INDIAN RIVER COUNTY – Indian River County residents got an earful Monday morning listening to Rhett Palmer’s radio show as Commissioner Gary Wheeler and District 2 Commission Candidate Charlie Wilson discussed an elections fraud investigation.
That investigation is looking into allegations that the “vast majority” of early qualifying petitions for Wilson’s candidacy had incorrect information, including signatures that don’t match voter records. Both Wheeler and Wilson debated the investigation and how it became public knowledge. They both, at various points during the 2-hour program, accused each other of leaking the complaint to local media, which published the story on Friday – more than a month after the complaint was filed with the State Division of Elections.
Wilson said only three offices could have known about the complaint – the Indian River County Supervisor of Elections, the Division of Elections and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
He expressed doubt that the two state departments would have released the complaint because it is an open investigation.
“It was leaked to the press for political reasons,” Wilson said.
In an e-mail sent to the media from Supervisor of Elections Kay Clem, the elections chief wrote: “I chose to turn it (the questionable petitions) over to the state Division of Elections in an abundance of caution to hopefully not have the story break until the investigation was complete. That is only fair to Mr. Wilson.”
On the radio, Wheeler said he only knew about the complaint once contacted by local media for comment because Wilson had mentioned the commissioner’s name.
He also offered the possibility of Wilson leaking the information as a way to attack his opponents and play the victim.
While Wilson, in an interview, offered the possibility of Commissioner Wheeler leaking the complaint to the newspaper, he said on the radio Monday that he did not know it for a fact.
Wilson did say, however, that he believes of all the political opponents, Wheeler had the motive to do so because the commissioner wants to see candidate Dale Simchick win the race.
Wheeler denied working against Wilson, saying that he has been out in support of Simchick. He said he has donated money to the candidate and organized an event during which people could meet Simchick.
Palmer, who said numerous times during the program that he likes Wilson, Wheeler and Clem, also took issue with the elections chief broaching the possibility that the questionable signatures resemble Wilson’s.
“That’s certainly inflammatory,” Palmer said.
Wheeler, too, agreed that the statement probably should not have been made. However, “she is entitled to her opinion,” the commissioner said.
Wilson said that while he welcomes the investigation into the questionable petitions he did not believe it was right for the issue to be leaked before the investigation could be completed. He has vehemently denied signing any false petitions.
Michael Morrison, a spokesman for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, said Friday that the department was working on a preliminary investigation into the possible petition fraud but could not say how long it would take for the investigation to be concluded and a report issued.
Despite the petitions in doubt, Wilson has filed enough verifiable petitions to qualify in the commission race. He is expected to face off against incumbent Commissioner Joe Flescher and former Sebastian City Councilwoman Simchick in the Republican primary in August. The winner of that race will square off against Democrat Thomas Snell and Independent Carolyn Corum, a former Sebastian city councilwoman in the November general election.
