1. No category

Putnam Co Tea Party Patriots – The Brew
October 16, 2014
A Voice for Limited Constitutional Government, Individual & Fiscal
Responsibility, Free Markets & Strong National Defense
Currently: 722 Subscribers!
Derek Hankerson
PCTPP Chairman
 ONLY 18 Days till November 4th Election Day! 
It is Your God Given &
Constitutionally Protected Right.
USE IT!
November’s election will come down to getting every last
conservative to vote. Will you be the person who sits this
one out and lets Charlie Crist and Barack Obama control
Florida?
If you requested an absentee ballot for this election, thank you! But remember, that’s only
step 1. For your vote to count, your ballot needs to be delivered and received by the
Supervisor of Elections Office by 7pm on November 4th.
All of our hard work comes down to what happens in the next 18 days. Don’t leave anything to
chance this election: Put your absentee ballot in the mail today.
Early Voting begins October 23rd - Available at three locations
Supervisor of Elections Office: 386-329-0024
Early voting Ends
ELECTION DAY!
November 1, 2014
November 4, 2014
Your FINAL Opportunity to Meet the Candidates!
Monday, October 27th - Non-Partisan “Meet & Greet” Candidates Forum
Invited Candidates:
 Glo Smith (R), US Congressional District 5 - Currently occupied by Corrine Brown (D), also invited
 Allegra Kitchens (Incumbent), Justin Campbell and Robin Cadle (write-in), Candidates for City of
Palatka Commissioner, Group 2
 Phil Leary (Incumbent) and Rufus Borom, Candidates for City of Palatka Commissioner, Group 4
 Vernon Meyers (Republican, Incumbent) and Terrill Hill (Democrat), Candidates for Palatka Mayor
 Allen Baggett and Jane Thomas Crawford, Candidates for School Board, District 5
All of our meetings Begin at 6:30 pm at the American Legion (316 Osceola Street, Palatka)
The Legion Canteen will be open from 5-6:15 PM to purchase sandwiches, salads, ice cream, soft drinks
& the best thick milkshakes in town! Proceeds from the Canteen support our local veterans.
For more detail call our Event Coordinator, Stan Owens (386) 325-0630.
On the 2014 November Ballot: Seven Judges - Should They Be Retained?
On the Nov. 4 ballot, Putnam County voters will vote on whether to retain in office
seven appellate judges. In Florida, judges for state appellate courts (and the Florida
Supreme Court) are appointed by the Governor and then stand for merit retention
every six years. Voters can choose "retain" or "not retain." Since the system started
in 1978, no Florida judge has lost a merit retention election.
Appellate judges hear appeals from circuit courts. The 5th District Court of Appeal is
based in Daytona Beach and its jurisdiction covers Marion, Lake, Sumter, Citrus,
Hernando, Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns, Volusia, Orange, Osceola, Brevard and
Seminole counties. Judges serve six-year terms and are paid $153,140 per year. The office is nonpartisan.
The Florida Bar conducted a secret poll of lawyers who have at least limited knowledge of the judges up for retention.
Here are the results for the judges who will be on the Putnam County ballot:
 Judge Wendy W. Berger – 82% support retaining
 Judge Kerry I. Evander — 90 % support retaining
 Judge C. Alan Lawson — 90 % support retaining
 Judge Richard B. Orfinger — 91% support retaining
 Judge William D. Palmer — 88% support retaining
 Judge Thomas D. Sawaya — 92% support retaining
 Judge F. Rand Wallis – 86% support retaining
Judge Wendy W. Berger of the Fifth District Court of Appeal
She was appointed to this position by Governor Rick Scott on August 21, 2012 to replace retired Judge
David Monaco. The Florida Bar conducted a poll of its members regarding the appellate judges up for
retention in 2014. 82% of respondents recommended Berger for retention. Berger received her B.S. and
J.D. degrees from Florida State University. She was admitted to the bar in 1993.
Career: 2012-2015: Judge, Fifth District Court of Appeal; 2005-2012: Judge, 7th Circuit Court; 2001-2005:
Assistant General Counsel to then-Gov. Jeb Bush; 1993-2000: Assistant State Attorney, 7th Judicial Circuit
More info: http://www.5dca.org/Judges/Berger/Berger_page.shtml
Judge Kerry I. Evander of the Fifth District Court of Appeal
He was appointed by former Gov. Jeb Bush and has served since July of 2006. Kerry Evander graduated
from the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree in political science in 1976 and a law degree (J.D.)
in 1980. Evander began his legal career in March of 1980 when he joined a law firm (Reinman, Harrell, et
al.). He left in 1986 to work as an Associate Professor at the Mississippi College of Law. In May of 1987, he
returned to the firm. In 1988, he moved to the firm Gleason, Barlow, & Evander, P.A. He first became a
judge one year later, serving as a County Judge of Brevard County. In 1993, he was elevated to the
position of Circuit Judge of 18th Judicial Circuit. He held this position until his appointment to the Court of Appeal in
2006.
More Info: http://www.5dca.org/Judges/Evander/Evander_page.shtml
Judge Charles Alan Lawson of the Fifth District Court of Appeal
He was appointed by former Gov. Jeb Bush and has served on this court since 2006. He was retained on
November 4, 2008. Alan Lawson graduated from Tallahassee Community College in 1981 and from
Clemson University in 1983. He went on to receive his law degree from Florida State University in 1987.
Judge Lawson began his legal career as an associate and partner of the firm Steel, Hector & Davis. He
worked there from 1987 to 1995. He then worked for a year as general counsel to Verses Wear, Inc. In
1997, he became an assistant county attorney in Orange County. He became a circuit judge of the 9th district in 2002.
He held this position until his appointment to the appellate court in 2006.
More info: http://www.5dca.org/Judges/Lawson/Lawson_page.shtml
Judge Richard B. Orfinger of the Fifth District Court of Appeal
He was appointed to this position by Governor Jeb Bush. He has judged on this court since 2000. He was
retained by voters in 2002 and 2008. Richard Orfinger graduated from Tulane University in 1974 and
went on to receive his law degree from the University Of Florida College Of Law in 1976. Richard Orfinger
began his legal career in 1976 as an Assistant State Attorney of the 7th Judicial Circuit. In 1979, he
became a shareholder in the law firm Orfinger and Stout, P.A. By 1990, the firm had become Monaco,
Smith, Hood, Perkins, Orfinger and Stout, P.A. He became a Circuit Judge in 1991 serving the 7th Judicial Circuit of
Florida (includes Putnam). From 1996 to 1999, he was the chief judge on this court. He was a circuit judge until his
appointment to the Court of Appeal in 2000.
Key rulings: In 2006, helped order life — not just 30 years — in prison for a Citrus County man who shot and injured a
sheriff's deputy.
More Info: http://www.5dca.org/Judges/Orfinger/Orfinger_page.shtml
Judge William David Palmer of the Fifth District Court of Appeal
He was appointed to this position by former Gov. Jeb Bush and began serving the court in 2000. He was
the chief judge of the court from July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2009. William Palmer graduated from the
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1973 and went on to receive his law degree from Boston College Law
School in 1976. Palmer began his legal career in 1976, working with the law firm Carlton, Fields, Ward,
Emmanuel, Smith & Cutler, P.A. He remained with this firm until 1997, when he started Palmer & Palmer,
P.A. In 2000, he became a judge for the first time, serving on the Court of Appeal. Palmer was retained by
voters in 2002 and 2008.
More info: http://www.5dca.org/Judges/Palmer/Palmer_page.shtml
Judge Thomas D. Sawaya of the Fifth District Court of Appeal
He was appointed by former Gov. Jeb Bush. Thomas Sawaya graduated from the University of South
Florida in 1974 and went on to receive his law degree from Stetson University College of Law in 1977.
Thomas Sawaya began his legal career with general law practice in Ocala, which he maintained through
1986. For a year during this time, he worked part-time as an Assistant State Attorney. In 1986, he was
elected to be a Marion County Judge. He became a Circuit Court Judge in the 5th Circuit in 1990. He served
on this court for 10 years, with four of them as the Presiding Judge of the appellate division.
Key rulings: In 2007 helped overturn the grand theft conviction of James K. Isenhour, who was accused of stealing more
than $250,000 worth of scholarship funds; helped order life — not just 30 years — in prison for a Citrus County man who
shot and injured a sheriff's deputy.
More info: http://www.5dca.org/Judges/Sawaya/Sawaya_page.shtml
Judge F. Rand Wallis of the Fifth District Court of Appeal
He was appointed by Gov. Rick Scott on May 29, 2013. In 2010, Wallis won the primary election for judge
of the Ninth Circuit Court, receiving 82.6% of the vote. He ran unopposed and was elected in the general
election on November 2nd. Wallis received his B.A. degree (in Political Science) from Furman University in
1989 and his J.D. degree from Stetson University College of Law in 1992. Wallis began his career in 1993
as an Assistant State Attorney for the 18th Judicial Circuit. He worked in that position until 1995. He then
served as an associate of the law firm of Cameron, Marriott, Walsh, Hodges & D'Assaro, PA for almost one year before
joining the firm of Cabaniss, Smith, Toole and Wiggins, PL, where he practiced for over 13 years. He spent his last seven
years there as a partner. Wallis was appointed to the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court position by former Governor Charlie
Crist in January of 2008. He served there until his elevation to the Fifth District Court of Appeal in 2013 by Gov. Rick
Scott.
More info: http://www.5dca.org/Judges/Wallis/Wallis_page.shtml
The above information was compiled from a number of sources including the Ocala Star Banner (www.ocala.com),
Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal (www.5dca.org), the website Judgepedia (http://judgepedia.org/), etc.
Amendment 1: FOOD OR ECO-PLAYGROUNDS?
Incredible that anyone would think our state should buy up agricultural land, convert it to conservation land, and let it
lay fallow and unproductive. That’s what Amendment 1 will do. The amendment specifically names rural and agricultural
lands as prime targets for Florida Forever conservation land purchases and forces the legislature to set aside $500
million dollars a year, $19 billion dollars over 20 years, to purchase it.
Agriculture is the backbone of Florida’s economy. People must understand Amendment One will put farmers, ranchers,
and greenhouses out of production and, thus, out of business. These are the people who
produce our food and much of the rest of the nation’s food. It’s not acceptable to force us
into a situation where we must pay more to import food we are capable of producing in
our own back yard. It’s not just food crops we will lose. Our nurseries produce ornamental
and landscape plants that are a top ranked cash crop, contributing hundreds of millions of
dollars and thousands of private-sector jobs to our state economy.
Floridians must reject Amendment 1. Our state is not just for tourists, and our state’s
productive agricultural land should not be converted to eco-tourism playgrounds. People
need to work, and people need to eat. No farms, no food.
Source: http://proprights.com/?p=1055
House Speaker Will Weatherford Speaks Out Against Amendment 2
Speaker Weatherford joins growing Don’t Let Florida Go to Pot Coalition
Tallahassee (10/8/2014) – Florida House Speaker Will Weatherford
today expressed serious concerns about Amendment 2 and the
impact it would have on Florida’s economy. He joins a growing
statewide coalition of elected officials, law enforcement leaders,
business owners, and members of the Florida medical community
as part of the Don’t Let Florida Go to Pot coalition.
“Let’s not hide behind labels such as ‘compassionate’ or ‘medical’
when debating this amendment. Instead, let’s call it what it really
is: a de facto legalization of marijuana in Florida,” said Speaker
Weatherford. “From higher dropout rates, to possible health
complications, and even workplace challenges, Amendment 2’s risks
pose a threat to Florida’s future economic expansion.”
Weatherford is lending his voice to a coalition including former
Florida Governor Jeb Bush and other elected officials, the Florida
Chamber of Commerce, the Associated Builders and Contractors of
Florida, and the Florida Trucking Association. The coalition is a
collective effort of local and state organizations working together to educate Floridians on the dangers of marijuana and
efforts to allow marijuana for supposed medical uses in Florida. It is conducting an educational campaign on problems it
sees with Amendment 2 which will be on the Florida ballot in November.
According to national drug policy expert Calvina Fay, Executive Director of the Drug Free America Foundation,
distributors of marijuana as provided through Amendment 2 would operate virtually unchecked. “Amendment 2 does
not require background checks or for distributors to have any medical credentials whatsoever,” said Fay. “The result will
be pot shops in our neighborhoods, in our shopping centers, and near places where our children play.”
A recent report from the Florida Department of
Health (DOH) revealed Amendment 2 would lead to
more than 417,000 recipients if adopted by voters.
The amendment would also enable 250,000
caregivers who are not required to have any
training, credentials, or even background checks to
sell marijuana through an estimated 1,800 pot shops
statewide. The stores will not be supervised by
medical professionals, but will be regulated by only 13 DOH inspectors statewide.
Source: http://dfaf.org/media-center/press/2014/10/09/house-speaker-will-weatherford-speaks-out-against-amendment-2/
Opinion by Harry Lee Anstead: Amendment 3
Amounts to More Political Meddling in the State Courts
Florida once was hailed as a model system for appointment of fair and impartial judges based solely on merit. It was
perhaps the greatest legacy of the late Gov. Reubin Askew, who voluntarily gave up his sole authority to appoint judges
in favor of a nonpartisan merit selection system based on his belief that "the judiciary is too important to be left to
partisan patronage."
Opinion David Hart: Amendment 3 brings clarity to judicial appointment process
The heart of the merit system consisted of nonpartisan nine-member nominating commissions for all courts. To prevent
political partisanship on the commissions, only three of the nine members could be appointed by the governor.
Tragically, recent legislatures have gutted Askew's dream. They've given the governor full control over the commissions'
membership, thereby making a charade of what was once a merit-based, evaluation of judicial candidates.
Now, instead of working to restore Askew's nonpartisan merit system, the current legislative majority is seeking to
accelerate a partisan power grab of Florida's judiciary at the highest level. They want to vest a lame-duck outgoing
governor with the authority to fill three seats on the Supreme Court that become vacant after the governor's term
expires.
The sponsors of Amendment 3 say they are trying to eliminate confusion and an imaginary future constitutional crisis.
Those claims are thin cover for continued political interference in our courts.
The three anticipated Supreme Court vacancies targeted by the amendment occur in four years and at the same time
the term of an outgoing governor expires. Of course appointments cannot be made until a position is vacant; hence the
authority to appoint a replacement will belong to an incoming governor, and not the one whose term has ended. Gov.
Jeb Bush advocated this position and there are Supreme Court opinions backing him up.
If there are delays in an appointment, the chief justice has several options for ensuring the work of the court moves
forward without interruption.
What Floridians are really being asked to eliminate is a critical protection Askew built into the system of merit selection
and retention. When the system was adopted, it was built on two pillars of public input and accountability. In addition to
requiring appointed judges to go before the public for merit retention, a governor seeking re-election could be held
accountable at the ballot box for his appointments. That accountability vanishes if an outgoing governor makes the
appointments.
The scheme proposed in Amendment 3 gives a departing governor the power to tip the scales of justice for partisan
reasons on the way out the door — with impunity. And, therein lies the easily identified real intent of this amendment.
Partisan advocates, frustrated by the public's rejection of their attempt to remove these same three Florida justices in
their retention elections in 2012, have audaciously found another scheme to achieve their goals of stacking the court
politically.
It is a one-time gamble and a shortsighted strategy that presumes Gov. Rick Scott is re-elected so
that he can make the appointments at the end of his second term. It also cynically ignores the
possibility that an informed public will reject this blatant attempt to politicize the judiciary.
Floridians have consistently agreed with Askew on keeping partisan politics out of our courts.
Voters have a chance to send that message again this November, by voting NO on Amendment 3.
Note: Harry Lee Anstead, appointed in 1994 by Gov. Lawton Chiles, retired from the Florida
Supreme Court in 2009.
Source: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/opinion/os-ed-front-burner-amendment-3-con-20140923-story.html
On the Ballot November 4th
Putnam County School Board
In Putnam County the Superintendent of Public Schools is presently elected by a
majority of the qualified electors.
Should the Superintendent of Public Schools be appointed by the District School Board?
 YES
 NO
Never Give Up Your Right to Vote!
October County and City Meetings Schedule
Government works best when “the people” stay engaged & keep government accountable to us.
PUTNAM COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS,
Regularly Scheduled Meeting: DATES: October 28; TIME: 9:00 AM
LOCATION: Suite 100, 2509 Crill Ave., Palatka, FL 32177
To contact BOCC: Phone: (386) 329-0205 / Email: harris@putnam-fl.com; chip.laibl@putnam-fl.com;
karl.flagg@putnam-fl.com; larry.harvey@putnam-fl.com; walt.pellicer@putnam-fl.com
NOTE: On Tuesday Nov 18th at 9am the BOCC Swearing in Ceremony, Everyone is encouraged to attend.
PALATKA CITY COMMISSIONERS:
DATE: October 23; TIME: 6:00 PM - LOCATION: 201 North 2nd Street, Palatka, FL 32177
Thank You “Cuttin’ Time” for Your Paid Sponsorship!
Serving Putnam and Surrounding Counties
Mention the “Weekly Brew” & Receive 10% Off of Your First Cut!
PUTNAM COUNTY TEA PARTY PATRIOTS
It’s That Time of Year! Please Help Us Meet Our Annual Fund Raising Goal!
WE ACCEPT ONLINE DONATIONS! TRY IT!
http://www.putnamteaparty.org/inv_donate.asp
Our expenses are not enormous but it does take money to
keep our Tea Party functioning. It is time to pay our 2015
rental fee, plus we need funds for printing expenses, ink
cartridges, paper (lots of paper and ink!), speaker fees,
candidate forums, equipment, office supplies, etc. Our
newsletter goes out to hundreds of subscribers via email. It
also goes out to many Patriots via “Print & Snail-Mail” to those
that don’t have email accounts. Your donations will purchase postage and other necessary
items to keep all of our Tea Party Patriots informed and engaged in local, state and federal
issues. This is a vital mission and without financial support we will be in jeopardy of continuing
our efforts in the coming year. Just $10-$20 from each of you will make all the difference!
WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT!
VISIT OUR WEBSITE AND DONATE TODAY!
Or make checks payable to: Putnam Co. Tea Party Patriots
Mail to: Putnam Co. Tea Party Patriots, PO Box 218, East Palatka, FL 32131
Any amount will be greatly appreciated. For more information call: 386-325-0630
VISIT OUR WEBSITE www.putnamteaparty.org; “LIKE” US ON FACEBOOK
Please add our email address (patriots@putnamteaparty.org) to your contact or “safe senders” list.
We will never sell or share your information to anyone, ever.
IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO RECEIVE EMAILS FROM THE PUTNAM COUNTY TEA PARTY PATRIOTS OR IF
YOU WOULD LIKE YOUR EMAIL SENT TO A DIFFERENT EMAIL ADDRESS, PLEASE REPLY & LET US KNOW.
Please Share the Following Links with Your Spanish Speaking Friends
Please reach out and help spread the conservative message! They can get all the latest
Tea Party News and read the U.S. Constitution in Spanish. Featured links:
Libertad USA Bear Witness en Español / LA CONSTITUCIÓN EN ESPAÑOL
These links are also found on our website: http://www.putnamteaparty. org/index.asp