Clean Up City of St. Augustine, Florida: Conflicted County Lobbyist Lobbied County For MOTOROLA NO-BID CONTRACT

THOMAS MARTIN FIORENTINO's lobbying partner, MARK PINTO, met with St. Johns County Commissioners about the no-bid MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS contract that would charge taxpayers some $10,000 each for nearly $15 million worth of interoperable radios.

MARTY FIORENTINO and MARK PINTO are high-paid bagmen/fundraisers for Florida Republicans.

The deeply conflicted FIORENTINO firm lobbies for St. Johns County, the St. Johns County Clerk of Courts and Comptroller, and St. Johns County Sheriff, as well as NOCATEE, PARC GROUP and other devious developers.

County Commissioners once cancelled FIORENTINO's contract, but it was later renewed.

No lobbying firm is desired or required to represent St. Johns County. We need a lobbying firm like a moose needs a hatrack. Our Commissioners are our best lobbyists. We don't need conflicted talentless hick hacks embarrassing us, lobbying our Commissioners even as they lobby for Commissioners. This is madness.

Footnote: Our corrupt developer-directed County government does not require that FIORENTINO and PINTO register as lobbyists when lobbying our County on behalf of MOTOROLA and other corporations. Yes, corrupt St. Johns County has no lobbying registration ordinance, an indicia of corruption here. Former Commissioner James K. Johns and I pushed for lobbying registration ordinance. Lobbying registration was halted amid scurrilous opposition by other-directed Ponte Vedra Commissioner JOHN H. JAY" MORRIS, JR., former EVP of fraudfeasing False Claims Act defendant RPM International. MORRIS was an insincere snollygoster who balked at the $25 annual registration fee as unduly burdensome.

Former County Attorney Patrick Francis McCormack helped. McCormack submarined lobbying registration ordinance by reaching out to enlist as lobbyists against the proposal those he called "stakeholders," a/k/a "stakeholders," e.g., lobbyists. They included disgraced former Commissioner PRISCILLA "RACHAEL" BENNETT, longtime retainer of HUTSON COMPANIES, DAVID HUTSON and State Senator TRAVIS JAMES HUTSON. Political prostitute PRISCILLA BENNETT took issue with a ban on contingency fees!

(Out of corruption concerns, contingency fees are illegal in Tallahassee and Washington, D.C. legislative and executive corridors patrolled by lobbyists. Contingency fees are illegal in criminal and divorce cases. Ms BENNETT told me she had never taken a contingency fee, but her financial disclosure before becoming a Commissioner suggests she got a big bonus from HUTSON.

Here's PINTO's bio from THE FIORENTINO GROUP website::

Mark J. Pinto Jr., Partner

PRINCIPAL

Jacksonville

With over 10 years of government relations experience, Mark serves as a partner to the firm and provides our clients with a wealth of knowledge relating to the state lawmaking and appropriations processes. He has key experience in the areas of media relations, corporate communications, grassroots campaigning, and fundraising, among others. As a result, Mark has developed an extensive and invaluable network of contacts in both the private and public sectors.

Mark has experience in a variety of issues such as healthcare, gaming, medical marijuana, education, local government, economic development, tourism, professional sports leagues, private development, and the environment. Mark meticulously advises and manages projects for our clients.

In 2012, Mark served as the Special Assistant to then Republican Party of Florida Chairman Lenny Curry, who is now Mayor of Jacksonville. In this role, Mark traveled across the state to meet top campaign donors, elected officials, and community leaders. He also served on Mayor Lenny Curry’s Finance Committee.

Mark began his political career with former Florida Senate President Bill Galvano during his tenure in the Florida House of Representatives. Mark has also been active in local, state, and national politics, and has volunteered and raised funds for numerous political campaigns.

Mark was selected as one of the Jacksonville Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 honorees. In 2015, he served as the Jacksonville Regional Chair for The James Madison Institute’s Leaders Fellowship Class. He is a former member of the St. Johns County Chamber Economic Development Council. Mark currently serves on the St. Johns Chamber Public Policy Committee.

Mark graduated from Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia with a B.A. in political science. A native of Florida, he is married to Kelly Woodard Pinto. They reside in Ponte Vedra with their two children.

Here's a list of PINTO's clients.

Mark Pinto

Mailing Address:

1301 Riverplace Blvd
Suite 1300
Jacksonville, FL 32207-9027

Phone Number:

(904) 358-2757

Principals:

• Lobbyists registered to lobby the House and Senate will not display any chamber reference.
• Lobbyists registered to lobby one chamber and/or the PSCNC (Public Service Commission Nominating Council) will display the names of the entity(ies) next to their names (e.g., (Senate, PSCNC)) within the principal's information.
• Lobbyists registered to lobby all three legislative entities will display all entity names (e.g., (House, Senate, PSCNC)).

Friday, November 11, 2022

Conflicted County Lobbyist Lobbied County For MOTOROLA NO-BID CONTRACT