RPOF: Scott Maddox, Teachers' Union Plug TEA Candidate With 'Robo-Calls'

Attacking a "fake" TEA Party candidate and a 527 front organization, the Republican Party of Florida today demanded that the state teachers' union stop making "robo-calls" in the agriculture commission race.

The campaigns calls reportedly are being made on behalf of Scott Maddox, a former Democratic Party chairman who is running against Republican Adam Putnam.

"The Florida Education Association is funding robo-calls to voters promoting fake TEA Party candidate and Maddox supporter Ira Chester in the commissioner of agriculture race. The calls appear to be another ploy by Democrat candidate Scott Maddox, who was endorsed by the FEA earlier this year, to siphon votes away from Adam Putnam by using a lifelong supporter of Maddox," the RPOF said in a statement.

RPOF Executive Director Ronnie Whitaker alleged that the FEA is using a recently formed 527 organization called Less Government Now.

"The major funding for this 527 is the Floridians for Education and Development, the FEA Solidarity Fund, as well as the trial attorneys through another 527 called Floridians for Effective Leadership," the RPOF statement said. "This is a sleazy attempt by Maddox and the teachers' union to confuse voters with a fake TEA Party candidate."

The RPOF charges that Chester, a 75-year-old registered Democrat until a few months ago, "was planted" in the ag race race by Maddox to siphon votes from Putnam.

"Chester has contributed financially to every Maddox campaign, including this current campaign," Whitaker said.

The Florida Education Association should explain to the teachers of Florida why they would spend their members dues to support a fake TEA Party candidate and interfere in the race for commissioner of agriculture when they have no stake in the issues pertinent to the office, Whitaker said.

Firing back this afternoon, Maddox issued a statement saying:

"With only one day left before voters head to the polls, Congressman Adam Putnam desperately continues to play politics as usual, criticizing his TEA Party opponents robo-calls while two of his biggest special interest supporters -- the Florida Police Benevolent Association and the Florida Chamber released a series of robo-calls attacking (Maddox).

Hiding behind special interests like the Florida Chamber is exactly how a Washington insider operates. Voters are tired of politicians who are controlled by special interests who can buy their votes and are ready to be represented by someone who is going to put them not deep-pocketed special interests -- first, Maddox said.

You can't be a Washington insider and run in Florida as a farmer, Floridians know heifer dust when they see it," Maddox said.

The FEA did not respond to requests for comment.

Chester, of the TEA (Taxed Enough Already) Party, has not visibly campaigned and has not replied to Sunshine State News' requests for comment.

Sunshine State News' nightly tracking poll shows that Chester's support declined from 14 percent to 7 percent in the past two weeks, during which time Putnam's lead over Maddox has expanded from 40-38 to 51-37.

Alleging that the the RPOF has "funded a dozen websites that spread lies and innuendo about official TEA Party candidates," TEA consultant Doug Guetzloe said, "The Republican Party is certainly the epitome of the pot calling the kettle black in this case."