Laura Moss
ON SEPTEMBER 24, 2015 A LOCAL BLOGGER INSINUATED THAT there was a political connection between Laura Moss, candidate for Vero Beach City Council and Charlie Wilson, whom the blogger wrote “holds the dubious distinction of being the first and only Vero Beach City Council member to be removed from office by court order.”
Apparently, as the blogger wrote, “Laura Moss, was recently seen passing notes with civic activist and political operative Charlie Wilson.” No mention was made as to where and when it occurred or whom it was who said that it did in fact occur.
Further, the blogger wrote that “the ‘Moss-Wilson’ sighting (of passing notes) raises questions about whether Wilson is assisting Moss with her campaign.”
Maybe they exchanged business cards?
The blogger further wrote that “Given that Wilson manages political campaigns professionally, if he is assisting Moss on a volunteer basis, the value of his time probably should reported on Moss’ next campaign finance report as an in-kind contribution. Or, maybe Moss is paying Wilson to manage her campaign. That decision, if she has made it, calls into question her judgment”.
The blogger also write that “the placement of her campaign signs in public right-of-way (should be in “a” public). It’s all Wilsonesque.”
Today, Corey’s Pharmacy had three signs out: One for Harry Howle, one for Mayor Dick Winger and one for Ms. Moss. So are they all Wilsonesque?
Further, the blogger wrote: “Moss would do well to remember that many voters judge candidates by the company they keep. As they say, birds of a feather flock together, and anyone flying in Wilson’s flock surely has it in for the City of Vero Beach.”
Then if that wasn’t enough, John E. Church and Bea Gardner posted comments to the blog.
Mr. Church wrote that “in his failed 2014 run for a seat on the Council Charlie Wilson… received a campaign contribution from Moss.”
Bea Gardner wrote: “they were probably planning their next strategy meeting at the Elks Club or maybe happy hour at the Patio.”
Then in a subsequent comment, Mr. Church wrote: “I do believe Charlie Wilson is running Moss’s campaign.”
Here is Ms. Moss’ reply to all these posts:
“Tom,
I am running my own race. Charlie Wilson is not my campaign manager, nor is he working on my campaign in any capacity … paid or unpaid.
With regard to ‘contributions’ to Charlie Wilson, last year I purchased tickets to a musical event for a friend; I did not attend the event. I paid $20.00 cash for the tickets and gave them to the friend. This $20.00 later was reported as a Wilson campaign contribution. It was not made clear to me at that time that the $20.00 was a ‘contribution’.
Tom, as you know, responsible journalists check their facts before writing, as you are doing now.
Thank you for the opportunity to respond.
Laura”
My take:
The innuendo in these posts is sophomoric.
These insinuations are not civil. It appears to be about sensationalism. Laura Moss ran a wholehearted race for Indian River County Hospital District Trustee and is making a compassionate effort to make a difference in this community, running for City Council.
This is not an endorsement, but Ms. Moss is a smart woman who cares about good government and wants to get unanswered questions answered.
On what basis does blogger Bea Gardner have to say “how does a new candidate for City Council expect to get elected when she too seems to detest the City that she is trying to get elected to? Just asking.”
And who are Bea Gardner and John Church, anyway, to be influencing people?
It is non productive and offensive to have these people using innuendo to interfere with what should be a productive electoral process.
I suppose now I’ll be scorned for “collaborating” with Ms. Moss.
Vero Communiqué 
Tom thanks for recording the facts . I met Laura last year and be leaved her to be very honest and above reproach. This is not fair and not above board.
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Let’s not ignore the facts – Mr. Wilson, a man who somehow assumed transfer of an intra-family mortgage note from his girlfriend – whom he lives with and apparently makes no contributions to her home finances – and is currently foreclosing on the family that lives there. That the family happens to be his girlfriend’s son, fiance, stepsons and daughter (whom he’s been overheard introducing to the voting public as his Granddaughter) should be, at the very least, noted as yet another indication of his true character and the lengths he might go to if he does indeed “have it in” for the City of Vero. The rapid progression with which he moved for Summary Judgement against the “debtor”, when viewed in contrast to a mind numbing amount of legal, ethical and conflicting interests he assumed by moving straight to foreclosure on a mortgage that, taken at face value, wouldn’t pass most court rulings as “bona fide”. Or he failed to exercise “due diligence” when he accepted the transfer on behalf of his LLC investors. Whether one uses this example to inform themselves of his character, and by extension, the character of the candidate that hires him to run their campaign, is up to the (un)informed voters. But it does beg the question:
In the interest of being above board and beyond reproach, shouldn’t Mr. Wilson himself make a full disclosure of his financial stake in any action of public record, at least until he can fully remove himself from the politics and grandstanding that continue to label him a Public Figure?
I believe enforcement of lodging regulations was mentioned in a recent article. If Mr. Wilson was receiving free or discounted “lodging” while acting as his girlfriend’s debt collector during his most recent, albeit unsuccessful, turn as a campaign manager, shouldn’t he make a full and public accounting of these financial gains? If the “public standard” is going to be tied to the cost of a set of concert tickets, Mr. Wilson has certainly crossed the threshold. No Innuendo needed here, as this information is hiding out in plain sight – our public records – . Everything, of course, except what his true “Wilsonisms” are, and who exactly pays the bills while he promotes his alternative agenda – trust, but verify. This isn’t exactly x-files territory, but the motto stands – The truth is out there. In this case, it’s a click or two away.
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