Yet Another Crist Corruption Involvement

Just a coincidence that Crist appointed a Marco Island good ol' boy and then the FDEP looked the other way ...
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April 1, 2o10
OCALA, Fla. -- Former Republican Party of Florida Chairman Jim Greer is under criminal investigation after an audit found he awarded himself and his executive director a fundraising contract that paid them about $200,000.

Greer owned a 60 percent share of a corporation set up to raise money for the party. Executive director Delmar Johnson owned the other 40 percent of the corporation, which received a 10 percent commission on money raised for the party, the audit found.

Party Chairman John Thrasher reported the findings to the attorney general's office, which referred the case to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

Greer was Gov. Charlie Crist's hand-picked chairman. He resigned under pressure in February.

EPA Lawsuit: Justification to Continue the Battle For Just One More Round

The Environmental Protection Agency's own documents clearly denote that the City of Marco Island violated the federal Clean Water Act. The crushing, pulverizing, aerially dispersing and removal of asbestos was also in violation of federal laws dealing with hazardous material. There is no doubt that EPA's own criminal investigators were active. (They were so active that they even traded emails sarcastically ridiculing the City's transparent deception for continuing the violations.)

So the questions are simply:

• Why was no one prosecuted?
  
• Why the two-year protracted bureaucratic gauntlet to prevent the release of the documents?
  
• Who are those that "may be embarrassed" if the documents are released?
  
• If nothing happened, if no one will be prosecuted, then why withhold the documents?
  
• Why did Senator Nelson fail after a genuine concerted effort to get the EPA to release the documents?
  
• Why did Congressman Connie Mack, after agreeing to look into the matter, wait four months to simply side with the EPA's other ruse of "confidentiality" – to the detriment of his own constituents?
  

And people wonder why conspiracy theories abound?

We know why the Florida Department of Environmental Protection did not prosecute (kind of hard to prosecute yourself). By why didn't the EPA? Ergo this lawsuit.

There are those on Marco Island that malign, defame, slur, slander and libel those attempting to obtain the EPA documents because they know they have much to lose. What these syndicate operatives don't have the wherewithal to comprehend is that they already lost.

Given that the EPA has fabricated a tremendous amount of mystification, rudeness and illusion to prevent the release of the documentation, clearly they will not go down without a fight. Any technicality, any procedure imaginable will be attempted in the federal courts in order to drown the only person taking up the battle – and a lay person at that.

When the federal government prevails in squashing this lone citizen – and a practical certainty in this case – all of you lose.

Lawsuit Against EPA Moving to Next Phase

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF FLORIDA

__________________________________________

Mario Sanchez, pro se

Plaintiff,

v.

Environmental Protection Agency

Ariel Rios Building

1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.

Washington, DC 20460

Defendant.

MOTION FOR DEFAULT JUDGMENT

Comes now Plaintiff pro se and requests the Court, pursuant to Rule 55(d) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, for the entry of a judgment by default against the defendant. In support of this request, Plaintiff pro se relies upon the record in this case and the affidavit submitted therein.

STATEMENT OF PROCEDURAL HISTORY AND RELEVANT FACTS

1. On September 20, 2009 Plaintiff pro se filed with this Court a Complaint For Declaratory And Injunctive Relief Under the Freedom of Information Act.
   
2. The Defendant was properly served via US MAIL, and later via the United States Marshal Service on January 11, 2010 as ordered by this Court on October 21, 2009.
   
3. In the aforementioned complaint the Plaintiff enumerated numerous environmental crimes that occurred on the City of Marco Island.
   
4. In an attempt to ascertain the extent of the damage to the environment, and in an attempt to determine the health consequences to the residents of Marco Island caused by the environmental crimes, the Plaintiff issued on July 31, 2008 a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the Defendant.
   
5. By letter dated January 28, 2009 – five (5) months after the original FOIA request – the EPA produced some copies of newspaper clippings, several all black or nearly all black pages, and several redacted documents that appear to be emails authored by local homeowners.
   
6. By the same letter of January 28, 2009, the EPA did not release or disclose any document or information internal to the EPA or any other federal agency.
   
7. By the same letter of January 28, 2009, the EPA justified its refusal to release any internal EPA document or information, refused to release any relevant non internal EPA document or information, and justified the redacted emails and the black pages, claiming exemption under 5 U.S.C. §552(b)(2), (7)(C) and (7)(D).
   
8. By letter dated February 27, 2009, Plaintiff administratively appealed the EPA's refusal to produce the requested information.
   
9. By eight (8) letters dated from May 5, 2008 thru August 30, 2009, Plaintiff requested EPA's director and now current director Lisa Jackson to provide the requested information and to expedite the appeal.
   
10. To date, EPA administrator Lisa Jackson has ignored all eight (8) letters.
    
11. By letter dated September 10, 2009 – thirteen (13) months since the plaintiff's original FOIA request, the EPA denied the appeal by again refusing to release any internal EPA document or information, any relevant non internal EPA document or information, claiming as an exemption in part that, though no law enforcement has taken place, those responsible and subject to the EPA's investigation "may be embarrassed" by the release of such information.
    
12. To date, as of March 19, 2010 – twenty (20) months since the Plaintiff's FOIA request was served on the EPA – the EPA has refused to comply with the Freedom of Information Act.
    
13. The purpose of providing this detail is to demonstrate to the Court the now nearly two-years that have passed, and the extensive and protracted efforts by the Plaintiff to obtain the information to which the Plaintiff and the residents of Marco Island are entitled to by law.
    

AUTHORITY

In light of the above detailed relevant facts, the Plaintiff has established a right to relief as required pursuant to Rule 55 (d) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.

REQUEST FOR JUDGMENT

Wherefore, the Plaintiff pro se respectfully requests that this Court:

1. Declare that the Defendant's refusal to produce the requested information is unlawful;
   
2. Declare that the public's right to know the health risks and environmental destruction resulting from the release and introduction of any contaminants into the air and waterways of Marco Island, Florida far surpasses the potential for "embarrassing" those responsible;
   
3. Order Defendant to release to Plaintiff all documents, emails (with attachments), photographs, reports, and any and all documentation or information irrespective of form or media as related in any way to Marco Island, Florida from the periods January 1, 2005 thru the present;
   
4. Order the Defendant to release the above noted information without obstruction, redaction and without censorship of any kind;
   
5. Order the Defendant to release the above noted information without cost to the Plaintiff;
   
6. Order the Defendant to release the above noted information within thirty (30) days of this order;
   
7. Award Plaintiff any costs that were incurred in this action; and
   
8. Grant such other and further relief as the Court may deem just and proper.
   

Respectfully submitted,

Date: __March 19, 2010

Marco Island Blog Nominated to First Amendment Foundation

FIRST AMENDMENT FOUNDATION

336 E. College Avenue, Suite 101 Tallahassee, FL  32301-1554

(800) 337-3518 or (850) 222-3518

PRESS RELEASE

17 March 2010

FIRST AMENDMENT FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES

CREATION OF THE SUNSHINE BRIGADE

In honor of Sunshine Week 2010, the First Amendment Foundation has created the Sunshine Brigade, a loosely-organized coalition of open government and citizen activists who have been chosen for membership because of their commitment to government oversight and holding government accountable for its actions.

We asked Foundation members to nominate local citizen activists for induction into the Brigade and currently there are over 35 Brigaders from all over Florida.  The Foundation will create a page on its website, www.floridafaf.org, dedicated to the Sunshine Brigade, and will post a short profile of each member with a brief description of the types of open government issues most important to each.  For those Brigaders with blogs, we'll include a link to the blog as well as a link that will allow anyone wanting help or assistance to e-mail Brigade members.

Our hope is to provide a platform for more discussion of open government problems and issues in Florida and expand the dialogue to include more citizens.  The Brigade will also be a great resource for the media – for example, last week a reporter working on a story for Sunshine Week asked me for the names of citizens in his readership area who might help him identify those types of records and issues most important to the public.  I forwarded the reporter's request to the Brigade and many responded within hours.  And the Brigaders are already helping each other – one member in the Panhandle is sharing his strategies for dealing with a recalcitrant state's attorney with Brigaders on both coasts in south Florida.

We hope to launch the Sunshine Brigade web page before the end of this month and will send you notice of the actual date.  In the meantime, if you have any questions, please call Barbara Petersen at 850/224-4555 or e-mail sunshine@floridafaf.org.

Renewing Recommendation to Councilors Recker, Kiester & Batte

This author has received four inquiries this week alone from citizens regarding the cistern project. All have expressed frustration as to the misinformation and outright obfuscation by the City "staff."

Gentlemen: This author does not get paid six-figures to do the work that we pay the "staff" to do. In fact, the pay is a negative number (costs money) – an activity done so gladly to help fellow citizens, but no more.

Since the "staff" has received their marching orders to kill the cistern initiative or any other conservation apolitical project, one again urges that an independent agency be formed where this and other environmental initiatives can be studied, researched, collaborated with state and federal agencies desirous in conservation and therefore provider of many resident-focused grants and incentives. This agency is devoid of the "staff" or their people and reports directly to you.

A handful of citizens have gone to great lengths to disprove the misinformation as to the cistern – why are you now ignoring their efforts by remaining silent? By allowing the "staff" do take this great work and burry it with confusion and obstacles? Shame.

You have a mandate. And have the bully-pulpit. Use it for the benefit of the community.

Confirmed: You Have Lost your Right to Free Speech

Proving unequivocally that the once stalwart to freedom as codified by the First Amendment has officially closed its doors, the United States no longer protects free speech.

In another ruling emboldening the Iron Triangle against the citizens, Florida's 1^st District Court of Appeals yesterday ruled that while meetings conducting government business must be open, the public has no right to speak at those meetings.

Click here for the ruling.

You can talk to yourself at a public park, but you can't talk at a public meeting.

So … Tucker, Popoff, Minozzi and Trotter were correct: shut up – you don't have to be heard (if you are not part of the herd, of course).

Only a miniscule number of Americans have an idea how dangerous these people and these rulings are.

How sad, how utterly sad.

Support Dr. Recker for Governor’s Appointment

As we all know Dr. Recker has proven to be an indispensible independent voice on the City Council. Whether you agree with him on everything is relatively of minor consequence as compared to the fact that he is impartial and does not compromise on principles.

Dr. Recker is being considered being nominated to the Big Cypress Basin Council. He is the only ideal choice as proven with his support of the cistern and other environmental initiatives.

Please email Ms. Jamila Jackson at jamila.jackson@eog.myflorida.com and express your support.

Timing is important so please do so right away!

Here is the email sent by this author (feel free to plagiarize):

dear ms. jackson,

thank you for speaking with me moments ago in reference to my strong recommendation of dr. recker being appointed to the big cypress basin board.

dr. recker has been an active proponent of water conservation and environmental protection on marco island for quite some time. in fact, it was through his efforts that just recently the city of marco island allowed the conversion of deprecated septic tanks to cisterns and thereby saving water as well as preventing much runoff.

as the lead citizen most involved with environmental issues on marco island, i cannot think of anyone in southwest florida better suited to serve on the big cypress basin board.

if you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.

Please CLICK HERE to see the attached memorandum from the governor's office.

Help promote an intelligent and conservative approach to protecting the environment – email Ms. Jackson today.

Thank you.

EPA Video Contest - Submitted Video

The EPA is sponsoring a video contest:

New EPA video contest: share your environmental justice stories!

Environmental justice means the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to environmental policies. The Faces of the Grassroots contest is an opportunity to publicly exhibit creativity with environmental justice stories, and connect with others working to raise awareness of the movement.

Here is a submission. We will advise if we win.

Enjoy

Syndicate Renaming of Veteran’s Park

Since Veterans are seemingly inconsequential to these people, and since the crackers in the Good Ol' Boy Network are smarter than us, and since We The People can't be trusted to make suggestions as to what to name anything – parks, city hall, fire trucks, dogs – here is the real list put forth by the Name Anything Zombie Islanders subcommittee as infested by the usual suspects:

• Asbestos Park
  
• Bill Moss Recognition Park
  
• Quality Enterprise Net Profits-Improving Bottom Line Park
  
• Disappearing Endangered Burrowing Owl Park
  
• Migrant Workers Memorial for Having Shuffled Unprotected Through Asbestos
  
• Charlie Crist & Florida Department of Environmental Protection Complicit Park
  
• Mike Minozzi Bridge
  
• The Photographs of the Septuagenarians Planting Asbestos are Buried Here Park
  
• The MUMS of Marco Were MUM When Asbestos Was Being Sent Airborne From Here Park
  

We surmise that allowing the general public make the initial naming recommendations is out of the question.

Corruption is the Same Everywhere

This week the immensely corrupt Argentinean husband-wife presidential team of Nestor and Cristina Kirchner were exposed for the frauds they are after seven-years of a ruinous rule.

Though popular until now, and enjoying the "majority", their form of kakistocracy served to torpedo an incredibly rich country. Oddly, or not so oddly if one has ever been coherent on Marco Island, these two and their syndicate routinely criticized those that they disagreed with. In but one of their slurs, they in fact described themselves:

"Governability cannot be a synonym for impunity … obscure agreements, the political manipulation of institutions, or spurious pacts behind society's back."

Amazing – sounds exactly how the governance behaves in some other formerly incredibly rich place.