Questionable CFO Candidate William Rankin Has AFL-CIO Ban Reporter from Meeting

A tirade by Democratic CFO candidate William Rankin was instrumental in getting Tamarac Talk reporter Brooke Knight and attorney Marc Reiner banned from Tuesday's AFL-CIO meeting in Riviera Beach.

Knight, who had written a story questioning Rankin's lack of knowledge and experience for Floridas top financial job, encountered the candidate on her way into the meeting. Rankin refused to answer Knight's questions and accused her of working for the incumbent CFO, Republican Jeff Atwater.

A story in Wednesday's Tamarac Talk describes the incident, post-ruckus, like this:

'Thats her, she works for Jeff!' Rankin pointed toward Knight.

"The chairwoman of the AFL-CIO said to Knight, 'Do you work for Jeff?'

'Jeff who?' Asked Knight.

'Atwater.'

'The CFO? Ive never met the man in my life. Im a voter who is doing research, and I have questions for Rankin.'

'The article you wrote was all lies,' said Rankin.

"Marc Reiner asked Rankin, 'Which of the facts was a lie?'

"Rankin didnt answer. He disappeared inside the building. However, both Knight and Reiner were banned from entering. They handed their questions to the union leader and told members to Google Rankin before giving him any of their money."

As it happens, Knight was not the first, but the second reporter to write about Rankin's embellished resume. The first was Chaz Stevens, whose blog appeared Friday on myactsofsedition.com. Knight's story ran Tuesday, and my column following Knight's research was published Wednesday in Sunshine State News.

Voters might want to read all the stories they can find on William David Rankin, to decide for themselves whether this candidate is mischievous, delusional or just misunderstood.