Atrocious (and anti-gay?) attack mailer surfaces in Tampa mayoral race
***Update***An alert reader sent me this link to a story in the Miami Herald linking “Less Government Now” with attacks on John Thrasher.
***Update***From a story in the Florida Times-Union: Less Government Now was formed in August and is based out of Tampa. Like other similar groups, the registration paperwork gives few answers about who is truly behind the organization or what their agenda is. The only name attached to the organization is Tracy Cintron, who, according to my Google and Twitter search, appears to be a Democratic behind-the-scenes type person in Tampa.
***Update***Bob Buckhorn disavows: This type of campaigning and personal attack is abhorrent, and we denounce those individuals, campaigns and organizations that have participated in it. We will continue to run a positive campaign focusing on the issues and ask that anyone perpetuating this ugliness stop doing so immediately.
***Update***Nat’l website Think Progress is now reporting about the mailer.
An atrocious, and perhaps anti-gay, attack mailer has surfaced in Tampa’s mayoral race. I received a copy of this mailer last night from an anonymous reader, so I am not sure how far and wide the distribution of this mailer is.
and
What is particularly disturbing about this mailer is the codeword, “Unmarried,” which, if you read between the lines is a subtle way of casting doubt on Ferlita’s sexual orientation.
I don’t know much about who paid for this mailer because it says it was paid for by Less Government Now, a 527 which emerged during the general election with another anti-Ferlita mailer.
With early voting starting tomorrow and 11 days to go before Election Day, it looks like Tampa’s mayoral race is taking a decidedly nasty turn.
As chair of the volunteer communications committee for Ed Turanchik’s campaign, I can ASSURE you that he has NO CONNECTION to Less Government Now. Please run a correction ASAP. I am trying to reach him so he can respond directly.
Deanne Roberts
[...] Government Now, a 527 group, the mailer urges voters to vote against Ferlita because she is “Unmarried. Unsure. Unelectable.” (Click for full [...]
I’m disappointed that “Democrats” may have been behind a bigoted mailer like this. If so, I hope the party will hold these people accountable.
[...] an entire nation by the behavior of one poor demented old man. It's all too desperate. okay Atrocious (and anti-gay?) attack mailer surfaces in Tampa mayoral race | Saint Petersblog from a political campaign in the US… it is both anti-gay and sexist.. again relevant to the OP [...]
You can’t be serious. Yes, this mailer is ridiculous. What the heck does being unmarried prove about being a good politician??? I think (hope!) most intelligent people will understand that and I believe the mailer serves to hurt their cause, not help it. But anti-gay? Seriously? Why is it that every time someone mentions “family values” they label it as anti-gay? Because gay people can’t be part of a family? This is sexist, yes – but certainly not anti-gay. Suggesting that the term “family values” denounces what a gay person is capable of, THAT is anti-gay. Now, if they made a statement such as “Ferlita is reported to have a girfriend – is this the sort of representation we want for our city?” THAT is anti-gay. “Reading between the lines” would lead us to assume they are saying she is unwanted, uncommitted, an old maid…not gay. The only reason this mailer suggests “anti-gay” sentiment is because you told us it does.
It’s so annoying when
1. “News” venues TELL us what we should think about something.
2. When readers fall into that trap because they are weak-minded.
3. “News” venues reach out into thin air to pull out a headline in order to grab reader interest. It’s just plain lazy.
[...] Less Government Now, a 527 group, the mailer urges voters to vote against Ferlita because she is “Unmarried. Unsure. Unelectable.” (Click for full [...]
[...] Tampa, FL has a mayoral election coming up next week. Recently, a mailer attacking Republican candidate Rose Ferlita was sent out to voters. Here’s what the mailer looks like, courtesy of Saint Petersblog: [...]
regarding your “I am not sure how far and wide the distribution of this mailer is”..
////////Schorsch, a Buckhorn supporter, said Monday he was trying to track down the source.
Since Thursday, the flier has circulated as an e-mail in political and journalistic circles.
But despite displaying what appears to be a postage-paid permit number in its upper right-hand corner, the flier could not be mailed out as campaign mail because the permit number is not valid, a postal official said.
“If we were presented with these mail pieces, we would not process them, mostly because it’s not a valid permit,” U.S. Postal Service Tampa spokesman Gary Sawtelle said. “It would not be considered mail.”\\\\\\\\\\\
http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/elections/buckhorn-campaign-worker-tied-to-group-that-sent-anti-ferlita-mailer/1157322
I doubt any were distributed by mail.
The special interest business folks who live off taxpayer handouts for their organizations, and promised contracts, didn’t get any promises from Rose. Yeah, their PO’d.
Anti-gay? How about anti-womanl; sexist? As in, she can’t possibly be a good candidate without a man and children.