Last week, in a front page article in the Morning Star weekley newspaper, defeated City Commission candidate Michael Ritchie quoted Supervisor of Elections Harry Sawyer Jr. as being "concerned" about the election campaign efforts of former Key West Police Chief Ray Peterson on behalf of Commission candidate Tom Oosterhoudt.
Ritchie quoted Sawyer: "I was concerned about his presence on that street corner. I had people watching to make sure he didn't vote."
On election day, Peterson held a sign for Oosterhoudt near the Harris School polling place. Peterson now lives in Jupiter, Fla., but traveled down to help Oosterhoudt campaign.
"I never said that," Sawyer told Key West The Newspaper this week.
"At Mr. Ritchie's request, I did check to see if Peterson had voted here on Oct. 5," Sawyer said. "That's a service we provide to any citizen. But, of course, Mr. Peterson did not vote here— and I didn't expect to find that he did.
"I was not at all concerned about Chief Peterson's presence here and I absolutely did not have people watching him," Sawyer said. "Ritchie apparently just made that up and reported it as truth."
"I was flabbergasted when I learned what Ritchie had written," Peterson told KWTN by telephone. "I guess he's mad because he lost so badly in that race and now he feels that he has to use Charlie Ramos' newspaper to strike out at the winners.
"And, apparently, if he doesn't want to report the truth, he just makes up a story.
"I have a great loyalty to Tom," Peterson said. "I am pleased to be able to help him in his campaign— and I'll be down again before the runoff."
Two years ago, Oosterhoudt spearheaded a campaign to save Peterson's job after new City Manager Julio Avael launched an effort to remove him as Chief of Police.
Oosterhoudt, arguing that Peterson was one of the best police chiefs in the City's history and that Avael's efforts were politically motivated, organized a series of rallies attended by hundreds of citizens.
The campaign failed to save Peterson's job, but City officials were forced to admit that all charges against him were "without merit" as part of the final settlement.