A tribute to a guy from Alachua who tried to help Democracy.

[madfloridian]

Thanks to Charlie Grapski for his continued efforts to be annoying to the officials of a small Florida area with possible corruption much larger than their small size might indicate. He is paying dearly now, being charged with felony wiretapping for putting a recorder in plain site on a table while requesting to view records that should be open to the public anyway.

Here is one of the earlier exposes about this situation. It was from the LA City Beat and called "The Dirty South."

http://www.lacitybeat.com/article.php?id=3881&IssueNum=157

It is about a lot of ugly stuff in Alachua.

Here is an article from June in Truthout.
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/061206R.shtml

Florida House Candidate to Face Litany of Criminal Charges After Alleging Vote Fraud
By Miriam Raftery
Raw Story

Monday 12 June 2006

In an exclusive interview with Florida House of Representatives candidate Charlie Grapski - arrested after he filed a lawsuit alleging voting fraud against Alachua County City Manager Clovis Watson, RAW STORY learns of corruption allegations that can only be described as not seen since the days of Boss Tweed.

Charlie Grapski, a Democrat running for the Florida House of Representatives, was arrested in April after filing a lawsuit alleging that City officials abused power and influenced the outcome of an election by manipulating the absentee voting process. The story, however, does not start or end with election fraud allegations. What Grapski tells is a tale that one cannot imagine occurring in a law abiding country, one of false arrest, intimidation, and a crony-business system all centered around money interests."

Here are some photos of Charlie at one of many DFA related events he has spoken at during the 3 years our community has existed.

http://sf4dean.com/gallery/Posted-by-David-A-Stevenson

Many other great Democrats are speaking at that event as well...Hightower, Ivins, the Dean brothers..many more.

And here is more...they waited 6 months to charge him for putting a recorder in plain view during an interview. This is very suspicious timing.

http://www.highspringsherald.com/articles/2006/10/14/news/news11.txt

And many of us who supported Rod Smith were very surprised at his attitude toward Charlie during the campaign....I hope he is free now to check out things many sent him. He was busy trying to win then. Odd what politics does.

http://www.dfalink.com/blog_post.php?id=10936

I will let you read and draw your own conclusions.

And thanks to Raw Story for this article today, reminding us how easy it is to be charged with felony wiretapping.

http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Florida_activist_candidate_charged_with_felony_1017.html

I am worn out from the things I have seen here today. I think Rod Smith and others from Alachua need to be held accountable for what happens to Charlie now. Felony wiretapping is a serious charge against someone who sat a recorder on a table in plain view.

[sui generis]

1. Agreed.

In any dealings with government or business today it should be your unassailable right to record the conversation. After all, the government is allowed to record yours and make it public record, as is your credit card company. They do not have more rights than you do.

And in government and in business, in today's world, if someone doesn't want you to record them, they are just plain hiding something and need to be exposed.

A federal arrest record NEVER goes away. Even knowing that the state will lose their case, this was using the law to harrass an individual, which is a clear abuse of authority.

[madfloridian]

2. I have a lot more...but we are heading out for several hours.

I guess someone soon will come on here calling names. I hate that, but so be it.

I will present a lot more later on. I am calling Rod Smith's office again tomorrow.

[madfloridian]

3. A little more about this.

Heading out to a meeting soon, but wanted to get this posted.

This article about Charlie sounds pretty sensible to me.
http://www.alligator.org/pt2/060929clas.php

Students bid for openness in CLAS debt

By CHAD SMITH
Alligator Writer

"In an effort to tackle the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences' multimillion-dollar debt, a graduate student demanded on Thursday that UF's Board of Trustees make its business investments public.

Charlie Grapski, a political science doctoral candidate, said the university's highest governing body should invest more money in UF, rather than in private corporations.

About 150 people, mostly CLAS graduate students, attended a forum Thursday evening to express their concerns over the college's five-year plan to climb out of debt.

College dean Neil Sullivan agreed with Grapski, saying UF's investment strategy "needs to be addressed."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
They have treated him in a scary way from the beginning. It is like there are huge power plays going on there.

Banned from the city...overkill. It has all been that way. I mean this is one scary guy.

http://www.gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060630/LOCAL/206300341/1078/news

"Charlie Grapski can go home but that's all he can do in the city of Alachua, a judge decided Thursday.

Circuit Judge Peter K. Sieg barred Grapski from the city's borders - other than going home - during a court hearing over whether the Florida House candidate violated conditions set after he was released on his own recognizance following a May arrest for unlawful interception of oral communications.

Grapski's Alachua home was even off limits until his attorney, Craig DeThomasis, pointed out to the judge that his residence had changed from an earlier address listed in court records.

Sieg also said he can have no contact with city employees or elected officials and gave examples including face-to-face meetings, mail, e-mail and phone messages."

[Gabi Hayes]

4. great thread......if we had a SCOTUS that wasn't packed with

fascists, I wouldn't worry about this fellow

I wonder if his story will get any national exposure

and, wasn't that Raw Story thread a kick in the teeth?

what's WITH some of the posters here, anyway?

[madfloridian]

5. "Tortoise Stew" a book about Alachua, and some notes....

from Rod Smith's blog before the primary. There are some excellent entries there by Charlie, and it is amazing how so many of his fellow Democrats went after him. Credit to the campaign for not taking this down, it has so much good stuff in it.

First the blog post with the great Charlie explanations. I can't believe he is being charged with such a serious offense, which is just nonsense...and they waited 6 months.

http://rodsmith2006.com/blog/archives/clearing_something_up

And here a link to the book called Tortoise Stew, written about the "possible" corruption there.

http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewwork.asp?AuthorID=189

"And so begins a tale of developers and politicians so intent upon their plans to destroy some of the last rural lands in north Florida, they will go to any means.

Through it all, reporter Kelly Sands remains dedicated to uncovering their underhanded methods.

From a bomb to dead gopher tortoises to a dead commissioner, Tortoise Stew takes the reader on a mysterious and murky ride through politics — north Florida style."

And while you are there read Charlie'e review of the book. It ends with this comment, so intelligent it is hard to believe this guy is being charged with a federal offense...the recorder was in full site out in the open.

"Behnke's portrayal, however, has significance for all in America. Small town politics is the foundation upon which our nation - and our national politics - rests. If you are concerned with corruption in politics, ineptness in government, or the mean-spirited and self-interested actions of the "power elite" you should train your eyes to local politics. And this is what Behnke has marvelously done in telling this story.

There is a lesson in here for all Americans.

Charles Grapski"

[madfloridian]

6. It's the most recommended diary at Kos right now.

So people there do care. That's good. Charlie has been a part of the Dean/DFA community for so long it amazes me that he is such a brunt of attacks.

Very glad that diary is doing well there. It is important. I know people here at DU from that area of Florida, but they are choosing not to speak up.

[madfloridian]

7. It is amazing.

The post at Kos is getting great attention, top of recommends. I am not posting to this again as it would be considered gratuitous kicking by poster which would get it deleted.

But it really does show a difference in the forums. I don't understand it at all really.

I gave to the Alachua project. Hubby went on to the candidate rally tonight to see Joe Viscusi and show off his new shirt. I was going but this has been too upsetting.

http://grapskidefense.org/

To think they could do this in my state and no one from area seems concerned at all.

Disclaimer, I am not advocating donating...just said that we decided to do so.

Glad the post at Kos is going strong.

Peace.

[madfloridian]

8. If I may be permitted one last post on this...

without it being considered gratuitous....I don't want it to get lost yet or archived. I have heard from several people who have signed up to post because this situation concerns them. Someone here said it took about 24 hours to be able to post.

I guess it will be archived by them. A lot of people worry about Charlie.

Pics from the DemFest 1st ever bloggers' breakfast in MA in 04.

http://sf4dean.com/gallery/BREAKFAST

[OwnedByFerrets]

9. K & R

[madfloridian]

10. Thank you.

There are not many people left at DU who would worry about Charlie like a lot of us do.

They mostly post elsewhere. Thanks for the kick to keep it from archiving so fast.

:hi:

[madfloridian]

11. Alachua admits to not considering some election ballots

I am not sure just what this article means yet. It does mention Charlie, and I need to read it again. I can not believe these kind of charges are going on in my state.

http://www.highspringsherald.com/articles/2006/10/19/news/news01.txt

"ALACHUA - On the day that the Alachua Canvassing Board counted and certified the votes in the April 11 city elections, not all votes were considered - with ballots not even being given to the city's elections supervisor in time, the city has admitted in a lawsuit.

Further, the city has admitted that one voting machine may have had an error and that absentee ballot voters were not given state-prescribed "secrecy folders" in which to place their ballots, according to court documents.

The admissions are the latest in an ongoing series of legal documents being exchanged between the city and attorney Joseph Little, who is representing those suing the city over the elections.

Former Alachua resident Eileen McCoy is listed as the main plaintiff in the lawsuit but its most public face is former House of Representatives candidate Charlie Grapski, who lives in the city. He has been actively pursing the lawsuit and accusing the city of wrongdoing."

Will follow further if I can before this is archived.