Backers paid for anonymous ads

Mayoral candidate Frank Sanchez says he has talked to those who placed the possibly unlawful political ads.

By DAVID KARP, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published February 27, 2002

TAMPA -- The political ads in three newspapers all showed the same smiling face with an American flag in the background.

When Tampa mayoral candidate Frank Sanchez saw his picture, he said he wondered who had put his campaign photo in print.

His campaign hadn't.

The ads in the Weekly Planet, La Gaceta and the Florida Sentinel Bulletin did not identify who paid for the Sanchez ads -- a possible violation of state election laws.

"I am very grateful," Sanchez said. "But they can't do this unless they say who they are."

The ads, which ran without the disclosures required by law, made it look as if anonymous Sanchez supporters were circumventing campaign finance laws.

Once Sanchez found out who placed the ads, he said he told them not to make the mistake again.

Ybor City developer Alan Kahana said he didn't mean to hide his identity when he paid about $160 for an ad in the Weekly Planet.

"I did this as a surprise," said Kahana, who has known Sanchez for years. "Frank didn't know anything about it."

Kahana said he assumed the Weekly Planet would take care of the ad's legal requirements. Weekly Planet president Ben Eason said the paper accidentally left the disclaimer off, and later ran a clarification correcting the mistake.

La Gaceta publisher Patrick Manteiga said the person who placed the ad in his paper and the Sentinel Bulletin wanted to remain anonymous. Manteiga refused to identify the donor, who paid $742 for the ad in his paper.

Manteiga said the ad did not violate campaign laws because it ran before Sanchez formally announced his candidacy. He didn't say why the donor wanted to keep his identity a secret.

Sanchez said he found out that Bernie Arenas, a family friend, paid for one of the ads.

"I made it clear he can't do that anymore," Sanchez said.

Arenas did not return a phone call for comment.

Both of Sanchez's campaign opponents said Sanchez, who has never run for office before, should have known better.

"Maybe he should run for president his first time out," said City Council member Charlie Miranda, a mayoral candidate.

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