Dark Horse Raises Fist At Democrats

By CHRISTIAN M. WADE The Tampa Tribune

Published: Oct 18, 2007

NEW PORT RICHEY - John Russell considers himself a loyal Democrat.

The former Republican changed his party affiliation and voted against then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush in the 2000 presidential election. Since then, he has been a vehement critic of the Bush administration's policies on the war in Iraq, health care, energy and national security.

Russell even ran twice, unsuccessfully, to win back the coveted 5th Congressional District seat that the Democrats lost to GOP stalwart Ginny Brown-Waite five years ago.

However, his outspoken, often confrontational, form of activism, including criticizing elected officials in his own party, has ruffled the feathers of many state and local Democrats.

Early last week, Russell was officially banned from attending the Pasco County Democratic Party's big fundraising gala Friday night at Heritage Springs Country Club.

The event, titled "United We Stand," was attended by a host of national, state and local party officials, including state Democratic Party chairwoman Karen Thurman.

Alison Morano, chairwoman of the Pasco Democratic Executive Committee, said the five-member board decided to bar Russell from the event.

He has been "disruptive" at previous fundraisers, she said, and senior party officials were "extremely concerned" that he was planning to harass guests at the gathering.

"This wasn't about politics," Morano said. "It was about personality."

Some top Pasco party officials said they weren't aware of the action taken against Russell.

"Regardless of any craziness that any one of us may have - by virtue of the fact that we are passionate - I've never heard anyone say, 'You're not allowed,'

" said Alice Delgardo, a longtime party official and chairwoman of the West Pasco Democratic Club.

Russell, 51, wears his persona non grata brand with pride.

"They don't like me because I ask the questions they don't want asked," he said. "Unless you're the kind of Democrat who follows orders, they don't want anything to do with you."

Russell said he believes there is a growing number of Florida Democrats who want Thurman replaced but top party officials are trying to silence them. He chides Thurman for her views on Iraq, state electoral reform and for her work as a lobbyist.

"She's shown absolutely no leadership on these issues," he said. "She's useless."

He's also gone to outlandish lengths in an attempt to prove his point. In July, Russell crashed a private fundraising event in Pinellas County attended by Thurman and other senior party officials. He used a video camera to tape a confrontational interview with the chairwoman.

Controversial YouTube Video

The video, apparently shot without Thurman's knowledge, was posted on the YouTube Web site with the headline: "Karen L. Thurman: Show Me The Money $$$$."

In it, Russell berates Thurman over a recent Miami Herald article highlighting how she's paid $3,500 a month by former Florida Republican Party chairman Al Cardenas to help lobby the Democratic leadership in Congress on behalf of Miami-Dade County.

Russell: "You're working for Republicans."

Thurman: "I'm not working for Republicans. I'm working for Miami-Dade County on port security. They requested Democrats to be involved … because we won" in the 2006 elections.

Towards the end of the clip, Thurman asks Russell about the video camera. Thurman: "Is that on? I'm not going to talk to you with that on."

Russell: "Why? Are you afraid to talk on the record?"

Thurman: "No. I've made it very clear that I'm not afraid of this issue. I have always had a lobbying company on the side. I made it very clear that I was going to be doing that."

At the end, a caption reads: "If Karen worked for Pepsi; Could she work for Coke too?

Russell admits the video was a "bit high school."

"But high school is what it takes to get the truth," he said. "We need to get to the truth."

Mark Bubriski, press secretary for the state Democratic Party, said the tape was made without Thurman's knowledge and calls Russell's criticism of the party chief unfair.

Russell showed up at the party headquarters in Tallahassee a few months ago with his lawyer and a video camera, Bubriski said, and started harassing his staffers

At one point, staff members even considered calling the police to remove him.

"He seems to be in his own world," Bubriski said.

Still In The Running?

Russell has lost two bids for the 5th Congressional job, which covers a sprawling district - spanning eight counties from Levy to Pasco - where Republicans slightly outnumber Democrats.

In 2004, he lost in the primary to Robert Whittel.

Two years later, Russell emerged from the primary to challenge Ginny Brown-Waite. His campaign was labeled as long-shot and received no money from the state party.

After losing by about 50,000 votes, Russell challenged the state-certified results in a court in Tallahassee and with the clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives.

He argued a revote was needed because votes cast in the congressional race weren't recorded properly by "malfunctioning electronic voting machines" on Election Day.

A few months later, he dropped the challenge after the House refused to take it up.

Morano said local and state party officials are setting their sights on 2008 when, besides the presidency, Ginny Brown-Waite's seat is up for election.

And Pasco is expected to be a major battleground for the party, Morano said. "We're focusing on candidates who can win elections," she said.

Russell isn't one of those candidates: "He's run and lost enough times," Morano said.

So, question is, will Russell run for Congress again?

"I haven't made that decision yet," he said. "But I haven't ruled it out."

Reporter Christian M. Wade can be reached at (727) 815-1082 or cwade@tampatrib.com.