Opinion: FLAPOL's "Schorsched Earth" Attack On Sabatini, Petty and Unwarranted

Voters elected State Representative Anthony Sabatini to be a catalyst for change. But breaking the typical Tallahassee mold doesn't sit well with everyone, including many establishment Republicans such as blogger Peter Schorsch. Recently his blog attacked Sabatini for an obscure and unfounded ethics complaint lodged by Schorsch himself. Founder of Florida Politics, Schorsch engages in highly unethical behavior on a regular basis which led to his arrest on charges of extortion.

Though the state did not prosecute Schorsch for his alleged crimes, he continues to wage a crusade against his political enemies that even Charles Foster Kane might envy. The complaint filed by Schorsch argues Sabatini violated state statutes by using his official email on a private letter for non-governmental purposes: "No public officer, employee of an agency, or local government attorney shall corruptly use or attempt to use his or her official position or any property or resource which may be within his or her trust, or perform his or her official duties, to secure a special privilege, benefit, or exemption for himself, herself, or others."

However, the author of the letter, Michael Carnevale, mistakenly placed Sabatini's government email on the document without his knowledge, therefore exonerating him from involvement in the error. But Schorsch's history of questionable behavior goes far beyond just making false ethics complaints. He previously called Hispanic-American political writer Javier Manjares " an illiterate lawn boy" and also fostered an intimate relationship with a minor under the age of eighteen while working for the Mallard Group. The complaint manufactured by Schorsch adds up to little more than minutia and grandstanding. Let's hope he learns his lesson and stops the hocus.