Sean Campbell isn’t a member of the Florida House, but he wants to be. He’s so willing to be a member of the House in the upcoming special election for Florida House District 32 that he’s willing to break the law. He’s following in the fine tradition of the former holder of the seat, Bob Allen, who left the seat after being convicted of soliciting an undercover male police officer for sex in a public restaurant. No, Campbell hasn’t gone that far, but he has, it appears, broken the law:
He recently sent a mailer out to Republican voters and gave them free postage to mail in their vote by mail ballots. Sounds pretty nice of Campbell, right? It is. Except for the part about it being illegal.
The state election code reads, in part, “no person shall directly or indirectly give or promise anything of value to another intending thereby to buy that person’s or another’s vote” [FS 104.061 (2)]. Postage isn’t a lot, but it certainly is something of value promised to the voters if they mail in their ballots. Campbell is paying for votes.
The irony of Campbell breaking the election law is that he accused his primary opponent of the same thing just a few weeks ago. Typical Republican adherence to the law — it’s okay for me, but not for you.
Charlie Crist apparently approved of the illegal mailout, since a letter from him came with it.
This is not the kind of person I want moving up here to join me in Tallahahssee. Please keep him. Send me Tony Sasso instead. You can contribute to his campaign here.
