by Javier Manjarres
The Tea Party movement began to sweep across the nation almost immediately after President Obama took office and started aggressively pushing his socialist agenda. The Tea Party movement itself is a true grassroots movement borne out the American spirit of freedom, resistance to tyranny and expanding government, and American exceptionalism.
The August 24th GOP primary election in Florida’s Congressional District 20 could very well dictate and negatively define many Congressional and Senatorial races around the country if the Democrat political machine is able to label Republican candidates as unhinged, bible thumping, gun-wielding and radical right-winged tea party candidates.
Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz has announced that her party’s strategy for the midterm elections will be to aggressively push the narrative that almost all GOP candidates are tea party extremists, and she will campaign aggressively with this message to take out as many Republicans as possible- the writing has been on the wall for months.
Unfortunately, the Democrat Party was presented with a bow-tie wrapped gift last year when one of the Republican candidates in District 20- self professed Tea Party candidate Robert Lowry- attended an event at a shooting range where he and his campaign manager Christopher Leggatt scribbled the initials ‘DWS’ on a shooting target. Lowry proceeded to shoot at the target and joke about his actions to all that were in attendance, and he also posed for a picture with the bullet riddled target. Making matters worse, all of these actions were done in the presence of a local political beat reporter. The backlash of Lowry’s actions reverberated throughout the national media, and the blowback not only targeted him, but the Republican Party as a whole.
This terribly embarrassing lack of good judgment by Mr. Lowry has brought the question of character front and center. Many politicos currently running for both state and federal office, along with their campaigns, as well as local GOP leaders have expressed concern with the possibility that Robert Lowry may win the FL-20 primary race, this giving the Democrats exactly what they want- a poster boy for unhinged right-wing extremism that can be used to tar and feather other GOP candidates. Off the record, almost all of these politicos are hoping that Lowry loses this race, and their concern about Lowry was made apparent at the past Lincoln Day Dinner hosted by the Miami GOP, where no less than nine of these politicos were quick to distance themselves from Mr. Lowry, while their staffs kept a watchful eye as to prevent the possible campaign ending photo-op with Lowry.
Interestingly enough, at a recent Wasserman-Schultz/ Kendrick Meek event, several prominent Democrat politicos jubilantly expressed this same sentiment to me, as one of them stated to me anonymously, “we would love for him(Robert Lowry) to win.”
The question of judgment, or the lack thereof by Lowry’s campaign is also an open matter. An example of Mr. Lowry’s questionable judgment is also called into question by people that are directly and indirectly helping his campaign. There have been a slew of gaffes and mistakes that Lowry, his campaign, and his closest allies have made over the past year or so.
Below is a comprehensive accounting and documentation of the Lowry Campaign’s noteworthy incidents and gaffes during this election cycle.
‘DWS’ Gun Range shooting incident
Robert Lowry refuses to admit that he was responsible for writing the initials ‘DWS’, even as numerous people watched him and Chris Leggatt do so. Lowry then let former Congressional candidate Dennis Lamb publicly state a lie for him. Lamb’s press release stated “they had indeed found the joke tasteless, and chastised the activist that scribbled on their target.”
Here is a list links that documented this incident- it’s clear that this misstep went viral and it cast a shadow over the entire Tea Party movement.
http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2009/10/republican_candidates_shots_at.html
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=8790701
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/09/robert-lowry-shoots-targe_n_315229.html
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/10/gop-candidate-shoots-at-target-with-wasserman-schultzs-initials.php
http://dailyradar.com/beltwayblips/story/candidate-shooting-at-target-with-opponent-s-initials/
Possible Federal Elections Commission (FEC) Violations
The Lowry campaign is under scrutiny for violating FEC rules and regulations over their flawed election cycle reporting. Several FEC complaints have already been filed, and more are expected to follow. Pictured is a banner used by the Lowry campaign to promote Mr. Lowry candidacy. What is not written on the banner is the mandatory disclaimer.
Lowry for Congress has also received numerous corporate donations – a big no-no when one is running for Federal elected office. One noticeable point here on the report is that Bunny Hills Assisted Living Facilities donated $7000 to the campaign. Bunny Hills Assisted Living Facility is owned by Lowry Group Properties, Inc. (Sunbiz.org) – potentially a major violation.
Bunny Hills Assisted Living Facility and Lowry Group Properties, Inc. Both share the same address of 940 N. NorthLake Dr. Hollywood, Florida 33019. Is it coincidental that this address is also Mr. Lowry’s home address? (See FEC Report )
Personal business practices
Lowry Properties,Inc d/b/a Sunny Hills Assisted Living Facility, Inc-Defendant. Lowry Group Properties, Inc. is owned by Robert Lowry, one of several GOP candidates for U.S. Congress in Florida’s Congressional District 20, and Lowry is also mentioned in the suit. Here is a Copy of the Lawsuit
The Lowry Campaign and its supporters
Christopher Leggatt- Campaign Manager of the Lowry for Congress campaign. From what has been reported, he has been actively been trying to strong-arm an endorsement from the Broward Executive Committee for Lowry. Much to many people’s amusement, Leggatt has consistently referred to Lowry, without any hint of humor or irony, as “The Congressman” since the beginning of their campaign.
Chad Lincoln- Mr. Lincoln is the chief advisor/consultant of the Lowry campaign, and he is also a major campaign donor. Lincoln has donated $2450 this election cycle- $50 dollars more the maximum allowed to donate to a candidate per election year, perhaps a simple an oversight on his part. Lincoln is at the forefront of promoting the Lowry campaign whether it’s on Facebook or other new media channels. Mr. Lincoln is also under investigation for tortuous interference with a contract.
Scott Spages is a member of the Broward Republican Executive Committee and is the Director of the Calvary Chapel Faith Forum that meets at least once a month to discuss faith and politics. Calvary Chapel is a Fort Lauderdale-based Christian worship center that is highly respected in the community, as well as outside Broward County. Mr. Spages is also under the same investigation of Tortuous interference with a contract as Mr. Lincoln.
Here is a link to our article about the first FL CD 20 debate. VIDEOS:GOP Debate: Wasserman-Schultz, Taxes, and Herpes on the Menu
On Thursday August 5th, the second debate of this primary will take place in Hollywood,Florida. This will be the last time voters will be able to see and hear the candidates discuss the issues and their campaigns before the August 24th primary election. This will be a pivotal primary race in Florida and voters will have to decide who best represents their views- a process that can be best described as “An American Thing.”
38 Responses to “Tea Party Candidate Robert Lowry- Does He Have the Character for Congress?”
Go Donna Milo !!!!!
I fear that Lowry will end up like Lynch. The closer to election, we will see more and more things come up. There are already allegations of racism and violence toward seniors. When anyone dares question these Mr. Lowry, his thugs try to beat you down. Everything I have seen would make me think Mr. Lowry would do well with the thugs we have in DC right now…….too well. That is why I am looking at Karen and Donna, because at lease I don’t have to worry about them slicing my tires or beating up seniors.
WOW! Based on the Shark Tanks coverage of the Lowry campaign (or lack of) in the past, I pretty much assumed you didn’t like him for this seat but this pretty much solidifies it. I wonder if their are any personal issues between Mr. Lowry and this author that we should also know about? Talk about giving the Democrats plenty of ammunition.
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I cant believe this guy is tea party! The TEA PARTY (not the political party) is trying to chnage government from the currupters and RINOs. If this is true, because in this nation we are not guilty until proven guilty, if true then the public should not vote for this candidate and more investigations into this guy should occur! Vett these candidates to the max……..like the Who sings…..”we wont get fooled again!”
Karen Harrington is a much better candidate for the Republican nomination than Lawry, anyway. Karen is a businesswoman who knows the importance of job creation and cutting spending. It is very simple, ask yourself today, if you are better off than you were, two or three years ago. Karen is the one Republican candidate who will fix the spending splurge. She is also the one Republican candidate who can and will beat Debbie.
There is nothing dirty about Karen. She is a beautiful wife. A person who believes in family. She is a grandmother. She is a survivor of breast cancer. She runs a restaurant where the food is good and the patrons have a great time. Karen is the All-American candidate. Heck, her husband Glen has been volunteering his time for years, coaching youth baseball. She sounds like a winner to me.
http://anystreet.org/forum.php?board=1&msg=2405&topic=2551
Wow! Anystreet just picked this up!
This guy cannot be the one that will face Wasserman?
This is unbelievable. I am not in the district but my dad is and I am going to share this with him. This is unacceptable! Candidate is an obam-ination.
This is appalling. I think this is a fine example of a candidate who tried to maximize the political climate for personal gain. This is a tough report but the evidence is all there in the links. The GOP should step in and remove LAWRY from the ballot before any further damage is done to the GOP brand name.
Javier:
I cannot believe you and your disgusting style of writing and all your little “field” people who immediately respond following one of your ‘blogs.’ That’s it? All you have? I could never see the severity of the DWS ‘joke’ at the shooting range. Mercifully, I was not there that day… would have laughed the loudest. I’ll bet you were laughing right along with every other Debbie-loathing conservative, until the exploitation of the situation came down. You know as well as I that Robert, Chris, you, nor I would EVER act-out on any violence against Debbie or any other despicable candidate; it is not in our hearts… It was a damn joke, esoteric in nature, tantamount to a 1950′s/60′s cartoon, kinda like Elmer Fudd and Bugs Bunny… that kind of “humor.” Give it a break. Your cavelier style is much changed from since first I met you. You don’t even believe in your heart your own writings… very concerning.
I don’t like the reputation you have designed for yourself as a ‘political pundit’. (Certainly I am not proud of some of my own rants/ramblings, but trying). Your output is not cute, and often not informative… just arrogant. Try writing something from your heart sometime.
Danita
p.s. At this time, I do not know for whom I will vote.
Danita, you of all people should not talk!
Ms. Kilcullen, the issue is not whether Mr. Lowry is a violent guy or not, I personally never got that impression from the man. The problem as I see it is his evasiveness about the matter, and just as important, the perception of the incident in the minds of the public, which isn’t a good one. If you think the Dems won’t utilize this issue against him, you are kidding yourself. Lowry’s defeat does not mean we don’t have a shot in this race, there are other good candidates.
I wish we had this a few weeks ago my wife sent this guy $$$$$ donation. I live in sunrise and a friend just sent this to me via email. I wish the Sun Sentinel would write like this….that probably why I canceled my subscription, but I love the tough love. Looking at the ads here I know the Shark tank aint fer Debbie w. (sergeant) Shultz.
Anyone feel good about Rick Scott….McCullon just seems old with dead ideas……GLAD I FOUND THIS BLOG….keep the fire against the libs dude!
I was for Lowry but when he left a good Republican out to dry to take the blame for his mess and not come forward to say it was him and not apologize just showed Lowry’s true colors! I just lost all respect for him.
Didn’t the “LIBERAL” Miami Herald just endorse Lowry? Figures those LIB’s would do that because they want Lowry to win because they know the Democrats have sooooooooo much dirt on him and that Lowry will lose real bad to DWS!
If half of these allegations are true and with the primary less than three weeks away and less than 100 days until the general election, Mr. Lowry you are damaged goods. Please consider doing the right thing for your party.
Your unelectable on the shooting range incident alone.
Do the right thing.
This article is simply a transparent slandering of Lowry by a Harrington supporter. Making a big deal over shooting rage practice using a paper target with initials on it when our country is at stake is silly. Lowry is a better candidate than Harrington because he has business skills and integrity. He is a good man and one we can trust.
I don’t think that Robert Lowry is violent but I think he presents a great target for Wasserman and her campaign to shred Tea Party and the candidates that they are supporting. Lowry did not even stand up after the incident and admit he had made a mistake – he pushed it off on someone else. The tactics that go on behind the scenes from his campaign and people associated with it are disgusting. Put Lowry in office and you will get same ole same ole – Karen and Donna are breaths of fresh air comparably. And as far as Lowry being a “good republican” – really? How does a liberal jump ship and become a “good republican”? I believe the correct word would be opportunist.
@observer
Slander you say? Come on, everything about this guy is all on this post in black and white. You cannot refute the facts-look at the FEC report and the hyperlinks. How is this slander it is all public record and has been reported. What about the video of him and the reference to Herpes? You are trying to tellus that, that was a stunt double in the video?
Lowry is a total tool and an embarrassment to the movement
@Danita
You say you would have laughed that day? Well, we laugh at you everyday, everytime you show up somewere drunk as a skunk! You embarrass yourself and make your good works look bad. Forget the gun range target, its about this idiots lack of character.
I agree with Ed. There are plenty of shady characters in congress.Hope a good person, if elected can handle THAT shark tank. Let us see. Sharkie does not like McCollum even though he has the support of Newt Jeb and Dick Armey. All solid good Republicans who Sharkie claims he admires.Sharkie seems to editorialize for Scott ignoring his problems.He says nothing or very little about any Democrat with problems similar to Robert’s. Only a little about Klein or Debbie or Sink’s ethical problems. Will Debbie turn on the corrupt pols in her party?What about some Dems wishing President Bush dead and probably meaning it.This is totally biased ,against all credible Republicans and it has been very successful in destroying the Party sizable advantage in Florida.
I think Javier did an excellent job of exposing the truth about Lowry. The article was not just about his lack of good judge in shooting a target with DWS. It shows a consistence series of misjudgments from him in his business life and his campaign.
By the way Lowry was NEVER the choice from the Tea Party. Only a group that is to blind to see that he was fooling them all along.
If you want to put support where it belongs, put it behind Karen Harrington, but do it quick since early voting starts next week.
I would agree with you James, except for the fact that sharkie does not go after major ethical breeches by some people and magnifies those of others.I wish this blog would go after the Dems with the same tenacity that it goes after Republicans.I have met and spoke with Mr. Lowry and heard him speak on many occasions and researched the great work with HIV orphans he sponsored in Haitit. He is a good person with flaws that all human beings have.I do not feel that Mrs. Harrington or Ms. Milo has the dynamism that Robert has.I really do not think Fl20 is really up for grabs anyway, but it was nice for me to be able to vote for a genuine candidate.for once in 20 years living in that corrupt district.
Javier,
Thank you for reporting all the facts on Robert Lowry.
He is not a Tea Party Candidate. He is not getting endorsements from big names.
This guy is a fake. He comes across very nice at first but you have to look beyond that facade. He is only in this for himself.
He does not have the peoples best interest at heart.Lowry is another Lynch tell me who you hang with and I will tell you who you are.
I would not vote for him if he was the last candidate standing.
In Sundays Sun Sentinal there was an article saying how Lowry would like to see unemployment benefits go to business owners to create jobs. Well read between the lines he means that for himself and his businesses. Will he create jobs or make believe he is? The man is a fraud.
Harrington is the better candidate she has my vote.
>>>>>>>>Lowry for Congress has also received numerous corporate donations – a big no-no when one is running for Federal elected office. One noticeable point here on the report is that Bunny Hills Assisted Living Facilities donated $7000 to the campaign. Bunny Hills Assisted Living Facility is owned by Lowry Group Properties, Inc. (Sunbiz.org) – potentially a major violation.<<<<<<<<<<<< This does not look good! The Dem's are going to use this against us Republicans. I heard that there is a BIG investigation going to happen with Lowry is this true?
Again infighting among the right is doing the work for the left. Amazing. Nothing in this convinces me that Lowry is the bad guy he is being made out to be. With the exception of the DWS target most of it seems minor or pure accusation. The donation seems a bigger issue. He isn’t my district so I won’t dig any further. But it does sadden me how we seem to be doing the left’s work for them…again. Whether Lowry deserves to be damaged goods for some minor missteps doesn’t matter. He appears to be damaged goods now. But I would like to say to all who think the DWS target thing was a big deal: give me a break, seriously, it is time to grow a pair.
@Derek
The issue isn’t whether or not he shot at the target, the issue here is his lack of character by now owning up to it at the time. I would have put a picture of her up on the target myself. lol!!!!
As far as us doing the Democrats work for them, Newsflash! If we were able to pull all this up form doing 5 minutes of searches, what makes you think the Democrats couldn’t do it themselves? Fyi, they already had all this stuff, and more!
Lowry is not a bad guy, just not a Congressional candidate-a legitimate one.
Mr. Lowry is not a “tea party candidate.” This guy has to be working for the other side. Let’s take America Back!
People in CD20 must realize by now that a vote for Lowry is a vote for a loser. Doesn’t everyone remember the Special Election on 19 when Lynch the Loser lost by over 30%! Give me a conservative, not a Loser, and I will vote!
Just read a VERY interesting article about the numerous Dem plants in close races in MI, Fla and other key states. The divisiveness and character assasinations of very viable candidates has made me conclude that some Republicans are either very dumb, or if they are Dems in disguise. Their
strategy is working in some races brilliantly.It is imperative that we do not lose the Governorship in Fla as it is a key state in all the recent Presidential elections.
I received an unsolicited email from Frank Merritt from the email address dcworksforus@gmail.com
Bashing Robert Lowry and supporting Karen Harrington, and falsely using DC works for us (which is trademarked) as a mask.
Just to let everyone know reading this blog.
That original email was used with the state of Florida to qualify companies. So Frank Merritt is actually Tim McClellan who is using a dead persons identity in Broward County and the organization DC works for us.
Oh, President Reagan forgive them for they know NOT what they do.
With all of the Shark Tank’s negative reporting on this candidate one could assume that the ferocious fish and his bankrollers are out to get Lowrey long before the star Dem and her liberal-left supporters can? Will this help or hinder other candidates who oppose DWS?
Now regarding Lowrey’s target practice at a private Republican gathering he should have realized that politics can be vicious and anything he did could have been used against him.
Like Lowrey, a judgment error?
Now, since Javier is highlighting the story of a law suit regarding Benjamine Bullard, formerly Ben Lewis the resigned 1 month old Exec.V.P. of Log Cabin, let’s suggest that’s another tale of alleged political intrigue in itself.
What are Javier’s ties to Lewis/Bullardand lawsuit leak if any? Will the Lewis/Bullard allegations win in the courts and thereafter prove guilt over innocence? Only time will tell but time may be on the side of DWS.
And your point? You have done legitimate Tea Party candidates an enormous disservice by posting this article. The opposition can sieze on it to say that the GOP does not support the Tea Party movement either (and unfortunately, many of them don’t).
I do not live in the district in question and know little about any of the candidates there, but the target range incident should not have been downplayed/disparaged/denied by the candidate. He need only have said ” I’m/We’re ‘taking aim’ at Ms. Schultz and her seat”. Only an absolute moron would assume personal violence was intended, i.e. the press that picked it up, and this author (Manjarres). The Tea Party and the nation have more to fear from Republicans that would label this “unhinged right-wing extremism” than they do from the candidate himself.
Personally, I support principles before party, and the GOP is long overdue some ‘hinged’ right wing extremism. If the Tea Party can push moderate/centrist Republicans like our governor out of the party, we’ll all be the better for it.
Steven, early in this comment string you said:
“Wow! Anystreet just picked this up! ”
What? Who the F is Anystreet? A check of their Alexa ranking says no one else knows, either… a 1-month Alexa of nearly 4 Million (!) suggests that about 10 people visit that site each day.
“Wow! Anystreet just picked this up!”
See how dumb that statement sounds now that readers have this context?
The reference to Lamb is unfair. Lamb saw a double standard and spoke out as any good Republican would. Threats were made against Palin, Joe Wilson and others that received far less media coverage than the tasteless joke. Lamb and others in the GOP were told that Lowry was not the person who scribbled those initials and that they did not know who did. Whether this is true or not, that was the information given and Lamb’s points were noble and well stated.
Is that the best they can come up with?
It’s clear Lowry is the biggest threat and therefore has the biggest target on his back.
I’ve been around the block to many times to fall for that old trick. Lowry has my vote.
Missing whole point: Lowry buries head in sand when there is trouble amongst his staff. Wht do u think he’ll do as a polictical leader? Has no back bone, lets others take the fall & fills his pockets. That’s all he is about: keeping that money flowing in so he can play whenever, whereever he wants. Not for me. I want someone that will stand up for what is right across the board; someone who will take a stand for all when it is not popular w/the bigwigs. Gun range incident is just the small stuff. Lawsuit just touches the tip of the iceburg. We have enough ostrichs in our politics as it is. And enough puppets to boot. Just my opinion
@Any Street? WTF?
Cupcake, just because YOU do not know about AnyStreet.org , doesn’t make this organization irrelevant, it’s just makes you small french fry in the conservative movement, considering the fact that it’s been around since 2006, way before Santelli’s mention of of “Tea Party”. These people have little time for Alexa searches and they devote their time by pounding the pavement on behalf of conservative candidates, doing voter registration (the legal way, with no Mickey Mouse or Dallas Cowboys names), phone banks, rallies for various issues (2nd amendment and so on).
Now see how dumb YOUR statement is, based on your ignorance? Ignorance never justifies stupidity but you go on, continue to argue the merits of Mr. Lowry, despite the facts, by attacking an organization and the good people of Anystreeet, who’ve been out there before you had an idea of becoming a pajama activist.
Cheers!
Robert Lowry, Karin Hoffman and gang will destroy any campaign!!!