Kriseman is no political dummy. He knows King is a political
liability. The real question is why does Kriseman keep King so close for so
long?
Opinion by: E. Eugene Webb PhD
Author: In Search of Robin, So You Want to Blog.
In an effort to help you sort through the Rick Kriseman
Kevin King issue, I am posting the Releases from the Baker Campaign and
Political Action Committee (Seamless Florida) in the order I received them.
First, here is the deep background:
MIKE BRASSFIELD, St. Petersburg Times, published
February 2, 2001: Substitute
tried for sex contact, authorities say
Mark Puente, December 19, 2013: Rick
Kriseman announces several hires; chief of staff has past arrest
From the Rick Baker PAC Seamless Florida:
October 24, 2017 Brigitta Shouppe Seamless
Florida spokesperson:
Below is a link to download the recently released
commercial, “Sunshine,” which is paid for by Seamless Florida. Please find
attached two newspaper articles supporting the commercial, as well as, the City
of St. Pete’s organizational chart.
This race has always been about competency and
judgement. Kriseman knowingly hired a former substitute teacher to oversee his
education policy who was arrested, charged and immediately fired by the
Pinellas school district after police said he asked a 14-year-old girl to
perform a sex act - how could anyone be okay with that?” said Brigitta Shouppe,
Seamless Florida spokesperson.
Link to
download/view Rick Baker’s campaign ad "Sunshine"
commercial: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/80fhxvgd1ummivy/AABW7u8L6rXHPztPUg2OnJbLa?dl=0
END
October 25, 2017 Brigitta Shouppe Seamless
Florida spokesperson:
“Release the Records, Mr. Kriseman”
In 2013 Rick Kriseman said he “never asked to see
any records” about his Chief of Staff’s prior arrest before putting him over
education policy of the City. The records have been sealed.
Why is Kriseman looking the other
way? What doesn’t he want
parents to know?
St. Petersburg, FL (October 25, 2017) - The Kriseman
campaign made light of Rick Kriseman’s decision to put a man in charge of his
education policy despite Tampa Bay Times reporting in 2001: “Investigators say
he recently sent e-mails or instant messages to two female students, ages 14
and 15, trying to get them to skip school and drink beer with him. Police say
King also asked the 14-year old to perform a sex act on him.”
Yesterday, Kriseman’s campaign manager called it
a “case that didn’t go anywhere” and “had zero to do with Rick
Kriseman.” (Florida
Politics, October 24, 2017).
Zero? Are you serious? Kriseman
hired him as his Chief of Staff. Kriseman put him in charge of
education policy and the staff responsible for recruiting volunteers to mentor
students in our schools.
“Running the city has everything to do with judgment
and competency,” said Brigitta Shouppe, Baker campaign spokeswoman. “If Rick
Kriseman is going to stand by his decision to put this controversial hire in
charge of the Mayor’s education programs which are designed to actually put
people into our children’s schools then he should tell his Chief of Staff to
release the records.”
We know Rick Kriseman’s hand-picked chief of staff, a
former substitute teacher was charged, arrested and immediately fired by the
school board after the Tampa Bay Times reported in 2001: “Investigators say he
recently sent e-mails or instant messages to two female students, ages 14 and
15, trying to get them to skip school and drink beer with him. Police say King
also asked the 14-year old to perform a sex act on him.” (Tampa
Bay Times, Feb. 2, 2001)
In 2006 the Tampa Bay Times reported, “he pleaded
guilty to a misdemeanor, adjudication was withheld and the records were
sealed.” (Tampa
Bay Times, October 24, 2006)
In 2013 when the Tampa Bay Times asked Kriseman about
having this man on staff he said he was, “very comfortable with [him]” and that
he never asked to see any records about the case. (Tampa
Bay Times, December 19, 2013)
In 2015 PolitiFact reported on Kriseman’s schools
initiatives, which this employee oversees, Kriseman’s spokesman reported the
Kriseman administration put 96 new volunteers in our children’s schools. (Politifact,
September 24, 2015)
END
October 26, 2017 Brigitta Shouppe Seamless
Florida spokesperson:
Is Rick Kriseman’s Chief of Staff even eligible to
volunteer in the education program he oversees for the Kriseman Administration?
St. Petersburg, FL (October 26, 2017) – Two years
ago, the Kriseman Administration proclaimed they had recruited city employees
to serve as volunteer mentors in local schools. (Politifact, September 24, 2015) To enter our schools,
volunteers are required to fill out a form sharing their criminal past and
submitting to a level 2 background screening. (Pinellas
County Schools Registration Form see – page. 2
Can Kriseman’s Chief of Staff, who was arrested and
charged in 2001 with “lewd and lascivious” behavior toward two students while
he was a substitute teacher, volunteer for the Mayor’s office mentor program he
oversees?
Prior criminal charges do not automatically
disqualify a volunteer from entering our schools, however, as long as
Kriseman’s Chief of Staff allows the records to remain sealed there is not
enough information to know.
“As a former Pinellas County school teacher, I know
this background check is imperative to protecting our children from any
possible danger,” said Nick Hansen, Campaign Director.
Rick Kriseman has known about the charges for 16 years,
but made him Chief of Staff anyway, and put him over education policy.
16 years is too long, especially when it involves the
safety and security of our children.
The Tampa Bay Times editorial board has asked
Kriseman’s Chief of Staff to release the records so voters can evaluate the
situation and reach their own conclusions.
Today, we are all asking for the same thing
END
October 26, 2017 Nick Hanssen Rick Baker Campaign
Manager:
|
|
END
Kriseman is no political dummy. He knows King is a
political liability. The real question is why does Kriseman keep King so close
for so long?
E-mail Doc at mail to: dr.gwebb@yahoo.com or
send me a Facebook (E.
Eugene Webb) Friend request. Be sure to follow me on Pintrest (Doc
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BAY.
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Disclosures: Contributor to Rick Baker for Mayor Campaign
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