An escalating dispute between House Rep. Randy Fine and Indialantic condo owner Dr. Wiley Larson of Colorado has resulted in allegations of harassment on both sides and a request by the condo owner for an investigation of Fine for “inappropriate behavior” before the Florida Commission on Ethics.
The entire matter began innocently enough. The Fines needed a home in October 2016 after Hurricane Matthew destroyed their home at 409 Spoonbill Dr., Melbourne Beach. Larson’s condo at 601 N. Miramar Ave. Indialantic, Unit 313, which was up for sale, was leased as temporary quarters for Fine and his family for four months. The twist that caused the festering problem came in February this year when Larson found a buyer for the unit and requested that Fine, as he says was specified in the lease, move out so the sale could move forward. “He chose to ignore” the request, Larson said.
Fine, who was in session at the state House of Representatives at the time, and his family ended up staying an additional five months against Larson’s wishes. Larson, who filed eviction papers against Fine in mid-February, contends that Fine’s extended stay in the condo cost him money and delayed the sale of the condo, which eventually sold and closed for $625,000 cash.
To complicate matters, the condo association had expressed displeasure with Fine for the after-hours installation of a Tesla charging station for his car.
Fine contends Larson harassed and physically threatened him as reflected by informational reports filed with the Indialantic Police Department on Feb. 16 and July 10.
Larson, a space expert and author of several books on space mission analysis and design, said he has been in touch with state officials several times since February and expects an ethics investigation to be conducted and completed within about a month after it starts.
Larson counters that Fine – who, according to 2016 candidate financial disclosure forms on file with the Florida Department of State, Division of Elections, was worth more than $22 million – could have easily afforded to leave the condo according to the terms of the lease, and otherwise exhibited inappropriate and abrasive behavior throughout the incident, not only to him but to others.
“The condo was not for rent, it was for sale. This has nothing to do with money. It’s very much an ethics (issue). The reason for (the ethics commission complaint) is to make sure people know he’s not credible and I don’t think he’s worthy to lead a district. It’s about his credibility,’’ Larson said.
To that point, Fine’s spokesman Mark Zubaly said: “Anyone can file an ethics complaint against a public official at any time for any reason, whether truthful or not. The Ethics Commission must find the complaint legally sufficient before an investigation begins. Other than that, I am not at liberty to discuss any details of the complaint as the proceedings are confidential for all parties other than the complainant,’’ he said.
Florida Commission on Ethics spokesperson Kerrie Stillman said the state cannot confirm nor deny any investigation is ongoing until its completion and the information becomes public record or until the matter is dismissed. She said that Rep. Fine is not listed on any current public record document at the commission.
Setting the possible ethics ruling aside, Zubaly, again speaking for the Fines, goes on to say that “having your home destroyed by a hurricane is a traumatic event, but the violent and erratic behavior by Wiley Larson since the Fines’ insurance company secured a rental in Mr. Larson’s condominium has made a taxing time for the Fines much worse.”
Fine, a Republican and owner of the Fine Point Group gaming management firm, was elected to Florida House Dist. 53 in 2016 covering the southern portion of Brevard County.
Fine’s claim that February was very busy for him is no exaggeration. His first legislative session this spring was full of controversy, as Fine provoked massive opposition from the Florida League of Cities and the Florida Association of Counties, as well as from dozens of cities and counties across the state for proposing a bill that would have greatly altered local governments’ ability to regulate business operations all over the state. The failed bill was seen as an attempt to strip home rule from Florida’s cities and counties, whose leaders speculated it could pave the way for adult entertainment, or other businesses currently regulated or prohibited by local ordinances or zoning code.
