“Fascism in FantasyLand” – Pro Wrassler used to toss progressive candidate from FL Dem Convention

[autorank]

How weird Florida has become. The Florida Democratic Party Chair gaves her son campaign contributions in 2006 for a minor state race while denying any money to 8 progressive Dems running for congress. She denied it. But then she was caught when hard evidence verified the contribution. The guy who exposed her was 2005 Democratic Congressional candidate John Russell.

So Russell shows up at the Florida Democratic Convention and what happens. He's tossed out by a former professional wrestler, Ivan the Terrible. What a joke! The Chair of FDP has a $3500 monthly retainer with the leading Republican power broker in Florida's law firm, has raised just 1/3rd the funds of the Republicans, and has created so much chaos, we'll probably lose the state in 2008.

Here's a blog and story in The Tampa Bay Tribune where you can comment:
http://blogs.tampabay.com/buzz/2007/10/trouble-in-para.html

And an article by Florida Democrat, activist and attorney Mark Adams

Fascism in Fantasy Land (Video)

Mark Adams
Tampa Bay attorney and voting rights activist

On October 27, 2007, John Russell went to the Peace Rally in Orlando, then he went to the annual Florida Democratic Party Convention. After walking in the doors carrying signs promoting John Edwards for president and saying hello to Clint Curtis’ supporters who know John from his work on election reform, Mitch Kates rushes over, pushes John, and says, "Why are you here. You weren’t invited. You have to leave."

Then, Mitch realizes that John has supporters with him and the camera is on, and Mitch takes his overly aggressive behavior down a couple of notches. John had been invited to the convention as he is a Democrat who has worked to help Democrats get elected for years and as he won the Party’s nomination for Florida’s district 5 Congressional seat in 2006.

However, this is not the first time that John has been told that he cannot attend a Democratic function. After John confirmed the Miami Herald’s reports that former Florida Republican Party chair, Al Cardenas, had arranged to provide lobbying fees for Florida Democratic Party chair, Karen Thurman, and after John had asked why the FDP leaders had not helped him and other anti-war Democrats get elected, John was informed that he was not allowed to attend the Pasco County Democratic Party’s fundraiser. See the Tampa Tribune article - Dark Horse Raises Fist at Democrats http://www.tbo.com/pasco/MGB82X2KW7F.html

Alison Morano, chair of the Pasco County Democratic Executive Committee, claims that the bar John from its fundraiser, and she is seen at the convention with Mitch Kates as he goes to throw John out of the convention.

FDP Communications Director Mark Bubriski told the Tampa Tribune that John showed up at FDP headquarters and started harassing staff, but you can judge for yourself after watching the video here http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2561123694081990557

Here is video of John asking Karen Thurman about the Miami Herald article.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XM1qEtNIgSM


For more information see:

Michael Collins article...Florida Citizens Versus Party Insiders
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0707/S00219.htm

Miami Herald article on Karen Thurman
http://www.miamiherald.com/423/story/163133.html

St. Pete Times story on Karen Thurman
http://www.sptimes.com/2007/07/06/State/Party_chief_s_dual_ro.shtml

[kster]

1. K&R Getting down and dirty

I luv it. Expose these Politicians for what they are worth. These Politicians do not fear us when they are able to control the counting of OUR ballots.

"We need paper ballots, counted by hand, in full public view at the polling place on election night, no matter how long it takes. Nothing less will restore public confidence in the vote count."

K&R

[autorank]

2. How weierd is this? A pro wrassler kicking out a 2006 Cong Candidate...priceless n/t

[tom_paine]

26. Yep. A madness all nations going throughthis transition share.

Be happy. If this was the 1937 Germany flavor of this madness, that Congressional Candidate would hwve been taken out back and beaten, at the very least.

Progress, I tell you. Progress. :sarcasm:

[csbrudy]

27. Hand Counted Paper Ballots

Hello K&R.
For great information on HCPB, go to OpEd news, and search for Nancy Tobi. She has great articles and good links on how the hand counts work. There is a forum: [e-mail] moderated by Ellen Brodsky which is a good spot to get election reform news.

"Hand Count the Vote, or Put on the Yoke"

csbrudy

[Richard Steele]

3. The Florida Dems have a serious, probably TERMINAL Repub infestation. Grrrecommended.

[tomreedtoon]

7. I agree, and think the National Party ought to say something. But won't.

I know the local party has been pushing their "Screw Dean" buttons, and acting like jerks, and all the rest of it. Somebody ought to call the Florida Democratic Party on its pretensions.

Problem is, the only people who could do it are Democrats. And as we have clearly witnessed since 2006, Democrats have no spines.

Maybe somebody like a rap star, or Bill Maher, or Stephen Colbert will take on these jerks. Because Democrats won't.

[truedelphi]

15. Hopefully Colbert will take it on.

He could jsut insist that although he is running for President as both a Republican and Democrat
in Florida he need only campaign as a Dem - as they are already Republicans.

[tomreedtoon]

18. Could Colbert be a "protest candidate?"

A little off topic...I think he could end up being written in as a protest candidate, the way people used to vote for Mickey Mouse or George Wallace. Florida Democrats who believe in our rickety local party hacks might write Colbert in. Progressives who end up pissed at the national candidate (whichever candidate they hate the most) might write in Colbert.

I get the feeling that Colbert might actually get one electoral vote, somewhere. And while that would be funny, it would be a clear indication that neither party is serving the interests of the American people.

[truedelphi]

20. It would be even funnier if he actually won the Presidency.

McCain and Huckabee fight over being invited to Jon Stewart's Daily Show and the Colbert Report.

It's been exposure on the Colbert Report that has allowed Huckabee a decent showing in Iowa.

[autorank]

22. That was unfair to Dean. He tried to settle this but it wasn't in the

interests of whomever Thurman represents to fix it. It shows what disarray things are in. My understanding is that Nelson put her in this position, then she screws DNC. You think Nelso would
step in and fix it. No way. He filed a law suit with Hastings on disenfranchising Floridians with
disallowing the primary to pick delegates. The federal court threw out a similar suit just before this
one hit saying - essentially - "are you smoking crack, these parties are private entities."

Amazing and sad.

[understandinglife]

4. #6 ...

:thumbsup:

[TroubleMan]

5. Down here in Florida we call that Wednesday.

That's actually pretty normal down here. We have to be the most corrupt state in The Union (Alaska and Louisiana might be close though).

[autorank]

6. A colleague of mine went to Florida to cover it the FDP Convention.

She asked what it would be like. I told her that Florida had replaced Louisiana as the strangest state in the union for politics. I love both states so this isn't a slam at either, it's just a fact. There's nothing wrong with Florida Democrats but there's plenty wrong with the leadership.

It is of note that Thurman was selected to head the party by Sen. Nelson.

If Gore were on the ballot in the primary, he'd take it, I bet. If he showed up and campaigned in Florida, he'd just kick. That's my hope.

Maybe someday soon we'll get leaders that reflect our values.

P.S. I was planning to go and had to cancel. Before my plans changed, I wondered if I'd get hassled by FDP for writing the two articles listed above. I caught myself and said, "Don't be ridiculous." But it appears I missed my chance to meet Ivan the Terrible or some other charmer. I suppose I could have gone over to Tampa and hired my own pro wrestler security to take Ivan on "the last ride." I think that Randy "Macho Man" Savage or Miss Elizabeth would have done the job;)

[autorank]

8. Here's a pic of the pro wrassler who was FDP's bouncer - Jason the Terrible

Jason the Terrible with his little friends

He says he's good ad politics because of the competitive spirit he learned in professional wrestling.

But wait a minute, professional wrestling is fixed. They've even testified to that effect. So is
it the competitive spirit of a fixed race? Nice picture, though, isn't it.

[druidity33]

9. wtf is up with Florida

I've been reading bits here and there on DU about the shenanigans going on and wondering have the D Party leaders down there always colluded with R's?

Is this "Party Politics" par for the course down there?

Will the people have the will/ability to change it?

K&R for an important state...

[JCMach1]

12. Just what it has sunk to...

:(

utterly useless

[druidity33]

10. off topic

i noticed the link to the Obrador site and wondered if you had any news about what he has been up to lately. On second thought, i'll check Narco-News...



Thanks for your tireless work on Election Reform, btw!

[flashl]

11. Its lovingly called "Swamp" politics. n/t

[madfloridian]

19. Did you just say Swamp? Well, I have something for you...

Mahoney vs Lutrin....what was done in FL 16th by Rahm and Thurman.

But there is always some good excuse or another.

[flashl]

24. Exactly what I had in mind. n/t

[madfloridian]

13. They are calling John Russell a Republican? Kicked him out of the convention?

He beat the DCCC's candidate last time.

Gee, I bet if hubby and I went to the convention no telling what they would have called us.

:wow:

Is it all about that interview with Karen Thurman?

[autorank]

16. It's about the interview and about "The Money Party" which hates progressives

John made two mistakes:

1) He talked openly about Thurman giving her son $25,000 (or so) for an assembly race when FDP gave NOTHING to the 8 progressive Congressional candidates in 2006. She denied this, he busted her on the denial, right when she got the lobbying contract through the Republican law firm, and that was what sealed his fate. Apparently, she "can't stand the truth."

2) He tried to change things in The Money Party - they don't want progressives to win, otherwise they'd fund them. They want lackeys who certainly don't vote the preferences of Democrats or the interests of everyday Americans.

So what do you do when someone tells an embarrassing truth and shows up to tell more?

In Thurman World, you sent in thug enforcer and former wrassler under the name of Jason the Terrible over and throw the progressive out.

I hope your party gets more responsive to the members of the party. Florida's a great state and should have a great Democratic party with dynamic, honest leadership? All of you deserve it.

[Me.]

14. K & R

[mod mom]

17. If you were going to steal elections, wouldn't you infilitrate the other party along

with the media and pollsters? I don't understand how there are still folks who will vote straight D despite a candidate's background.

Beware of candidates annoited by the press and the other party!

Thanks for the info, auto :hi:

[autorank]

21. It's my favorite mom?

Not that I have more than one;)

I'm beginning to think that we're the infiltrators.

Maybe we need to dress like professional wrasslers and get new identities.

You can be "Mommy Dearest" - with a submission move called "The Coat HANGER" and I'll be "The Scanner"
with "the Brain Wave" - he blows your head up with nothing more than a stare (which is why I don't put
my pic on DU;)

The "rigged game" is known to almost all and those who don't know will find out soon.

These characters are relics, artifacts of another time. The need to just surrender and leave
politics to people who have honest intentions and sincerely formed view.

[mod mom]

23. They've taken the con game to a whole different level.

someone posted on another thread thaat they wondered how long this scam has been going on. You'll remember my story of a former Republican campaign attorney who told me about bu$h I in NH in 1988, well I found this interesting piece on just that:

In the 1988 Republican primary in New Hampshire, there was no
panel of computer experts who worked for the people and thoroughly
examined the source codes before and after the voting. It is likely that
a notoriously riggable collection of "Shouptronic" computers
"preordained" voting results to give George Bush his "Hail Mary"
victory in New Hampshire.

Nobody save a small group of computer engineers, like John Sununu,
the state's Republican governor, would be the wiser.

If you think back carefully to November 8, 1988, it may strike you
that your belief in who won at the polls was not formed as the result of
openly voiced "ayes" or "nays" in a public forum.
-snip

http://www.constitution.org/vote/votescam01.txt

[flyarm]

25. YES AND THE R'S HAVE INFILTRAITED THE DEM PARTY IN FLA

I have pointed people out to dems running the DEC in my area..i sent the articles of poeple who have come in from out of state that were working for the r party..and people who have been arrested with a record who have been elevated in the dem party in my area.. and i have been ignored.
And i have watched these same people move up through the party..

several times i have gotten up and walked out when these people put in Dem positions get up and give repug talking points!

The unions stay away from the dem party until the general..they go to none of the DEC meetings in my area..they just stay away..until their union signs on with a candidate and they operate separately..i watched it all during the Kerry Campaign..they worked with the National campaign..and ignored the local party.

and all i saw from the local dem party was ..what can we "get out" of Kerry..$$$ and equipment

There was an awful campaign out of the State Dem party when i began years ago bringing up the voting machines..( with the hands on help of Andy Stephenson)...there was a true concerted effort to shut me up and many who i trained. A real push of propaganda out of the FDP and the State Executive Committee. and their mouth pieces were the very people i pointed out as republicans who had infiltraited our party.

I keep promising people i will continue to help fix our party in Fla..but it becmomes harder each and every day...

fly