Sunday, August 11, 2024

What do Desperate Campaigns Do When They Are Losing?


Political minions are systematically destroying our campaign's signs, defacing our signs, and stealing them.  This is typical, and for every one they break, I fix them promptly and install two additional signs.  They never win this game with me.  And they know it.


One of the greatest US Presidents of all time, Ronald Reagan, believed in an "11th Commandment"--A Republican shalt not attack a fellow Republican.  He said, "If we are aligned 85%-90% of the time--we're allies--not ENEMIES!"  He was right then, and this is still true today.  Regrettably, the political climate has devolved and sadly it has now become a free for all.  Among some candidates, but not all. 

You see---desperate campaigns and desperate candidates that are losing do desperate things.  They lie, cheat, and steal.  It is a disgusting reality at the national, state, and local level.

It is why most folks will never enter the political arena.  

It is hard on candidates, and it is hard on families, too.  But the work is important, and it has to get done, so thank God so many good people do step up and run for offices from the School Board to Congress to City Council, to State Senate, to US President.

I have run in a number of local races and I thank the Good Lord for being successful.  As a candidate, and as an officeholder.

But one unescapable reality of local politics is the negativity.  

Desperate opponents will do anything, say anything, lie, cheat, and steal to win.  

Negative politics can be effective at the state and national level.  In my experience, it does not work in local elections.  In fact, it is off-putting and actually works against a candidate who attempts it in local races.  I've actually been the beneficiary of opponents' dirty tricks, attacks, and lies in the past as these histrionics turned off the voters and pushed more supporters my way.

And I am proud of the fact that I have never once--- in any race I have ever competed in---not once have I ever gone negative or attacked an opponent in my political advertisements.  Not once, not ever.

Nevertheless, I have been on the receiving end of unfair, dishonest, and deplorable attacks in every race I have run (and won) in Escambia County from School Board to County Commissioner.

Sadly, this race will be no exception.

Fast forward to this race for D1 County Commissioner and I now have an opponent, via his wife, sending out texts and mail pieces full of lies about my record.  In addition to this, this same opponent through his supporters and political minions are systematically destroying our campaign's signs, defacing our signs, and stealing them.  This is typical, and for every one they break, I fix them promptly and install two additional signs.  They never win this game with me.  And they know it.

But now comes the lies via texts and mailers.  I'm not going to engage in negativity toward my opponent.  Voters have a way of sorting this out for themselves locally.  They will look at the platforms of each candidate, they will look at the resumes side by side, and THEY, the VOTERS, will make the choice of who to believe, and who is best for the job.  So let me take this opportunity to go through the lies and correct the record.  And by all means, fact-check everything I say, below.

Lie #1:  Jeff Bergosh used the government to punish his political opponentsThis is a lie on multiple levels.  Individual commissioners are unable to compel board or county action--it takes a public vote of the board to do anything.  In this instance--sensitve, confidential, privileged information was stolen from the county and is unlawfully in the possession of multiple entities and individuals.  The full board voted 4-1 to seek the return of this stolen county information (2:13 of this video), the Ethics Commission in Tallahassee is moving ahead with a disciplinary hearing for one former county employee who has this data, and the state attorney is reviewing this stolen data issue and contemplating criminal charges.  I never "used the government" to "punish" anyone and I never "admitted" doing this in a text message, because it never happened.  The individual who admits possessing this information is facing a $20,000 sanction at the Ethics Commission for what he did and he is a former political opponent ----who I dispatched in the 2020 election by 17 percentage points. 

Lie #2:  Jeff Bergosh raised your taxes.  It is an outright, bald-faced lie.  I have never once in my time in office voted to raise year-over-year millage rates.  NEVER.  We grow the economy, grow the tax roll, apply a STATIC millage rate, and grow revenue yearly that way--- which we subsequently re-invest in infrastructure, services, and higher pay for first responders and employees. In addition to this, any homesteaded property in Florida and here in Escambia  is protected by the Save Our Homes CAP on assessed value--keeping year over year assessments at no greater than 3% yearly--meaning a 55% increase over 7 years is IMPOSSIBLE!  It is a lie.  (Check the official county budget site and see for yourself.  Our year over year millage tax rate has not changed ONCE since I joined the board.)

Lie #3: Jeff Bergosh is in the pocket of big developers that want to change our way of life without political input.  This is another lie and simply an ad-hominem, baseless attack implying I am corrupt.  I am the candidate who will re-instate concurrency (which developers hate) I have made it publicly known I will demand a rewrite of our Land Development Code to be more modern and allowing for more public notice, and  I am the commissioner who will bring transportation mobility fees to our county.  All of these are in the works, and the developers DO NOT Want any of this.  I am my own man, I follow the rules, support impact fees publicly, and am in nobody's "pocket."

Lie #4:  Jeff Bergosh supported an illegal retirment plan, giving himself the option for up to an additional $57,000 per year in benefits.  This is a lie.  I never took the 401(a) plan, never was offered it once I became a commissioner, and would not have ever taken it because I am already vested in the traditional FRS Pension plan from my days on the School Board and to switch would not have been an option if I wanted to maintain the pension.  This 401(a) plan was in effect in the county and statewide for decades, and it was paid on locally, and "blessed" by Clerk Pam Childers every month from the date of her election in 2012 until 2021 when, after she got into a spat with several commissioners over hearsay and the board's firing of her "buddy" Janice Gilley, she suddenly, unilaterally declared it illegal.  Even though she had paid on it for ten years prior saying it was "legal."  Her lawyer questioned the legality, at her behest, our lawyer said it was legal, so litigation settled the question once and for all and the board has subsequently adjusted that plan accordingly and in adhearance to the court's ruling.  period, end of story.

Any candidate can lie to the people.  They can hide behind their prior record of military service as if it is some sort of sword and shield that allows them to say anything they want

 about anyone they want without reproach.  But regardless of any candidate's prior service or work history----once such a candidate enters the political arena they are subject to the scrutiny of the people and their statements and positions are also subject to fact checks.  And if they lie about an opponent ----knowing what they are saying is untrue--they are dishonorable and despicable.  They're unworthy to hold any office--regardless of anything they did in their previous work history to include military service which we all respect--because of their dishonesty.  

And on August 20th, the voters will decide who the liar is--- and who is telling the truth.

9 days and a wake up.......tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock......

11 comments:

  1. Screamin Sicilian Pizza mustaches aren’t that big! The mustache is photoshopped. Show me a 12” screamin sicilian pizza box mustache, they aren’t that large to fit your big fat head!

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    1. You must be afraid to put your name on your post. It is a cheap shot on your post and a coward would post something like this.

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  2. Both Stroberger and Kohler are a disgrace to the uniform, as was Underhill before them.

    During the last D2 race, after I chose to get off the ballot as a NPA candidate when it was clear Doug wasn't jumping back in, I stayed absolutely neutral in the republican primary--until about 3 weeks out, when I was horrified to recognize after the Warrington Revitalization Committee debate that Kohler was Doug 2.0.

    "Magic Mike" and his minions ran the dirtiest campaign I've witnessed; I'm sure there have been worse here, but not during the 10 years I've been politically involved. Now Stroberger is outdoing even what they managed for Mike. I thought it was bad, Kohler on video nailing his signs into power poles and trees outside the SW library. Their destruction this campaign has been far worse, and non stop.

    Mike and Steve are both liars and frauds, in the same mold as the corrupt medicine man who preceded them, and, whatever the character of their wives previous to politics, they've both bottomed out to be low class Wendy types, actively mixing it up in really repulsive ways.

    If Stroberger managed to win the D1 race to sit that dais with Kohler, their fraudulent dealings would increase ten-fold. I hope to goodness most voters have the good sense to see with their own eyes the bad characters of these two men and the petty crooks they gather around them to do their dirty business. Mark my words, they'll come up with something worse than they've already unleashed during the 9 days more to the primary. Because there's no bottom to their immorality, and, like Doug, the only shift they can possibly make to their approach is to choose to go lower. They've got nothing else.

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    1. Melissa. I am curious what you meant in this voice mail?

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  3. This is A travesty, someone drew on one sign and broke the other lol. Call Chip, tape off the scene and find out who did it so we can launch a lawsuit against them 🤣😂🤣🫡!!!!!

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  4. Wow 12:16! That image with the mustache is clearly photoshopped. I can actually see Screamin Sicilian written inside the image. Why would you use a photo that has been doctored, Jeff?

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  5. Can we get an article updating us on OLF 8?

    Is the Hemmer group still the front runnner?

    Beulah needs to get developed.

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  6. Hope everyone realizes no matter whose sign it is, vandalism of a campaign sign is a crime in Florida. I’m aware of several instances, including a recent one in Walton county where charges were brought for such.

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  7. This coming from a man that wasn’t a one bit worried when his precious sign Blew on top of a McDonald’s making it trash at that point lol 😂 😂🤣!!!!

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  8. Jeff, I hate to think that Steve and/or his people are participating in any illegal or unethical practices. I've followed both of your campaigns, and frankly some of the above had swayed me to put his signs in my yard. As an AF vet, we admire and believe statements from Marines! Thank you for answering the accusations. I still can't believe a Marine would lie to me/us. Are there ways to think that these accusations were somehow just embellishments?

    Terrence Brotherton

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    1. Terrence: I've never raised tax rates, not once, ever. We have grown and grown the economy. I've never utilized my office to "go after" political opponents--any official action taken by the board requires a majority vote of the board and everyone knows that. I have never taken the 401 (a) plan, in fact I recently joined the board in voting to reform that plan in accordance with the law. And finally the characterization that I am in the pocket of anyone is a toxic, disgusting lie. I follow all rules and play by them. Just because somebody served in the military--something all of us applaud--does not mean such a person is immune to scrutiny over their conduct, actions, and statements. A perfect example is Aaron Dimmock's constant lies and attacks on our congressman Matt Gaetz. Although Dimmock was a naval aviator--he does not get to use that as a sword and a shield and attack another candidate with lies. Ditto for one candidate, Strohberger, in my race. A liar is a liar. Period.

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