Jim Cracchiolo has been the president of the Wesley Chapel Republlican Membership (WCRC) since its founding a decade in the past. Throughout the previous couple of years, Cracchiolo’s son Peter has been lining up visitor audio system for the membership’s conferences which have included most of the heaviest Republican hitters within the county and state. Peter at present is serving because the membership’s vice chairman.
There’s just one drawback — as of Might 13, the WCRC not has a constitution/stamp of approval from the Republican Celebration of Pasco’s Govt Committee (Pasco REC).
Particular person Pasco Republican golf equipment, just like the WCRC, which offer assist for his or her get together — which has dominated Pasco’s political elections for many years — must renew their charters with the Pasco REC yearly.
So, why was the WCRC’s constitution not renewed? Cracchiolo, Pasco County’’s publicly elected Republican State Committeeman Shawn Foster and Pasco REC chair Troy Stevenson all agree that the rationale the membership’s constitution was not renewed this 12 months was as a result of Peter Cracchiolo volunteered and/or labored for former Hillsborough State Legal professional and 2024 Democratic candidate to win his job again Andrew Warren (who was faraway from workplace by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis) and District 1 College Board member Nadia Combs, a recognized Democrat whom DeSantis sought to interchange with recognized conservative Republican Layla Collins (the spouse of Republican State Sen. Jay Collins), regardless that College Board elections are non-partisan.
“The Wesley Chapel Republican Membership had a gentleman that was working for independents and Democrats and getting paid and volunteering [for them],” Foster stated through the June 19 Pasco REC assembly attended by about 100 folks at Grace Household Church on S.R. 54 in Lutz, the place Dist. 2 Commissioner Seth Weightman was the featured speaker. “A number of folks have needed to be eliminated and requested to go away [the Pasco REC] as a result of they endorsed or supported independents and Democrats towards Republicans within the basic election.”
He added, “We are able to’t do this as members [of the REC]. We agree right here by signing an oath. Now we have tried to work with the [WCRC] for almost a 12 months about this and we tried to recommend to only take that individual and put them in one other place, [because] they may not be in an administrative place of the membership in the event that they have been going to work for Democrats or independents. We’re right here for the Republican Celebration of Pasco. We’re right here to get Republicans elected.”
However, Cracchiolo says that working to get Republicans elected is strictly what the WCRC has accomplished since its inception. And, regardless that Peter has helped some non-Republican campaigns, “He has accomplished a tremendous job of getting our audio system for us,” Cracchiolo says. He’s a registered Republican and a robust supporter of the Republican get together and our complete membership believes he mustn’t must be faraway from our Board.”
Even so, Cracchiolo acquired a Stop & Desist letter from Benjamin J. Gibson of the Legislation Agency of Shutts & Bowen, LLC, the legal professional for the Republican Celebration of Florida (RPOF) on Might 13 that claims,
“On behalf of the RPOF, we write to demand that you just instantly stop and desist your unauthorized utilization of the Republican title in affiliation together with your group ‘Wesley Chapel Republican Membership,’ together with your operation of the Fb web page accessible at Fb.com.
As a result of your membership’s constitution was not renewed by RPOF, your use of the Republican title within the title of your group and on Fb is now with out approval, permission or authorization of the RPOF.
Florida regulation is evident {that a} political get together’s title, abbreviation, or image will not be utilized in reference to any membership, group, affiliation, or group of any variety ‘except approval and permission have been given in writing by the state government committee of such get together.’
§ 103.081(2). Part 103.081(2) states:
(2) No individual or group of individuals shall use the title, abbreviation, or image of any political get together, the title, abbreviation, or image of which is filed with the Division of State, in reference to any membership, group, affiliation, or group of any variety except approval and permission have been given in writing by the state government committee of such get together.”
Cracchiolo says that his membership shouldn’t be backing down. On Might 21, Cracchiolo responded to Gibson’s Stop & Desist letter as follows:
“We decline to adjust to RPOF’s demand, for the explanations outlined beneath:
1. Descriptive Use of ‘Republican’ and Authorized Authority. The phrase ‘Republican’ is merely descriptive and never accessible for registration or frequent regulation proper of unique use. The Membership’s use of the phrase “Republican” is made solely in a descriptive and expressive capability, to determine the final political viewpoint of its members and the character of our discussions and occasions. The Membership doesn’t declare to be affiliated with, endorsed by, or licensed by the RPOF or the Republican Nationwide Committee. This utilization is protected beneath well-established First Modification ideas and the doctrine of nominative truthful use. The usage of such political identifiers by grassroots, unaffiliated group teams is a long-standing and broadly accepted follow.
With respect to your quotation, and misplaced evaluation, of Florida regulation, the operative textual content in FL. Statute §103.082 (2) is ‘No individual or group of individuals shall use the title, abbreviation, or image of any political get together, the title, abbreviation, or image of which is filed with the Division of State.’ As to the title, the restriction pertains to the ‘Celebration’ title designation filed with the state. For instance, the state get together is the “Republican Celebration of Florida” (RPOF as we routinely seek advice from it) and is filed with the state. The time period ‘Republican’ standing alone shouldn’t be a celebration, and our membership has made clear that it isn’t affiliated with the GOP, RNC, Florida or county Republican Celebration (every of which having their very own distinctive title and image); however as a substitute, is an impartial group and membership for particular person members of the general public who personally determine as a Republican.”
Editor’s notice – I solely turned conscious of this case as a result of Jannah and I attended the June 12 WCRC assembly hoping to listen to District 4 Pasco Commissioner Lisa Yeager converse, however when Yeager cancelled that look the identical day, Cracchiolo introduced an replace on the battle to the greater than 50 attendees. I advised Cracchiolo that I’d attempt to speak to each Foster and Stevenson on the Pasco REC assembly the next week to attempt to assist iron out an answer, however either side are standing agency.
So, the WCRC continues to be planning to proceed to make use of the title “Republican” with out a constitution and the Pasco REC is deciding what to do subsequent.
However, as Foster stated on the Pasco REC assembly “This was not not the way in which I wished it to be resolved, however I’ve a transparent conscience.”
