Will April Griffin Endorse Kevin White???
In the world of connecting local political dots…..here’s a strange tidbit.
Last month, sleazy county commissioner Kevin White kicked off his latest campaign for re-election. A number of locally recognizable names attended, including La Gaceta publisher Patrick Manteiga.
I kept wondering if Patrick was there simply as an observer…or a supporter.
After doing some easy research, I found out that Manteiga was included in the elections violation case against White. Remember, White was fined $9,600 for trying to claim $4,600 for imported suits as a campaign consulting expense. White was also accused of misspending $1997 for buying a new Dell computer with campaign funds.
That charge was dismissed because Patrick wrote a letter to the elections commission helping White justify the expense. Apparently, Manteiga and LaGaceta had been paid by the White campaign for post card designs and other campaign graphics..and White’s older computer would not accept the La Gaceta downloads.
Then, looking back at White’s campaign expenses in 2006, he spent thousands at La Gaceta for various ads and other design work.
And then I found another interesting name getting paid thousands by White: Brian Griffin, husband of ole April. Holy Moly!!! Brian was doing some voter data work for White.
Now I must wonder: Will Mr. Griffin be asked again by White for the same services…..and will wife April endorse White in his new campaign????
I mean, why not???? After all, she’s endorsed every local Democrat in the past….April goes where Patrick goes…and we know Patrick endorsed White four years ago despite being on the White campaign payroll. Hey, birds of a feather flock.
On the other hand……..would the oh-so-squeaky-clean April think White a potential campaign stain??
Susan Valdes Pays $500 for Her Lies and Deceit
I just received notice that the Florida Elections Commission (Case #: FEC 09-007) has fined our stellar board chair Susan Valdes $500 for accepting a cash contribution during her past election in excess of state statute. She paid that fine with a money order dated 02/14/10.
If you remember, I filed a complaint against Valdes for accepting and reporting a $250 cash campaign contribution during her last board race, even though the law prohibits any cash contribution above $50.
When I read the investigative report, Valdes blamed the local elections office filing officer for not informing her or her treasurer of changes in campaign law. She was referring to the law that changed cash contributions from $100 to $50.
Either way, she accepted more than the limit.
Of course, the investigator immediately caught her lies and clumsy attempt to rationalize her actions.
As he pointed out in the final report, Valdes is an experienced candidate after four elections, she signed a “Candidates Statement” in July, 2006 acknowledging that she received, read, and understood the requirements of Chapter 106, Florida Statutes pertaining to campaign law, and “respondent’s actions in this case were willful.”
Ah yes…..Valdes sets a fine example for our district’s students.
Don’t forget, this is the same fine lady who blamed everyone else for spending $50,000 in travel during her first 3 ½ years on the board….more than twice any other board member.
This is the same person who got caught by me making 1400 minutes of personal calls on her district expensed cell phone….and had to repay the district over $500.
And let us not forget, of those 1400 unpaid minutes, 400 were either to or from April Griffin, which is a gross violation of Government in the Sunshine statutes.
Griffin and Valdes are buddies and like to be labeled as the school board mavericks. I’ll simply call them our school board “Liars Extraordinaire.”
Good Friday...Six Weeks Away
In an effort to be sooo politically correct, our omniscient school board last year deemed this coming Good Friday as a normal school day. Even Susan Valdes hurumphed, “I’m a constitutional officer and I must defend our constitution.” Like yeah, like she’s ever read it.
Even the usually sharp Candy Olson mumbled something about, “kids will just go to the mall, not to church.”
Two years ago, forty per cent of employees and students missed school. School buses did not run on schedule, classrooms were combined….and little learning took place.
In this early and purely anecdotal prediction, the same will happen this year. Every day that goes by, more employees tell me they are not working this Good Friday, April 2.
And we are over six weeks away????
Two years ago, our school district was lucky. No child was hurt or killed waiting for a bus that was never going to arrive.
Let’s pray our arrogant school board is equally lucky!
Sauerkraut
Back in 2006, just after April Griffin filed for election, one of her first campaign contributions was from the Schitzlehaus Restaurant . It was only a modest $100 check, but what the heck. Not bad!
My question is: did Sgt Schultz say something at that moment, like, “You know notzing, I know notzing, so how’s the zauerkraut?”
Maybe Miss April simply likes the headcheese, sauerbraten and accordion music.
Of course, coming from a Schmidt house, my family ate some fairly disgusting German foods like blood baloney, zilts (the gelatin from pigs feet), and smelly types of liverwurst. I just wouldn’t pay for them these days.
Wonder if Susan Valdes was joining her for dinner then? I know they both enjoy some schnopps and roast pork.
Maybe they were able to sing "Ve are de schampions" to the uhm-papa- music.
April Griffin is a Democrat, Not a Non-Partisan
Democrat April Griffin, in her role as a non-partisan school board member, has endorsed every local, state, and federal Democrat candidate looking for a glad-hand. I believe the only winner has been County Commissioner Kevin Beckner.
I guess she thinks her office gives her some cherished power.
I wonder now, how will this non-partisan Democrat be received by future donors…as well as our local inquisitive press?
Last election, April was able to woo the late Ralph Hughes, who gave her a few thousand bucks for the primary and general elections. She also received some nice donations from east county Republicans.
I will admit here, April does have those Charlie Crist brass ones, and will ask anyone at anytime for help. I remember her showing up a couple of times at the Hillsborough County Republican Executive Committee meetings in 2006 handing out literature and trying to be so non-partisan. I doubt that will happen this year.
In the past 2008 school board campaign, she also endorsed one sitting member (guess who), and other running against an incumbent.
I wonder, in the future of this year's campaign, will any lazy reporter actually ask her if Democrat roots guide her decisions as a "policy maker" for our school board?
One good question might be: "As a lifetime Democrat, do you believe you've ever deceived voters by calling yourself a "non-partisan" and never admitting to being a registered Democrat?"
I also wonder: What else have you lied about?
More soon!
Arpil Griffin Wins Award
Extra Special to the Site:
April Griffin Wins Prestigious Award
In today’s breaking news, the local chapter of the Gamma Epsilon Delta sorority (GED) has given their annual Jack Schmidt Award to April Griffin. The award is given annually to a local politician whose reputation for “not knowing Jack” is well documented.
Said GED sorority president Shirley Turnipseed, “When we spoke with April about district curriculum revisions and classroom management, we were pleased to find out that she knew Jack. She simply typified this award of excellence.”
Last year’s JackSchmidt recipient was Patrick Mantiega, editor of LaGaceta.
In other news, Board Chair Susan Valdes was caught disco dancing in the ROSSAC garage/parking area. While listening to her car’s CD player, she was also heard singing, “I am the chair….you are my subjects.”
Said one unnamed district supervisor, “That hoochie mamma can get down.”
The Lazy Tampa Tribune
Things seem quiet these days in regard to school board politics. No major issues are being reported by the Tribune, no blow-ups between school board members, no nuttin.
It even seems that Valdes and Griffin, a.k.a. Humpster and Dumpster, have become institutionalized by the superintendent and her staff. They seem to be keeping their concerns in-house. I guess they have finally become part of the district’s body-politic.
One funny thing, though. Besides Jennifer Faliero and April Griffin, seven other folks have filed to run for the three open board seats this coming election season. Have I missed something, or has the Tampa Tribune ignored all this.
As I’ve always thought, the local media treats school board candidates with as much press as Soil and Water Conservation candidates.
I guess City Council and County Commission seats are more important and our local school district, 8th largest in the US, is just part of the infrastructure, not a real interest to readers or voters.
Of course, the Tampa Tribune has its own problems with lost advertising revenues, layoffs, reduced reporting, and a shrunken paper in need of Viagra.
Maybe they just cannot afford to do some actual reporting.
My wife and I read the Tribune and SP Times each morning. Usually, we depend on the Times to produce a detailed story one day, which is then reported in a smaller version the next day in the Trib. I will say… the Tribune does a better job with Hillsborough obituaries.
Maybe….the Tribune should simply become the Tampa partner of the SP Times.
