U.S. Rep. John Mica, the nine-term Republican congressman representing Flagler, was at the Palm Coast Yacht Club last night doing what incumbents do best–combining advertisements to themselves with campaigning in front of clubs with a thing for self-importance. The local Chamber of Commerce and beleaguered Enterprise Flagler, fresh out of their latest disaster, had put on the coupling of local Whigs and fly-by wigs.
Enterprise Flagler is supposed to be a public-private partnership. It is mostly public: it wouldn’t exist without the $260,000-some sums cities and the county shovel its way. Its private contributors, even collectively, are a lot stingier. So its involvement in a nakedly political event should raise all sorts of questions. But this is not merely Flagler County: it’s Florida, where ethics tend to be the undocumented alien of politics and fraudsters rediscover their self-esteem.
Editor’s Blog
The chamber likes to pretend that it doesn’t endorse candidates. It only buys them off. Last night’s event was of course a lot more than an endorsement. It was a cleverly timed tribute featuring lots of people with titles and positions to protect, and contracts to nurture, with one of Washington’s best pork-shovelers in the business, especially since Robert Byrd’s death. For “conservative” duplicity in action it doesn’t quite get more barefaced than these affairs, provincial power’s equivalent of the old circle-jerk. (To the chamber’s credit, at least some money was raised for a more relevant cause.) Heather Beaven, the Democratic candidate running against Mica (and allegedly scaring him), was not invited.
As the textbook definition of what Daniel Boorstin called “pseudo-events” go, it wasn’t worth covering (especially not with Jesus, Judas and Mary on their way), but a reliable friend who was there wrote in:
The meeting was sold out, they say, but I don’t know how many people that is. The room seemed full. Raven Sword was there, as was Holsey Moorman (city council member). No sign of her opponent. Mica was cordial working the crowd along with aides Wiley Deck and John Booker.
The cast of characters was to be as expected. The President of Enterprise Flagler, Jim Cullis, on crutches from his broken leg surgery, spoke about the challenges and was clear and fairly good. Greg Rawls, executive director of Enterprise Flagler, was enthusiastic with decent slides, but he held the microphone too close to his mouth, even though he was requested in mid speech to move it away. He did seem to have a lot of facts at his command but he audio conditions didn’t help. The acoustics in the Yacht Club aren’t the best. I like Greg and don’t intend to be critical.
Margaret Combs’ remarks were notable. She’s the lady who’s moved her business to the old CAPT/ ERAU hanger from Kentucky. (MH Operations. See your story from 8/16) She spoke clearly in telling her story of how Flagler’s efforts won them over to locate here. She was articulate and full of praise for the Enterprise Flagler team – including staff, board, county officials, chamber and so forth. Very gracious. Michael Chiumento, the attorney, talked a bit too about Enterprise Flagler and the effort to put the referendum on the ballot. People were thanked for their work.  Michael’s spin we’ve heard is that the community has expressed support for the need for development, and the discussion to follow is how to do it.
Michael introduced Congressman Mica. He had some familiar pro-business free enterprise lines that got some applause. He recalled back when he and his wife cashed out her retirement plan to start his development real estate business and suggested to the crowd that real estate prices won’t be as good as they are now for a long time. He encouraged the crowd to buy real estate. He said either that properties in Flagler County are on sale or that there’s a fire sale. Not sure – no notes.  No mention of the people in those properties. Given Mica’s seniority on Transportation, it’s the old case that “pork is no good” but make sure we get ours anyway.
Mica was funny when it came time to swearing in the new officers and board members of EF. “Raise your right hands (they did) and repeat after me — I solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth… ” and people got the joke. Then he did it straight. The evening was finished before 9, and a good time was had by all. Actually the dinner was quite good, and the decision to do it for $35 at the PCYC instead of $50 at Hammock Beach was probably a good one.
Pols included Commissioners Holland, Revels, and Peterson along with Craig Coffey, the county administrator, and Sally Sherman, his deputy. Mayor Jon Netts with Priscilla, along with Bill Lewis, Holsey Moorman and Frank Meeker. They announced Mary DiStefano, but I didn’t see her. Nor Jim Landon, the city manager. Jane Mealy and Joy McGrew, the Flagler Beach city commissioners, were there, as were Enterprise Flagler board members. The pastor of the small 70-person Grace Tabernacle Church which meets on Old Kings Road in rented space gave the invocation, and it was one that was generally OK for a mixed crowd. Some donations went his way. They did have a silent auction in the side room, and chamber staff passed out info to the winners quietly, so it didn’t disturb the program. The primary dinner sponsor was Palm Coast Ford, and the manager gave a pitch about buying locally and buying Fords. Couldn’t blame the guy for that.”
No word on whether pork medallions were on the menu.
–Pierre Tristam
lawabidingcitizen says
Another example of “Just the Facts, Ma’am” reportage from our local leftwing pundit ignoring his own website banner, No Bull. No Fluff. No Smudges.
Pierre Tristam says
lawabidingcitizen (sic.), it’s a signed opinion piece in case you hadn’t noticed, though that’s kind of superfluous: you’re entirely welcome to refute, presumably in factually abiding terms, the rendition of Mica’s and the chamber’s bull and fluff show. I’m pretty sure you were there, and was even named in that list of usual suspects at these tings. Maybe you’d have the courage of putting your name behind your huffs. Then again, not likely.
Orion says
I was in the audience ,and your version of the ceremony was on line. I too did not see, Mary DeStefano in the crowd, but perhaps she had a mishap in the parking lot, and left. Congressman Mica’s other aide, was John Booker, Special Projects, from the Deland office. I found it difficult to follow, the presentation by Rawls, but that’s not unusual…Mr. Landon was probably walking back from the Manager’s conference, to save the City money, or perhaps he stopped by to interview someplace??
Orion says
I stand corrected, Mr. Booker is in the Deltona and ormond Beach offices, for Mr. Mica..
Kip Durocher says
I promised myself that I would not do it as it is too easy of a shot, alas, I am a weak person.
lawabidingcitizen you are surely the biggest curmudgeon in Palm Coast. And that is saying something!
Doug Burden says
So Tristam is critical of a semi-public entity for having an event with an elected official but espouses the virtues of voting for an individual who has lived off of the public teet her entire career?
Hypocrisy? Thy name is Pierre Tristam.
lawabidingcitizen says
Kip, thanks for the compliment, but I don’t think I can accept the honor of being the biggest curmudgeon in Palm Coast, there being so many others far bigger and better than I and I’m sorry to disappoint you, Mr. Tristam, but I’ve never attended a meeting of the Palm Coast City Council and there isn’t the slightest chance I’ll attend one in the future.
I’ll just continue to use your website as my “news source for Flagler Florida and Beyond.” Just had a thought, shouldn’t there be a comma between Flagler and Florida?
Pierre Tristam says
abiding, you’re right, according to AP style there should be a comma in there. But AP style is America’s equivalent of the French Academy–you know, those 40 old guys and a gal or two sitting around a table every seven years to decide what’s proper French and what isn’t, never realizing that they’re asphyxiating the very language they claim to be preserving. AP has that effect on the American language, but thankfully AP’s effects are diminished and diminishing by the day (while the American language keeps being the richest and fastest growing on the planet). Anyway commas are overrated, as Saul Bellow will tell you even from beyond the grave, where commas and colons are optional. But there’s a more intentional reason behind the comma’s absence in this case: it’s to emphasize the absence of delineations or borders of any kind between Flagler Florida and beyond. Not only do I not believe that all politics is local. I don’t believe in localism: we’re not islands but part of a larger, more interesting world.
Orion, you crack me up. (You chose your name well: isn’t Orion Woody Allen’s old production company?)
Doug, what do you think Mica’s living off? Chamber mammaries only go so far.
Danny says
I guess when the chamber had alex sink speak last year they were endorsing her campaign?
P.C. 94 says
Doug, I hardly call serving one’s country in the U.S. Navy, as living off the public teet. That is a really disgraceful thing to say. Furthermore, Heather started her non-profit 7 years ago, because she saw a need. High School graduation rates in the state of Florida were very low. She operated from grant money for the first 5 years – grants, that she researched and wrote herself, from many different sources. With a track record of helping thousands of kids graduate that go on to a productive life, I think she should be congratulated.
Tom McKean says
AstroTurf: denotes political, advertising, or public relations campaigns that are formally planned by an organization, but are disguised as spontaneous, popular “grassroots” behavior. The term refers to AstroTurf, a brand of synthetic carpeting designed to look like natural grass.
P.C. 94 says
Thank you for the definition. Heather Beaven’s campaign is a true grassroots one in every sense of the word. Total TRANSPARENCY as you can see by her quarterly finance report newsletter or the http://www.fec.gov website. While you’re checking it, check Mr. Mica’s.
P.C. 94 says
See Heather Beaven’s new ad, it’s fantastic!