Mailers of Misdirection? Why Is Everyone Attacking Keith Touchberry?
As of this writing, the only campaign without some nefarious PAC help is Chief Touchberry.
A lot of Indian River County political observers are in an uproar over the political mailers in the Sheriff’s race. Everyone is tracing down a mailer with content that is critical of Sheriff Flowers and shows challenger, Keith Touchberry, in a positive light. A second one fitting the same description was sent yesterday from the PAC, Stop Liberal Republicans PC.
Nobody likes this type of “dirty tricks.” Apparently, people are upset over being led to believe Chief Touchberry was behind the mailer. He has denied any association with the mailer. The facts of the mailer’s funding backs Chief Touchberry’s assertion. The funding for Stop Liberal Republicans PC came from one contributor, a different PAC named, Florida First Forever, Inc., who provided $50,000 on July 17, 2024 so they could do their mailings. According to the Florida Dept. of State, the PAC paid a communications firm, $24, 963.77 for the electioneering costs.
But the funding trail does not end there. On June 15, 2024, that Florida First Forever, Inc. money came from another PAC directly involved in the Sheriff’s race. It was Friends of Milo Thornton which is chaired locally by a Vero Beach resident and has many local contributors. Reached for comment, Chief Touchberry said, “Like all politics, just follow the money and you can reasonably determine where these mailers are coming from.”
It is an odd way to spend $50,000 criticizing one opponent and praising the other. With friends like this PAC, who needs enemies? Milo Thornton denied any involvement in the strategy. Candidates cannot coordinate with outside PACs, not even with their organized ‘friends.’
Yet, PACs sending mailers making nefarious claims should be expected by voters in a highly contested campaign. Chief Touchberry is getting unjustifiably maligned by a series of mailers from Floridians for Ethics and Truth in Politics. There is a similar money trail and guess what, Florida First Forever, Inc. is providing cash for this one too. The mailers with the tattooed MS-13 gang members somewhere in South America (not Fellsmere) were funded with a $90,000 contribution from Florida First Forever, Inc. The gang photo was taken from a 2019 article in the international news publication, Infobae, which covers Latin America.
Chief Touchberry said, “The allegations are laughable. It makes you wonder if the local contributors are aware of how their money is being spent and if they actually approve of it.”
Florida First Forever, Inc. is managing over $1.2 million in contributions this campaign cycle according to Transparency USA, a non-profit that monitors the transactions of PACs all over the country. Friends of Milo Thornton is a top 5 contributor to the PAC this campaign cycle. Florida First Forever, Inc. has spent nearly $650,000 in contributions funneling money to other PACs throughout the state like Florida for Ethics and Truth in Politics.
Meanwhile, a PAC out of Palm Gardens named Hope for the Future is sending out electioneering mailers with an AI cop photo shouting, “Republican Alert!”
On the other side is a picture covering half the flyer of Mr. Thornton and Michelle Obama as the “Left Choice.” Next to them is Eric Flowers with Donald Trump.
Mr. Thornton taking a photo-op while working security detail is considered evil these days.
In this campaign cycle, the George E. Warren LLC is a principal contributor of $10,000 alongside a few more Treasure Coast contributors. Vero Beach resident and philanthropist, Tom Corr, is the head of Warren. Along with the owner of Gorilla Ammo, Lanse Padgett, they launched the investigation of Vero Beach Police Chief, David Currey, that was resolved at the end of April before the City Council.
Well, at least the local contributors to Hope for the Future know how their PAC money is being spent.
It's Corr...