Senator TRAVIS HUTSON's sweetheart contract with VICHY OAKES, Supervisor of Elections, Bans First Amendment Protected Activity at Early Voting Site at SILVERLEAF Amenities Center

VICTORIA OAKES, St. Johns County Supervisor of Elections, has signed a contract with SilverLeaf developer restricting First Amendment protected activity at the SilverLeaf Amenities Center early voting polling location. 

No tents. 

Illegal restrictions on signs.  

VICHY OAKES has signed an illegal contract inflicting a Cruella DeVille rule at only one (1) St. Johns County polling place, the SilverLeaf Amenities Center, a rotten borough under the suzerainty of sinister, callow, shallow, cynical St. Augustine State Senator TRAVIS HUTSON's SILVERLEAF development.  

This latest example of St. Johns County corruption is not subtle.  It must be extirpated.  Read my e-mail to Supervisor of Elections VICTORIA OAKES and superficial, self-serving, self-centered State Senator TRAVIS JAMES HUTSON: 

-----Original Message-----
From: Ed Slavin <easlavin@aol.com>
To: voakes@votesjc.com <voakes@votesjc.com>; wfusco@votesjc.com <wfusco@votesjc.com>; hutson.travis.web@flsenate.gov <hutson.travis.web@flsenate.gov>; eaverysmith@rtlaw.com <eaverysmith@rtlaw.com>; voakes@votesjc.gov <voakes@votesjc.gov>
Cc: ada.complaint@usdoj.gov <ada.complaint@usdoj.gov>; stillman.kerrie@leg.state.fl.us <stillman.kerrie@leg.state.fl.us>; DivElections@dos.myflorida.com <DivElections@dos.myflorida.com>; roberts.dawn@flsenate.gov <roberts.dawn@flsenate.gov>; rey.carlos@flsenate.gov <rey.carlos@flsenate.gov>; bcc5hdean@sjcfl.us <bcc5hdean@sjcfl.us>; bcc1cwhitehurst@sjcfl.us <bcc1cwhitehurst@sjcfl.us>; bcc2sarnold@sjcfl.us <bcc2sarnold@sjcfl.us>; bcc4jblocker@sjcfl.us <bcc4jblocker@sjcfl.us>; hconrad@sjcfl.us <hconrad@sjcfl.us>; stjohnspennyplan@gmail.com <stjohnspennyplan@gmail.com>; hutson.travis.web@flsenate.gov <hutson.travis.web@flsenate.gov>; john.delaney@rtlaw.com <john.delaney@rtlaw.com>; tmf@thefiorentinogroup.com <tmf@thefiorentinogroup.com>; bdixon@sjcfl.us <bdixon@sjcfl.us>; jmetcalf@hutsoncompanies.com <jmetcalf@hutsoncompanies.com>; eaverysmith@rtlaw.com <eaverysmith@rtlaw.com>; inspector_general@stjohnsclerk.com <inspector_general@stjohnsclerk.com>; fwa@stjohnsclerk.com <fwa@stjohnsclerk.com>; larizzar@sao7.org <larizzar@sao7.org>; shorsteinb@sao7.org <shorsteinb@sao7.org>; nicholas.weilhammer@myfloridalegal.com <nicholas.weilhammer@myfloridalegal.com>; pat.gleason@myfloridalegal.com <pat.gleason@myfloridalegal.com>; jdunn@sjcfl.us <jdunn@sjcfl.us>; bbradley@sjcfl.us <bbradley@sjcfl.us>; paul.renner@myfloridahouse.gov <paul.renner@myfloridahouse.gov>; cyndi.stevenson@myfloridahouse.gov <cyndi.stevenson@myfloridahouse.gov>; kkeatingjoseph@gmail.com <kkeatingjoseph@gmail.com>; jdunn@sjcfl.us <jdunn@sjcfl.us>; jqandrews@sjcfl.us <jqandrews@sjcfl.us>; bbradley@sjcfl.us <bbradley@sjcfl.us>; pat.gleason@myfloridalegal.com <pat.gleason@myfloridalegal.com>; nicholas/weilhammer@myfloridalegal.com <nicholas/weilhammer@myfloridalegal.com>; ralfbrookes@gmail.com <ralfbrookes@gmail.com>; fec@myfloridalegal.com <fec@myfloridalegal.com>; governorron.desantis@eog.myflorida.com <governorron.desantis@eog.myflorida.com>; stillman.kerrie@leg.state.fl.us <stillman.kerrie@leg.state.fl.us>; cvalliere@sjcfl.us <cvalliere@sjcfl.us>; ltaylor@sjcfl.us <ltaylor@sjcfl.us>; ferguson@sjcfl.us <ferguson@sjcfl.us>; bbulthuis@sjcfl.us <bbulthuis@sjcfl.us>; kwest@sjcfl.us <kwest@sjcfl.us>; ashley.moody@myfloridalegal.com <ashley.moody@myfloridalegal.com>; jim-watson@att.net <jim-watson@att.net>; vhs3@hsmith-inc.com <vhs3@hsmith-inc.com>; adamscience@windstream.net <adamscience@windstream.net>; elizabethguthrie4@gmail.com <elizabethguthrie4@gmail.com>; travisminch@gmail.com <travisminch@gmail.com>; jb-tmiller@comcast.net <jb-tmiller@comcast.net>; wflowers@llw-law.com <wflowers@llw-law.com>; shorty.lampsjc@gmail.com <shorty.lampsjc@gmail.com>; spvanews@comcast.net <spvanews@comcast.net>; executiveinvestigationscomplaints@fdle.state.fl.us <executiveinvestigationscomplaints@fdle.state.fl.us>; jessicaclark@firstcoastnews.com <jessicaclark@firstcoastnews.com>; sheriff@sjso.org <sheriff@sjso.org>; eddie@sjcpa.us <eddie@sjcpa.us>; voakes@votesjc.com <voakes@votesjc.com>; wfusco@votesjc.com <wfusco@votesjc.com>; mminer@stjohnsclerk.com <mminer@stjohnsclerk.com>; bpatty@stjohnsclerk.com <bpatty@stjohnsclerk.com>; inspector_general@stjohnsclerk.com <inspector_general@stjohnsclerk.com>; jdunbar@gannett.com <jdunbar@gannett.com>; firstcoastconnect@wjct.org <firstcoastconnect@wjct.org>; jmp@floridajustice.com <jmp@floridajustice.com>; sunshine@floridafaf.org <sunshine@floridafaf.org>; sgardner@staugustine.com <sgardner@staugustine.com>; sheltonhull@gmail.com <sheltonhull@gmail.com>; taxcollector@sjctax.us <taxcollector@sjctax.us>; electjoemack@gmail.com <electjoemack@gmail.com>; sheplaw@att.net <sheplaw@att.net>; gayphill@att.net <gayphill@att.net>; krystal.carter@tbo4you.com <krystal.carter@tbo4you.com>; clmcgyver@gmail.com <clmcgyver@gmail.com>; rescuerick06@gmail.com <rescuerick06@gmail.com>; sheldon.gardner@staugustine.com <sheldon.gardner@staugustine.com>; tomcushman@bellsouth.net <tomcushman@bellsouth.net>; comugeorge@cityofsab.org <comugeorge@cityofsab.org>; comdrumrell@cityofsab.org <comdrumrell@cityofsab.org>; bcc5hdean@sjcfl.us <bcc5hdean@sjcfl.us>; combsweeny@cityofsab.org <combsweeny@cityofsab.org>; comdsamora@cityofsab.org <comdsamora@cityofsab.org>; mroyle@cityofsab.org <mroyle@cityofsab.org>; tupchurch@citystaug.com <tupchurch@citystaug.com>; jregan@citystaug.com <jregan@citystaug.com>; bblonder@citystaug.com <bblonder@citystaug.com>; jvaldes@citystaug.com <jvaldes@citystaug.com>; rhorvath@citystaug.com <rhorvath@citystaug.com>; nsikeskline@citystaug.com <nsikeskline@citystaug.com>; dkroberts@fsu.edu <dkroberts@fsu.edu>; elections@wjxt.com <elections@wjxt.com>; tgibson@wjxt.com <tgibson@wjxt.com>; jpiggott@wjxt.com <jpiggott@wjxt.com>; waltbog@nytimes.com <waltbog@nytimes.com>
Sent: Fri, Oct 28, 2022 9:17 am
Subject: Request No. 2022-179 SlverLeaf "Amenity Center" Early Polling Place Restrictions on Campaiging and Tents Violate First, Ninth and Fourteenth Amendments

Dear Senator Hutson, Ms. Oakes, Ms. Avery-Smith and Mr. Fusco:
1.  Please send me today by PDF in e-mail all Supervisor of Elections (SoE) andSilverLeaf documents pursuant to F.S. 119 and 119.0701 relating to the contract between the SoE and special rules restricting First Amendment protected activity at the "SilverLeaf Amenities Center," said to be a "private community" whose purported provincial rules are oddly said to be supported by an uncited "ordinance."  Kindly call me to discuss today.

2. Please include all e-mails, memos, meeting minutes, desk calendar entries, draft and final copies of all SilverLeaf documents inflicting extralegal requirements on early voting and Election Day First Amendment protected activity, including all draft and final copies of the SoE-SilverLeafcontract, along with all attorney memos on it.  There is no work product doctrine protection or attorney-client privilege for government attorneys.

3. The SilverLeaf development speculator/landowner/developer, led by State Senator TRAVIS JAMES HUTSON, seeks to inflict  unique restrictions on campaigning at our Supervisor of Elections' SilverLeaf Amenity Center early voting location.  Please send me your legal opinions and research.  Please see Reed v. Town of Gilbert, 576 U.S. 155 (2015).

4. This appears to be a contract violation of public policy, void ab initio and unenforceable.  See Restatement of Contracts, 2d, Section 178 (Contract Violation of Public Policy)

5. Our Florida Ethics Commission explains:

Misuse of Public Position

Public officers and employees, and local government attorneys are prohibited from corruptly using or attempting to use their official positions or the resources thereof to obtain a special privilege or benefit for themselves or others. [Sec. 112.313(6), Fla. Stat.]

Abuse of Public Position

Public officers and employees are prohibited from abusing their public positions in order to obtain a disproportionate benefit for themselves or certain others. [Article II, Section 8(h), Florida Constitution.]

6. Discriminatory and special restrictions on First Amendment protected activity at the SilverLeaf Amenity Center early voting location is Senator HUTSON's "special privilege or benefit" for himself and his undisclosed partners and investors in SilverLeaf.  Favoritism in this one contract was illegally granted by the Supervisor of Election.  It violates the First, Ninth and Fourteenth Amendments to our United States Constitution.

7. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said St. Johns County was the "most lawless" in America. While citizens here have repeatedly won First Amendment victories here, it's like President John F. Kennedy said during the Cuban Missile Crisis -- "there's always some poor S.O.B. who doesn't get the word."

8.  The Silverleaf-SoE contract violation of public policy is an affront to First Amendment values.  See., e.g., New York Times v. Sullivan, 376 U.S. 254, 270 (1964), which noted America's "profound national commitment to the principle that debate on public issues should be uninhibited, robust, and wide-open..." See Terminello v. Chicago, 337 U. S. 1, 337 (1949); De  Jonge v. Oregon, 299 U. S. 353 (1937).

9. Our First Amendment deserves "breathing space."  NAACP v. Button, 371 U.S. 415, 433 (1963) New York Times. v. Sullivan, 376 U.S. 254 (1974); Gasparinetti v. Kerr, 568 F.2d 311, 314-17 (3d Cir. 1977)(illegal restrictions on policemen’s First Amendment rights); Philadelphia Newspapers, Inc. v. Hepps, 479 767, 772, 777 (1986)(O’Connor, J.)(newspaper entitled to breathing space in defamation case); Hustler Magazine v. Falwell, 485 U.S. 46, 52, 56 (1988) (Reqhnqist, J.)(magazine parody of TV preacher entitled to breathing space); Keefe v. Ganeakos, 418 F.2d 359, 362 (1st Cir. 1969)(Aldrich, C.J.)(chilling effect on First Amendment by illegal suspension of teacher over sharing Atlantic Monthly article on Vietnam War); Parducci v. Rutland, 316 F.Supp. 352, 355, 357 (M.D. Ala 1970)(Johnson, C.J.)(chilling effect in illegal firing of English teacher over Kurt Vonnegut’s Welcome to the Monkey House).

10. Our Supreme Court unanimously ruled in Reed v. Town of Gilbert, 586 U.S. 215 (2015) that content-based laws targeting free speech rights require "strict scrutiny."Café Erotica v. St. Johns County, 360 F.3d 1274 (11th Cir. 2004) struck down our County's overbroad zoning regulation of a business owner's large billboard criticizing the County's code enforcement officer, Mr. James Acosta, as a "fat ass Barney Fife," one who allegedly cost our County thousands of dollars in "lost lawsuits" due to selective enforcement.  The SilverLeaf-SOE map is a case of selective enforcement and will not withstand voter, administrative or judicial scrutiny.

11. The agreed-upon SilverLeaf-SOE map showing areas where First Amendment protected activity is prohibited is misguided, misanthropic. and dictatorial.  The map is contrary to the genius of a free people, and unlike the rules that apply to all other St. Johns County polling places.  This would appear to be blatant viewpoint discrimination, at SilverLeaf's behest, in violation of the First Amendment and Civil Rights laws.  See, e.g., United Teachers of Dade v. Stierheim, 213 F. Supp. 2d 1368, 1371 (S.D. Fla. 2002); Sherrill v. Knight, 569 F.2d 124, 129 (D.C.Cir.1977) ("arbitrary or content-based criteria for press pass issuance are prohibited under the [F]irst [A]mendment"); Quad-City Cmty. News Serv. v. Jebens, 334 F. Supp. 8, 17 (S.D.Iowa 1971) (stating "any classification which serves to penalize or restrain the exercise of a First Amendment right, unless shown to be necessary to promote a compelling governmental interest, is unconstitutional").  In Rosenberger v. Rector and Visitors of Univ. of Va., 515 U.S. 819, 828-829, 115 S. Ct. 2510, 132 L. Ed. 2d 700 (1995) the Supreme Court held that "[d]iscrimination  against speech because of its message is presumed to be unconstitutional ... When the government targets not subject matter, but particular views taken by speakers on a subject, the violation of the First Amendment is all the more blatant. ... Viewpoint discrimination is thus an egregious form of content discrimination.").  

12. Our St. Johns County and City of St. Augustine governments have repeatedly violated free speech rights and repeatedly lost First Amendment cases to its citizens, see Cafe Erotica v. St. Johns County, supra, including several cases brought by visual artists, Bates I & Bates II, as well as  Celli v. City of St. Augustine, 214 F.Supp. 2d 1256 (M.D. Fla. 2000)(upholding $23,500 jury verdict for four hours of First Amendment violation re: St. Aug Dog newspaper rights to free distribution on St. George Street); Rev. Ruth Jensen v. City of St. Augustine, 3:05-CV-504-J-25HTS TRO (M.D. Fla. 2005)(ordering Rainbow flags flown on Bridge of Lions June 8-13, 2005 in honor of Gay Pride).  The City was found guilty of viewpoint discrimination in both the Celli and Jensen decisions, which were swift justice and never appealed.  

13. Despite constitutional law establishing that the First Amendment deserves "breathing space," St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners and its unqualified Administrator, HUNTER SINCLAIR CONRAD, et al. continue to show disrespect for dissent, chilling free speech rights.  

14.  Supreme Court Justice Robert  Houghwot Jackson, later our Nuremberg War Crimes prosecutor, wrote for the Supreme Court in the landmark flag salute case, "If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion, or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein." West Virginia Board of Education v. Barmette, 319 U.S. 624 (1943).  Supreme Court Justice Louis Dembitz Brandeis wrote that our "government is the potent omnipresent teacher. For good or ill it teaches the whole people by its example. Crime is contagious. If the government becomes a lawbreaker, it breeds contempt for law; it invites every man to become a law unto himself; it invites anarchy." Olmstead v. United States, 277 U.S. 438 (1928)(Brandeis, J., dissenting), dissent heeded and case overruled, Katz v. United States, 389 U.S. 347 (1967).

15. Please cease and desist from interfering with First Amendment protected activity at our SilverLeaf early voting location.  

16. Please cease and desist from illegal orders on signs and tents -- restricting political signs is unconstitutional.  

17. Telling senior citizens that we can't have tents for campaigning is unAmerican, cruelly unfair, and violates the Americans with Disabilities Act. 

18. This is Florida, the Sunshine State, where the sun is bright and hot, but it's raining right now and rain is in the forecast for tomorrow, Saturday, October 29, 2022.

19. For generations, St. Johns County residents have used tents to shelter themselves from the sun and rain when speaking to their neighbors at polling places.

20. State Senator TRAVIS JAMES HUTSON seeks to ban such First Amendment protected activity under color of law, violating the First, Ninth and Fourteenth Amendments, enforceable pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 1983, 1985, 1988.

21. SilverLeaf, controlled by HUTSON and his family, have abused the power of St. Johns County's only State Senator and Chair of the Senate Committee on Regulated Industries.

22. SilverLeaf, HUTSON and their commercial allies and political retailers have plumped for passage of a 15% sales tax increase. 

23. In derogation of citizen rights to campaign against it, HUTSON & Co, have presumed to write its own anti-speech "ordinance" and use the Supervisor of Elections as a bullet in their guns to enforce it.

24. It is misuse and abuse of public position by Senator HUTSON, et al. See F.S. 112.313(6); Florida Constitution, Article II, Section 8(h). As my grandmother would say, "Drop the oyster and leave the wharf."  Cease and desist from all further lawbreaking. 

25. Please send me all documents on these events today pursuant to F.S. 119. and F.S. 119.0701.

Thank you.

With kindest regards, I am,

Sincerely yours,

Ed Slavin

www.edslavin.com

www.cleanupcityofstaugustine.blogspot.com

(904) 377-4998

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Vicky Oakes <voakes@votesjc.gov>
Date: Mon, Oct 24, 2022, 11:08 AM
Subject: New EV Site - SilverLeaf Amenities Center ***IMPORTANT INFORMATION****
To: Vicky Oakes <voakes@votesjc.gov>

Good morning all – Please note our newest early voting location for the General Election is on private property – and comes with specific instructions on signage and solicitation.  Please circulate this to all of your folks who are putting out signs and/or soliciting during early voting. Copies will also be distributed by our poll deputy at Silverleaf during voting hours.

 Note – TENTS ARE PROHIBITED.  Solicitation may be conducted in the voter parking area outside the 150’ solicitation zone.   Signs may NOT be placed in the voter parking area – ONLY in the green area as noted.

 We appreciate your cooperation in this matter.

 Here’s a link to the pdf on our website where copies can be printed for distribution:  https://irp.cdn-website.com/ed388134/files/uploaded/SilverLeaf%20Amenity%20Center.pdf

 

 

Vicky C. Oakes

St. Johns County Supervisor of Elections

4455 Avenue A Suite 101

St. Augustine, FL 32095

(O) 904.823.2238

(F) 904.823.2249

 

**Please note my new email address  voakes@votesjc.gov

 

*** Under Florida Law, FS 119, email addresses are public record. If you do not want your email address released in response to a public records request, do not send emails to this entity. Instead, please contact this office by phone or in writing. 

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