By Charlie Whitehead
Well it happened. I got an attack ad in my mailbox today and now I know I cannot vote for Lizbeth Benacquisto.
‘Jason Maughan is missing’ screamed the postcard-sized ad, which takes the Senator’s challenger to task for numerous votes he did not cast in elections from 2004 through 2016.
Now I believe that is a bad thing for a candidate. But that’s not the point.
The ad was paid for by a Political Action Committee called Truth Matters. So who could possibly argue with that? Of course truth matters.
And since truth does matter here’s a little bit of it from me to you.
Truth Matters was created in February of 2014. It appears to be the progeny of an Electioneering Communication Organization of the same name, a group also funded by those who pervert our elections, including yet another ECO called Americans for Economic Opportunity. Again, who could possibly oppose economic opportunity?
Well Americans for Economic Opportunity invested over $500,000 in Truth Matters convincing you to vote their way. That money came from that same list of perverters of democracy, including U.S. Sugar.
Since those big investments Truth Matters has run through over $1.1 million manipulating our elections. It got that money from a lot of different places – including the usual suspects.
For example, when this fledgling truth-loving group was just getting started, shortly after it banked the $500,000 from Americans for Economic Opportunity, it got $100,000 in support from Florida Crystals.
At the end of a long list of contributions from other political corporate entities, again precisely the bunch that has twisted Florida’s government so badly that it currently functions for the benefit of the few and against the interests of the many, coincidentally just under a month before the ad landed in my mailbox, came a check for $10,000 from U.S. Sugar.
As I have been telling voters for a very long time, if you receive a communication – on your TV, on the radio, in the paper – from a PAC or from one of these scumbag committees hiding behind a high-sounding name DO NOT DO WHAT THEY SAY.
I promise you that these sleazy groups want you to vote in their best interest, not yours. If you think the interests of U.S. Sugar and Florida Crystals are the same as yours I suggest you open your window and look out. Take a walk down to the beach and – if you dare – stick your toes in the water. Or drive to any south Florida beach and have a look.
And another aside, this one to my friends in the sleazy politics business. I’m still here. If you send me this shit I will gladly share my feelings and my knowledge. It took me but a few seconds to run this one down. It’s easy if you know how. Please carry on.
Thanks for you take on this. It is refreshing and the public needs to know the truth that is behind these ugly ads. Talk about the issues. Why can’t people do that anymore! They have to be just ugly to each other. I wish the tv news people would do this type of investigation work too, like you to inform the public of the “real” truth of it all. They start reporting it 3 weeks later, late to the party, and pretend they are shocked to hear what is happening.
I wish this could be sent to all of the media to print. I did research on Jason Maughan voting record and he did in fact vote in every general election and some special elections. He did not vote the year his son was being born. I say that it a valid reason to miss one time. They also did this piece on his taxes. If you look at the dates he filed, it was May 20-23,24 every single year. It makes it sound like he didn’t pay taxes. He must have a reason to file at that time as he does it every year and pays the penalty. People need to know not to believe all of this. She needs to go. She is a poor representative of our community and doesn’t care about anything except herself. Sad!
Thank you for taking the time to trace the sugar trail! Voters should be allowed to vote on the issues and not all of this crap! She is desperate!
Thank you!! Benaquisto will no longer have my vote! Dirty politics is never ok!
Benaquisto is personally attacking Jason Maughan and that is just wrong. Jason has my vote as he is the only one talking about the issues. Of course he paid taxes, of course he votes! I really wish the media will grab this article and run. Time for change it now!