Move over Philip Brutus. When it comes to bullying, you have some stiff competition!
Andrew Korge has been contemplating a run for office since last year. On June 23, 2016, the Miami Herald noted, “Since March 2015, Andrew Korge has filed to run in one state Senate race, mulled a congressional bid, changed to a second state Senate race and then, on Wednesday, qualified for the August primary ballot in a third.”
Korge finally settled on State Senate District 40 to run against Dwight Bullard and Ana Rivas Logan in the Democratic primary. He then immediately tried to knock his opponents out of the race.
According to the Herald, Bullard claims that Korge offered him $25,000.00 to drop out of the District 40 race and run in District 38, a race that’s already chock full of nuts.
Ana Rivas-Logan also claims that Korge tried to coerce her into jumping into the race for District 39, where she would face Republican Senator Anitere Flores, and that he allegedly told Rivas-Logan that she’d “do better against a Cuban woman.” She said she was “flabbergasted” by his comment.
Says income inequality “may be the biggest problem we currently face,” Owns $500k home. More https://t.co/KXYKuNJ7Jf pic.twitter.com/NIsgxPOP87
— Meet Andrew Korge (@MeetAndrewKorge) April 23, 2016
A month and a half after entering the race, Rivas Logan suspended her campaign to avoid “in the gutter campaign tactics,” but she never officially withdrew from the race.
Political Cortadito‘s Elaine “Lladra” de Valle has been following this race closely from the beginning. She confirmed to me yesterday that Ana Rivas Logan is very much still in the race and on the ballot, despite the fact that Korge has used his considerable wealth to bombard voters with negative mailers against his opponents. He sent two of them “to Democrat primary voters likening her to Donald Trump and Rick Scott and following up with a robocall telling voters that a vote for Rivas Logan will not count,” according to Lladra’s most recent column.
If Andrew thinks there’s too much $ in politics, why does he go to big DC fundraisers and hang out w/ Jeb Bush Jr? pic.twitter.com/HSlrBxNw12
— Meet Andrew Korge (@MeetAndrewKorge) April 27, 2016
But the “trust fund baby,” as Lladra has dubbed him, is so intent on winning this race, he’s apparently resorted to the dirtiest of campaign tactics – intimidating poll workers.
Political Cortadito reported yesterday about a Rivas Logan campaign worker who claims that Andrew Korge ripped a campaign palm card out of her hand. Lladra wrote:
“He walks up very fast to me and starts yelling, ‘Hey! She’s not running. You are a liar,’” said the woman wearing a white t-shirt with the word “DEMOCRAT” emblazoned across the top in blue. She was passing out palm cards for Rivas Logan and no other candidate. “He ripped the palm card out of a voter’s hand and threw it on the floor. He was telling the voters that their votes for Ana were not going to count.”
The woman called the police, but was afraid to give her name out of fear that Korge would do something to harm her. She was even afraid to give her address in case “this man will show up at her house.”
She told Lladra that Korge was yelling at her, “Who’s paying you? Who’s hiring you?” The worker also also claimed that Korge was taking pictures and videos of her with his phone,” and even placed a call to someone to come to the polls while he was describing what she looked like.
The woman was obviously afraid for her life, exclaiming, “He has a lot of money. Maybe I get hit by a car when I leave here.”
These are very similar to the tactics that are regularly used by poll bullies all over Miami-Dade County, but rarely are they done by the actual candidates themselves, who normally use “henchmen” to do their dirty work.
If this incident is substantiated, that Andrew Korge would personally accost an opponent’s poll worker speaks volumes about his character.
Or lack thereof.
Then again, members of the entitlement class, such as politicians and “trust fund babies,” tend to believe they are above the law.
As progressives, we deserve better. We can’t afford cronies like Andrew and Reggie that get rich swindling donors. https://t.co/KCNH3GOxrw
— Meet Andrew Korge (@MeetAndrewKorge) May 23, 2016
While District 40 Democrat voters should look askance at Dwight Bullard’s anti-Semitic tendencies, I would strongly caution them to also shun Andrew Korge when choosing their State Senator.
Ana Rivas Logan, on the other hand, has been a long time public servant. She was a former State Representative, and in my opinion, one of the best members the Miami Dade County Public School Board has ever had. Ms. Rivas Logan wasn’t even my representative, but when my children were in school, she personally assisted me on an important issue I was facing at the time. Needless to say, she went above and beyond and I was extremely grateful for her assistance.
Even if her two opponents weren’t such poor candidates, I would still avidly support Ana Rivas Logan for State Senate District 40.
Stephanie
WOW! This is unreal that he would be SO LOW. He “selected” the right one to pull that mess! Tells you a lot about his “upbringing”!
I do not agree with all of Rivas Logan’s positions, but she has an acceptable voting record.
Here are some of her yeahs:
-School Voucher Program
-Authorizes Random Drug Tests of State Employees
-Prohibits Courts from Basing Decisions on Foreign Laws
-Prohibits Abortions During the Third Trimester
-Repeals Provisions for Cap and Trade Regulations
-Authorizes Student-Led Prayer in School
-Amends Mortgage Foreclosure Process
-Increases Certain Business Tax Credits and Sales Tax Exemptions
-Prohibits Public Funding of Abortions
-Authorizes Open Display of a Firearm
-Authorizes Exemptions from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
-Abortion Law Amendments
-Prohibits Insurance Coverage of Abortion
-Prohibits Public Funding of Abortions
-Drug Screening for Temporary Assistance Beneficiaries
Sounds good to me. Too bad I don’t live in district 40.
This is confusing. With all the changes to the district boundaries and all, it’s hard to understand.
Let me give you an example, and maybe because Stephanie has experience with this, maybe she will help me to understand.
I just checked the tax roll.
VotersOpinion’s latest fan, Mr. Phillip J. Brutus, seems to have claimed a Homestead Exemption for 2015, on a property located at:
170 NW 139th St, Miami, FL 33168-4820
Unincorporated Dade County
Folio Number 30-2124-011-0421
Coincidentally, the same homestead exemption was claimed for 2014. And 2013. And 2012. And 2011. See a pattern?
Now go to the map and find that address.
Compare to the Florida Senate District map, the one labeled 2012-CA-2842, which if I am not mistaken, is the one being used for this 2016 election.
Looky here:
http://flsenate.gov/usercontent/session/redistricting/map_and_stats_11x17v5_2012-CA-2842.pdf
Voila!
The above address lands within the boundaries of District 35. Phillip Brutus is running for District 38.
Is this confusing or not?
I am not picking on Mr. Brutus. OK ?
I am just saying, maybe a second look is warranted to verify that each candidate does in fact live within the districts they’re running for.
Or, maybe I just need somebody to explain things to me?
God!
It’s so confusing!
Remember all the redistricting problems the Florida legislature dealt with last year? It eventually ended up in court because no one in Tallahassee could agree on anything. Here’s the history of it: https://ballotpedia.org/Redistricting_in_Florida#cite_note-1
No surprise there, but the new district maps will not actually be implemented until the 2016 election. If Brutus lives in one of the new districts, his house didn’t move (obviously) but his district number could have changed.
This is a pretty good article if you want to see what happened and how to understand all the new maps: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/1/11/1468040/-Morning-Digest-Your-guide-to-unscrambling-Florida-s-scrambled-congressional-map
But we are in the 2016 election!
By the applicable district boundaries, Phillip Brutus does NOT live in district 38. He does not qualify to run for District 38.
The other candidates should challenge his eligibility, and if they don’t, then we the voters should. I don’t know how to do it, but I will find out.
Unfortunately, the only way to challenge residency issues is by filing a complaint with the Florida Elections Commission. By the time the FEC hears the case, it could be after the November 8th election, in which case it would be too late. They meet quarterly, and have already had their August meeting. The next one isn’t until November 16th. (http://www.fec.state.fl.us/FECWebFi.nsf/pages/Meetings)
That being said, however, it’s still worth a shot. (http://www.fec.state.fl.us/FECWebFi.nsf/pages/Complaints)
BREAKING “NEWS:” Just found out that state law allows candidates to move into their districts within 6 months after the election. Note, this does NOT apply to municipal elections, only state and congressional races.
So, filing a complaint at this point will lead nowhere because he is not in violation, YET.
I don’t think Brutus is going to win anyways, but he better start finding a home within District 38, just in case.
And by the way, in that respect, the law sucks big time.
It kind of encourages that “see where I can win not where I can help” carpetbagging practice and attitude.
It does. But, you have to remember that the laws are enacted by the very same legislators who have to win elections in the first place. It stands to reason they will create the most favorable laws for themselves in order to stay in power. The career criminals, er, I mean, career politicians literally rig the system to benefit themselves. Once in office, they rarely get voted out, which means that very few non-politicos even get the chance to serve. No one should be shocked by this.
Shocked? NO.
Pissed? Yeah.
But still processing …
I am not up to date with State laws, but how can someone choose to run in different districts? Isn’t there residency requirements that you have to live in the district you are running in and have lived there at least a year prior?
Another career politician.
Redistricting aside, this is actually the bigger question. The answer can be summed up in one word: CARPETBAGGER
In small cities such as North Miami and NMB, people like to come from far away lands, such as Miramar, for a chance to be a council person. These “movers and shakers” are knonw as carpetbaggers.
Since the charters of both cities clearly states that one has to live within the city borders to run for office, the carpetbaggers find a small apartment or a room in an actual resident’s house located within the city and “rent” it. They produce a lease to “prove” residency even if they don’t live at that address. Vigilant gatekeepers of the charter (usually bloggers) do their best to make sure carpetbaggers are outed and sent packing.
It’s the same thing on a state level, only candidates don’t even bother pretending that they “move” from place to place in order to run. Once they find a district that they believe gives them the best chance of winning, then they actually “move.” (See above)
The decisions of these politicians and wannabe politicians are based on what is best for themselves and not what is in the best interests of the constituency. They choose districts where they will have the best chance of winning, not where they can do the most amount of good for a community.
That’s politics!
I was checking on the listed voting addresses on candidates in other races and the most outstanding seems to be in the Democratic House 108 primary, where Fancesca Menes was a registered voter at 16851 NE 23rd Avenue #515 North Miami Beach, FL 33160 as early as May 31, 2013 until as late as April 30, 2016. This NMB address is solidly in House District 107!!! This is also know as Precinct #123
In fact when “Fran” filed for House District 108, in February 15th, she was still a resident of House District 107!!! Then on the 31st of May 2016, she shows ups as a resident/voter at a small Miami Shores Apartment at 211 NE 97th Street, which is in Precinct #156, which is also in House District 108!!!!
I wonder will she leaves House District 108 for North Miami City Hall in a few years, maybe she’ll move to run for Florida Senator or US Congress!
RUN FRAN RUN or MOVE FRAN MOVE!!!!
Believe it or not, unlike local elections, state candidates have six months to move to their new districts AFTER they get elected.
Hopefully Ms. Menes will do the right thing, if elected. Also, keep in mind, she’s running against former North Miami Councilwoman Marie Steril, who is as corrupt as all get out. Residency issues (at least in this case) should be the least of voters’ concerns. Marie is a corruptocrat extraordinaire! Given a choice, I’d choose Menes.
Just saying.
I think I’ll choose a native such as Taj Echols who ran previously or Henry Patel, the small business owner….. I like my elected officials to be my real neighbor, honestly!
Awesome! Good luck with that.