[RobbyS]

The county does not have a responsibility to review all of the homeowner/developer relationships underlying residential properties before issuing tax certificates that may eventually be redeemed for tax deeds.

Which is the underlying problem. Here we have a political matter which the county is not required/empowered to act upon. I would bet ten cents to a donut that some county offical was aware of this "opportunity" and passed on the information to a friend.