Sunrise Commissioner Mark Douglas hired a brand-new “fictitious” company owned by Tamarac Commissioner Marlon Bolton to work on his mayoral campaign, records show. Douglas, a longtime ally of controversial former County Commissioner Dale Holness, is challenging incumbent Mayor Mike Ryan. According to campaign reports, on October 1, 2024 Douglas paid $2,500 to Adphabet of Tallahassee for “marketing.”
According to State business records, Adphabet Agency is a fictitious name created by Blue Table Strategies LLC on September 17, 2024.
The application for the Adphabet Agency fictitious name was signed by Marlon Bolton.
The most recent annual corporate report for Blue Table Strategies LLC was signed by Marlon Bolton. The listed registered agent for Blue Table Strategies LLC is Forecast Holdings LLC, yet another corporate entity owned by Marlon Bolton.
The address for Adphabet Agency and Blue Table Strategies is a Tallahassee UPS Store. It is the same address as the Friends Of Marlon Bolton PAC political committee.
Why did Mark Douglas pay $2,500 to company owned by Marlon Bolton?
OUR BLUE DEMOCRACY
On Saturday, the Sun-Sentinel reported on a voter guide promoting Mark Douglas to Sunrise voters. According to Sun-Sentinel opinion editor Steve Bousquet, “[Sunrise] voters received a fake voter guide by mail that falsely makes it appear as if the county Democratic Party endorsed City Commissioner Mark Douglas for mayor against the incumbent mayor, Mike Ryan…” Both Douglas and Ryan are Democrats. “Even more implausibly, the artwork on the phony mail piece shows Kamala Harris and her running mate Tim Walz next to a photo of a beaming Mark Douglas,” Bousquet wrote. “[A]s if they endorsed him. Total deception.”
The mail piece was sent by Our Blue Democracy. Thanks to our reporting, Bousquet was able to inform his readers that Our Blue Democracy is tied to Marlon Bolton.
In reports from 2020 and 2022, REDBROWARD exposed the ties between Our Blue Democracy and Bolton.
During the November 2020 election, some Broward residents received the “Our Florida Democracy” voters guide. The guide states it was produced by the Our Blue Democracy political committee.
The guide endorsed most of the Democrat candidates on the 2020 ballot. But a few candidates received special notice including pictures alongside Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. In addition to being pictured with the Presidential nominee, these special candidates received their own sections on the guide.
Who were these candidates?
Marlon Bolton, former Broward County Commissioner Dale Holness, the late Congressman Alcee Hastings and North Lauderdale Commissioner Regina Martin.
A July 2020 “Broward County Voters Guide” produce by Our Blue Democracy featured pictures of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, The guide endorsed Dale Holness over incumbent Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus McCormick. Our Blue Democracy also supported Broward County Commission candidate Hazelle Rogers over Guithele Ruiz Nicolas.
Marlon Bolton is currently employed as the communications director for County Commissioner Hazelle Rogers.
BACKING BOLTON
In addition to Mark Douglas, REDBROWARD can confirm Our Blue Democracy is also backing Marlon Bolton’s re-election to the Tamarac Commission. REDBROWARD obtained a copy of the Our Blue Democracy mailer sent to Tamarac residents. It features a smiling Bolton alongside Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. Bolton and his opponent, Viola Watson, are Democrats.
