Alachua Politics - In The News

Today's HIGH SPRINGS HERALD reports on Alachua politics

For those interested in following the bizarre world of Alachua politics, be sure to read the High Springs Herald account of Charlie Grapski getting dragged out of the city commission meeting Monday night in handcuffs by APD Chief Jernigan. When Grapski went limp and refused to cooperate with an unlawful arrest, Jernigan ordered an officer to deploy his Taser and threatened to tase Grapski if he didn't get up. A video of the entire incident and will be posted soon on the Alachua Project website: www.freealachua.org.

There is also an interesting article in the Herald about the Alachua city commission declining Pam Carpenter's offer to supervise the city commission election this year. The decision to hold their own election was approved 5-0, and the public was prohibited by Mayor Calderwood from even mentioning last year's election during public comment on the motion (I'm not making this up, we will post the video of this as well). Calderwood threatened to rule anyone out of order if they spoke about last year's contested election, but commissioners were allowed to make comments praising the city's 2006 election and stating that "only a handful of people" had any problem with the way it was run.

Calderwood is a named defendant in a lawsuit challenging the validity of last year's election. Although the lawsuit was recently dismissed by Judge Roundtree on a technicality, his ruling is being appealed by the plaintiffs, of which I am one.

A federal First Amendment lawsuit will be filed as a result of the illegal actions taken by city officials on Monday, and we are calling for a state investigation into numerous violations of the law by Alachua officials.

Here are the links to today's HSH articles:

City commission changes its mind, decides it can run its own elections

Grapski arrested yet again, this time carried out of Alachua city meeting

You can now view the video of Mr. Grapski being carried from the commission chambers at

http://www.youtube.com/grapskidefense

Citizens concerned about the escalation of abuse of citizens who speak out against the current officials are encouraged to contact Florida Govenor Charlie Crist at Charlie.Crist@myflorida.com for a complete investigation into the treatment of Mr. Grapski and others on whom war seems to have been declared.

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