take and then tear-up Democratic registrations, as the nationwide RNC effort was caught doing in Nevada. That's a felony. Five years of stolen elections, but the witchhunts continue. In CA, Schwartz. not elected legally, but IOKIYAR. Seventeen counties voting on illegally installed, untested, uncertified software, illegally removed the day after the election. Salesmen moving vote blocks in the counting room, with no documentation of their actions. But Buddy is in a huff about what is at most a misdemeanor in FL. Meanwhile, Jeb stole 2000 AND 2004 for his brother in FL. And Buddy? Dial tone.

    Re: Orlando Mayor Suspended From Office (none / 0) (#8)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Mar 16, 2005 at 06:52:57 PM EST
    Paul, I understand your unwaviering support of horse. We all like to win the race. The facts come down to him breaking the law. The law is a felony in florida. Look it up if you are not sure. The actions of other people don't justify his actions. He got caught, nice and simple. The statute was developed in 1998 to be broad based so the state would not have to prove intent. The simple fact of paying a ballot broker to get absentie ballots was made crime. Buddy broke the law. I have no anger toward him. He is a good man trying to do good for his community. But, intent is not an excuse under the law. Bye buddy, Dial tone.

    Orlando Mayor Suspended From Office | 8 comments (8 topical)