Fradulent voter registrations in Pinellas?

Pinellas SOE Deb Clark has received 35 voter registration applications in the past two weeks from the group Work for Progress that appear "questionable or possibly fraudulent," according to a release from her office. Clark has notified the State Attorney and the Florida Division of Elections.

Read more on our sister blog, Bay Buzz.

RPOF: Don't trust ACORN

The Republican Party of Florida issued a statement today touting investigations into "questionable tactics" being used by ACORN in other states.

"ACORN and similar groups continue to spread misinformation, and we should question what these groups are telling Florida voters," the statement read.

Political watchers can recall that ACORN-bashing was quite common in Florida in 2004, when the group helped put a minimum wage measure on the ballot. But what's forgotten is that a year later, a judge had thrown out all lawsuits against the group and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement said it had not found any evidence of criminal activity in the group. Read that 2005 story here.

Rocking it to ban gay marriage

Those supporting Amendment 2, including the Florida Family Policy Council, are holding two concerts/rallies to raise awareness of their efforts. The first one is Oct. 13 in Jacksonville and then another Oct. 20 in Orlando.

The music is by Alvin Slaughter, Generation Letter, Vicki Yohe, Ron Kenoly, Helen Baylor and Darwin Hobbs.

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Obama ad aims to make McCain look shady

Florida voters are now getting a political mailer from the state Democratic Party that accuses Sen. John McCain of hiding "something." On both sides of the mailer, they use a picture of a white businessman (McCain?) tucking something into his coat pocket. The mailer targets McCain's health care policy.

Check out the jump for the other side.

First TV ad against Amendment 2 airs

Florida Red and Blue, the group campaigning against the gay marriage ban in the Constitution, has a new ad that will start on cable TV today and later this week go on broadcast TV in Tampa, Orlando, West Palm, Miami and Fort Lauderdale, said deputy campaign manager Michael Kenny. The group has spent about $1-million on TV buys so far.

Check it out.

Crist, GOP to throw 'victory' bash for McCain

The Republican Party of Florida is throwing John McCain a "victory party" on Oct. 18 in Orlando. Gov. Charlie Crist will be there along with an unnamed special guest (rumored to be Sen. Mel Martinez), according to an invite. The rally will be held at Rosen Shingle Creek Resort. Doors open at noon.

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ACORN: We like you, too, Browning

In response to reports that Secretary of State Kurt Browning said he “generally likes” the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, which registered more than 140,000 new voters this year alone in Florida, Orlando ACORN member Leroy Bell says: “We like Secretary of State Kurt Browning, too. We would like him even more if he would suspend the controversial ‘No-Match’ law that could prevent thousands of legitimate voters from getting on the rolls.”

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NRA links Obama to 'rapists, drug dealers'

TV viewers in Florida are starting to see attack ads from the National Rifle Association against Barack Obama. It's part of a $15-million air and mail assault against the Democratic presidential nominee. Fact checkers are finding the ads full of distortions. Obama has said he supports the Second Amendment but is in favor of some gun control.

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House candidate gets visit from sign police

Deed restrictions are the thing of legend in Florida, but this may open a new chapter ...

VALRICO — Lewis Laricchia has more than one fight on his hands. He's running for state representative in District 56, but for months has also battled his homeowners association over the right to display campaign signs on his car.

The Brentwood Hills Homeowners Association notified Laricchia in March that the campaign sign on his car, when it was parked in his driveway, violated the community's rules. Deed restrictions prohibit "signs of any kind" on a person's property, apart from small professional signs. (story here)

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