New Orlando Mayor Recall Campaign Launched
local6.com - October 31, 2005

ORLANDO, Fla. -- A retired Orlando police captain and a mayoral candidate launched an effort to get a recall election for Mayor Buddy Dyer Monday, according to Local 6 News.

Sam Ings began a grassroots campaign to get a recall vote on the ballot for March that would allow voters to, in effect, vote Dyer out of office.

Ings argued that even though state attorney Brad King did not prosecute Dyer on charges of absentee ballot fraud earlier this year, he believes that the crime was committed.

"Buddy is violating the law," Ings said. "Buddy violated the law which is a felony and as a city official which was a felony and as a city official he should not be able to serve in that capacity."

Documents were filed Monday in Orange County to begin the possible recall process. Ings needs 5,000 signatures of registered voters and then submit them to the city clerk to be verified.

Dyer issued a statement Monday afternoon:

"We will not allow this same small group of sore losers to hold our City and its citizens hostage in an attempt to advance their personal agenda. We will continue to grow and prosper for our citizens.

I question the motivation of any individual that is seeking to create a burden on the citizens of Orlando. We will continue to operate business as usual as we work to achieve our vision for the City Beautiful.

It is not fair to the good citizens of Orlando that they must endure another assault on the City’s continued success. This is nothing more than an attempt to rehash the definitive resolution of the voters, the courts and the ethics commission."

Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.