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Audience Question Turns State House Race Into Dust-Up

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By KATHY STEELE

ksteele@tampatrib.com

Published: November 1, 2008

  Yvonne Capin

  Faye Culp

TAMPA - The dueling mailers are in the mail and a relatively quiet state House District 57 race turned noisy at a luncheon Friday.

Toward the end of a round of audience questions, Republican incumbent Faye Culp fielded one about negative advertising and went on the attack against her Democratic opponent, Yvonne Yolie Capin.

Culp said she turned over to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement what she considers to be a threatening letter from her opponent.

Capin delivered the letter to Culp's legislative office Monday. She wrote that she "will seek to be made whole" if Culp goes public with erroneous tax information.

Culp called the letter a "veiled threat," though she did not feel physically threatened. She was not in her office when the letter was delivered but said Capin was rude to her aide.

"It's not that big a deal," Culp said. "I'm just reporting it."

FDLE officials confirmed receiving the letter Wednesday.

"We will not be investigating because there is no criminal violation here," department spokeswoman Trena Reddick said.

Capin said she was upset after hearing Culp planned a mailer accusing her of not paying sales taxes related to jewelry and bridal businesses she once owned.

Capin has sent a mailer countering Culp's mailer.

"She doesn't have a record to run on, so this is what she does," the first-time candidate said.

Culp, who is seeking a fourth consecutive term representing South Tampa and portions of Town 'N Country and Westchase, said the tax information is public record.

Capin said the tax judgments were filed for years in which she and her husband, Juan, no longer owned the businesses.

"I have zero liability. I neither owed nor paid these" tax judgments, she said.

Reporter Kathy Steele can be reached at (813) 259-7652.

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