Monroe County’s top Republican leaders are breathing easier after prosecutors announced they will not pursue charges tied to a disputed $20,000 political contribution that set off months of infighting, allegations of fraud and an almost one-year investigation[1].
In a memo finalized last month, State Attorney Amira Fox of the 20th Judicial Circuit said her Office found insufficient evidence that Republican Party of Monroe Chair Rhonda Rebman Lopez and then-Treasurer Sherri Hodies violated state law when the organization endorsed and donated to Hodies’ successful Supervisor of Elections campaign.
Rebman Lopez celebrated the decision this week, commending Gov. Ron DeSantis for ensuring a “fair, transparent process” and blasting Republican Monroe State Attorney Dennis Ward, whom she accused of pushing the complaint to help Hodies’ Democratic opponent last year.
“This was a political attack from the start,” Rebman Lopez said. “Ward’s efforts to slander loyal Republicans failed. Thanks to Governor DeSantis and to the voters of Monroe County for standing strong.”
The controversy dates to an April 20, 2024, meeting of the Monroe County Republican Executive Committee (MCREC[2]). At that gathering, members voted to endorse Hodies over Republican primary rival Margaret Romero and contribute $20,000 to her campaign.
Soon after, Key West resident Phyllis May filed a complaint alleging that the vote did not satisfy Rule 8-B[3] of the Republican Party of Florida (RPOF), which requires either 60% of a local Executive Committee’s total membership or two-thirds of those present to endorse a candidate in a contested Primary.
May argued that the April vote — 20 in favor, 18 opposed — fell short of that threshold, making the contribution unlawful. She also alleged that the move amounted to voter fraud and unlawful distribution of funds, placing both Rebman Lopez and Hodies in violation of Florida law[4] that makes it a third-degree felony for a county party Chair or Treasurer to misappropriate or unlawfully expend party funds.
Because Ward had been present at the April meeting, he recused himself to avoid a conflict. DeSantis reassigned the case to Fox through an executive order[5] Sept. 20, 2024.
Investigators interviewed numerous MCREC members and reviewed meeting the group’s minutes, bylaws and testimony. According to a close-out report investigators from Fox’s Office submitted in June, the April meeting was contentious, and many members were unfamiliar with Rule 8-B.
Key testimony came from MCREC Secretary Jessica Prescott, who said she researched Rule 8-B and believed a simple majority was sufficient because a 60% quorum was present; MCREC member Patrick Foley, who testified that confusion stemmed from conflicting interpretations of Rule 8-B, but that nothing nefarious occurred; and the group’s current Treasurer, Henry Stark, who argued Rule 8-B as vague and subject to “a variety of interpretations.”
Fox’s Office concluded there was no evidence that Rebman Lopez or Hodies had criminal intent to misappropriate funds, finding instead that there had been an honest dispute among members about how to apply party rules.
“The evidence is clear that different members of the MCREC had different interpretations of RPOF Rule 8-B and members had little to no experience with RPOF Rule 8-B,” the report stated.
Fox’s Office also noted that Rule 8-B governs endorsements but not financial contributions, which the committee had historically approved by simple majority.
“Had the MCREC simply proceeded with a majority vote for the financial distribution, as the organization had always done in the past,” the memo said, “the allegation of misappropriation of funds may have been avoided.”
Post Views: 0
References
- ^ one-year investigation (floridapolitics.com)
- ^ MCREC (www.keysgop.com)
- ^ Rule 8-B (d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net)
- ^ Florida law (www.leg.state.fl.us)
- ^ executive order (www.flgov.com)