Candidate for Sheriff Bill Grove Takes a Look at Specific Donations to the Ramsay Campaign
- Naked Conch - Posted by Bill Grove - Aug 2, 2012EDITOR'S NOTE: Rick Ramsay recently offered an explanation of such donations at a candidate's forum held by the Lower Keys Chamber of Commerce. The video is available here. Ramsay's comments regarding donations begin approximately 15:00 into the video.
Rick Ramsay's campaign has taken contributions from many corporations including thousands of dollars from companies with current and pending contracts with the sheriffs office. While it may not be illegal these contributions raise some interesting questions. The most glaring example is a South Florida company who currently has the 2 million dollar a year medical services contract for the jail. This company has a reputation of having significant political contacts and many news stories across Florida about inappropriate influence over sheriffs. The company who had the contract until 2010 also has contributed the maximum to Ramsay. Both of these companies contributed the maximum amount and several executives also contributed the maximum along with sister companies of both. Interesting is the fact that the contract is up for bid in 2013.
Another example is Communications International, a company that currently has a contract to be on call to repair the radio system used for MCSO and other county agencies. The current contract is for $1300 a month and the cost of services if called out. However this company also has bid on a new radio system for MCSO valued at approximately $3-4 million. The bids for this new system are being evaluated now by the MCSO. This company also contributed the maximum amount and several executives did the same. An internal investigation was conducted by the MCSO looking into allegations of misconduct with this company in the summer of 2012.
We strongly suggest the MCSO make the findings of this investigation public. Doing this would eliminate any doubt in the minds of our citizens. We encourage the MCSO to be transparent on this issue. This is OUR money!
I understand these contributions are in no way illegal. However, the Ramsay campaign has raised an extraordinary amount of money... more than any other candidate for any county office in more than five years, if not in Monroe County history.
Bill Grove
Republican Candidate for Sheriff
www.groveforsheriff.com
MCSO just advised us we can not get the investigation because it's not complete. So a company who has a current contract with the sheriffs office, has a bid valued at 3 million dollars and contributed to a sheriffs candidates campaign is currently being investigated by MCSO.
ReplyDeleteBill Grove
Oh great crooks investigating crooks. We so need a change in leadership. First Ramsay takes credit for $900,000.00 in budget cuts, then we find out he had nothing to do with the cuts because they came down from the governors office by way of 3% employee pay in for retirement. ( so much for him telling us how he had to make a tough decision to cut the budget... Can you say huge lie) Now we find Ramsay's getting donations from questionable sources. OMG how self serving. Does anyone really believe the sheriffs office will find anything wrong ... My guess is not as long as their getting money in campaign donations. Wonder how many more lies and illegal activities will surface before the election.
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