Did SPD officers misuse their authority while moonlighting as security at the REC?

 

 

 

Did SPD officers misuse their authority while moonlighting as security at the REC?

Francesco Abbruzzino, The Uncensored Report, LLC

 

Stephen Guffanti, MD

 

Dear Liz Alpert, Mayor of the City of Sarasota,

 

On December 12, 2024 I came to our scheduled Republican Executive Committee (REC) meeting, having been elected to the REC on August 20, 2024 for my third term. At the door, Sergeant Charles Riffe stated that I was not allowed in. He stated that he was paid to keep those not on the list out. No list was presented to me.

 

I showed him that I was elected. I showed him the law stating the process for removing me from the REC and I asked him if he would uphold the law. He refused to uphold the law, but stated he would arrest me if I insisted. Moreover, the sergeant was not alone. He was accompanied by 5 other police officers from the city: Officers Castro, Dougan, Varlaro and two others. None of these police officers was willing to uphold the law.

 

His position was that the REC was a club and he would keep out whomever the “club” wanted out. This appears to be a clear misuse of authority and a violation of his oath to uphold the law. Before you dismiss this, I would like you to consider the impact on your position.

 

Imagine the mayor and another commissioner hired the police chief when he was off duty to keep two commissioners out of the city commissioner meeting. Imagine them telling the chief the city commission is a club and as such has the right to admit who they want. The mayor could then conduct city business for his benefit. The third commissioner provides a quorum, but his opposition doesn’t matter.

 

We are all elected to our post. If you allow your policemen to ignore the law while off duty and yet threaten to arrest an elected official for following the law, you will turn our democracy into a tyranny.

 

I am one of about 100 elected REC members who were not allowed in. I request disciplinary action be taken for all 6 officers. If you agree with me on the seriousness of this misuse of authority and the dire implications it is as a precedent, please direct your internal affairs investigator to contact me and the many others who experienced the same treatment.

 

Thank you for your timely action on this most egregious abuse of liberty.

 

Stephen Guffanti, MD

Precinct Committeeman for precinct 423