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Victims angry at judge's ruling

By JOSE CARDENAS
Published March 29, 2007

CLEARWATER - Until prosecutors charged him with stealing money from candidates last year, Peter Schorsch was once one of the most promising young political consultants in Tampa Bay.

That career appears officially over now that Schorsch has pleaded no contest to three felony charges that he bilked two local political candidates and a political club during the 2005 election cycle.

But thanks to a judge's leniency for the second time in Schorsch's life, he will keep his right to vote.

The charges stemmed from money he received in 2005 for work he didn't do on the campaigns of Eve Joy and Ed Helm, who ran for St. Petersburg City Council and mayor, respectively, in 2005, and from the Greater Tarpon Springs Democratic Club.

"He stole my money, squandered my chance of winning the election and stole my time," Joy said in a letter to Pinellas Circuit Court Judge Joseph Bulone.

Schorsch, 31, last week pleaded no contest to two grand-theft charges and one scheme-to-defraud charge. He was sentenced to serve two years of house arrest, three years of probation and to pay almost $10,000 in restitution. He is allowed to leave home for work but he cannot work on political campaigns.

Over the objections of both Joy and Helm, Bulone agreed to withhold adjudication, a legal classification that means Schorsch won't have a record as a convicted felon. He will keep his civil liberties such as voting. Previously, Schorsch had adjudication withheld on charges he'd written 16 worthless checks to a Publix store.

"My concern to the judge was that people need to be on notice of his problems," said Helm.

Schorsch had faced up to 15 years in prison. He also still has not paid a $66,500 fine levied in 2006 by the Florida Elections Commission for unrelated election violations. The Commission has gone to court in Leon County Circuit Court to recover the money.

Schorsch, who now works as a manager at the Parkshore Grill in St. Petersburg, said he feels at peace working outside of politics and has no plans to work in campaigns again.

"I'm relieved that I received adjudication withheld," said Schorsch. "My goal is to make the victims whole here and allow everyone to move on with their lives."

In her letter, Joy complained that Schorsch had already received adjudication once.

"He seems to have absolutely no sense of wrong doing," Joy wrote.

Assistant State Attorney Nick Dorsten said Schorsch is allowed to say in job interviews that he is not a convicted felon, but he has to list the accusations.

"The victims are understandably upset," Dorsten said. "They wanted adjudication ... The judge saw no problem with withholding."

A couple of years ago, Schorsch was only 29 and thought of as one of the area's brightest political consultants.

While at Mallard Group in Clearwater representing high profile Republicans, Schorsch shared in several awards for political radio advertising. He eventually launched his own company. He operated a political blog that received more than 3,000 hits daily.

Joy hired Schorsch for work that included fundraising letters, brochures and billboard advertising. Prosecutors alleged Schorsch only provided partial work and Joy was out $5,482.

Helm paid Schorsch $3,500 to buy advertising. Prosecutors alleged Schorsch only used $500 for advertising and pocketed the rest. Gerald Goen, president of the Great Tarpon Spring Democratic Club, said the club paid Schorsch $360 for a Web site that was never built.

Schorsch said that at the time of the campaigns he was dealing with the health of his father who was battling with cancer and died in February 2006. "I just allowed my business to unravel because I was worried about taking care of my sick father," he said.

For his part, Goen said all he wants is for Schorsch to return the money to the Democratic Club. "As far as I'm concerned ... that's all I've ever said to him," said Goen. "I just want our money."

[Last modified March 28, 2007, 23:40:06]