COMMENTARY
MARK SCHUMANN
Candidate for Vero Beach City Council, Laura Moss, was recently seen passing notes with civic activist and political operative Charlie Wilson. Assuming the candidate and the political operative were not sharing written observations about the weather, the “Moss-Wilson” sighting raises questions about whether Wilson is assisting Moss with her campaign.
If so, that may explain Moss’ anti-city positions, her criticism of the Indian River Neighborhood Association, and the placement of her campaign signs in public right-of-way. It’s all Wilsonesque.
Given that Wilson manages political campaigns professionally, if he is assisting Moss on a volunteer basis, the value of his time probably should reported on Moss’ next campaign finance report as an in-king contribution. Or, maybe Moss is paying Wilson to manage her campaign. That decision, if she has made it, calls into question her judgment.
New to and perhaps naive about local politics, Moss may not realize support from Wilson is, at best, a mixed blessing. Wilson holds the dubious distinction of being the first and only Vero Beach City Council member to be removed from office by court order.
Wilson has failed as a candidate for the Vero Beach City Council, the Indian River Hospital District, the Indian River County School Board, the Indian River County Commission, and the Florida House of Representatives.
Wilson has excelled, not as a candidate, but instead working for candidates who pay him to manage their campaigns. It seems the more negative a candidate is willing to be, the better Wilson is able to serve them.
In his failed 2014 run for a seat on the Council, Wilson accepted more than 80 percent of his contributions from out-of-city donors and special interests, including from Indian River Shores Vice Mayor Gerry Weick. Wilson also received a campaign contribution from Moss.
Moss would do well to remember that many voters judge candidates by the company they keep. As they say, birds of a feather flock together, and anyone flying in Wilson’s flock surely has it in for the City of Vero Beach.
Or, perhaps Moss and Wilson were simply musing about the weather.
Indian River Guardian 
Even having your name linked to Charlie Wilson is a huge negative for the candidate close to him. Last year Pilar Turner and Harry howle did everything possible to avoid him in his losing run for the city council. He did everything in his power to link up with them, Laura Moss will learn the hard way for being associated with him.Passing sly notes back and forth certainly is telling.
Aw, common guys. They probably were really talking about the weather and…they were probably planning their next strategy meeting at the Elks Club or maybe happy hour at the Patio LOL
Hey, all kidding aside….How does a guy present himself as the president of a “Vero Beach Chamber of Commerce” when he so detests the City that he claims to be representing? And, how does a new candidate for City Council expect to get elected when she too seems to detest the City that she is trying to get elected to? Just asking.
Indian River shores and the county commissioners are seeking two seats on the city council of Vero. Their candidates are Moss and Howle. So far every word spoken and written by them is doing what’s best for IRS and FPL. They are a fine representatives of FPL and out of town builders, but this election is for the Vero city council.Just watch where their money comes from for their run for council. I do believe Charlie Wilson is running Moss’s campaign . Passing notes is one indication.