This article was written by Jon Susce, who for over five years was an investagative reporter for the Black owned and operated TEMPO NEWS
BATTIE “FROM THE SAME CLOTH OF TUPAC’’ DOUBLES AS A STEP AND FETCH WATERBOY FOR THE DEVELOPERS AS THE SHT SLEEPS
It is disgraceful how Sarasota City Commissioner Kyle Battie, who emulated the gangster icon Tupac by threatening a longtime associate that “you should be leery of me because, “I COME FROM THE SAME CLOTH OF TUPAC” desires to be an example of youths who stays clear of drug gangs and gun violence, as he doubled down being a step and fetch waterboy for “Pay to Play” developers.
BATTIE “I COME FROM THE SAME CLOTH OF TUPAC”
Battie had threatened a 20-year associate to be leery of the Tupac wannabe, due to being called a fake for running for the Sarasota City Commission four years ago.
A few months after getting elected a Sarasota City Commissioner, the wannabe Tupac Battie got drunk in a Downtown bar and acted like Tupac ending up in the gutter after threatening family members leaving a Palm Avenue restaurant/bar he was going to "fuck them up."
AS BATTIE PARTY’S HARDY IN DOWNTOWN SARASOTA HIS DISTRICT HAS BECOME A SHOOTING GALLERY
It is absurd, as the Tupac wannabe has doubled down as a City Commissioner waterboy for local developers, Battie’s District 1 North Sarasota neighborhoods have become a shooting gallery and the wannabee Tupac Battie desires the youth of neighborhoods in his District 1 to emulate him.
A prime example is when a month ago two of Battie’s cousins carrying guns hanging out a bar in North Sarasota at 3 a.m. in the morning got shot by an assailant seeking revenge, as Battie is hanging out at the Downtown Sarasota Corona Cigar bar.
A few weeks later, as Battie makes his rounds around Downtown Sarasota bars ending up at the Corona Cigar bar where he is a Very Important Person (VIP) drinking expensive cocktails and cigars, a 14-year-old cousin of Battie is arrested in the shooting that left another juvenile with non-life-threatening gunshot wounds.
The shooting happened near the 1800 block of 29th Street at 5 a.am.. The 14 year old cousin of Battie was arrested later the same day and is facing a felony charge of attempted murder with a firearm.
A 15-year-old boy and 36-year-old woman were also arrested and face charges of possession of drugs with the intent to sell within 1,000 feet of a church and possession of drug paraphernalia. The woman was also charged with child neglect.
As the “Coming from the same cloth of Tupac” Battie has been hanging around Downtown bars in between appearances at City Hall, as of July 30, there have been 15 reported cases of gunshot victims in 2024 in the City of Sarasota, three of which have been classified as homicides by law enforcement.
Battie partying with Ybor City owners of the Ybor City Downtown Sarasota Corona Cigar Bar
What is sham it is that the wannabe Tupac Battie is posing with the City of Sarasota Police Chief deploring his relatives either being shot up or shooting up others in the shooting galleries of Black neighborhoods. This is while Battie is hardly ever seen in the neighborhoods of the violence, as he peruses the Downtown Sarasota night life.
Where one sees Battie a great deal of the time, if not bar hopping in Downtown Sarasota is in the racist gentrified neigborhoods like the Rosemary District, where Battie can be seen bar hopping with the white social elite folks, who have turned the once Black neighborhood of Overtown into the racist gentrified Rosemary District.
It is a total disgrace that this wannabe Tupac, who has become a waterboy for developers is now running for reelection, as his Black neighborhoods are shooting galleries and being racially gentrified.
Benderson
It makes no difference to Randy Benderson, who has given Battie $3, 1,000 contributions, that Battie hangs out at Downtown bars getting free drinks and God only knows what else he receives, as Battie‘s District 1 is a drug invested shooting gallery.
All Benderson cares about, as he lives in his gated community that Battie does like he did the other day in voting for another one of Benderson’s projects.
The Robinson's
It makes no difference to the Executive Director of the Argus Foundation Christine Robinson what happens in the Black neighborhoods Battie represents, as long Battie does what she tells him to do. Christine Robinson and her husband Eric “The Prince of Dirty Dark PAC Money” Robinson have given the Tupac wannabe a $500.00 contribution.
Merrill
It makes no difference to William Merrill III and his wife Karen that Battie hangs out in the enclave of the wealthy white elite in Downtown Sarasota neighborhoods or in Siest Key instead of his District 1, as longs as Battie pushes Merrill and his clients multi-million-dollar projects.
Merrill and his wife Karen, who have a Downtown Sarasota address have contributed 2, $1,000 contributions to Battie.
Battie financial, political, social elite white contributors, who have Battie as their step and fetch waterboy deep in their pockets, could care less that drug dealers are shooting up the Black neighborhoods, as Battie parties as a VIP at the Corona Cigar Bar and other Downtown bars.
The following are those who have given at least a $1,000 contribution, who are making $millions having a dumb ass politician deep in their pockets supporting the City of Sarasota becoming an enclave of wealthy white folks, as the racist gentrification of Battie’s District 1 continues.
ALL are white folks, ALL live out outside Battie’s District 1 and ALL involved with projects coming before their wannabe Tupac turned their step and fetch waterboy, Battie.
William Merrill III, Karen Merrill, Mark Vengroff, Josh Weiner, Ian Black, Main Street Partners LLT, Jeremy Schwimmer, Daid Koffman, Gary Hoyt, Cask and Ale Bar, Patrick McArdle, Jennifer Rominiecki, Sailesh Atluru, Jonathan Mitchell, Max Goodman, Jeffrey Borysiewicz, Jesse Biter, Jeremy Schwimmer, Main Street Sarasota General Partner LTD, Shore LBK LLC, Mark Caragiulo, Frank Lacivita, Scott Berger, Realtors Political Advocacy Committee, David Sessions, William Walsh, Patrick, Walsh, Eric Baird, Charles Bailey Ill and the Sarasota Kennel Club Inc..
Battie is exactly what the white establishment, who have never stopped running Sarasota were looking for in token Black Sarasota City Commissioner. They have had real problems with former City Commissioners like Willie Shaw and Fredd Atkins going off the playbook of the white folks running Sarasota.
Mason
Former Sarasota County Commissioner Robinson and now Executive Director at the Argus Foundation was looking for a Black politician liked she worked with at the County Commission, Carolyn “Second the Motion” Mason.
Mason was a go along get along Black politician, who turned Republican when Pat Neal’s political operative Bob Waechter promised Mason a seat on the County Commission if she turned Republican.
Mason was called “Second the Motion Mason” for every time one of Neal’s handpicked Commissioner’s put forth a developer’s project for approval, Mason would “Second the Motion.”
Merrill III from the lily white Icard/Merrill law firm was looking for the same type of Black politician Robinson was looking for to go along to get along with he and his developer clients.
Battie's white social elitists supporters at the Tara on the Bay Selby Gardens
The CEO of Selby Gardens/TARA ON THE BAY Jennifer Roeiemicki was also looking for a Black leader in District 1, who had no problem with the $90 million parking garage and restaurant where the white social elite could party hardy. City Commissioner Shaw voted against this outrageous intrusion of the surrounding neighborhoods.
The $90 million parking garage and restaurant eyesore on Osprey Avenue that destroyed the ambiance of the surrounding neighborhoods.
Caragiulo
Paul Caragiulo, who was President of the Sarasota County Chamber of Commerce was looking for Black politician they could stuff him in their pockets and as he said, “looked good in a suit.”
Battie's LGBTQ political operatives -- Thurlow/Hament/James III
The Godfather of the LGBTQ community Ken Shelen had no problem with Battie, as the LGBTQ political operatives having no problem of a fellow member of the LGBTQ community becoming a Sarasota City Commission and ran Battie's campaign for the City Commission.
Shelen
Shelen been involved with Equality Florida for over 15 years as an organizer of the annual Suncoast Equality Florida Celebration serving on the Board for 6 years including 2 years as Chair of the Board of Equality Florida Institute, Inc. the 501 c(3) arm of this state-wide organization
Brody
They all got exactly what that were looking for in Battie, who was riding around Downtown Sarasota on his bicycle bar hopping after his license was suspended when City Commissioner Hagen Brody, who was looking for a third vote to make him the next City of Sarasota Mayor when Brody found Battie in a bar.
Brody had the backing to became Mayor from Robinson. Merrill, Caragiulo, Rominiecki and all of the other local establishment leaders, who have turned Sarasota into a white enclave of wealthy white folks. They needed a Black step and fetch City Commissioner and Battie fit the role to make Brody Mayor of Sarasota.
Arroyo/Brody/Battie
When elected, Battie joined fellow City Commissioner Eric Arroyo and Brody in the takeover of City Hall, as the THREE BRO juveniles headed by Brody turned City Hall into a cash cow for “Pay to Play” developers.
Brown
They turned City Hall into a total SHIT SHOW controlled by Robinson at the Argus Foundation and Merrill III at the Icard Merrill law firm under the watchful of the THREE BRO’s puppet master, Sarasota City Manager Marlon Brown
Battie, was constantly tutored by his puppet masters, City Manager Brown and Brody. Battie has never failed to push the button YES for developer's projects Brown puts on the agenda for Merrill, Robinson and others, who have bought the waterboy Battie real cheap.
BATTIE STUMBLED BACK TO SARASOTA AFTER BEING RUN OUT OF INDIANAPOLIS
Battie had stumbled back into Sarasota a few years ago before Brody found him and after an unsuccessful modeling career in New York and Miami Beach. There had been a detour in Indianapolis where he was arrested for beating a dog he walked and being evicted from his apartment.
It did not matter to Brody and the establishment white folks running Sarasota that Battie had never been to one Coalition of City Neighborhood Association (CCNA) meeting, one local neighborhood meeting, never applied to serve on a City Advisory Board and only voted 11 times in 30 years---
ALL THEY WANTED WAS A BLACK POLITICIAN THAT WOULD GO ALONG AND LOOKED GOOD IN A SUIT AND COULD ACT STUPID AS STUPID DOES, WHICH BATTIE HAS DOWN REPEATLY.
Take a look at his campaign finance report in his run for reelection to the Sarasota City Commission. It so bad, it is a laughable. Battie is so deep into the developers’ pockets one would need a flashlight to find him.
TUPAC WANNABE BATTIE "A LEGENT IN HIS OWN MIND"
The wannabe Tupac Battie has been described by local resident Davon Williams, "as a legend in his own mind using downtown Sarasota as a runway to his egotistical, prideful self."
Williams who has known Battie for years states, “The people who supported this unqualified individual for City Commission should be ashamed because they picked someone who has no education to be a City Commissioner and has no job history. He was a bartender, bar greeter, dog walker, and an occasional model."
Williams who has known Battie for years states, “The people who supported this unqualified individual for City Commission should be ashamed.”
BATTIE DOES NOT REPRESENTS THE BLACK NEIGBORHOODS OF DISTRICT 1
BATTIE REPRESENTS THE RACIST GENTRIFY NEIGHBORHOODS OF DISTRICT 1
BATTIE REPRESENTS THE WHITE FINANCIAL AND POLITICAL ESTABLISHMENT
Unfortunately for the working folks in North Sarasota, who see their neighborhoods being racially gentrified and drug gangs terrorizing them see the Batties puppet masters are not embarrassed and continue to support this unqualified individual for City Commissioner.
In addition to supporting Battie, these same individuals have made this wannabe Tupac gangster and their step and fetch waterboy Battie bullet proof.
BATTIE FEELS BULLET PROOF WITH THE SUPPORT OF FINACIAL AND POLITIAL LEADERS WHO HAS BECOME THEIR WATERBOY
Franklin
For example, it is a disgrace that this wannabe Tupac Battie feels bullet proof, as he observes a gutless Sarasota City Commissioner paying the $25,000 legal fees for the Battie attack targeting neighborhood activist Kelly Franklin and over 90 members of City Pac.
An attack that was intentional and well-orchestra by an equally gutless wannabe Tupac Battie race baiting attack that Battie perpetrated at the City Commission meeting on 1/26/24.
Harrison
Franklin’s attorney Richard Harrison described Battie’s attack in this fashion, "Battie’s vicious personal attack on Franklin was not a spontaneous, heat of the moment response to what Battie genuinely perceived to be a racist post.
Harrison added, “To the contrary, this was an event that Battie plotted, planned, and coordinated for almost a month before delivering his scripted performance on January 16, 2024."
Battie could have apologized, but instead of apologizing, the wannabe Tupac Battie arrogantly and unbelievable doubled down and demanded that Franklin prove that the post was faked. Battie insisted that it was Franklin’s burden to prove that the Hoax Post was, in fact, a hoax
The wannabe Tupac Battie demanded that the city pay his legal fees to try to defend his indefensible conduct”. The gutless City Commission agreed and paid the wannabe Tupac Battie $25,000 legal fees.
Battie is not that stupid, not to know that as long as he is the step and fetch water boy for the financial and political leaders making $million with Battie's approval, Battie can be a Tupac wannabe in attacking Franklin and others.
BATTIE HAS DESTROYED THE LEGACY OF PAST SARASOTA BLACK LEADERS
It is shameful to watch as Black leaders of the past, like Ed James II, John Rivers, Johnny Hunter, Jetson Grimes, Valeria Buchand, Barbara Langston, Glenda Wiliams, Shelli Freeland Eddie, Clinton Jones, Atkins, Shaw and others, are followed by this step and fetch waterboy Battie kowtowing to the white financial and political establishment, as the racist gentrification of District 1 and gang gun violence continues.
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