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Commission Candidate Espouses Marijuana Legalization
The News-Press | 07/10/06

Lee County Commission candidate Gerard David, running as a no-party candidate against Republican Commissioner Doug St. Cerny, has an issue for an oft-overlooked constituency: legalized possession of small amounts of marijuana.

That's beyond the usual role of a commissioner, but David's ready to use the bully pulpit.

He suggests such a move might lower the crime rate.

"All they do is sit home and smoke and eat and sleep," David said, referring to the infamous marijuana munchies.

"I'm a child of the '60s. If you can drink a beer or have a drink, you should be able to smoke a joint."

Approval for medical marijuana would be absolutely essential, he said.

Drugs such as heroin or crack should stay off-limits, he said.

"But locking up kids for a joint is a waste of energy when we have so many serious problems out there," he said.

He points to other politicians' admissions of pot smoking — including current GOP gubernatorial candidates Charlie Crist and Tom Gallagher, former U.S. Sen. Connie Mack and former Gov. Lawton Chiles — as evidence it's not political suicide.

None of those politicians, however, advocated legalization.

David readily admits many of his views are in line with the Libertarian Party.

But running as a no-party candidate gives him a break on qualifying fees, he said — paying about $3,000 to run rather than the $4,000 required of party candidates.

He plans to borrow money for qualifying.

That won't be an issue for St. Cerny. The incumbent raised about $90,600 soon after opening his account. Of that, only about $1,500 came in the quarter that ended June 30.

Kreegel mailing odd

Lee and Charlotte constituents of Rep. Paige Kreegel, R-Punta Gorda, may have found a recent mailing about Kreegel more than a little puzzling.

Kreegel doesn't even have an opponent yet.

But knowing the background can shed some light on the situation.

Voters found in their mailboxes a very professional piece headlined "In case you missed it ..."

It reprints a newspaper story, with certain sections unflattering to Kreegel pulled out and highlighted.

The mailer came from Randy Neilsen, a political consultant in West Palm Beach — who's involved in a lawsuit Kreegel filed over attacks against him in the election two years ago.

Kreegel said then the attacks were untrue and distorted enough to warrant court action.

In depositions, Neilsen, who was working for Florida Home Builders, and Richard Gentry, chief lobbyist for the home builders' association in Tallahassee, gave a fascinating look inside attack campaigns that the public rarely sees.

The mailings went out under the names of groups including "Floridians for Integrity in Politics," which was Neilsen, Gentry and one or two others.

Like most such "groups," it was formed as a campaign vehicle, with a handful of contributors who can spend more money in such organizations than direct campaign donations.

This group said it didn't know Kreegel, or about the district — where local home builders were dismayed at their actions.

The group attacked because Kreegel did not promise to support the man it wanted to be House Speaker.

That was enough for the group to seek his defeat, they testified.

But unlike most targets, Kreegel had the means and will to sue over the allegations.

The court wrangling has gone on since.

Kreegel said he's not surprised at the most recent attack, made under Neilsen's name.

Even though there's no opponent yet, Kreegel said he expects his opponents will find someone just to continue the attacks.

"But from what I've been hearing, the people are sick of this stuff," Kreegel said. "It's not well received."

He termed the mailing "a rich man's graffiti."

"It's pretty obvious I got under their skin," he said of Neilsen and the suit.

Neilsen said he sent out the mailing "to help make the community aware" of things they need to know about Kreegel.

The fact that he does not have an opponent, Neilsen said, is irrelevant.

It cost him about $3,000 to $5,000, he said, and he considers it an expense on behalf of free speech.

Kreegel also is angry that Neilsen's firm, Public Concepts, is paid by the Florida Republican Party for undisclosed work.

Recent reports show the party paid Neilsen about $300,000 in the January-March quarter, "and all I know he's done is attack me, a Republican," Kreegel said.

Given how Kreegel has tried to draw GOP legislative leaders into the suit, Neilsen said, "that's kind of like the pot calling the kettle black."

But Neilsen also will be active in another Lee County race.

Lee County Commissioner John Albion hired Neilsen as a consultant in his state House race.

Meet GOP candidates

Once election day arrives, you always hear voters complain they don't know the candidates.

But a chance to meet local Republicans running for office, along with the possibility of a few statewide candidates, is coming up fast.

They'll all be in one place, and the drop-in style event provides flexibility about coming and going.

If you don't want to talk with them, you can get their brochures and campaign Web sites for further consideration.

The event is from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 5 at the Clarion Hotel, 12635 S. Cleveland Ave., Fort Myers.

A $3 donation is requested at the door.

It's sponsored by Lee Republican Women Federated.

— E-mail the columnist: bparker@news-press.com

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