Posted on 06/25/2010 9:37:43 AM PDT by kristinn
A video report by WKMG 6 Orlando reporter Tony Pipitone titled "Money Trail Links Grayson to Fla. Tea Party" exposes financial ties between Democrat Representative Alan Grayson and several "Florida Tea Party" candidates. Grayson is suspected of fronting bogus Tea Party candidates, including Peg Dunmire who is running against Grayson, to split the Tea Party vote so that Democrats win elections.
Pipitone reports "Florida Tea Party" candidate Raoul Rodriguez (sp?) recently bought radio ads for Grayson on an Orlando station. On the paperwork for the ads, Rodriguez identified hmself as the treasurer for Friends to Re-Elect Alan Grayson, a committee authorized by Grayson.
The nexus between the "Florida Tea Party" and Grayson appears to be a Doug Guetzloe, according to Pipitone's report from a few days ago titled, "Grayson Paid Company Formed By Fla. Tea Party Candidate:
U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson's campaign has paid nearly $20,000 to a corporation created by a Florida Tea Party candidate, with help from that party's top consultant, lending support to Republicans' claims that Grayson is funneling some of his $30-plus million fortune toward a party that is running a candidate against him in the general election.
SNIP
A Local 6 investigation has found Graysons campaign spent $19,898 with Public Opinion Strategies Inc., a company formed by Victoria Torres, a Florida Tea Party candidate for a state House of Representatives seat in Pinellas County. Torres has said she created the company in December 2008 with the help of the Florida Tea Partys public relations consultant, Doug Guetzloe.
Guetzloe and his attorney, Frederic B. ONeal, who created the Florida Tea Party last year, are being sued by Republican tea party movement activists who claim the pair created the Florida Tea Party to hijack the tea party movement for their own gains (and) profits.
The owners of Public Opinion Strategies -- the people who stand to benefit financially from the multimillionaire Graysons campaign money -- are not revealed in public records.
The only corporate director listed in state records is the Florida Tea Party candidate Victoria Torres, who swore in court papers in April that she has no cash, no income, no potential income, no stock and no possible asset from any corporation.
In a financial disclosure statement filed last week with her candidacy papers, Torres revealed she earned $10,000 last year from Public Opinion Strategies, but claims no financial interest in the company. Grayson paid the company $16,898 last year and $3,000 in February 2010, according to filings with the Federal Elections Commission.
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State elections records confirm Guetzloe is working hard for the Florida Tea Party while promoting that partys candidate against Grayson.
Guetzloes consulting company has donated $30,800 in public relations services to the Florida Tea Party, more than any other outside consultant helping the party.
In turn, the Florida Tea Party has donated $7,500 in public relations consulting to the campaign of Peg Dunmire, a former Republican chosen by the Florida Tea Party to run as its candidate in Graysons Eighth Congressional District.
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Yesterday, genuine Tea Party activists held a press conference at the Orlando Board of Elections office to urge Dunmire and the other "Florida Tea Party" candidates to drop out of the elections. The press conference was crashed by Guetzloe, Dunmire and others who acted like Democrats. They constantly interrupted the speaker and threatened to call the police.
video report here titled Police Visit Tea Party News Conference.
This guy needs the REAL Tea Party crowd to come crawling down his back.
I’m still reeling from a new org going after this story.
These guys know that if they don’t get unscrupulously inventive, they are going to thrown out. Cheating and lying are their only paths to winning elections. Look for this to be a game-plan for these POS’s nation-wide.
Kristinn, thank you for posting this info. I will share this with some Tea Party members who, unfortunately, do not peruse the best conservative website......FR!!
Thanks kristinn, I just passed this along to our Tea Party. This is going to cause a lot of confusion and the real Tea Party members are going to have their work cut out for them. We will need closer communications networks, and lots of vetting of candidates.
If you have to fund a dissenter so you can win, you are a pansy. Mrs Alan Grayson, you are a pansy!
How can Grayson give so much money to support other candidates when we are prohibited from doing so by McCain Feingold?
Grayson is NUTS and I mean that.
You’re welcome. If they’ll do it Florida, they’ll do it anywhere elections are tight.
Thank you. I have posted this on my site as well and will help spread the word.
he sold his company and is a millionaire nutter.
Yeah, is he disclosing these funds as political contributions? Wouldn’t this be considered election fraud to some degree?
Chicago politics.
Ping for later since I’m having trouble.
Less than perfect photoshop
Grayson wins in Landslide!
-headline this fall
Nice investigation about now into his fraudulent activities. Even if it is legal his sliminess won’t help him with the voters.
do we have a prison big enough to hold the entire demonrat party?
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