Tuesday, July 04, 2017

A Tale of Two Cities -- St. Augustine and St. Augustine Beach, Independence Day, July 4, 2017

St. Augustine Record (2013).


"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way – in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only."

Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities











First, St. Johns County Sheriff DAVID SHOAR, formerly known as "HOAR," covered up the Michelle O'Connell shooting death case.

Got away with it, to date, avoiding and evading questions in 2013 and 2017 from The New York TimesPBS Frontline, and local publications like The St. Augustine Record, which attacked the others for asking questions.

SHOAR/HOAR tried to get FDLE special agent Rusty Rodgers prosecuted and fired.

Slippery Sheriff SHOAR and his allies stole his re-election campaign against challenger Debra Maynard by persuading two (2) shills to file to run as "write-ins," including his erstwhile jailer (also his massage therapist) closing that universal primary (and three others) in violation of Florida's Constitution, disenfranchising some 80,000 non-Republicans from voting for Sheriff, Clerk of Courts and two of three Commissioners elected in 2016.

Then, emboldened by getting away with a murder coverup and grand theft of our democracy, Sheriff SHOAR has moved on to new levels of torts, crimes and sins.

Our haughty High Sheriff's already massive ego enlarged (as well as his belly), St. Johns County Sheriff DAVID SHOAR f/k/a "HOAR" meddled in two (2) small city commission races, in St. Augustine (pop. 14,000) and St. Augustine Beach (7000).  Spoiler alert: on November 8, 2016, in the midst of the TRUMP election, BOTH OF SHOAR's CANDIDATES LOST -- IGNOMINIOUSLY.

WE, THE PEOPLE of the twin cities, in our righteous wrath, defeated both SHOAR cronies.

SHOAR worked like the Devil with devious developers to elect KRIS PHILLIPS the Mayor of St. Augustine and to defeat reform Mayor Nancy Shaver and simultaneously working to re-elect developer puppet ANDREA SAMUELS as a St. Augustine Beach City Commissioner.  SHOAR ally JOE SAVIAK, a Flagler College professor not only attacked Mayor Shaver with falsehoods, but he was actually named to serve as "moderator" of St. Augustine Beach Civic Association forum on St. Augustine Beach candidates, while publicly endorsing SAMUELS.  Read Top Ten Things to Know About JOE SAVIAK, here.

Why was corrupt Sheriff DAVID SHOAR intervening in two (2) small city elections?

To benefit businesses desiring zoning favors and government contracts.  It's that simple.

SHOAR lost both races.
















Both KRIS PHILLIPS and ANDREA SAMUELS lost. We, the People saw right through 'em.

I could not be more honored to announce Sheriff David Shoar's endorsement and full support of my candidacy. Vote Kris Phillips for Mayor of St. Augustine!

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Yes, under FBI investigation, corrupt St. Johns County Sheriff DAVID SHOAR  endorsed Hate Radio station WFOY owner KRIS PHILLIPS for St. Augustine Mayor against reform Mayor Nancy Shaver.  Read the Top Ten Things to Know About KRIS PHILLIPS here.

Meanwhile, Sheriff SHOAR's maladroit, malicious, mendacious Confederates, including WILLIAM BARRY HARRIS, former City "Manager" of the City of St. Augustine, raised tens of thousands of dollars attacking Mayor Shaver, with secretive dark money paying for lying postcards and a lying anonymous Facebook page, in possible violation of criminal laws on election campaign finance disclosures and money laundering.





"The sea did what it liked, and what it liked was destruction. It thundered at the town, and thundered at the cliffs, and brought the coast down, madly."
--- Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities

So on October 7, 2016, Hurricane Matthew hit.

Hard.



Ex-Mayor JOE BOLES, ex-City Manager WILLIAM HARRISS and other big-shot crooks want their City back, using KRIS PHILLIPS as a bullet in their gun, using Hurricane Matthew as an excuse.  They are despicable.

While the tourists are back, just a few blocks away are homes that are unoccupied, flooded, moldy, destroyed inside, their residents homeless.  Mayor Shaver is working to help people, while the ancien regime did their best to politicize hurricane recovery, lobbying residents to vote against her while purporting to give hurricane relief assistance at 5 Arredondo Avenue, the office of Commissioner TODD NEVILLE (R-Proctorville).

Our Super Mayor is opposed by Super PACs.

Manchurian Candidate KRIS PHILLIPS & Co., including Flagler College Associate Professor and Assistant Director of Public Administration JOE SAVIAK, proceeded to lie and blame Mayor Shaver for suffering, inventing hoaxes and perpetrating them, even creating an anonymous website coordinated with expensive mailings by secretive PACS.

Despicable.

"What did you make of it, Tom?"
"Nothing at all, Joe."
"That's a coincidence, too, for I made the same of it myself."



-- Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities







Viperous, vicious vapid JOE SAVIAK, buds with rebarbative reprobate St. Augustine City Commissioner TODD NEVILLE a/k/a "ODD TODD," proceeded to lie and blame Mayor Shaver for suffering, inventing hoaxes and perpetrating them electrically, even creating an anonymous Facebook website coordinated with expensive oleaginous mailings by secretive PACs.

Like a honky-tonk medley of  SPIRO AGNEW, FATHER COUGHLIN and JOE McCARTHY, Professor JOE SAVIAK a/k/a "JOE SIXPACK" is a dybbuk, an energumen.  JOE SIXPACK has bad grammar and bad taste, splits infinitives, threatens libel lawsuits and Baker Act hospitalizations, all the while wrapping himself in the flag, patriotism and "Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

So much for blasphemy.

JOE SAVIAK, TODD NEVILLE, SHERIFF SHOAR and their arachnid apparatchik anti-Shaver crew's electronic lynching campaign does not appear to be working.

Its Facebook "likes" include nonresidents -- who are they?  Paid "likes" from Southeast Asia?




Meanwhile, an orchestra of very diverse people who love our town (Michael Gold and me, for two examples) all love Mayor Nancy Shaver and sincerely appreciate her work ethic, experience intelligence, integrity and kindness.

She's one in 300 million.

Truly a leader.

Don't take my word for it:



Even Florida's controversial Republican Governor RICK SCOTT has praised her leadership, calling her "relentless" on protecting St. Augustine and obtaining government assistance for Our Nation's Oldest City's recovery and preservation.

She asks questions, demands answers, expects civility and has helped make St. Augustine safe for democracy.



In sharp and marked contrast, Mayor Shaver's autocratic, unqualified opponent -- disdainful, vapid hate radio station owner KRIS PHILLIPS -- is supported by dark money from developers.  Just like Sheriff SHOAR.  How about that?





Just like corrupt Sheriff DAVID SHOAR, whose developer-funded campaign illegally shot campaign photos in our national cemetery, WFOY radio station owner KRIS PHILLIPS desecrated our St. Augustine National Cemetery on Memorial Day 2016 for political purposes (Facebook ad photos), violating federal law.  See revolting exploitation photos above, in violation of federal law against using national cemeteries for political campaign purposes.

How about that?

Coincidence?

Entitlement?

Crass exploitation of St. Augustine National Cemetery for political purposes?

Yes.



Giving aid and comfort to unAmerican activities -- haters who preach anti-Gay hate speech on our public airwaves -- KRIS PHILLIPS never apologized for anti-Gay hate speech by her twice-daily caller, Greater St. Augustine Club President MARTIN MILLER, on WFOY on June 13, 2016 (MILLER stated 49 Gays killed in Orlando "got what they deserved."

I've filed an FCC complaint.  PHILLIPS has not responded to my requests for an apology, a copy of the tape recording, or otherwise.

KRIS PHILLIPS fired and stiffed longtime employee Al Brennan, a beloved local newsman and ad salesman, who filed a lawsuit and documented his case, winning a settlement -- PHILLIPS was "terrible to work for" and doesn't care about anyone but herself," Brennan said.  PHILLIPS has otherwise shown her unfitness to hold office.

No one knows much about KRIS PHILLIPS, who moved into the city in February 2016: one longtime resident asked me Friday night, at First Friday Arts' Walk about KRIS PHILLIPS: "Who is he?"  For more, read here.

Color PHILLIPS bigoted, misguided and soulless.  We re-elected courageous Mayor Nancy Shaver.


The other itty-bitty City where Sheriff SHOAR tried to spread manure around and buy friends and influence is St. Augustine Beach.



Sheriff SHOAR has endorsed two-term St. Augustine Beach Commissioner  ANDREA SAMUELS for re-election. Again, it does not appear to be working -- SHOAR not only gave SAMUELS campaign $500 but also endorsed her on Sheriff's letterhead in violation of the federal Hatch Act, under investigation by the U.S. Office of Special Counsel in response to government watchdog Tom Reynold's complaint.

Read the Top Ten List of Things to Know About ANDREA SAMUELS here.

SAMUELS almost got her way and fired the entire St. Augustine Beach Police Department because ten officers exercised their First Amendment rights to file a complaint against Chief Richard Hedges.  Her plan was approved 3-2, but Commissioner Gary Snodgrass changed his vote when I pointed out that SAMUELS' remarks showed an intent to violate the First Amendment.  SAMUELS' plan would have empowered Sheriff DAVID SHOAR to take over policing of the small beach town, which is probably why corrupt Sheriff DAVID SHOAR gave her a $500 campaign contribution and an illegal endorsement on SJSO letterhead.

SAMUELS is too often a lapdog for developers like Farid Ashdji, whose commitment to pay $560,000 for drainage associated with a too-tall hotel he was allowed to build.  Her husband publicly attacked me when I opposed the demand, showing his colors, and his wife's colors too -- they're developer toadies. Commissioner Undine Pawlowski-George eventually turned her fellow Commissioners around, and the demand to void a developer's contractual commitments fizzled.  Foiled again, the SAMUELS fumed.

As Mayor, SAMUELS tolerated a 53 foot tall hotel in violation of the City Charter limiting structures t 35 feet, after a private tour with County Administrator MICHAEL WANCHICK and the developer.

SAMUELS violated nepotism laws in voting to appoint her husband as a junior alternate to the Planning and Zoning Board.








Angry SABCA VP ROBERT SAMUELS heckles and gesticulates wildly during public comments with which he disagrees: here, like a one-man Greek Chorus, ROBERT SAMUELS responds on-camera June 1, 2016 after citizen Thomas F. Reynolds, Jr. stated that Commissioner  ANDREA SAMUELS "failed us" by not attending County budget hearing and for not speaking out for St. Augustine Beach priorities such as better bus service, children's recreation and better library service hours.  SAMUELS is one angry man, hostile to First Amendment protected activity, such as that by Mr. William Rosenstock, whose jury trial commences on June 20, 2016 before Judge Tinlin.



Ed Slavin speaking while ROBERT SAMUELS smirks and scowls.


Left to right: SABCA President WILLIAM JONES, Commissioner ANDREA SAMUELS, et ux, SABCA VP ROBERT SAMUELS, tedious tendentious serial violators of the First Amendment.

St. Augustine Beach Civic Association President WILLIAM JONES and the SABCA VP, SAMUELS' hostile and offensive husband ROBERT SAMUELS were still continuously attacking and insulting people, including Vice Mayor Undine George, and citizen activists (including me) -- that does not help, either.  We need healing, not heels.  Speaking of heels, SHOAR NEVER recused himself from "investigating" the attack on Vice Mayor George.

The unending ANDREA and ROBERT SAMUELS circus is one of many reasons why The St. Augustine Record actually endorsed reformer Maggie Kostka, a former school teacher, current small business owner and a needed breath of fresh air, who listens to people -- no shill for dodgy developers:



Yes, ANDREA SAMUELS' challenger Maggie Kostka was endorsed by The St. Augustine Record, this blog and by the Republican Party; oddly, in violation of Democratic Party Rule 8, our local Democrats have endorsed, without notice or meeting, two (2) pro-developer, anti-free speech candidates, ANDREA SAMUELS and  RICH O'BRIEN.

Maggie Kostka won and is doing a fine job!

READ RICH O'BRIEN Top Ten List of Things to Know here.  Read about O'BRIEN's latest felony charges under investigation here.

Ignore and forgive local Democrats' uninformed, inexplicable illegal "recommendations" in St. Augustine Beach  As JFK said during the Cuban Missile Crisis, "There's always some poor S.O.B. who doesn't get the word!"  Don't let these Dixiecrats do it again.  Democrats, independents (No Party Affiliation) and Republicans alike: elect Maggie Kostka to end SAMUELS' reign of error.

Fourteen-year incumbent RICHARD BURTT O'BRIEN is still facing federal and state criminal, civil and administrative  investigations for his -- and his spouse's and their corporation's -- allegedly unAmerican, illegal, allegedly felonious activities, including destroying a dune and vegetation in violation of environmental laws, and in retaliation, making a false police report against government watchdog Tom Reynolds, interfering with Mr. Reynolds' voting rights and misusing photos of police cars in mailings to imply police support (while falsely stating he is the "Republican's choice)(O'BRIEN paid a $200 fine for that one)..

Commissioner RICHARD BURTT O'BRIEN had a strong challenger in Rosetta Bailey, a local small business owner, who as a Pittsburgh bank vice president broke the "glass ceiling" in 1973, eleven (11) years before the term "glass ceiling" was ever coined:


Last year, St. Augustine's heroic reform Mayor Shaver was reelected, and one new reform Commissioner was elected in St. Augustine Beach.  Next year: "keep chipping away."  (In the words of bumptious bureaucrat DAVID DOUGLAS BIRCHIM, who once whined at me, "You keep chipping away" at the flummery, dupery and nincompoopery in City Hall.

As author Mark Twain and President Ronald Wilson Reagan both said, "Politicians and diapers must be changed often, and for the same reasons."

Like our Founding Fathers some 241 years ago, We, the People promise each other, pledging "our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor," as our Founders did: we will work night and day to replace Sheriff DAVID SHOAR f/k/a "HOAR," hoping and praying that the FBI investigation will sweep him out the door.

Most of the overdevelopment and environmental and historic preservation problems here in St. Johns County have their root cause in political corruption.

That leads right to the door of Sheriff SHOAR/HOAR and his henchmen, including notorious Republican bagman-bundler-fundraiser-lawyer-louche special interest lobbyist MARTIN FIORINTINO, who represents the ST. JOHNS COUNTY SHERIFF's OFFICE, dodgy foreign-funded developers, our St. Johns County government, the City of Jacksonville (and falsely claims on his FIORENTINO GROUP website to represent the City of St. Augustine).

Let's end frequent First Amendment violations, including the illegal arrests of artists and musicians in St. Augustine and violations of peoples' rights to speak out about public corruption.

Let's work tirelessly to preserve and protect what we love in St. Augustine and St. Augustine Beach forever -- including adoption of a St. Augustine National Historical Park and National Seashore Act, first proposed in 1939 by heroic St. Augustine Mayor Walter Fraser.

What's next?

What's next for the two itty-bitty cities?

The New York Times on June 18, 2017 hit the cover off the ball -- Sheriff DAVID SHOAR obstructed justice, committing what appears to me to be some six federal felonies -- the coverup of the homicide of Michelle O'Connell included false statements to federal and state law enforcement in a meretricious, mendacious effort to malign FDLE agent Rusty Rodgers and have him fired, indicted,prosecuted and imprisoned for protected activity in doing his job "too well."

Every good and decent person should  call for Sheriff DAVID SHOAR's resignation.  He must be investigated by the FBI, Justice Department and a federal grand jury.  Let justice be done.

James Madison warned against "factions" in Federalist 10, warning us to focus on their
causes" and "effects" in solving the problem.  Developers and their toadies, starting with Sheriff SHOAR f/k/a "HOAR" are the faction that controls, corrupts and mucks up our governments.

They own the City "Managers" and County "Administrator."

Decisions are made by people who show up.

So show up.

July 5, 2017 St. Augustine Beach City Commission meeting, 6 PM:
1.  FIRE City "Manager" BRUCE MAX ROYLE (after due process notice and hearing).  ROYLE covered up sexual battery, harassment and unconstitutional dual officeholding by maladroit building officer GARY RAYMOND LARSON.  "Succession planning" is a listed agenda item, and we can talk about all of ROYLE's works and pomps and inadequacies -- make a list and check it twice.
2. DENY special zoning favor sought by Mayor RICHARD BURTT O'BRIEN for his "mistake" in violating his conditional use permit by exceeding fifteen foot setback by 2.9 feet.
3. REJECT St. Augustine Beach City "Manager" BRUCE MAX ROYLE's proposed takeover of County Pier Park and no-bid contract with St. Augustine Beach Civic Association to "operate" it.

July 10, 2017 St. Augustine City Commission  meeting, 5 PM.  DENY hotelier KANTI PATEL a rezoning to allow him to destroy HP-5 with surface parking. Preserve and protect our history from greedy developers.  Support citizens First Amendment rights to paint, play music and sing.

July 18, 2017 St. Johns County Commission meeting, 9 AM: REJECT regressive 16.66% sales tax increase. proposed by poohbahs of the Ponte Vedra Coalition, long led by ex-professor, ex-Commissioner MARY KOHNKE a/k/a "CRANKY.".

Let freedom ring.  Let us hear America singing.













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