WHY we rescinded our Grayson endorsement

Hey, Alan Grayson …

Would you guys like to know WHY we rescinded our endorsement of The Incredible Sulk?

Well, here goes: A few minutes after Billy published his story on the District 8 congressional candidates - a fairly even-handed piece, in my estimation - Alan Grayson went ape-shit on him. Never mind that we'd just endorsed him in Happytown™, or that Billy's section on Grayson was mostly complimentary.

Grayson was pissed - FUCKING PISSED - because we quoted Quoc Van (incorrectly, it seems - and we promised a correction) saying he was the only candidate who qualified by petition (yeah, big deal, right?) and that we called him a "millionaire" and "Washington, D.C." lawyer, which he objected to because he has a law office in the DC area and is in fact a millionaire but thinks it makes him look bad and it's our job to help him out, or something.

After the jump, you'll get the entire email exchange between Alan and Billy, in which Alan accuses us of trying to get his family hurt by saying he's a millionaire. (Editor's note: Grayson sez he was kidding about that. Ha Ha.)

Oh Alan, BTW, when YOU, as a congressional candidate, EMAIL A NEWSPAPER, your conversation is not OFF THE RECORD.

8/20/08 7:46 PM
Dear Billy: This is off the record. This is not for your letters to the editor column, or your on-line article comments. First, Quoc Van is not the only FL-8 candidate to qualify by petition. I qualified by petition, which you probably can confirm on-line. In fact, we got a lot more petitions than Quoc did. We got the 4300 that we needed to qualify, and we got another 4300. Second, "millionaire Washington, DC attorney" is not appropriate. Even the Sentinel has stopped whipping that dog. I moved here in 1996. So cut it out.
Please make appropriate changes in the on-line version of the article.

Sincerely,
Alan

---

Alan,

Thanks for the correction. I did contact your campaign about the petition/qualifying fee, and they weren’t sure. Also, the state elections site was down most of the time I was composing the piece (and was again last night when I got your letter). I erroneously went on Van’s word there. Anyway, I apologize and the correction will be made.

As for the second item, despite your rousing “cut it out,” I think your argument is one of semantics. Your present ad depicts you as a powerful attorney in Washington, and the Vanity Fair piece just came out in December stating the same. There is nothing in that statement that implies that you do not reside here.

You’ll also notice that you were endorsed in the front of the book by the Weekly. Enjoy. Have a nice day.

Billy Manes
--

Dear Billy: Still off the record. You can correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think that the present ad or the Vanity Fair piece refers to me as a powerful attorney in Washington in any way, shape or form. On the contrary, the Vanity Fair piece opens with a long discussion of our life here in Orlando. Both our contractor fraud cases and our lawyers are all over the country, because we normally have to file the cases where the defendant is located. We actually have only one case, out of dozens, that we are litigating in Washington.

The problem with calling me a "millionaire Washington, DC" attorney is that it creates a false impression. Someone who is reading that phrase might naturally conclude that I spend a lot of time there, when I don't, and I haven't. In fact, last year, I spent more time in Africa than I did in Washington, DC, and last year wasn't unusual. Please rethink this. It's misleading, and it's unfair to me.

I'm not too thrilled with "millionaire," either, but at least that's accurate. If our home is burglarized or our children kidnapped, of course, then I'll blame you for that. Thanks for the endorsement.

Sincerely,
Alan
---

I called your [law firm's] Virginia office this morning to make certain that you were still there. The phone was answered with your name included. That is where you are headquartered, right? Your website says so. I understand your argument, but in my opinion -- as in those of my superiors -- the statement is not erroneous or misleading. As for the finances, I do recall your discussion of your Fortune 500 concerns in our meeting. Obviously, I am not out to harm your family. Thanks.

Billy
---

Dear Billy: Still off the record. I have spent a grand total of less than eight hours in the Virginia office this year. There are three attorneys in that office whom I have never met. There are two others whom I have met twice, briefly. It should come as no surprise that when the law firm phone is answered, the receptionist gives my name, as part of the firm name. I own the firm, so my name is part of the firm name. So what? There are dead people whose names are part of law firm names. It means nothing. To say that I am "still there" is to stretch the meaning of the word "there" beyond any recognition. If I'm almost never there, then how can I be "still there"?
>
> Seriously, saying that I am a Washington DC attorney is a disservice to me and your readers. It would be way more true to refer to Ric Keller as "Washington, DC Congressman," because that's where he lives. That's not where I live. I've learned to accept all the cutesiness and snarkiness, but I still expect a certain degree of accuracy about the facts.
>
> Sincerely,
> Alan
--

Dear Alan,

For the record, "off-the-record" implies a mutual agreement that was never reached in this email exchange. While I'll abide by the gentleman's agreement that we made during our face to face interview in which you repeatedly chose to go off the record, your emails are a separate issue. You are, in fact, emailing a newspaper, whether you choose to view us as one or not. Thank you.

Billy
__

We're anxiously awaiting Alan's response. Remember kids, vote for someone else.

Posted by Billman on 8/22/2008 12:55:06 PM Permalink | Comments: 63

Comments on this story:

Anonymous said:
What. A. Prick. Alan Grayson has revealed himself as a typical politico blowhard. Hey Grayson, some of us appreciate this local paper and the way they tell it like it is. Even if you hate being called a "Washington" guy, you just acted like one. Congrats. Fucker.
posted on: 8/22/2008 1:38:53 PM

Quoc_Van said:
I applaud the Orlando Weekly. This is the only paper that has given "all" the candidates a fair share of the story. Billy, this is not off the record, I thought your piece was a good piece: It was very fair and very balanced. This is the only article that has ever been written about the race that doesn't just focus on the money in the race. As a citizen, and not as a candidate, I am glad that the Orlando Weely exists as an alternative to the Orlando Sentinel, which has given Candidates like myself and Alex Fry no attention. Unlike the Orlando Sentinel, your piece and the Orlando Weekly has stuck to its purpose and informed the people of an important race. Again I applaud you Billy and the Orlando Weekly. Quoc Van
posted on: 8/23/2008 7:48:54 PM

carole said:
I thought Alan Grayson lived in a giant airplane hanger? No?
posted on: 8/23/2008 10:17:59 PM

jdc111 said:
So, you have a little semantic argument with Alan and all of a sudden you hate him, hate everything he's ever done, think that his work against contractor fraud and his experience are shit, and are now encouraging everyone not to vote for him? Pretty weak, OW. Love y'all, have always loved your paper, but your nit-picky pettiness is a little much sometimes.
posted on: 8/25/2008 11:05:54 AM

Copyranter said:
I agree with jdc111 completely. It seems more than a little petty to retract an endorsement because of this small little dust-up. Yes, Alan Greyson comes across as a total dick -- this iosn't exactly news. Antics like this from him are widely known by those who pay attention to local politics, and frankly, I'm glad. I *want* an agressive bulldog asshole democrat whose fighting against war profiteers. I really really really don't give a shit about Billy and his little tiff, nor do I see how it should effect how the OW operates. It's all so reminiscent of friends in high school. "You can't like that person anymore because I don't like them and they were mean to me." This amounts to a pissing contest between Greyson and Manes and it's lame on both sides. Greyson asked (at least at first) for nuance in Billy's writing. Not unreasonable. Albeit, he also expected too much from someone whose job does not include doing Greyson any PR favors. Blah blah blah.. everyone needs a nap and a juice box. Grow up, all of you.
posted on: 8/26/2008 11:07:00 AM

Justin Strout said:
I have nothing to do with this, but I'd kill for a nap and a juice box right about now.
posted on: 8/26/2008 3:23:26 PM

Anonymous said:
Grayson implies that he lives and practices in Florida (with just a bit of involvement practicing in the Washington area), but he is not even a member of The Florida Bar. According the website of his Vienna, Virginia (DC area) law firm, "His bar admissions include the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Virginia and the State of Colorado. Mr. Grayson’s court admissions include U.S. District Courts for the District of Columbia, Eastern District of Virginia, U.S. Court of Federal Claims and U.S. Courts of Appeals for the D.C., 4th and Federal Circuits." None of these courts where Grayson is allowed to practice has a thing to do with Florida, but he is running for office here against a Republican who grew up here and practiced law here prior to his election to Congress. If Grayson is not a carpetbagger, who is?
posted on: 8/27/2008 6:26:45 AM

Anonymous said:
Alan Grayson's commercials are so full of shit, he should get into the porta-potty business. There have definitely been some crooked activities in Iraq - no argument there.....but body armor that "doesn't work", empty fire extinguishers & useless parachutes? There is more to the story here that he isn't telling us, and hasn't really been made public enough, that he's exaggerating and using to advance himself.....it's sad that more people aren't seeing this.
posted on: 9/1/2008 1:45:49 PM

Anonymous said:
I think you guys are way too sensitive to be in the journalism business if this exchange upset you. Get over it. He asks some of the most penetrating questions during congressional hearings. So what if he blows a little hot air? If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.
posted on: 3/18/2009 7:00:08 PM

Anonymous said:

posted on: 11/2/2009 11:05:53 AM

Up_in_Smoke said:
I love your Reporting, I have included your site on my BlogRoll, Thanks for keeping this slimeball Grayson in check. The Conservatives in Tennessee are hoping for a massive defeat of Grayson in the next Election. I have recommended a following of your site on Twitter to 700 of my followers and nearly a 1000 visitors a month will have access to your site when they visit my Blog. Keep up the good work Gentlemen, you have my support...J.Mark Underwood @Up_in_Smoke
posted on: 11/2/2009 11:13:47 AM

Anonymous said:
Come on. He didn't go "ape-shit". He got a little upset that you represented him in a way he feels is not accurate. And then you got a little upset that he complained about your reporting. People get bitchy at each other over email, and you both fell into the sandbox. Alan Grayson is still awesome. You too.
posted on: 11/6/2009 4:41:11 AM

Anonymous said:

posted on: 12/18/2009 7:40:21 PM

Anonymous said:
I am a liberal Democrat, and I think Alan Grayson = Michelle Bachmann. Give him hell, just as I hope the folks in Minnesota do to her Republican rear end.
posted on: 12/18/2009 7:41:49 PM

Anonymous said:
www.mycongressmanisnuts.com ...this website says it all!
posted on: 12/18/2009 9:10:11 PM

Anonymous said:
alan gayson is an embarassment to mankind and a waste of oxygen. Kudos to you for seeing the light.
posted on: 12/19/2009 12:10:54 AM

Anonymous said:
The guy embarrasses Florida daily. And now he is suing MYCONGRESSMANISNUTS.COM! Says because it's by someone in Lake County (just barely outside his district) they aren't a constituent and therefore can't say 'My' congressman... so he wants them stopped and jailed!!! Hmmm... I guess he agrees he 'is NUTS!'
posted on: 12/19/2009 9:20:23 AM

Anonymous said:

posted on: 12/19/2009 9:32:48 AM

Anonymous said:
Leave it to some right-wing hack, from Lake County of all places, to be critical of anyone. Why not criticizw your own representative, Ginny Brown-Waite, who's never done Anything to help her constituents? It figures that Jackie "So-so" at Fox35(the local branch of the Republican Broadcast Network) would give such nonsense airtime. Most Orlandoans don't watch their tripe,& for good reason. While some may not like Grayson's tactics, at least he has the guts to stand up to the reactionary, obstructionist right wing, who only serve the rich. As a patriotic American, I'm glad I voted for him!
posted on: 12/19/2009 9:48:20 AM

Anonymous said:
www.mycongressmanisnuts.com ...TRUE - GRAYSON IS NUTS.
posted on: 12/19/2009 10:25:02 AM

Anonymous said:
He IS my congresssman (whoops, I mean congressperson - definitely not a man) and I am embarrassed to admit it. He is a northerner in Florida, wears wool suits, and sweats profusely. He is an accumulation of every nerd I ever met. I went to one of his town hall meetings and what a jerk. His entourage booed when anyone asked questions he didn't like, he claimed he had read the entire healthcare package but could not answer the most simple questions and lied about the contents. Does everyone realize that politicians are EXEMPT from "Truth in Advertising" laws? Grayson lied to get elected, he lied about who he is, he lied about what he had accomplished, he lies aboutthe bills he approved, and he lied about his opponent, and now he threatens lawsuits against a wonderful woman who is telling the truth and she backs it up with youtube clips of this horse's ass. He is "one and done" and anyone who runs against him is a guaranteed winner.
posted on: 12/19/2009 11:14:54 AM

Anonymous said:
It's about time someone told Darth Cheney to STFU ! Even if you don't like anything else about Grayson, you have to admire that. If not, you're as lame as that liar who started the website about "her" congressman. What a joke--you belong on Faux News!
posted on: 12/19/2009 12:44:01 PM

Anonymous said:
Happy Holidays from one your loyal Orlando Weekly commenters.... To My Democratic Friends: Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all. I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2010, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great. Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country nor the only America in the Western Hemisphere . Also, this wish is made without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wish. To My Republican Friends: Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year in the year of our Lord Jesus Christ 2010.
posted on: 12/19/2009 1:43:37 PM

Anonymous said:
Above me said it best!!!!
posted on: 12/19/2009 4:03:02 PM

Anonymous said:
Orlando Weekly sucks! Billy Manes sucks more. Why all the sudden attention to a year old piece of non-news? Oh yeah, I answered my own question. This paper is irrelevant!
posted on: 12/19/2009 7:21:51 PM

Anonymous said:
To the above poster at 7:21 - BECAUSE NEW NEWS HAS HAPPENED RELATING TO THIS. It is a shame you do not even bother to pay attention to current events or you would realize that. Makes YOU pretty irrelevant in life, does it not?
posted on: 12/20/2009 12:34:44 AM

Anonymous said:
That Christmas greeting (Dem vs. Rep.) was hilarious!
posted on: 12/20/2009 1:01:42 AM

Anonymous said:
Alan obviously has issues. I don't understand how he won????
posted on: 12/20/2009 6:53:30 AM

Anonymous said:
Defeat this stupid idiot communist
posted on: 12/21/2009 9:12:33 AM

Anonymous said:
We need representatives who are going to put the taxpayers above their own image and personal agenda. Matthew Falconer for Orange County Mayor, to put the taxpayers first. www.matthewfalconer.com
posted on: 12/21/2009 10:13:19 AM

Lamar said:
Alan Grayson served his purpose, i.e., getting rid of the awful, awful, awful Ric Keller. Alan is merely playing his intended role of acting like a jackass and getting booted after next election. And since it looks like the GOP is still cowtowing to the evangelical wing of the party, Grayson might squeak out a second term.
posted on: 12/21/2009 10:22:05 AM

Anonymous said:
Alan Grayson is a yutz and a putz.
posted on: 12/21/2009 1:35:53 PM

Lamar said:
Grayson tried to threaten one of his critics with jail time, even writing a letter to the attorney general to investigate the website www.mycongressmanisnuts.com.
posted on: 12/21/2009 3:01:10 PM

Anonymous said:
Complete absolute scumbag not worthy to be an American. If he's married, one wonders what type of moronic person (probably a man) could live with him? Go move to Venezuela to be with your kind, lowlife scum communist! When he needs healthcare let's hope he gets a dull rusty needle botulism covered,dirtbag coward running from the camera!
posted on: 12/22/2009 12:00:05 AM

Lamar said:
We've pretty much established that Grayson is repugnant. So who in the GOP will challenge him? Will it be a Santorum Republican or a Goldwater Republican? Unfortunately, I suspect we'll get more Santorum thrown in our faces. The GOP establishment is drowning in Santorum.
posted on: 12/22/2009 10:18:17 AM

Anonymous said:
Apparently Reid isn't psychotic enough to have a cult following like Mr. Grayson.
posted on: 12/22/2009 10:37:43 AM

Anonymous said:
Orlando Weekly sucks. Just what Orlando needs, another Conservative leaning newspaper. The Nazis are celebrating. Great work, you stupid, petty morons.
posted on: 12/22/2009 10:53:32 AM

Anonymous said:
Loved the Merry Christmas (Dem vs Rep). To the idiot who thinks OW is Conservative leaning and then brings in the Nazis - I guess anyone who doesn't agree with you must be conservative? If you think OW is conservative, you must be so so so far left you can't even see the middle! God help us!
posted on: 12/22/2009 11:51:12 AM

Anonymous said:
ALEN IS THE FLOWER OF FIS FAMILY. A BLOOMING IDIOT
posted on: 12/22/2009 12:06:32 PM

Anonymous said:
Alan Grayson is a loudmouth liberal with a bad hair dye job and I hope he enjoys his first and only term as a representative in Congress. I, along with many other Floridians, who aren't even in his district plan to donate money to his GOP candidate. Bye bye Alan...
posted on: 12/22/2009 1:06:30 PM

Anonymous said:
I am so embarassed for you guys in Central Florida. Alan Grayson is a complete nutjob and I am so glad I don't live in Central Florida to be represented by someone like him. Damn... wake up... the rest of the country is laughing at yall almost as much as we are laughing at the fruitcakes in California!
posted on: 12/22/2009 2:15:01 PM

Anonymous said:
What morons voted for this scum sucker? And what morons could continue to support this bottom feeder? Wake up Central Florida. I went to the website www.mycongressmanisnuts.com and I will donate to whomever will run against this scumbag!!
posted on: 12/22/2009 2:45:34 PM

Anonymous said:
Whoa whoa whoa there, Lamar. You've "pretty much established" your opinion, nothing else. I for one am thrilled to have Rep. Grayson out there saying the things no one else will say. Not here to get in a troll war, just want to point out that you most certainly have NOT "established" anything but your own point of view.
posted on: 12/22/2009 3:41:45 PM

Lamar said:
Yes, it is my opinion that, regardless of politics and partisanship, Alan Grayson is a sleazy, SOB whose claim to fame is being an a-hole. Being a prick fires up the base but alienates everybody else. He's like a Democratic Sarah Palin. Hey, I voted for the guy, and if he were to run against Ric Keller again, I'd vote for him again. So root for him while he scorches everything in his path, but don't be surprised if he doesn't last long.
posted on: 12/22/2009 4:53:22 PM

Anonymous said:
What's funny is that every time I drive through Orlando on my way to the airport I think to myself "what kinda NUTCASES live in this place to have a NUTBAG like Grayson representing them in Congress?" I came from West Virginia where having complete incompetent idiots as your elected officials is a mere pastime. Let me tell ya, you all have absolutely no room at all to ever make fun of West Virginia ever again. When you vote for someone like Grayson the polling place ought to IMMEDIATELY pass out vouchers to the nearest NUTHOUSE so you can go and have a few days of putting together some nice puzzles.
posted on: 12/22/2009 7:24:59 PM

Anonymous said:
All this bluster and complaints about corrupt and self serving politicians ... and then (in every State) y'all go vote them back in again (Bush got two terms for crying out loud) and wonder how they get away with it? It's because there's no checks and balance for their behavior. Since Watergate the American people have failed to take a good piece of advice to heart - Follow the money. Until we stop allowing special interests, million dollar campaign donations and closed door deals to drag America down to the status of a Third World country ... and we bleat "how did that happen". Look at the economy. Look at healthcare. Look at Education. Look at Military spend to support oil interests. It starts with small town politicians getting the use of a nice car or office for their campaign and ends up with people comfortable taking millions of dollars in "consultancy fees" to pass laws that have no benefit to 99% of their constituants.
posted on: 12/22/2009 7:59:10 PM

Anonymous said:
As the unwanted offspring of a trackhoe and a garbage scow, we should have pity on the =honorable Congressperson Ahole Grayson, not scorn.
posted on: 12/22/2009 8:57:04 PM

Anonymous said:
To 12/22/2009 7:59:10 PM: I'm so sick of the pork-barrel & deficit spending and overall stupidity. Florida state government has no problem balancing its budget every year...one of the reasons is the governor has a line-item veto. A federal line-item veto for the president would require a constitutional amendment at this point since the supreme court struck down the one the GOP gave Bill Clinton in the 90's. I totally support a line-item veto constitutional amendment for the president. I also support a constitutional amendment that requires a balanced budget (except for national security spending). If we get these, we'll really get change we can believe in!
posted on: 12/22/2009 8:57:23 PM

Anonymous said:
As a former newspaperman, I agree with you that "off-the-record" conversations with public figures are by "mutual agreement". I would rule that you should have told him in response to his very first e'mail that you viewed as invalid his claim that "This is off the record." By failing to state this in response to his first e'mail, in my opinion you wrongly induced him to think that these e'mails were "off-the-record". I would have treated the first e'mail as "on-the-record", with a warning to him that no mutual agreement had been established. If after that he wanted to continue to send e'mails then he could not claim that he was induced to believe that the e'mails were off-the-record.
posted on: 12/23/2009 1:54:40 PM

Lamar said:
Alan Grayson is a lawyer who knows full well that an agreement requires mutual assent unless there is some reason for him to believe otherwise. Alan Grayson was not induced to believe anything. He might be a slick lawyer, but he is an incompetent politician who hides his incompetence behind braggadocio and oblique justifications. He knew full well what was going on, and he probably wanted the press. You don't get to be that swarthy of a scumbag without knowing what you're doing.
posted on: 12/23/2009 2:16:38 PM

Anonymous said:
What a sensitive and delicate little crybaby. Why are there so many thumbsuckers in Congress? Sen. Menendez from NJ. Waxman from Cali. And now Grayson. Look at 'em. Thumbsuckers.
posted on: 12/23/2009 2:50:33 PM

Lamar said:
Anon: Those aren't thumbs that they're sucking.
posted on: 12/23/2009 2:57:13 PM

Anonymous said:
Yeah. It's our blood getting sucked. Is that what you meant? :)
posted on: 12/24/2009 12:15:08 AM

Anonymous said:
Its funny that the Nazis are mentioned a few posts back. Does anyone realize that they were a progressive socialist movement? I'm not sayin', I'm just sayin. Maybe a little history prep might be in order? Oh, and by the way. in case you were wondering...the Democratic party was the party of slavery and the klu klux klan. The Republicans freed the slaves. Merry Christmas and peace out.
posted on: 12/24/2009 12:51:46 AM

Anonymous said:
Those who fail to learn history are doomed to repeat it.
posted on: 12/24/2009 12:56:57 AM

Lamar said:
If you believe that the Nazis were "socialists" because the word appeared in their name, then you also believe that North Korea is "democratic". And while the Democratic Party has had its history with slavery and racism, and it was Eisenhower who sent the National Guard in to enforce Brown v. Board of Ed, the very fact that you call this a history lesson while completely ignoring the demographic and ideological shift in the parties since the 1960s suggests to me that history isn't your strong suit. And since you think Nazi Germany was socialist because of its name, then answer me this: what exactly is in chicken fingers?
posted on: 12/24/2009 10:20:29 AM

Anonymous said:
When I heard on fox news about him going after a citizen, Angie Langley, I couldn't believe it. Then I follow a link here and find he starts a conflict with a newspaper? Is this guy clueless or what. Considering Obama and Grayson, with other members of congress are Harvard lawyers, I start to see America's problems in a better light. Arrogant self-righteous SOBS that think they are better then everyone else! The Bible use to call them pharisees. I hate both parties, but, when I see someone take advantage of a citizen by using their office to violate the 1st Am., trying to crush them, that violates your oath of office!, then loser me gets involved. Well, I hope he finds my site "utterly tasteless and juvenile". www.congressmanwithputz.com
posted on: 12/26/2009 12:38:58 AM

Anonymous said:
it was unfair to call Grayson a millionaire, from all accounts he is probably a MULTI-millionaire just from the CPA lawsuits. Do you think people like him screw up the economy, while making our money worthless, all the while hoarding gold and silver at their own houses? Maybe he has a safe in the basement filled with gold, silver, and platinum?
posted on: 12/26/2009 5:54:45 PM

Anonymous said:
Leave him alone.
posted on: 12/28/2009 11:16:00 PM

Anonymous said:
Alan Grayson is a jackass, and he will be defeated next time.
posted on: 1/8/2010 10:22:46 AM

Anonymous said:
Grayson is Satan
posted on: 1/12/2010 4:40:32 PM

Anonymous said:
Who is the republican running against Grayson I want to contribute to him or her
posted on: 1/14/2010 9:48:49 AM