Peter Schorsch
Terry Power, a Republican candidate for House District 64, owes nearly $88,000 in alimony, according to court records reviewed this week.
A document in the case from Pinellas County shows a “payoff amount” of $87,904. It also lists a “balance due” of only $4,668.
In a statement to Florida Politics, however, Power says he doesn’t legally owe any of that money: “I am 100 percent current on all of my court-ordered alimony obligations.”
Power, an Oldsmar retirement plan consultant, is challenging incumbent state Rep. Jamie Grant in the Republican primary for the seat, which covers northwest Hillsborough County and a slice of eastern Pinellas County. The area leans heavily Republican.
Further, Power says his ex-wife reopened their 10-year-old divorce case: “I’m sure it’s only a coincidence that I’m a candidate for the Florida House.”
But campaign records also show he put $79,000 of his own money into his campaign, leading his critics to privately question whether he is trying to “manipulate the system.”
Power denies that as well: “I am in full compliance with all State of Florida election laws. Any representation to the contrary is libelous and will be dealt with in the proper venue.”
He went on: “There was an alimony arrearage calculated by the court in my final divorce order (from 2012). I am not under any sort of obligation or court order to pay any of that outstanding amount at this time.”
Power also sent Florida Politics a copy of a 2013 court order “denying my ex-wife from forcing me to pay anything other than the $1,500 a month that I’ve paid since 2013.”
“I do not have an obligation to pay the ‘arrearage’ in my divorce,” he said. “If she wants to file a motion to revisit that, it’s certainly her prerogative,” which explains “writs of garnishment” against him filed this month.
“The Court denied her request in 2013,” he said. “But I’m 100 percent current in what the court has ordered me to pay.
“… The Tallahassee Swamp must be getting desperate,” Power also said. “Is this really all they’ve got?”
The primary is Aug. 28; the general election is Nov. 6.
4 comments
You worst nightmare
June 15, 2018 at 8:51 am
No. We are just getting started.
Tim Bryce
June 15, 2018 at 3:48 pm
I cannot believe this story made it into this publication. A new low.
Robert Sell
June 15, 2018 at 8:42 pm
If there’s one thing you can surmise from this story, it is that Florida family laws and court system is a weapon used against people with failed marriages to drain them of their assets, create turmoil in their families, and in many cases destroy their lives and reputations. It’s not unusual for suicides and murders to point directly back to family courts and lawyers. It’s laughable that alimony, which is nothing more than a government fabricated debt between two private citizens , would be presented as if it is on par with real laws or have any relationship to real justice.
Al
June 17, 2018 at 5:57 pm
You have to question the validity, source and timing of this article when it comes to smearing the honorable name of Terry Power. He is going to do more for Florida citizens then most Politicians care to mention. His campaign is about running on facts and making changes to broken Laws. It’s not about rhetoric and empty promises like most politician’s campaigns. its about leadership, integrity and upholding principles. Something that has been lost in Tally. So I urge citizens in District 64 that a vote for Terry, is Power in Tally, and Integrity back our political arena
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