Scott Powers
Contending that Jeff Greene‘s attack ads against him are false and misleading including using stock footage from Russia and elsewhere to fake environmental messes in Florida, Philip Levine has sent cease and desist letters to all Florida television stations broadcasting the commercials.
The two Democratic gubernatorial primary rivals are battling over Greene’s TV commercials launched late last week, named “Levine Latrines,” which charge that Levine, as Mayor of Miami Beach, pursued policies and programs that helped pollute Biscayne Bay.
“Jeff Greene is airing a political advertisement that makes false assertions using misleading stock video from Russia, China, Serbia, and the Czech Republic to depict Biscayne Bay,” Levine’s Senior Adviser Christian Ulvert stated in a news release issued Monday morning. “We fully expect the advertisement to be pulled, along with subsequent attempts by the Greene campaign to lie about Mayor Levine’s record.
“Jeff Greene is repeating history with his false attacks that do nothing more than divide our party. Florida Democrats deserve better.”
The skirmish is the latest in a Democratic gubernatorial campaign that has turned increasingly muddy in the past couple of weeks, with charges and counter-charges between Greene, Levine, Gwen Graham, Chris King, and Andrew Gillum. The primary is Aug. 28.
Greene’s campaign responded by saying that Levine’s lawyer will be hearing from Greene’s lawyer.
“The visuals are aides – the headlines are facts. We stand by the ad. Levine is a bully,” Greene’s campaign stated in a written response. “He tried to silence scientists and members of the press who told the public the truth about dangerous and disgusting fecal bacteria being dumped in the bay — but Jeff Greene won’t be bullied. Our attorney will be responding directly to his.”
The Levine campaign letters to the TV stations, from the campaign’s attorney Kendall Coffey, contend that those images, as well as the commercial’s allegations that the Miami Beach’s sewage system is discharging into the bay — disputed by Miami Beach’s city manager, as cited by Levine’s campaign — are false and defamatory.
The letter suggests potential legal action but is just a first step toward establishing that possibility.
“We therefore respectfully insist that, by 5 p.m. today, your station cease and desist the broadcasting of this advertisement or any advertisements that state or imply that the City of Miami Beach discharged human waste into Biscayne Bay from its sewer system. At a minimum, these ads should be taken down pending a legal review,” Coffey writes. “Please govern yourself accordingly.”
2 comments
Irving Chan
August 13, 2018 at 11:47 am
Some years back, I was (briefly) the GM of Mr. Greene’s property in Northern California. I could not wait to escape his unprofessional comments and behaviors. Though I cannot substantiate the waitresses’ narrative, he has an erratic and emotionally driven management style and operates a property that has serious issues in repair and maintenance he refuses to address. Jeff has also scorched the earth with vendors, former employees, and an entire community. I would never write something like this, but seeing this nasty and abusive man as Governor of Florida would be a tragedy.
JOSEPH KREPS
August 15, 2018 at 7:54 pm
Levine should look in the mirror. He loved Greene when he was airing commercials that lied and slandered Gwen Graham. They are like 2 peas in a pod who will stoop to anything to get the word Governor in front of their name.
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