Confusion continues to swirl around a Coral Springs luncheon for Florida Lt. Governor Jennifer Carroll. As RED BROWARD reported on Thursday, the hastily planned event appeared to be sponsored by the Republican Business Network. The RBN, under the leadership of a non-BREC member, emailed information regarding the luncheon to members of the Broward Republican Executive Committee. Tickets were $60 for RBN members and $65 for non-members.
Late Friday, BREC members received an email about the luncheon from BREC chairman Rico Petrocelli, P.I. The email stated just 12 seats were available at $50 per ticket. Those requesting more information were urged to call BREC headquarters. The email made no mention of the Republican Business Network.
What happens to BREC members who paid the RBN $60-$65 bucks a ticket? Do they get a refund? Why the discrepancy in price? The majority of RBN members are BREC members as well. Who is footing the bill for the luncheon? How much is the hall rental? How much is the food? Are these items being donated? If so, why the high ticket prices?
In less than two months, Petrocelli has turned BREC into some amateur-hour operation keen on nickel-and-diming Republican activists instead of building on the growth of the party under Richard DeNapoli.
RED BROWARD was right about Petrocelli’s plan to slash BREC meetings. We were right about his donation commission scheme. We documented thousands of dollars in payments to former board member Michael George DeGruccio. We told you about Petrocelli’s ploy to place non-BREC member Sheela Venero VanHoose on an RPOF committee.
When Petrocelli’s plan to get VanHoose on the RPOF committee failed, he came up with Plan B. At Monday night’s BREC meeting, Petrocelli short-circuited the BREC membership process. Just before the meeting started, BREC vice chair Christine Butler was handed a stack of BREC applications. According to sources, the applications did not go through the normal vetting process. One of the applications belonged to Sheela Venero VanHoose.
Plan B failed when an absence of a quorum was suggested. Only 148 of nearly 400 BREC members showed up for the meeting. Under the bylaws, not enough members were present to conduct business. Sources tell RED BROWARD they witnessed VanHoose being asked for a copy of her driver’s license. Apparently a required copy was not attached to her application. This vital information is needed to prove an applicant actually lives in the precinct they’re applying to be the committee person. The witness says VanHoose was unable to produce her driver’s license.
Petrocelli continues to avoid questions raised by his maneuvers. He prefers to attack those who raise the questions. VanHoose continues to censor the RED BROWARD website.
Why won’t BREC leaders address questions from BREC members?
I don’t know who has authored this article, but as the flyer clearly states, this function is sponsored by BREC. RBN simply reserved a table and we invited our members to attend. We are not making money off of the event and we are still collecting money to cover the cost of this table. You have made a few factually incorrect statements in this article. I invite you to contact me directly anytime you have questions regarding our wonderful organization, any of our members or upcoming events. This may help you to be more factual and cut down on false rumors and innuendo. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely
Mike Rump
Vice President, Republican Business Network
(954) 478-1606 cell
e-mail (vicepresident@republicanbusinessnetwork.com)
The RBN is not the sponsor of this event. I really don’t know who the sponsor is. We were approached by a city commissioner. I only know that it is what i hope will be a number of fundraisers for our current state cabinet members who are beginning their campaigns for re-election. We plan to help with all of their campaigns in any way we can. We were asked to sponsor a table for 8 for $500. We think that may have changed to tables of 10 thus the discrepancy. Anyone who has already paid will of course be refunded.
In response to your statement about my BREC membership. It is not necessary for a club president to belong. Our precinct already has two members on BREC, but we recently submitted applications to be alternates and look forward to working with the new board.
Please feel free to call me with any questions you might have about RBN.