COMMENTARY
MARK SCHUMANN
The highly negative and now sputtering campaign of Vero Beach City Council candidate, Charlie Wilson, appears to be running on fumes – at least Wilson appears to be fuming. The two candidates he claims as “teammates,” Harry Howle, III, and Pilar Turner, are not exactly going out of their way to make appearances with him. Wilson’s primary means of getting his message out is a Facebook page; and now he is spending time and energy attacking the press rather than addressing the issues.
Wilson, who once was in the news business but who would probably prefer not to discuss the circumstances of that particularly career change, is “reporting” campaign violations without first checking the facts. For example, candidate Randy Old, who has raised more than ten times as much as Wilson in campaign contributions, has run many ads in the Press Journal, Vero Beach 32963, VeroNews.com, TCPalm.com and InsideVero. To my knowledge, very one of those ads complied with Florida election law.
Old also ran an ad in the inaugural issue of former Press Journal columnist, Russ Lemmon’s, new weekly newsletter, Lemmon Lines. That ad, however, is missing the required disclaimer. Given that all of Old’s other ads have been in compliance, one has to wonder if the mistake was his, or possibly Lemmon’s.
The wanna-be-mayor and wanna-be-journalist, Charlie Wilson, is ready to jump to conclusions. Wilson is certainly wrong in his accusation Old has received “illegal contribution.” He posted the following on his Facebook page today.
More misinformation from attack dog, Charlie Wilson
If you wonder what political desperation looks like, just watch Vero Beach City Council candidate, Charlie Wilson, spinning out of control. Wilson, who seems to think political campaigns can be won or lost on Facebook, has taking to posting his rants.
There, on his Facebook page, Wilson continues to demonstrate his ignorance of Florida election’s laws. Apparently unaware that a private citizen is free to discourage support for candidates, Wilson posted the following on Facebook this morning. Neither of these signs requires a political disclaimer, as Wilson mistakenly believes. Wilson’s campaign is ending just as it began, spewing forth misinformation.
Indian River Guardian 
I think the public has a right to know under what circumstances Wilson left the news business since he is once again running for a council seat. I also think the public should have a right to know why he was removed from the city council after only thirty days in office. I would love to see the transcripts of that trial. Putting all this aside ,Wilsons disruptive ,long winded tirades at council meetings are a “BLACK EYE ” ON THE CITY’S IMAGE
I understand that one of Mr. Wilson’s newer face book posts claims that my ABC and TOT signs are illegal because they do not have a disclaimer on them either. Well…I am NOT endorsing ANY candidate on my signs…I did NOT take contribution one for those signs. All of the money provided for their purchase came from myself and, I am NOT running for City Council, so I do not need to add the word “for” on those signs. Although they mimic and look like politcal endorsement signs…they are not. What am I in violation of?
John, You might check with WTTB station manager, Jim Davis. My colleague spoke with a former city manager and former police chief who said Wilson was fired from WTTB. Having been exposed, Wilson is now posting on his Facebook page false claims about my departure from Vero Beach 232963 and the Press Journal. Everyone who knows, knows about the biases and 32963 and about the Brunjes/FPL connection. Enough said.