Is defeated County Commission candidate Sullins Stuart still suing the Monroe County Canvassing Board, as well as Sonny McCoy, the man who beat him by 12 votes in the Republican primary and went on to win the seat vacated by Shirley Freeman? McCoy told KWTN this week that he hasn't received any notification that the suit has been dropped.
At presstime, Stuart could not be reached for comment.
The purpose of Stuart's suit was to try to overturn the results of the Republican primary on Oct. 3. He lost to McCoy by 12 votes. He asked for a recount, but the three-member Canvassing Board— then-County Commissioner Shirley Freeman, Judge Susan Vernon and Supervisor of Elections Harry Sawyer— voted 2-1 to refuse a recount, with only Freeman voting yes. KWTN subsequently learned that Freeman had actively worked for Stuart's election— which is illegal for a member of the Canvassing Board. She resigned from the board before the Nov. 7 general election.
"The reasons he gave us for requesting the recount were not sufficient," Sawyer said.
But Stuart refused to give up. He sued both the Canvassing Board and McCoy. He said enough illegal votes were accepted to change the outcome of the election. And he hinted that some voters may have been paid to vote for McCoy.
"I do know this," McCoy said. "He obviously couldn't make a case. But what I don't know is
whether or not he's still suing us."
The "absolute auction" may be catching on among wealthy owners in the Keys who want to avoid the long drawn-out hassle of the traditional real estate sales process. An exotic beachfront estate on Sugarloaf Beach was just auctioned off for $1.4 million earlier this month. Now, the Bird of Paradise estate on Seminary Street will go on the auction block next Friday, December 4.
"Increasingly, wealthy people are using the auction method to sell their property," said William Bone, president of the National Auction Group. "They like the fact that, on a set date, the sales process will be over." The Alabama-based company just sold entertainer Kenny Rogers' estate for $6.5 million.
Info on the Bird of Paradise property: 1-888-450-1709.