According to a bombshell report, Broward Republican Party leaders are accused of selling access to e-mail lists to Broward Democrat candidates. On Monday, Javier Manjarres of the Shark Tank reported an official grievance was filed with the Republican Party Of Florida (RPOF). He wrote, “The grievance alleges that these three individuals broke ‘for violations of the Loyalty Oaths and for conduct that is conflict with their role as a BREC member/office’ by selling Republicans lists (most likely to include the BREC membership list) to Democrats.”

While Manjarres redacted the names in the grievance, it appears as though it was filed against State Committeeman Richard DeNapoli, Party Secretary Rupert Tarsey and member Michael J. Kane. Last year, REDBROWARD exposed Kane’s role in the plot to remove then-Chairman Robert Sutton.

CITIZEN KANE

In an October 2017 telephone call, the 20 year old Kane admitted his motion to remove Chairman Robert Sutton was based on rumors he heard from members of the board and disgruntled former members. Kane had just joined the Broward Republican Executive Committee (BREC) in August 2017. During Rupert Tarsey’s illegal meeting on September 25, 2017 in Plantation, Kane recited a littany of issues to the 70 or so members who attended the gathering at Deicke Auditorium.

Kane claimed he “knew” Chairman Sutton since the 2016 election. When asked to be more specific, Kane told REDBROWARD he did not “know” Sutton but he probably met him “one or two times.”

In an email sent to select BREC members, Kane signed his motion as “former RPOF staffer.” A high-level Republican Party of Florida official said Kane was never an RPOF staffer. The source said Kane was a field operative during the 2016 election. Kane admitted his was not a staffer and said he was not trying to mislead BREC members. “I was still paid,” Kane said.

Kane accused Chairman Sutton of not making palm cards available during early voting. He said, “We did not have voter cards at the early voting sites….” When told there were BREC voting cards distributed at early voting, Kane admitted he never visited a single early voting location in Broward County. He spent the time knocking on doors in Palm Beach County.

When asked who told him about the voter cards, robocalls and mailers, Kane revealed his source for this information was Dolly Rump, the disgruntled former BREC secretary. According to sources, Ms. Rump, formerly a local operative for the Trump campaign, was overwhelmed with the basic duties of the secretary position and resigned.

Kane said BREC treasurer Kevin Moot revealed financial information to him about the recent Reagan Day Dinner. Kane said Moot was the source of his claim that the BREC treasurer and secretary had been “defamed.” Kane said he knew Kevin Moot through their membership in the Catholic Knights of Columbus group.

Michael Kane said he met Rupert Tarsey through the Knights of Columbus Council at St. Anthony’s Church in Fort Lauderdale. Kane said he serves as the financial secretary for the group under the leadership of the Grand Knight, Rupert Tarsey.

In his motion, Kane repeated a dubious claim that 70% of BREC Club presidents supported Sutton’s removal. When asked to name the clubs, Kane admitted he was unable to do so. Kane also admitted he did not know any of the Club presidents. “I might have met the Coral Springs guy at Wings Plus,” Kane said.

When asked who told him that 70% of club presidents did not support Sutton, Kane said, “Rupert Tarsey.”

PRAETORIAN GUARD?

While the Shark Tank report included a redacted e-mail solicitation sent to a local candidate, REDBROWARD was able to review a copy of the original document. The e-mail was sent from Mike Kane (michaelkane@gmail.com) to a Broward judicial candidate on July 27, 2018. The subject line of the e-mail reads, “Re: Republican lists.” Broward Republican State Committeeman Richard DeNapoli is cc’ed on the e-mail:

“We can correspond on this email address, it’s a shared address. First of all, noticed you are in [Knights Of Columbus] assembly 157. Didn’t realize that when we chatted, we are in the same council and I was the [Grand Knight] of my regular council.

Spoke with Richard, the State Committeeman who has the big list, he said 500 is good. Write up what you want us to send out and we will send it out to our 50k list multiple times. I’m sure you have already crafted a standard promo e-mail. That would work. It’s a mostly republican list but not exclusively. I don’t think you can anyways but I wouldn’t put anything partisan. Also, we will probably make an email address for you to send it out on.

Check payable to ‘praetorian consulting.’ Address to be mailed to–6725 NW 122nd Ave parkland FL 33076

Send me what to send out, confirm check has been mailed and we are good!

Separately, if you win, please give us future business!

Also if you know of another candidate in another race interested let me know.”

REDBROWARD wanted to ask Michael Kane about this e-mail. Attempts to reach Kane by telephone were unsuccessful. Even though Kane assisted these BREC leaders last year, it’s unclear if he authored this solicitation.

The author mentions he was the grand knight of the Knights of Columbus. Rupert Tarsey was the grand knight, not Michael Kane. Also, Kane used a different e-mail address to register to vote and join BREC. Did he create this “shared” e-mail account?

According to Broward property records, the address for “Praetorian Consulting” in the e-mail is actually the home address of Rupert Tarsey.

Where Is Praetorian Consulting Based?

In his October 2018 campaign treasurer’s report, Plantation City Council candidate Rico Petrocelli listed an expenditure to Praetorian Consulting for campaign texts. Petrocelli, a former BREC chair & state committeeman, is a close ally of Richard DeNapoli. Petrocelli listed the address for Praetorian Consulting as 255 Alhambra Circle in Coral Gables.

According to multiple records, Richard DeNapoli is employed by Coral Gables Trust located at 255 Alhambra Circle Suite 333 in Coral Gables.

REDBROWARD reached out to DeNapoli to ask if this is a coincidence. He has yet to respond.

Last week, DeNapoli announced his application to be named as Brenda Snipes’ replacement as the Broward Supervisor of Elections. Shouldn’t Broward Republicans and Governor-elect Ron DeSantis get answers about Praetorian Consulting before he gets control of the ballot boxes?

Stay tuned…