John Simmonds, running for re-election to Venice City
Council, took time during
Wednesday's debate at the Venice Area Chamber of Commerce to criticize web
writer Joe McKee for publishing details of a PAC financial report in an email
that was sent out to his mailing list. Simmonds
denied accepting money or support from the PAC's supporters and hinted at taking
legal action against McKee for libel.
"This is libelous," Simmonds said early in the debate,
referring to the email.
Later, he added, "I'm really curious as to whether whoever
that was that sent that, it's not true, if he hadn't stepped over the line of
the protection that the people have that can attack attack public officials on
the basis that they are public figures. I think he crossed the line and I think
he may be very sorry that he did that."
His opponent, Ernest Zavodnyik, used the opportunity to attack Simmonds on his
voting record, stating that Simmonds had voted affirmatively on every annexation
that had come before him while not asking any questions about the impact of
those annexations on existing residents.
McKee had previously sent out a mass email that listed
contributors to the Citizens for Quality Government PAC. According to the CQG, they
collect money solely for the support of selected candidates. This year, they are
a single issue PAC, that issue being the support of John Simmonds' re-election
campaign. McKee was quoting an online
article from Venice Gondolier columnist
Ed Martin's web site.
Ed Martin was, in turn, quoting from the October 2005 and
September 2006
treasurer's reports filed at the elections supervisor's office by the CQG.
This
year's September report is available online at the Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections
web site and contains most of the same contributors as last year's October
report. The Boones haven't shown up on the reports so far this year, but they
will likely appear on the treasurer's report filed after the election.
Simmonds denied the existence of the donations, stating
they had never happened. Simmonds insisted that he had refused to accept
financial support from local developer Mike Miller as an example, and stated
that Miller had agreed not to donate.
In this year's CQG PAC treasurer's report on the election
supervisor's web site, Mike Miller is listed as having donated $500 while his
brother Tim donated an additional $250. Other contributors are listed on the
report as having donated the exact sums that Simmonds denied were donated.
Simmonds has stated that he is one of the co-founders of the
CQG PAC.
Among the many contributors to the PAC are the usual area
developers and land use attorneys, but one new face shows up as supporting
Simmonds through the PAC: The Sembler Company,
a St. Petersburg firm that specializes in building shopping centers. While
Simmonds is insisting on the campaign trail that he hates growth, if money is
any indication, growth loves Simmonds.
When Zavodnyik was questioned about his accepted campaign
donations, he admitted to accepting $200 from The Sierra Club.
Simmonds denied the details as given by McKee in his email
and wondered aloud if by republishing the information, McKee hadn't stripped
himself of legal protections and had made himself open to an attack for libel.
When questioned after the debate (and after being told by
this reporter of the authors' real identities), Simmonds did an about face and denied that he
was making any legal threats. Simmonds continued to state that he had been
libeled.
Simmonds repeatedly denied accepting donations and support from the PAC or its
supporters. When asked about the CQG's treasurer's report that listed the very
donations that Simmonds had cited, Simmonds stated that he hadn't seen the
treasurer's report and questioned its validity: "They get those things wrong all
the time," Simmonds said.
Reached by phone after the debate, McKee was told of
Simmonds' allegation of libel. McKee chuckled and said "No comment."
The information has since been taken off of Martin's site.
Meanwhile, McKee has republished the so-called libelous email on his Venice
Resident web site. McKee maintains both the Venice Resident site and Ed Martin's
web site.
Simmonds repeatedly stated during the debate that growth
was not an issue in this election, that the voters weren't as concerned with
growth as his opponent was insisting. Simmonds called growth a created issue, a
diversion and instead attacked his opponent, stating that Zavodnyik, a retired attorney
who worked for the
American Bar Association, wasn't qualified to be on city council.
The debate was moderated by VACC's director, John Ryan.
