The head of the Republican Party of Florida, Jim Greer, issued a condemnation
of a race-baiting flier in the election to replace Sen. Jim King. The flier,
depicting Black Panthers, President Obama and ACORN members, asks Jacksonville
Republicans to request absentee ballots because they could face intimidation at
the polls. The four-way Republican race has one African-American, Art Graham. The other
candidates: former House Speaker John Thrasher, former Rep. Stan Jordan and St.
John's County Republican Dan Quiggle. Lots of handwringing over trial lawyers,
etc.

The flier is the work of an attack group, the Conservative Voters’ Coalition,
which was established by a Leon County Democrat, Erin Di Cesare. Legal work was
done by lobbyist/lawyer/electioneering honcho David Ramba. We couldn't reach Di
Cesare, who works at FSU as an adjunct professor and has twice voted on Election
Day as a Democrat, so why she's repping Republican absentee ballot pushes is
anyone's guess.

The Florida Democratic Party already told the Orlando Sentinel that it condemned the flier and called on others to do so.

In a letter to Di Cesare, Greer tells Di Cesare that the mailer strongly
implies a connection to the state party and that it shouldn't use its symbols,
namely an elephant.

Ramba said Di Cesare is likely working on someone else's behalf (he wouldn't
say who). He said he hadn't seen the flier until it was first printed on
Jacksonville's political blog, but he said it was legal and that Greer couldn't
prevent someone from using the word "Republican" or the image of an
elephant.

"People can say 'Republican' in a mailer. It's a free speech issue. They can
use pictures of elephants. If not, Pier One will have something to say about
this. They use elephants all the time. ..They better start suing the University of Alabama -- they wear out the whole
elephant thing."

Here's Greer's letter:

August 26, 2009
 
Dear Ms. DiCesare:
 
            The Orlando
Sentinel has identified you as the “front” for an organization calling itself
the “Conservative Voters’ Coalition.” The mailers distributed by your group in
the Jacksonville area imply an affiliation with the Republican Party through
phrases such as “Protecting Your Republican Voting Rights” and through the use
of the elephant symbol. These mailers also direct recipients to submit absentee
ballot requests to a Jacksonville Post Office Box, presumably belonging to your
organization.
 
            As Chairman of the Republican Party of
Florida, I condemn both the content of your mailer and your use of the
Republican indicia to imply an affiliation with the Republican Party. The
state’s voting records indicate that you are, in fact, registered to vote as a
Democrat in Leon County. As such, I question your involvement in a Republican
primary election in Duval County.
 
            Please be advised that
Section 103.081, Florida Statutes, prohibits any group from using the name or
symbols of a political party without first obtaining the written approval of
that party’s state executive committee. Your group is in clear violation of this
statute: your activities have not been sanctioned by the State Executive
Committee of the Republican Party of Florida.
 
            Please note as
well that Florida law prohibits corrupt practices connected with absentee ballot
requests, and that interference with the free exercise of the right to vote is a
felony. Other laws prohibit the distribution of fraudulent materials through the
Postal Service. The Republican Party of Florida is exploring all available legal
options to ensure that eligible voters are not misled or disenfranchised by the
activities of you or your organization.
 
Sincerely,
 
 
James A.
Greer
Chairman
Republican Party of Florida 

Marc Caputo, Times/Herald Tallahassee Bureau

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