COMMENTARY

MARK SCHUMANN

In order to retain a three-person majority on the Vero Beach City Council, Florida Power & Light bankrolled Glenn Heran’s efforts to help Carroll win re-election last fall.  Heran’s politicking on Carroll’s behalf was a monumental failure.  Voters woke up and wised up, not only to FPL’s meddling in Vero Beach politics, but to the almost constant barrage of misinformation and pro-sale propaganda published in the Press Journal and the island tabloid, Vero Beach 32963.

The Press Journal, of course, is served by a publisher, Bob Brunjes, who is married to FPL Vice President Amy Brunjes.  No one need wonder why the Press Journal selectively reports and then spins the facts about the utility giant’s attempt to expand its customer base by acquiring municipal utilities across the state, with Vero Beach their first target.

Vero Beach 32963 is published by Milton Benjamin, who seemingly has nothing good to say about the City of Vero Beach.  Since its launch in late 2008, the island tabloid has exploited, sensationalized and distorted the power sale story to attract readership. Benjamin seems to think the best way to build himself up is to tear others down.

Any book written to explore the lessons to be drawn from the long and sad saga of FPL’s failed attempt to acquire Vero Electric would be incomplete without a capters exploring the role of a compliant and biased press and the affect of FPL’s infiltration into local politics.