Courageous Anonymity, How Special

Well, we warned you.

A few days ago we told you HERE to expect the inevitable “screeching” from the Recallers over the fallout from John Cagnina’s magnanimous gift to the citizens of Anna Maria. By recklessly filing a doomed ethics complaint with little or no personal knowledge of the facts, no attempt to investigate those facts and no thought whatsoever of the financial consequences of his assured failure, he placed the City at substantial risk. He and the City were both put on notice over a month ago HERE and HERE that Florida law provides for reimbursement of the costs associated with defending the ethics complaint when that complaint fails, as this one did so miserably. Neither the City nor Cagnina refuted that potential consequence nor, apparently, did they act to prevent it.

Yesterday, Commissioner Joanne Mattick characterized our warning as “condescending,” “inappropriate” and “beneath” us HERE and accused us of trying to “belittle and embarrass” Cagnina. Though we do not agree, we do respect her opinion as to our warning; after all, it’s all interpretation and she is entitled to voice her opinion; like the opinion she voiced last commission meeting on the need to address the evils of anonymity. But we reject her accusation regarding our intent to “belittle and embarrass” Cagnina as simply impossible. One cannot make a truth more truthful. And recently, Commissioner Mattick’s daughter Sandy and I had what I consider a respectful on-line exchange in the Sun’s comment section which we reported HERE. She lamented the use of rhetoric in the current debate, citing the desire of “the residents” to see it end.

Anyway, so now the Cagnina bill has arrived and the screeching we predicted has begun so we will just lay it on the line for those of you who may be on the fence:

This is no joke. The following attempt at sophisticated and persuasive thought has appeared anonymously in the Bradenton Herald and on a recaller Facebook page in the last 48 hours:

“STOLTZFUS BLACKMAILS CITY. DEMANDS $7,500 BY JUNE 25 for legal fees that never needed to be incurred and the city is not responsible for. If they don't pay, he will sue a private citizen and when he loses, which he knows he will, he will sue city for more. CALL 941-84X-4X2X TO SIGN RECALL PETITION.”

Put aside for a moment the fact that it is libelous per se, patently false and purposefully misstates Florida law, all performed with courageous anonymity. It is also kind of, well, icky isn’t it? I mean, even if one is considering signing the petition, isn’t this just the sort of “rhetoric” to which the younger Ms. Mattick referred? Is this the level of discourse with which an undecided voter wants to be associated? If the groundswell for this recall thing is as significant as they have lead the press and public to believe, if signatures are so easy to come by, why the frenzied desperation as their deadline approaches? And if these folks feel so proud and passionate about their cause, why hide?

Of course, if this is your view of thoughtful, measured and appropriate discourse concerning an important issue facing this city then you need read no further. You have either (1) logged an inordinate number of service hours under a local recall petition tent; (2) been banned from Bayview Plaza by its landlord for hassling citizens to sign the petition at the U.S. Post Office in violation of federal law; or (3) plied targeted patrons with alcohol late at night at a local watering hole and pressured them to sign. And no amount of reason is going to pry your hands from that recall clipboard.

Or perhaps, as is your right as a voter, you have simply made the decision to sign or not sign on your own after consideration of the facts and circumstances as you interpret them. Fair enough, and if so, we hope the above at least disappoints you. We do thank you for continuing to consider other perspectives by visiting here to stay informed.

But if this tactic makes your skin crawl, or even if it just disappoints you, then tell them so when they show up at your door, or flag you down outside the General Store or offer you another glass of wine at Feeling Swell late Saturday night before they shove the clipboard under your nose.

Bill Yanger