Blair Takes Shots At Rival As He Departs Commission

Hillsborough County Commissioner Brian Blair said he wanted his goodbye news conference to be an "upbeat" affair, but the wrestler in him couldn't leave the ring without a few shots at the opponent who whipped him.

After congratulating Commissioner-elect Kevin Beckner and wishing him well, Blair accused Beckner's campaign of lying about his record and hinted he might take some kind of legal action. When asked whether he wasn't being a poor sport by blaming dirty tricks for his defeat, Blair said he was trying to defend the integrity of the electoral process.

"Where is the line?" Blair asked. "We stick ourselves out there, but how can you tell factual lies with no basis?"

Trying to illustrate his point, Blair made an awkward allusion to Beckner's homosexuality, something he avoided during the campaign.

Blair refused to comment on a complaint made to the Florida Elections Commission by Tampa resident Jason Montes in October. Montes accused Beckner of breaking campaign laws by making false statements about Blair in a campaign advertisements.

The commission's executive director, Barbara Linthicum, said the complaint was legally insufficient because it was not made by Blair and did not prove that Beckner made the statements maliciously.

Beckner's campaign accused Blair of spending $1 million in taxpayer money cleaning up a lake where he has a waterfront home. Blair said the true total was several hundred thousand dollars and it was used to clean a chain of lakes that included the lake near his home.

Beckner also sent direct mail advertisements accusing Blair of trying to raise his own salary. Blair had spoken against commissioners voluntarily reducing their car allowance, not their pay, which is set by the state.

Blair stood before TV cameras with his wife of 22 years, Toni, and backed by several supporters, including county Fire Rescue Chief Bill Nesmith and sheriff's Col. Greg Brown. He said he did not apologize for some of his controversial stands, including opposing a day of silence in public schools to honor gay, lesbian and transgender children who had been bullied and abused.

"I want everybody to realize being a public servant is not an easy job," he said. "I put my heart and soul into it. ... I didn't want to be a status quo politician."

Several members of United Citizens Action Network, an activist group that opposed Blair's attempt to end county wetlands protections, attended the meeting wearing buttons that said, "Don't be a sore loser." Several members held cardboard boxes they said they brought to help Blair pack his things.

U-CAN leader Terry Flott said Blair had insulted Hillsborough County residents by insinuating they voted against him because they didn't read his campaign materials.

"It's absolutely absurd to insult the intelligence of an ordinary citizen," Flott said.