They both remind me of the late corrupt President RICHARD MILHOUS NIXON, saying everything but "I'm not a crook!"
Doth the puppet "protest too much?" Fearful of FBI investigation of corruption in St. Johns County by the FBI Corruption Task Force in Daytona Beach?
The biggest money-raiser this year, running for Commissioner, JERRY CAMERON ran interference for Sheriff SHOAR on the Michelle O'Connell case. CAMERON blocked Open Records requests. JERRY CAMERON told me November 20, 2013 that he thought it was a "suicide, and said he read all the boxes of documents from Sheriff SHOAR's putative investigation: this was at the joint City-County meeting at St. Augustine City Hall on November 20, 2013, four days before The New York Times story and six days before the PBS Frontline story.
JERRY CAMERON is in bed with Sheriff SHOAR and Administrator WANCHICK.
JERRY CAMERON lied about needing lots of money to win elections. In 2004, reformer Ben Rich, CAMERON's former boss, spent $7,737.64.
Two years later, Tom Manuel spent $15,790 and Ron Sanchez spent $12,920.00, defeating developer-funded candidates who spent many times that. In 2008, J. Kenneth Bryan spent $12,635.04, defeating candidates who spent more.
JERRY CAMeron is as lugubrious a goober as ever made a chair squeak. (See photo).
To borrow the immortal words of former Washington, D.C. Mayor Marion S. Barry re: Jesse Jackson, "The only thing that [Jerry Cameron] knows how to run is his mouth."
Controversial St. Johns County Commissioner PRISCILLA BENNEFTT (a/k/a "RACHAEL")(R-Hutston Companies) could not contain her anger at criticism of developer-driven Commissioners in today's Record.
A planner for the HUTSON COMPANIES, BENNETT met with county staff for the developers even before she was sworn into office, an appearance of impropriety.
BENETT in 2013 interfered with my Open Records request for St. Johns County Visitor and Convention Bureau Records, even though SJCVCB is a county no-bid contractor.
BENNETT in 2014 wrote CHRISTY WEEKS to express her hostility to criticism after WEEKS destroyed a 211-year old building, working without permits.
Developers have pulled applications when BENNETT was absent, counting on her advocacy.
BENNETT is a schemer, a schlemiel and a hoary hog at the public trough.
BENNETT told the Record about concerns about her being a developer puppet:
“To me, that is outrageous,” she said. “If they wanted to buy me, why would they be OK with being on a donor list?”
She added later, “I also find it offensive that someone who doesn’t know me and doesn’t know these people who are donating to me automatically assumes that there is corruption going on,” she said. “I find that offensive.”
Bennett’s background is in land planning and zoning, including being the former assistant zoning manager for St. Johns County.
She acknowledged that sometimes people attack because of perceptions. She does the best she can and, like others, sometimes makes mistakes, she said.
But, she added, “Am I for sale? No.”
What is truly "offensive" and "outrageous" is how so many times Benedict Arnold elected officials have rubberstamped developer projects, destroying the peaceful quiet enjoyment of St. Augustine. Developers are "worse than any carpetbagger," as former St. Johns County Commission Chairman Ben Rich says.
Money rolling in for St. Johns County Commission candidates
Posted: February 6, 2016 - 11:39pm | Updated: February 7, 2016 - 7:57am
Candidate lists and reports
By SHELDON GARDNER
sheldon.gardner@staugustine.com
With several months to go before qualifying begins, a handful of candidates for St. Johns County Commission have already received or brought in more than $161,000 in combined contributions, with more than $146,000 being split among just three candidates.
Some of the top donors include real estate groups and developers, many with Duval County addresses. But candidates said they will not be swayed by money.
Campaign finance information is from the St. Johns County Supervisor of Elections, which classifies most donations based on the occupation or main type of business for contributions of $100 or more.
Up for election in November will be three County Commission seats currently held by Commissioners Rachael Bennett, Jimmy Johns and Bill McClure (only McClure has yet to file for re-election). In total, seven candidates have filed to run for County Commission.
The candidate with the most contributions to date is not an incumbent. Jerry Cameron, former assistant St. Johns County administrator for community services, has collected more than $63,000 in monetary contributions as of Friday. At least $11,000 came from donations from people or businesses in the development sector and another $6,000 from people or businesses involved in real estate.
Cameron said he’s not concerned about feeling pressured to vote one way or another on issues based on contributions, saying he’ll vote in the best interest of the county.
He said the contributions from some groups may affect perception but added, “You can’t run without money.”
Cameron also said that if someone attempts to give him a donation in exchange for a favor, he won’t take it. He cited his 25 years of public service, including time as a police chief, public works director and city manager in other jurisdictions and said he has never profited from a position.
“Anybody that offers to donate money based on an expectation of me favoring their position, I’m not going to do that,” Cameron said.
The next biggest war chest in the County Commission races belongs to District 1 Commissioner Jimmy Johns, who has collected more than $51,000 in contributions.
Johns, who was appointed by Gov. Rick Scott to replace now-state Rep. Cyndi Stevenson on the commission, has received some of his biggest combined contributions from people or businesses involved in real estate (at least $11,000) and builders ($3,500), according to Supervisor of Elections records.
Johns said he has not targeted a particular sector for donations, though he said he has requested campaign support “from a wide cross-section in the community.”
“I’m not partial to one group versus another,” he said, adding later that he is focused on representing everyone in the county.
In third place so far for the most contributions is District 5 Commissioner Rachael Bennett, who has received $31,120 for her campaign. Her largest contributors by group are in real estate and have contributed at least $6,000. Developers have contributed at least $2,000 to the campaign, and at least $3,800 came from civil engineers and a civil engineering group. Other occupation or business categories, such as investment and management, contributed thousands as well.
Bennett acknowledged the anti-development sentiment among some people and the negative perception that some may have based on the source of her donations.
She said businesspeople depend on a government that is stable and thoughtful, and people who contribute to her campaign do so because they believe she follows the law and reviews issues thoughtfully — not because they believe they can buy her.
“To me, that is outrageous,” she said. “If they wanted to buy me, why would they be OK with being on a donor list?”
She added later, “I also find it offensive that someone who doesn’t know me and doesn’t know these people who are donating to me automatically assumes that there is corruption going on,” she said. “I find that offensive.”
Bennett’s background is in land planning and zoning, including being the former assistant zoning manager for St. Johns County.
She acknowledged that sometimes people attack because of perceptions. She does the best she can and, like others, sometimes makes mistakes, she said.
But, she added, “Am I for sale? No.”
Other candidates vying for Bennett’s seat, Jake Riley and Rose Bailey, have received no monetary contributions thus far, according to the Supervisor of Elections. Dottie Acosta, who is running for Bennett’s seat, has received more than $5,450 in monetary contributions, which are largely self-funded.
Paul Waldron, who is running for McClure’s seat, has received $10,200 in monetary contributions. The largest share of that is $2,000 and comes from the combined total of donations from local dealership Bozard Ford and a representative for the business.
COMMENTS
martystaug 02/07/16 - 08:36 am 30It is obvious to me that
It is obvious to me that these commissioner's top priority is to be re-elected. Look where the big bucks are coming from. Developers and realtors and those expecting approval for their next big project. So unless you are a carpetbagger yourself, why would anyone vote to re-elect these people? Our taxes are paying their salaries, and our taxes are paying to clean up their mess. We are paying extra for schools and infrastructure and police and fire. All so these donors can reap the rewards of turning wetlands and forest into houses, asphalt and the occasional drainage pond. Job creation you say, well we have thousands of already approved homesites ready to be stripped of trees, filled and built upon. We do not need any more massive projects to be approved.
Re-Elect Nobody!
mikewoodruff 02/07/16 - 10:19 am 20The candidates avoid the real point.
Why would anyone expect a candidate to admit that campaign contributions would influence them? This is more subtle than that. A second question is "Why would any company or person donate to a campaign unless they were reasonably comfortable that the candidate already shared or leaned toward their positions?" Whether or not the campaign contributions influence, either consciously or unconsciously, how a commissioner will vote, where the money goes is still the best indicator of the direction a commissioner or future commissioner will lean.
JoeJoe 02/07/16 - 11:06 am 20Jerry Cameron was administrator Wanchick's shill
Just what we don't need is him now becoming a commissioner to act on Wanchick's behalf.
1 comment:
Here's the unspoken, unwritten rule in politics. I donate to your campaign. I'll expect "favors" in return. No phone calls, no emails, no meetings. Untraceable. Either you approve my "projects" and rush them through; or guess what? No donation to your re-election campaign. It's been this way for over 200 years; it's called US "politics"; and Special Interests rule the roost!
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