Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/100060
Sarasota News Leader December 21, 2012 Page 23 He formally was charged with Criminal Use is plenty of time for a candidate to get their of Personal Identification Information. He in- name out,��� she added. voked his rights and did not provide a stateAlthough people had mentioned to her that ment, the report added. Waechter could have been the person who Ramirez reported to the Sheriff���s Office on made the contribution to Fitzgerald in her Oct. 15 that she had received a thank you note name, she continued, she did not suspect him. from the Fitzgerald campaign for a contribu- ���I figured he knew the election law,��� she addtion she had not made. ed. ���That���s why it took A Democrat, Fitzgerme by surprise.��� ald challenged U.S. I figured he knew the election law. Ramirez already had Rep. Vern Buchanan, That���s why it took me by surprise. filed a report with R-Longboat Key, for the Federal Elections Lourdes Ramirez the District 16 conPresident Commission about the gressional seat in the CONA fraudulent use of her Nov. 6 election. identity information Ramirez reported to deputies that she felt in regard to the Fitzgerald contribution, she someone had stolen her identity, according pointed out. When deputies notified her Dec. to the Sheriff���s Office. 14 about Waechter���s arrest, she added, they told her they would forward their report to Ramirez told the News Leader she had been the FEC. registered as a Republican in the county since 2006. In recent months, she has been men- Asked whether she had any idea why Waechtioned frequently as a presumed candidate for ter would have done such a thing, she said, Sarasota County Commission in 2014. ���I really think it does all have to do with politics.��� ���I am almost 75 to 80 percent there,��� she told the Waechter has been an ally News Leader, referring to of developers in the counplans to run for the seat held ty, while Ramirez has adby Commissioner Nora Patdressed the County Commisterson. Although Patterson sion on numerous occasions could not seek re-election to encourage slow-growth because of term limits, Patmethods. terson also announced last Along with his seat on the year that she did not plan to SKA board, Waechter has run again. been a member of the SaraRamirez said if she does sota Manatee Airport Aurun for the seat, she will not thority and the Sarasota file until November 2013. Robert Waechter/Contributed by County Tourist Develop���A year before an election Sheriff���s Office ment Council.