DeSANTIS DUMPS SWITZERLAND JOE GRUTERS SENDING HIM CRAWLING TO McDANIEL TO STAY IN PRIME TIME
If anyone has any doubts that “Switzerland Joe" Gruters days were not numbered as Chairman of the RPOF after Governor Ron DeSantis won his second term in record numbers, they must be reading those puff pieces for Gruters that the local media mouthpiece for Gruters, the SRQ and Florida POL reporter Jacob Ogles's puts out.
DeSantis and Gruters have long butted heads over fundraising, party structure, and even Gruters’ salary. In October 2019, Gruters canceled the Statesman’s Dinner, the party’s biggest annual fundraiser. The party announced the move on Twitter even as DeSantis Chief of Staff Shane Strum asked Gruters to wait while the governor negotiated to secure Trump as the keynote speaker.
The cancellation angered DeSantis. A day later, he blindsided Gruters by telling reporters that the event was still on, with Trump as the headliner. When DeSantis made the announcement, Gruters was on the phone with party leaders doing damage control. Around the same time, DeSantis tried to cut Gruters‘ pay.
Pizzo
Gruters angered DeSantis back in December of 2020 when he tweeted "kisses" to Florida Senator Jason Pizzo, a Miami Democrat and possible challenger to DeSantis.
“@SenPizzo is a thoughtful and hardworking member who has the ability to work across the aisle and he is also a successful businessman and an advocate for the free market and policies that will continue to move Florida forward,” Gruters tweeted. “Definitely not a socialist.”
Gruters later that day tweeted that DeSantis would “crush Senator Pizzo and I will have no problem hitting him if he does run,” but the damage had been done.
DeSantis was not happy with Gruters when a grievance was filed against him by Bay County REC Chairwoman Debbie Woods for Gruters’s endorsing Griff Griffitts over Trump Activist Brian Clowdus in the Republican primary race for State House District 6.
That endorsement brought to light how Gruters has been profiting off of his position as the chairman of the state GOP. Dozens of state lobbyists, candidates, and elected officials are accusing Gruters of using his position to make money for himself.
Since assuming the chairmanship, Gruters has hired by no less than nine Republican legislators, including Senator Jim Boyd and Rep. Fiona McFarland, Will Robinson, and Wyman Duggan, to do their campaign accounding through his accountant firm in Venice with Eric "The Prince of Dirty Dark PAC Money" Robinson.
Gruters has benefitted from being chairman of the RPOF by apparently using his position to corral individuals running for office and running for re-election to elected office. Couple his endorsement of Griffitts and the recent sexual harassment allegation made against him, Gruters’s days as chairman were numbered.
McDaniel
SWITZERLAND JOE LOOKING TO LAND ON RNC WITH McDANIEL'S ENDORSEMENT
With DeSantis kicking Gruters to the curb, Gruters is now hoping he can stay in “PRIME TIME in the upcoming 2024 election cycle by hoping his endorsement of Rona McDaniel for re-election to Chair of the Republican National Committee will gain her in his election as the Treasurer of the RNC.
Crosbie
"Switzerland Joe", as Gruters likes to be called, is facing strong opposition from Kentucky State Committeewoman K.C. Crosbie, who is a battle tested politician from Kentucky. Crosbie took on Ron Kaufman two years ago for the RNC treasurer position and lost to the Massachusetts RINO in a close race.
GRUTERS MENTOR NEAL ATTACKS TRUMP AS A VULGAR CANDIDATE
Switzerland Joe's attempts to be a loyal Trumpster becomes a problem because his mentor "Pay to Play" Pat Neal was quoted in the Sarasota Herald Tribune saying, "Trump as an incredibly "vulgar" candidate who "is leading our party off a cliff." Neal continued: "It worries him that the GOP base has embraced Trump."
The local political fossil Neal
It will be extremely difficult for Switzerland Joe to play the DeSantis card after being deep sixed by DeSantis or play the Trump card while being in bed with RINO Neal who states, "The primary reason that my career is incompatible with the idea of public office and the personal, emotional reason is I've been dispirited with what I see every morning having to do with the Trump campaign.
NEAL PUMPS IN $50,000 TO BE ONE OF JOE'S FRIENDS
Gruters Florida Conservatives United PAC is supplemented by another Gruters PAC called, Friends of Joe Gruters. One of Gruters friends is local "Pay to Play" developer, Neal, who deposited a $50,000 check in Gruters PAC. Gruters has no problem taking Neal's money while Neal hires hundreds of illegals, while Gruters makes a joke out of his phony e-verify legislature.
Dhillon
Does any logical politico believe that McDaniel, who is in a battle with super conservative Harimeet Dhillon for the Chair of RNC, is going to back Switzerland Joe, who is in bed with a NEVER Trump RINO Neal and been deposed by DeSantis?
TERM LIMITED SWITZERLAND JOE CAN BECOME JUST ANOTHER LOCAL NEAL POLITICAL HACK
A once bright political future will look dim if the term limited Florida State Senator Switzerland Joe loses his bid to be Treasurer of the RNC. Rumor has it that after being term limited, Gruters will limp back to Sarasota, a local flunky politician running to succeed Barbara Ford Coate as the Sarasota County Tax Collector.
VISIT BY CASEY DeSANTIS TO RPOF H.Q IS REVEALING--RPOF STOCKED WITH "GRUTERS AND SUSIE PEOPLE"
Wiles
Problems between DeSantis and Gruters began back in 2019 after DeSantis learned that Gruters and former U.S Senator Rick Scott's political operative Susie Wiles were staffing the RPOF with operatives loyal to Wiles and Gruters.
These tensions and suspicions became a reality for Wiles and Gruters, especially after the two most important political advisers in DeSantis’ orbit — chief of staff Shane Strum and DeSantis wife, Casey DeSantis — went to the Florida GOP headquarters in Tallahassee in April of 2019 to check it out.
Locetta
What they found was an organization stocked with “Susie people" and Gruters was following in line by hiring "Susie people" and replacing the highly competent political operative George Riley with the handpicked Wiles and Gruters mouthpiece from the Sarasota REC, Jennifer Locetta.
DeSANTIS HAD WILES BANISHED FROM TRUMP CAMPAIGN AND BALLARD LOBBYING GROUP IN 2019
Ballard with Trump
Locetta and Wiles were sent packing to Washington D.C., as DeSantis had Wiles banished from the Trump campaign in 2019. Wiles also was pressured at the time to part ways with Ballard Partners, a top lobbying firm led by Brian Ballard, who used to lobby for Trump and is a top fundraiser in Florida and nationwide.
Gruters remained, being he was a State Senator and with his ties to Trump, but as to Wiles, It did not matter to DeSantis that, "Susie Wiles is one of the most effective, if not the most effective, political operative in Florida on the Republican side," said Republican strategist and former Florida congressional candidate Ford O'Connell.
WILES MOVED FALTERING TRUMP CAMPAIGN OUT OF SARASOTA
Wiles, not Gruters was given high praises by political observers by taking command of a disastrous faltering Trump campaign being run out of Sarasota and led by Gruters in 2016. Wiles moved the HQ to Orlando where she engineered a Trump victory in Florida.
WILES SEASONED POLITICAL OPERATIVE
Wiles is a longtime seasoned political operative out of Jacksonville having built over the years her knowledge of inside Florida politics to become involved with major statewide and national political campaigns.
Wiles had been brought into a DeSantis’ orbit just a month before Election Day 2018 to revive what many Republicans viewed as a mistake-prone campaign limping through the final months of the race against Democrat Andrew Gillum. DeSantis eked out a win following a recount.
GRUTERS ANOTHER GREER
What DeSantis and many members of the RPOF and state legislature believe is that Gruters is reminiscent of former RPOF Chairman Jim Greer. Gruters is living a very nice, don’t turn on the light lifestyle in Sarasota since becoming chairman of the state party.
For example, since becoming Chairman of the RPOF, Gruters has a PAC (Florida Conservatives United) managed by Stafford Jones, which presently holds over $2.7 million and over $2.5 million in expenditures. That is above and beyond Gruters expense account of his $120,000 salary as Chairman of the RPOF.
Beruff
Early contributors to Gruters PAC include local Sarasota "Pay to Play" developers Carlos Beruff and Randy Benderson. The Gruters PAC also had a $20,000 contribution from a Robinson managed PAC called United Citizens for Florida.
- Jones
"Switzerland Joe's" bag man, Jones, has been described by Daniel Roth of the Tampa Bay Times as, “A master of the dark arts of creating phony political committees with dubious names like “Citizens Alliance for Florida’s Economy,” or “The Responsible Leadership Committee.”
GRUTERS PAC IS SLUSH FUND
Florida Conservative United PAC is nothing more than a slush fund for Gruters with over $2.5 million in expenditures, which Gruters uses to travel the state and various sites like Chicago, Washington D.C., Houston Texas, Denver while dining and lodging at five-star restaurants and hotels.
For example, in St. Louis there is a $500.00 restaurant tab at FOX Sports West restaurant on August 13, 2018 and $438.86 for a night stay at the Magnolia Hotel on August 14, 2018, In St. Augustine there is a $444.32 for a restaurant and hotel tab at the five-star Casa Monica Hotel.
No Big Macs and Motel 6 for Senator Gruters as he travels the state and country on Beruff, Benderson and other contributors "dimes."
GRUTERS HANGS OUT AT SOUTH BEACH KIND OF LOUNGE
By the way, when Gruters is in Sarasota his favorite restaurant and late-night destination is the Selva Lounge. Gruters "wined and dined" at the Selva Lounge seven times in 2018.
Gruters Selva Lounge in Downtown Sarasota advertises itself as, "Our lounge moves to a Sarasota-meets-South-Beach kind of beat. Custom cocktails, a late-night menu, and cushy couches make it a lively destination for foodies and fashionistas alike. And, if you crave entertainment past midnight, our DJ spins on weekends until 1 AM.
Ogles
"SWITZERLAN JOE" PUFF PIECES FAILS TO MENTION GRUTERS' JONES AND ROBINSON CONNECTIONS
Gruters gets puff piece before every legislative session on how he will be filing a “strong Campaign Finance Reform” bill from FLORIDA POL and SRQ Magazine’s Jacob Ogles. Ogles a) fails to mention that Gruters is business partners with the state-wide recognized "Prince of Dark PAC Money" Robinson, and b) never asks the question why the two would ever actually support such legislation when they’re making a financial and political killing off the their scam.
Gruters CPA partner---"The Prince of Dirty Dark PAC Money" --- Eric Robinson
Gruters local mouthpiece, Ogles calls Gruters CPA business partner, Eric "The Princ of Dirty Dark PAC Money" Robinson --- "one of the most prominent Republican treasurers in the state."
GRUTERS AND HIS "ALLIES"
According to a source close to DeSantis, he has been at his wits end with not just Gruters, but with all of his allies within the state party. People familiar with the governor’s thinking say tensions between the two have not subsided despite this recent successful 2022 election cycle.
DeNapoli and Gruters
One of Gruters’ allies is RPOF Grievance Chairman Richard “Dick” DeNapoli. Gruters refused to allow grievances filed against DeNapoli, who was investigated for potentially committing felony voter fraud in an election and was caught lying about his military service.
Pedicini
Gruters and DeNapoli, along with consultant Anthony Pedicini, Peter Schorsch of FLORIDA POLITICS' and other Gruters "allies" have attacked Conservative Republican candidates throughout the State of Florida, who have publicized "Gruters votes on Pro Life and Pro Family issues.
Those attacks, such as the Heartbeat and Equality legislation, are not consistencent with Republican Conservatives voters, who are the backbone of Florida Republican Party.
GRUTERS ASKED TO RESIGN AFTER PUSHING GLBTQ AGENDA
"Swizerland Joe", after introducing legislation (SB 438) in 2020 aimed at ending workforce discrimination against LGBTQ Floridians, Conservative activist John Stemberger then called on Gruters to resign as the chairman of the RROF.
Stemberger
Stemberger, president of the Orlando-based Florida Family Policy Council, wrote, “No state Republican Party chairman in the history of America has ever supported a bill this dangerous and irresponsible. The bill represents both bad policy and bad politics and because of his refusal to pull his support from this egregious legislation, we are announcing a grass roots campaign to unseat him as state party chairman."
GRUTERS IS ALWAYS PLAYING SWITZERLAND JOE
Gruters introduced SB438 because he still has his eyes on succeeding U.S Congressman Vern Buchanan and will jump in bed with anyone who will make that happen. That includes the local GLBTQ Community, which is why he introduced legislation (SB 438) in 2020 aimed at ending workforce discrimination against GLBTQ Floridians.
The Gruters at a Selby Grdens Gala
SELBY GARDENS A.K.A TARA BY THE BAY AND ROMINIECKI'S "PHENOMENAL LEADERSSHIP" -- JOE GRUTERS
The $100 million dollar Selby Gardens project led by Jennifer Rominecki and Michael Klauber is nothing more than a venue for the wealthy white elite of Sarasota establishment to enjoy their Chablis, brie and other high-priced cuisine at the proposed Klauber restaurant. Gruters made it happen as Rominiecki stated, “We could not have secured this appropriation without the phenomenal leadership of Sen. Joe Gruters."
Gruters Selby Gardens social elite donor class
"Chocolate Cake" Gruters strategy is that he no doubt believes sitting out there "like a big piece of chocolate cake" to be a U.S. Congressman when Buchanan steps down. So Gruters has had no problem pushing GLBTQ agenda with Florida SB438 and a $100 million Selby Gardens social elite donor class agenda in the Republican controlled legislation in Tallahassee.
GRUTERS SOLD HIS SOUL TO NEAL AND HIS RINO ESTABLISHMENT CRONIES BECOMING SWITZERLAND JOE GRUTERS
"Switzerland Joe" Gruters, who once stood firm on his conservative grassroots principals has sold his soul and crossed the line to become just another lackey in the local Neal "Pay to Play" developers' political establishment organization.
Jon Susce
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