Quid pro quo or thrift? Ad causes stir

A Pinellas-Pasco judicial candidate is accusing candidates in several circuit court races of endorsing one another and contributing to each other's campaigns, violating election rules.

M. Malinda Ottinger alleges that a shared ad paid for by candidates in five contests may mislead voters into thinking it is an independent publication and not a paid advertisement. Ottinger filed a complaint with the Florida Elections Commission on Wednesday.

"I'd think you would be hard pressed to say these candidates aren't endorsing one another," said Ottinger, a St. Pete Beach lawyer. The candidates named in her complaint are Circuit Judge Wayne Cobb in Group 8; Declan Mansfield in Group 25; Linda Babb in Group 26; Jack St. Arnold in Group 28; and Linda Allan in Group 41. Ottinger is one of Allan's two opponents in that contest.

Candidates said the mailing is proper. They point to a disclaimer telling voters that the ads don't mean candidates are endorsing one another.

"I respectfully disagree with her," Allan said. "In fact, there's a good chance I'm not going to vote for some of the other candidates listed in there."

The candidates say they were looking to pinch pennies. To mail an ad to all those Pinellas-Pasco voters, a candidate would spend at least $16,000.

So consultants for five candidates in contested circuit races pooled resources to send out a newsletter with separate ads pitching all five.

Mary Repper, a political consultant representing Allan, Babb and Mansfield, said she and political consultant Jack Latvala came up with the idea to save money.

Repper said similar advertisements are mailed every election season. Past challenges have been unsuccessful, she said. (Elections Commission officials could not be reached for comment.)

Judge Wayne Cobb, who presides in Dade City, said he didn't intend to show any other candidate favoritism. He does wish the disclaimer were larger.

"I saved about $7,000 by doing it that way," Cobb said.

-- Times staff writers Chase Squires and Cary Davis contributed to this report.

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