Tanner-Larizza feud heats up

Tanner-Larizza feud heats up

Speeches canceled over Tanner protest

By PETER GUINTA
peter.guinta@staugustine.com
Publication Date: 07/03/08

About 20 off-duty law enforcement officers and others wore black anti-John Tanner shirts to the Flagler County Republican Club candidate forum Tuesday night, but the club tabled its program due to their presence.

Seventh District State Attorney John Tanner, seeking re-election, and his challenger, St. Augustine attorney R.J. Larizza, were scheduled to speak for 10 minutes each, followed by questions from the audience.

Club president Alan Walton said the shirts displayed "offensive and disrespectful" statements toward Tanner.

They showed a white diagonal across an international symbol containing the word "Tanner," and also had the words "Tanner: Man of Secrecy."

Walton said, "I asked them who they were and they said they were Republicans. I asked them if they can prove that. None could. Only one had a voter's card."

Witnesses said the group's spokesman, Greg Kong, asked why that was important.

"We're here to show support for R.J.," he said, adding that some group members were told it was open to the public.

Walton said Republican Party of Florida rules say only club members and registered Republicans may attend.

A Republican Executive Committee member moved to close the meeting. It passed, so the black-shirt group left.

"Several of our members felt (the group was) threatening," Walton said.

A few hours after, Tanner e-mailed the district's Republican leadership saying the meeting was "crashed by Teamster and (Police Benevolent Association) union members. ... Several began to shout at the president and were becoming unruly."

He said Wednesday that he never asked for that group to leave. But, he added, "I expect that behavior to be repeated. I expect the boys in black everywhere I go."

Larizza said the incident was disturbing to him.

"I'm appreciative of the people who showed up," he said Wednesday afternoon. "I'm the underdog. I'm just pleased that people came to hear me talk."

Bob Smith, president of the Republican Club of St. Augustine, said, "Never in my 40 years of being a Republican have I heard of people asking for proof that they were Republicans to stay in a meeting. If they came to my meeting, I'd have given every one a membership application and signed them up."

Larizza spoke to those supporters outside the building.

"They just don't want John Tanner re-elected," Larizza said. "This clearly confirms that John Tanner's relationship with law enforcement in the Seventh District is non-existent."

Tanner strongly disputes that, saying he invites anyone to ask sheriffs or police chiefs about their working relationship with his office.

His conflict with law enforcement unions stems from his unsuccessful prosecution of eight Flagler County jail guards who were reportedly strapping prisoners down and spraying them with pepper spray. Two corrections officers are still awaiting trial, even though they were indicted in 2005.

"The union will protect the worst as well as the best officers. Unions in law enforcement are a dangerous thing," Tanner said. "It removes the flexibility of a sheriff or police chief to remove (a bad officer). My office will hold people accountable."

A second grievance against Tanner is his role in sealing a grand jury presentment that some feel criticizes his office's handling of cases.

Tanner said that issue is a "red herring" because the 5th District Court of Appeals had sealed the presentment, not him.

"The presentment was illegal, and illegal presentments should not be published," he said. "I look forward to addressing those issues."

Larizza says he has documents from the Judicial Administration Commission proving that Tanner spent $400,000 in taxpayer funds so far to hire a high-powered Daytona Beach attorney to keep the grand jury report sealed.

He said that if the group Tuesday night had not been wearing those shirts, this would not have happened.

"If they had negetive things to say about me on a shirt, I would have said, 'God bless you. That's your right.' I'm not intimidated by opposition," he said. "I find this sad and petty."

Click here to return to story:
http://staugustine.com/stories/070308/news_070308_031.shtml

© The St. Augustine Record