GOP unlikely to remove Tea Party candidate from legislative race

[Freddie Stubbs]

In a Leon County courtroom, the Republican Party of Florida is making a last minute attempt to remove a Tea Party candidate from the ballot in a Central Florida state legislative race. But time is running out before the ballot is certified at 5 p.m. Thursday and the circuit judge appears skeptical about the case.

Rep. J.C. Planas, a termed-out Miami lawmaker, was hired by the party to argue the case on behalf of a voter in House District 34, Christopher Denion. (Rep. Chris Dorworth, a future House speaker, currently holds the seat.) Planas argued that John DeVries is a bogus tea party candidate and asked Circuit Judge Jackie Fulford to disqualify him for technical issues surrounding his paperwork and a loan from Tea Party leader Fred O'Neal.

"What we have here is the RPOF verses the TEA Party of Florida," O'Neal said in his opening statement. "They are trying to take us off the ballot."

The group, led by Orlando political consultant Doug Guetzloe, is under fire as a front group for Democrats. (And remember the name "Tea Party of Florida" is also a matter of legal dispute.)


more: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2010/09/gop-unlikely-to-remove-tea-party-candidate-from-legsilative-race.html