Brian Blair opponent gets some muscle

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor is co-hosting a fundraiser next week for Kevin Beckner, a Democrat who's challenging Republican Brian Blair for his County Commission seat. Castor served with Blair on the commission before winning her Congressional post. Among the other Beckner backers listed on the invitation: State Democratic party chair Karen Thurman; Tampa City Council members Gwen Miller, Linda Saul-Sena and Mary Mulhern; State Rep. Betty Reed; and State Sen. Charlie Justice. Beckner has raised about $53,000 so far in his bid to unseat Blair. Blair has raised more than $120,000. Blair also has a Republican challenger: Don Kruse. He's raised $1,000.

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[green hornet]

Nuff said......

October 12, 2002, Saturday, FINAL EDITION

SECTION: METRO, Pg. 1

LENGTH: 1008 words

HEADLINE: Sheriff's Report Haunts Blair

BYLINE: TED BYRD, tbyrd@tampatrib.com; Researchers Michael Messano and Rikki Chesley-Zengel contributed to this story.; Reporter Ted Byrd can be reached at (813) 259-7679.

TAMPA - Hillsborough County commissioner candidate Brian Blair was investigated on battery and grand theft charges after being accused of a violent attack on a former girlfriend in 1984, according to documents from the sheriff and state attorney's offices.

Blair was never arrested or charged with a crime.

A Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office report describes him throwing the woman over a couch, striking her 10 to 12 times in the head and face, then pulling out a patch of hair.

Blair vigorously denies the account.

"That's why it got dropped, because it wasn't true," he said. "If it was anything, I would have been arrested."
The sheriff's report shows the case was active for more than a month.

"I was at the height of my career and was traveling too much," Blair said. "It was just an unfortunate situation, just a boyfriend-girlfriend thing that didn't work out."

He said he believes she dropped any charges.

"From what I understand, she called back and withdrew whatever she said. That's why they never questioned me," he said.

"I've never been a violent person or a mean person or a spiteful person," he said.

Blair is a Republican candidate for county commission District 7, a countywide race. His opponent is Commissioner Pat Frank, a Democrat.

The first sheriff's report is dated the same day as the incident, Sept. 25, 1984.

It reports that Blair - 27 at the time - and the victim had dated for two years and had had several quarrels. The investigating deputy viewed the woman's injuries, and the victim said she would seek immediate medical attention.

A locksmith was changing the door locks while the deputy was conducting the initial interview, the report states. And the woman said she would stay with an acquaintance that night. She also requested and received special police patrols of her residence and business for the night.

The Tampa Tribune is not identifying the woman, a chiropractor, at her request. She was contacted after the newspaper reviewed court and sheriff records. She declined to comment for this story.

The sheriff's file contains a report from University Community Hospital, called Good Samaritan Hospital at the time. The records show the victim went there about 1:30 a.m. Sept. 26.

"Should see M.D. immediately," it states, and describes "multiple abrasions" and "head trauma."

She was described as "alert" when admitted, and said she had vomited prior to reaching the emergency room. The records show she left the hospital "against the counsel and advice of the attending physician."

In October, the victim was interviewed twice by a sheriff's detective about the incident. She gave him a bag containing hair she said had been pulled from her head. He took the bag as evidence in preparation for a trial.

She said she had lived with Blair but not at the condo where she said the attack occurred.

She said they met that day and agreed their relationship was over. They were dating other people. She returned home later and found Blair in her apartment. She said he told her he just wanted to talk for a few minutes.

She said she noticed Blair had been drinking and then he began yelling at her about dating other people. She asked him to leave. He asked her to return some gifts; she refused. Then the attack began, she said.

At one point in late October, authorities considered charging him with grand theft because the woman said Blair took about $2,000 in gifts he had given her, including Gucci purses, jewelry and a camera.

"While the victim was incapacitated the defendant pulled earrings from her ears and gold chains from around her neck," according to an affidavit from a detective.

The sheriff's report states no attempt was made to pick him up because Blair was out of the country at the time they were considering these charges.

Then on Nov. 29, Assistant State Attorney Anthony Guarisco sent a letter to the sheriff's department declining to prosecute altogether "after reviewing the totality of circumstances." Guarisco said he did not remember the case.

The state attorney at the time was E.J. Salcines, now an appeals court judge, who did not return a telephone call.

The investigating officer, Detective George Hannon, now retired, didn't recall the case when contacted. His supervisor at the time, A.A. Jahnke, said he vaguely remembered hearing about the case, but no details.

At the time of the incident, Blair was employed by Titan Sports, a precursor to World Wrestling Entertainment. He toured extensively as a professional wrestler.

He said he has never seen the sheriff's and state attorney's reports. When read the allegations, he responded by saying, "No, that's ridiculous."

He declined to give his version of events. "A half-truth is a whole lie," he said of the account in the law enforcement records.

Blair did say the woman was upset they wouldn't be dating. "She was extremely upset that I was breaking up," he said.

"I'm not going to bring up anything about her," he said. He would "take the heat," if necessary, before causing her harm. "That would be totally unfair to her."

After he left wrestling, he opened and operated three Gold's Gyms in Tampa.

Professional wrestler Hulk Hogan and other sports figures have made campaign appearances with Blair.

A Republican, Blair emphasizes a record as a family man who coaches youth sport teams and sponsors antidrug efforts for teens. He frequently points out that he's liked and respected in the community, active in his church, and that even in the litigious gym business, he was never sued. A background check turned up no criminal charges against him.

He graduated from Tampa Bay Tech High School. He majored in both business and political science at the University of Louisville. He was inducted into the Wrestling Hall of Fame this year.

He and his wife have been married since 1986. They have two sons.

"You think if I was a mean guy something would have happened," he said.

[Michelle from Tampa]

I wish I could go to this fundraiser, but Jon and I are watching a couple of kids for awhile, and they are very demanding (and expensive!) yet very loveable. :) Best wishes to Kevin Beckner for a successful election; he's got my husband's and my votes for sure!

Has Blair ever done steroids or coke?

[Earl]

BumbleBee Blair doesn't have a history of violence? What were those days on the matts? Love affairs? Brian just liked to roll around with men's legs wrapped around his face?

Get the dude off the county payroll. What has Brian done for me? Nadda. Other than a good chuckle now and then looking at his old BumbleBee pics.

Add him to the list and chalk up another one for the GOP "Family Values" coalition of the severely deluded.

sometimes you have to keep your pimp hand strong

If the Hillsborough County GOP was smart (which it certainly is not), it would work hard to recruit a solid conservative, respectable candidate to run against Brian Blair who (along with Norman and Hagan) have proved themselves to be incompetent and in the pockets of big developers. Someone like former Chris Hart would make a great candidate against Blair. Alas, our party continues to sink to new lows when all we can muster up to run one of the largest county budgets in the country is some third rate, washed-up Rrrrastler!

(from 2:35 post) that is former Hills. County Commissioner Chris Hart...

[Clyde]

I find it hard to believe that Hillsborough county voters put this man in office. It probably says more about the intellect of the voters than it does about Mr. Blair. He can't help who he is. He is also proof that you can run and elect anybody in Florida if they have a "conservative" label. (btw in college, we used to say conservatives are worshipers of dead liberals.)

[Joe from Philly]

Blair called the EPC "the Gestapo." That is a reason to vote against him. Blair identified environmentalist staff as nazi police. Blair's support by developers is just too over the top.

[Tanya]

Kevin Beckner will be a great County Commissioner! Kevin has got my vote, my husband's vote, and three kids' votes!

Earl - thanx for the link to the gallery - I like the one of Brian Blair sitting on top of the Japanese wrestler - looks as though Brian enjoyed it too.