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Elections complaint against Celebrate Marco rejected
Resident says he will amend complaint
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A complaint filed with the Florida Elections Commission was rejected just a week after it was filed, though the resident who lodged the complaint says he plans to amend it and resubmit it by the Feb. 7 deadline.
Bill McMullan filed a complaint with the commission Jan. 17 alleging that the corporation Celebrate Marco was engaging in activities befitting a political action committee, but was not registered as such.
His complaint hinged on letters sent by Celebrate Marco to island residents sharing literature about the city’s Septic Tank Replacement Program, which hung in the balance in Tuesday’s election. Celebrate Marco also placed ads in area newspapers sharing similar information and refuting the claims of one candidate.
“I was a little surprised to the fact that they didn’t contact me direct, because they don’t have all of the facts,” McMullan said of the Elections Commission’s decision, which he learned of through a letter sent to a lawyer for Celebrate Marco board member John Arceri. “I will provide the base of the rest of what I have.”
McMullan said the additional information he plans to file will consist of hard materials and witness information.
Arceri said he hoped that the dismissal letter would mark the end of the episode, though. The letter, signed by Florida Elections Commission Executive Director Barbara Linthicum, was dated Jan. 24, and called the complaint “legally insufficient.”
“I thought this was not a valid complaint, but just the same old stuff,” Arceri said. “As they’ve done in the past, these were allegations without any basis.”
He called the complaint a “publicity stunt” in the final days leading up to the election, and said the voters rejected “this negativity.”
But McMullan said he just wants to see the corporation ruled by the same laws that oversee PACs.
“I just think they’re operating as a political action committee, and I think they should be governed accordingly,” he said.
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Bill, you have much too much time on your hands.
#1 Posted by weikosteve on January 31, 2008 at 6:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Give it up McMullan! You sent out bulk emails from mousepad.com which is not a PAC. MITA endorsed candidates in their newsletter and MITA is not a PAC.
McMullan, you are everything that the voters voted against yet you still proceed with frivolous attempts to disrupt our city. You have to be one of the most persistent parasites this community has ever seen.
Your background has been brought to the forefront; people know your character but you continue with more of the same...what is wrong with you?
Let this community heal!
#2 Posted by 27_Year_Resident on January 31, 2008 at 8:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Mr. McMullan: In the interest of objectivity, there is a Letter To The Editor from the Sun Times that Fay Biles signed as President of MITA. In that letter she endorsed the losing slate of candidates and did a whole discussion of the pros and cons of the candidates. As MITA is not a PAC, this is a clear violation and one that I am certain you will want to pursue in the interest of fairness and legalities. Someone will do it, it might as well be you. If you need a copy of the Letter, just let me know and I will get it to you.
Ed Issler
#3 Posted by lauralbi1 on February 1, 2008 at 10:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)
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