WCTV helps the ABATE of Florida lobbyist stretch the facts

There are some interesting weird truisms in life. Tell a lie long often enough even
you yourself will believe it, urban myths become true, and an e-mail that has 350,000 fwd's in front of it is passed on by 350,000 more as being a new earth shattering truism. But our favorite has got to, be get a reporter to say it and the people will believe it.

So we watched with a mixture of disgust and amusement last night as we listened to
Mike Vasilinda on WCTV last report the following, all the while wondering. Where did he get that information?

ABATE's Past successes include:

ending the mandatory helmet law

FACT: We have posted on this on a number of occasions. Chico Yasko, an ABATE of Florida member took battle to court and won without the help of ABATE.

The Suncoast chapter of ABATE took a case to court using HLDL tactics deveolped by the late Richard "quig" Quigly and had the the law declared unconstitutional. Suncoast Chapter subsequentlly pulled out of ABATE of Florida

This link HELMET 101 bulletin board demonstrates if read thoroughly that ABATE of Florida did not get involved until late in the game. Read the whole thing. See if you can determine when ABATE got in the game and when and how the law went from being a clean repeal to what we currently have, "a modified helmet law" that is still mandatory. You will see there are  many that fought for a clean repeal.

Stripping punitive provisions from speeding legislation

Thats new, and ever since the ABATE president/lobbyist hollered Don't fight HB167 (the wheelie bill), it's dead. We have been have been suffering the repercussions of that law.  But then we learned that maybe Doc shouldn't be trusted after Panhandle Chapter president, his lady Lucy and I attended a Transportation committee meeting to watch him, in Papa Johns words, "throw us under the bus" as he voted for a hands free exemption to a Cell phone ban in direct violation of two membership votes, one taken in the keys and one in Naples, where he tried to sway the membership by stating he needed to use a cell phone while driving.  He finally swayed the group at the Pensacola meeting before last.

See here also: 
http://pub42.bravenet.com/forum/3562429698/fetch/802534/



That and Representative Lopez-Cantera's  letter stating that The Florida President of ABATE was working with him on HB137 has convinced us that when the legislators ask the ABATE lobbyist to help them on a bill it is because they know he will do what they want him to do


see here also:

http://www.bigbendbikersforfreedom.com/2007/10/abate-of-florida-president-caught-again.html
http://www.bigbendbikersforfreedom.com/2008/01/brief-chronology-of-fl-hb137-and.html 
http://www.bigbendbikersforfreedom.com/2008/09/abate-of-florida-finally-sees-light-hb.html

securing a half million dollars for motorcycle awareness campaigns

Now following the money trail with ABATE of Florida is close to impossible. This half million dollar figure has been thrown around so many times in the last couple years you can't tell which "we didn't get a half million dollars" the ABATE of Florida President is referring. I do know that I have see enough checks handed to Doc at state meetings to "use as he sees fit" to wonder if that adds up to half a mill under a mattress somewhere, but then we wouldn't know about that.

We do know that may not have been the first to know about it but was one of the first to speak out on certain discrepancies.

Other members have had difficulties finding out where the money is going.
Such as in this  post by the Whitesands chapter who finally pulled out of ABATE of Florida after threats and they could know longer get on the state agenda because every time they did they asked, "Wheres the money".

But then Papa John former president of the Panhandle Chapter could not get on the ballot agenda either see here and here


We found our own little violation of state lobby laws by the ABATE lobbyist  posted here

And had our own conversations with the Florida Highway Department of Safety posted here
and  here 07-14-08

Oh and there is so much more..........

Doc Reichenbach can truly say I did it my way

Well, ya got give WCTV credit. They got that right.  Just no telling how many lives of bikers have been lost while he does it "his" way.Add to Technorati Favorites

Related Posts by categories