INSIDER COLUMN: MICKnuggets

10.19.20- Schooling Florida Today- Investigating Corruption

You can’t really blame the Florida Today Editorial Board for their take on the plea deal Dave Isnardi received for his cooperation in the Palm Bay corruption investigation. Not everyone is educated on how these things are done. 

I made a career of developing and successfully using informants in criminal cases. The adage was- first in, first out. He who takes the deal first gets the best deal. 

Often there are benefits to this deal, yes, for the defendant, but also for the government. 

Such a deal allows investigators to dig further into the criminal act and root out more of the bad guys. It’s beneficial for the government to do this. It helps root out the problem, whatever it is. 

Decrying the penalty of such an informant shows an immature perception of the investigative process and the desired results. 

If stopping the activity is the goal, taking more perpetrators out via informants is a quality tool. Used wisely it eliminates the problem. Understand now? 

10.20.20- Vote with No Waiting 

There were long lines in Monday’s start to Early Voting in Brevard. 

I went to the Early Voting site in Satellite Beach. The parking lot was active and people were lined down the sidewalk in front of the Schechter Center. 

Yet, I walked up, cast my ballot and walked away while those in line were still standing. How? 

Let me save you some time. 

Order or go pick up a mail in ballot. Take your time and mark your ballot in the comfort of your home. Place it in the envelope and sign on the outside. Then, head to the early voting site or Elections Office most convenient to you. Place the envelope in the big yellow drop box and you’ve voted. 

You passed the line; you voted in person and in a secure manner and you didn’t have to stand around waiting to do it. 

Now go vote. You’re welcome. 

10.21-20- The Nasty Season 

This has become the nastiest election season I can recall. Passion runs high on all sides and people are ready to fire off at the drop of a hat. Some take it further than that. 

Brevard is not immune. We are seeing reports of violence against election canvassers and email threats to voters that purportedly come from activist groups. 

I remember when Election Day was a big deal. Not any longer. Now it’s election season- a month of mail voting, a couple of weeks of early, in-person voting and finally, Election Day. 

It’s led to prolonged (and earlier) campaigning, massive mail drops, ads and voters being inundated with information and opinion. 

Then the activists pull stunts like threats and voter intimidation and America is actually Third World Voting! 

It’s time candidates, campaigns and voters act like adults again- before we lose the country. 

10.22.20- The Futile Debate 

Thursday’s final presidential debate is a case of too little, too late. Many people have already voted and few have to yet make up their minds. 

These candidates’ positions are well staked out and they are not going to change people’s minds because of a debate this late in the process. 

This is mostly a chance for candidates to falter in front of the country and to give their opposition fodder for the last minute campaigning that will beg for the final votes to be cast. 

In fact, was I a candidate I don’t believe I would participate in a debate this late in the season. Time and effort would be better spent reaching out to voters to turn out to vote, energizing the base. 

It’s now about winning and losing, not changing minds…and this debate most certainly will not do that. 

10.23.20- Futile & FINAL Debate

While Thursday night’s debate may have been futile, it did offer some insights. 

First, the format change keeping the opponent’s microphone off while the candidate answered a question presented to him was a good one. The flow was cleaner, smoother and allowed for information to flow. 

They did not stick to the open mic portion as much as I had hoped after that time. It would have added some telling interaction. 

I also thought the moderator, who was heralded for her handling of the debate, did a very respectable job except for when the president challenged Joe Biden on the actions with his son overseas when Biden was VP. It seemed like she stifled the question in defense of Biden. 

That said, it was cleaner and better, even if it was futile so late in the election cycle. 


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