© 2024 WFSU Public Media
WFSU News · Tallahassee · Panama City · Thomasville
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Florida Elections Commission Dismisses Maddox Complaint

The race for Tallahassee City Commission Seat One heated up today (Tuesday).  Tom Flanigan reports the issue involved a campaign brochure, a political T-V ad and a ruling by the Florida Elections Commission.

The brochure promoting candidate Steve Stewart had a photo of him with Leon School Superintendent Jackie Pons.  Stewart opponent Scott Maddox cried “foul”.

Even though it showed the school superintendent’s picture with him on there and had a quote from Jackie Pons on the mail piece, he certainly wanted to give the inference that he was endorsed.”

Since Pons had not in fact endorsed Stewart, Maddox ran T-V ads right before the August primary attacking Stewart.  Maddox also filed a complaint with the Florida Elections Commission, which now says the brochure wasn’t an ethical breach.  Now it’s Stewart who’s calling out Maddox.

“To run an ad two days before the election that says I claimed an endorsement I didn’t have when the elections commission is now saying that’s not true, Scott Maddox ran a false ad.”

During a Tuesday news conference, Stewart suggested his future campaign ads might focus on what he called a “deceptive pattern of behavior” on the part of Maddox. 

Follow @flanigan_tom

Tom Flanigan has been with WFSU News since 2006, focusing on covering local personalities, issues, and organizations. He began his broadcast career more than 30 years before that and covered news for several radio stations in Florida, Texas, and his home state of Maryland.

Find complete bio, contact info, and more stories. here.