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 opponents.  This 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

What is the Status of the FBI's Investigation into Stolen County Files?

I was informed yesterday that the FBI Investigation into who stole county records is still open.........

"Where's the FBI on their investigation?"  

Curiously--this was a question that was asked of my by the State Attorney's Office  (SAO) two weeks ago when I spoke to them.  I was talking to the SAO about what I could/could not say with respect to the "No True Bill" that had been handed down by the Grand Jury earlier that week--- vindicating me of any wrongdoing surrounding stolen text messages from my phone.

At the time it seemed like a curious question for the State Attorney's office to ask of me---as the FBI investigation into who stole and unlawfully disseminated unredacted personal identification information from the county has been going on for just shy of one full year.  Actually, Tuesday the 11th will make one full year.

On the 11th if June last year--I met with the FBI and the County Administrator in my office where both Administrator Moreno and I signed blanket release forms allowing the search of all the county files the FBI had confiscated that day--"for evidence of any crime."  We both signed it on the spot. 

So why's the SAO asking me what the FBI is doing?  Surely that matter, the FBI's investigation into stolen county files, must have been concluded by now I thought?   

So I asked a question back of the SAO and did not really get a good answer.  "Has the investigation from the FBI not been given over to the State Attorney yet?"  I asked.   

I didn't get a good answer.

So I waited a couple of weeks.

Monday and Wednesday of this week I called my FBI POC, the investigator assigned to this.  I left a series of messages explaining to him that the county has a fairly significant hearing on Monday and "if

I'll be the 7:00AM Leadoff Guest Tomorrow Morning on Real News with Rick Outzen on AM 1370 WCOA

I'll be on the area's best morning drive news program, Real News with Rick Outzen, tomorrow morning at 7:00 AM.

Once again I have been asked to be the leadoff guest on the area's best, most listened to, most influential, and most trusted morning drive news talk program, "Real News with Rick Outzen" on 1370 WCOA.

I'll be on tomorrow discussing the "No True Bill" finding by the Grand Jury that concludes any investigation into me for the alleged Sunshine Law violation my political opponents have inappropriately lodged against me  to further their own political ambitions.  

I look forward to discussing that---- and the other very concerning development which will likely result in investigations by the Florida Division of Ethics on the improper/illegal discussion of Grand Jury schedules, testimony, and topics.  This confidential, statutorily secret information was put out, publicly, by folks who ought to know better than that but who are using information gained by way of their position to benefit themselves and othersand to damage me politically.

It will be an interesting conversation--tune in live at 7:00AM or catch the podcast here once Rick publishes it.

No True Bill: Exoneration and Vindication Part I

Tuesday of this past week I was fully and completely exonerated of doing anything illegal associated with the news articles and allegations surrounding the stolen and improperly released county files and text messages that had been used as some sort of "evidence" I violated the Florida Sunshine Law.  

I was investigated for months and months over allegations I did things I did not do--- and accusations that I committed crimes I did not commit. 

Of course I knew I was innocent.  I follow the law.

This past Tuesday an 18 member Grand Jury looked over all of this and declined to prosecute due to the fact there was no evidence I committed a crime.  They issued a "No True Bill."  I have requested this public record from the clerk and she and her attorney have refused to send a signed copy of it to me.  Instead, I have obtained the above copy in the interim from the office of the State Attorney.

So how did this happen? 

Back in December several false accusations were made about me very publicly in an orchestrated "hit"  designed to effectively ruin my reputation and destroy me politically.  Reckless, Irresponsible, and reprehensible.   

Making matters worse--these histrionics were perpetuated by a then employee of the county, Steve Stroberger, and his boss, sitting county commissioner Mike Kohler.  

Sure, everyone saw it for what it was.....It was a set up job from the get go, played to maximum effect at what was supposed to be our jovial and festive Christmas meeting, the last meeting of the year somewhere before Santa Clause Spoke and then again after the Grinch gave the BCC cookies and a proclamation.  Stroberger's cringe-worthy antics can be viewed in minute 13:53 of this video. Then his boss, Mike Kohler, piled on with this garbage at minute 12:40 of this video.

These two, the commissioner and the secretary, took their best shot at me, writing letters and emails to the Governor demanding I be removed from office and simultaneously demanding an investigation of me by the State's Attorney over what these two geniuses decided unilaterally was a "Sunshine Law Violation" and a "clear case of Gerrymandering!" (of course they were dead wrong, but I digress...)

This was the conclusion these brainiacs reached after they read a PNJ hatchet job and some stolen county text messages that had been manipulated.

"You should resign!"  Said the commissioner's secretary. (He was hoping I would to make his run for my seat all the easier.  Not going to happen)

The real reason this happened was that Steve Stroberger wants to win my seat so He and his boss together can run the west side of Pensacola--and like Doug Underhill and Jonathan Owens in 2020--they want D2 to run D1.  So they took a kill shot at me with baseless allegations I committed a sunshine violation based on stolen messages that were manipulated.  Truth?  Who cares about that!  They just want to win an election!

Ain't going to happen.

So, within a week of that ugly spectacle of a meeting  right before Christmas-- the Office of the State Attorney committed to looking into the matter and issued a press release stating this.  Multiple news articles covered their announcement.  And they did investigate.  And they subpoenaed my unadulterated copy of my iPhone backup. And they referred the issue to the Grand Jury.

Meanwhile, I cooperated every step of the way and understood that everything on my iphone's backup that had been stolen (60,000 + text messages and more than 1,600 color photographs) was subject to inspection for evidence of any crime.  

I had actually already signed an unconditional writen release allowing for this unfettered search of these files six months earlier (nearly a full year ago now) when Law Enforcement met me and the County Administrator in my office on June 11th of last year.  They were there with the FBI confiscating county servers and files after it was learned that someone at the county stole confidential, privileged and personal identification information from the county's IT office and disseminated it inappropriately and unlawfully, unredacted, to multiple persons over state lines and to multiple lawyers at multiple firms actively involved in litigation against the county.  And yes--you guessed it--some of the data in the stolen files was protected attorney-client privileged information related to that particular litigation.  (That is the reason former D2 Secretary Jonathan Owens is now facing a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge and as much as a $20,000.00 sanction at the Florida Division of Ethics because in their opinion probable cause exists that he violated Florida Statute 112.213(8).)

 Much more interesting and current information on this weird and surreal situation in part II.

Adding the Missing Pieces to the Puzzle for Context

Here's the context and the missing puzzle pieces to Thursday's  political stunt that turned what should have been a congenial, Christmas themed final BCC meeting of the year  into one of the worst spectacles any of us have seen in decades on a public dais.

Since the absolutely cringeworthy disaster of a BCC meeting last Thursday "happened"--I have been inundated with well wishes and curious questions from friends, supporters, and family alike--the jist of which has been "What the heck was that all about."  

The public is genuinely puzzled by that embarrasing, unprofessional, rustic, inartful, and utterly bush-league display at public forum and subsequently at the commissioner's forum at the follow-on regular meeting.  In answering an intelligent, reasoned comment to an earlier blog post--I felt it might be instructive to put a stand-alone post up with my answer to that poster's comment and request for the basis for that attack----in order to add some real, factual context that today's front-page hit piece conveniently left out.  

And to add the missing pieces to the puzzle.

Thursday's meeting spectacle was a calculated, coordinated hit on me by one commissioner, his secretary (who's currently running a shadow campaign for my seat), and one citizen (who himself is a rabid acolyte of disgraced formercounty commissioner Doug Underhill and ally of Stroberger and Kohler). 

Three people.  

Out of 340,000 citizens in Escambia County.  

Ho hum. 

Meanwhile the D2 commissioner, Mike Kohler, is very well aware (as is most of the 4th floor) that County Employee Steve Stroberger is running for my seat,  because Steve Stroberger himself (Kohler's Secretary) has widely made it known he intends to run against me for the D1 commission seat; he's been making the rounds on the fourth floor, he's asked attorneys in the County Attorney's office if he "really has to resign to sign up to run against Jeff Bergosh", to which he was told, "Yes."  I'm also told Stroberger has made inquiries of local campaign check writers downtown about their level of potential support for his candidacy, to which I'm told he received a tepid, flaccid response.  

I've heard anecdotally Stroberger had a lunch in the IPC with Clerk of the Court Pam Childers who was encouraging Steve to run against me.  "You can do it, Steve!" was the flavor I'm told.  Good for him!  He should immediately sign up and run against me.  I welcome that!

So yes, he's currently making feeble attempts at running a shadow campaign for D1 commissioner--Encouraged, condoned, and with complete support from his boss "Pious" Mike Kohler.  Perhaps Kohler should demand an investigation of that?? Last time I checked---- you must register at the SOE's office to start fundraising and campaigning for office?  I wonder if the new "paragon of virtue," "Pious" Mike Kohler will be so discriminating, demanding, and hypercritical about what's happening in his own office currently?  Probably not.  

Meanwhile, "Pious" Mike speaks for himself only, not for the board, with his outrageous, embarrassing spectacle of a "demand" for an investigation.  

One administrative employee said to me, after that spectacle, that he was personally embarrassed for the county and had never seen such a disgusting stunt pulled in a public meeting by a sitting board member or a board employee in decades.  Decades.   Others have expressed the same disgust. 

So here are the FACTS that are the missing "puzzle pieces":  

First off:  D2 Secretary Steve Stroberger speaks for himself only, not for the county and not for the Republican Executive Committee or the Republican Party--when for his personal political expediency only he blabbers and stammers at the podium with outlandish allegations which are baseless followed by calls for my removal from office.  It's all an attempt at a political hit, designed to gin up a hatchet piece in the PNJ which they knew would follow, to potentially score a right cross to my face politically, metaphorically speaking, in the court of public opinion.  (Interesting only PNJ did a piece on this, no WEAR story as of today, no NorthEscambia story,  and No Rick's Blog story.  It seems to me these other, legitimate local news sources--- by their not covering this mess--- are telling the PNJ, overtly, "Quiet, the adults are talking")

So it's an orchestrated attack by Kohler, Stroberger, one citizen and the PNJ.  Nothing more.   

That's what this is, was, and will probably be up until August 20th.  So be it.  

Meanwhile, I continue to find it fascinating that suddenly "pious" Mike Kohler (Has a ring to it, "Pious"

More Safety Flotation Rescue Tubes Installed at Perdido Key in District 1--Thank You Perdido Key Rotary Club!

Yesterday, volunteers and members of the Rotary Club of Perdido Key installed two more emergency rescue tubes at beach accesses number 2 and 3 in District 1's Perdido Key.

Multiple citizens participated, and the swimming areas will be much safer now that these emergency flotation devices have been deployed.

According to members of the Rotary Club with whom I have spoken yesterday---there are plans for many more of these devices to be deployed in the coming months to improve water safety for all citizens in Escambia County going forward.

My hat's off to the Perdido Key Rotary Club for their diligent efforts and work to improve public safety at our area's beaches! 

More Rescue Tubes Coming to Perdido Key Beach Access Points #2 and #3 This Saturday

I received this email late yesterday from Mr. Steve Stroberger, Chief of Staff for D2 Escambia County Commissioner Mike Kohler and a member of the Rotary Club of Perdido Key.  

The Perdido Key Rotary Club will be sponsoring the addition of two more emergency rescue tubes this Saturday Morning starting at 8:00AM at Perdido Key in District 1.  

I am deeply appreciative and I know the community is as well.  I even said to Steve at the last installation last Saturday--facetiously and in jest due to these works by D2 out in D1--"Thanks for the work you all are doing out in District 1--we appreciate it!!"

But in all seriousness--it is awesome to have a D2 Office that is working together with D1 rather than what we have seen from the previous D2 office........

Steve's email, below:

"All,

 I’ll be putting in a couple more Rescue Tubes on Saturday morning. If you can, come out first to Beach Access #3 at 8:00a. We'll move over to Beach Access #2 afterwards for another Rescue Tube install.

 There’s videos and lots of info about the Rescue Tube Foundation at the link below:

 www.rescuetubefoundation.org"