Florida GOP Threats and Corruption

Pasted from the RonPaulForums. Btw, guys like GTech should be pissed as well, because Huckabee could have finished 3rd, instead of 4th.

The Pinellas County REC decided to have a Straw Poll the night of the Republican Debate in St. Petersburg Florida. At the REC Meeting in October the REC Board announced the Straw Poll and advised its members that only 1,200 tickets will be available and sold for the Straw Poll and that anyone can vote in the straw poll as long as they are over 18 years of age and have a Florida Driver's License. Due to the limited number of tickets available people interested in attending the Straw Poll should purchase their tickets quickly.

Pinellas County REC Member and Ron Paul supporter Sophie from Clearwater was concerned about the limited number of tickets available and was considering purchasing a block of tickets that she could then individually resell the tickets to Paul supporters. She contacted the local Republican office and spoke with Marilyn. She inquired about the possibility of purchasing bulk tickets. Marilyn advised her she can purchase 50 tickets in bulk. Later Marilyn calls Sophie back and advises her that she can purchase as many tickets as she wants, but that there were only 255 tickets remaining. Sophie purchased the 255 tickets from the Pinellas county office. Since Pinellas County was then "out" of tickets, she had to travel to Pasco County to buy more tickets, she purchased 75 tickets from them. Sophie purchased 330 tickets and immediately invested her time into reselling the tickets to Ron Paul supporters. She works the phone, the internet and Meetup groups and sells 225 tickets.

She attends the straw poll and it becomes obvious that Mitt Romney supports are voting dozens of times a piece. This fact is well documents with both video and news reports of the unethical activity.

Three St. Pete Times articles documenting and exposing the fraud are found at the below links. Additionally, several Youtube videos are availed exposing the fraud as well.

http://blogs.tampabay.com/buzz/2007/...omneys-ba.html
http://www.sptimes.com/2007/11/28/So..._shunned.shtml
http://www.sptimes.com/2007/11/29/Wo..._straw_p.shtml

As disgusting and corrupt as one may find the above information, what you will hear at this point is completely unacceptable. The Pinellas County REC Chairman Tony DeMatteo has crossed the line. Sophie was upset that the rules she was provided at the REC meeting and as well as confirmed by Marilyn had been different than what took place. She called Tony DeMatteo on Thursday to take issue with the unethical way the straw poll was conducted and the fact that she purchased a block of tickets only because of the information the REC provided her, to learn that the information was false. Tony DiMatteo then told Sophie " it is too bad for you and if you start any trouble you will be hurt".

Sophie, shocked, upset and concerned from being threatened called Clearwater Meetup Organizer Paul Bourgeois. Paul had previously talked to Tony about all of the rule changes. Tony made it clear that Paul BETTER not take it any further or it would make us (Ron Paul Supporters) look real bad.
Physically intimidating and threatening people are completely unacceptable behaviors. Tony DeMatteo's actions needs to be addressed by the Republican leadership and the Pinellas county REC members.

Paul and Sofie have decided to go public with the stories to shed the light of truth on the present state of ethics in the local Republican Party. Joining a political party should be an honorable thing, people that are interested in improving our country and our communities. It is supposed to be composed of honorable and respectable individuals that work to better the conditions of local, state, national and worlwide affairs. How many people would want to remain in a party which condones this type of behavior, especially by people in leadership positions?

Sofie is understandably concerned about being threatened by Tony. Many people care about her and will help to protect her.

We look forward to building a better Republican Party with honesty and integrity.

Paul and Sophieâ€™s video can be found here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8wjJieSib0
Click to expand...

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Florida GOP Threats and Corruption

guerilla Notable Member

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Florida GOP Threats and Corruption

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