Interpersonal communication experts will tell you that no response is still a response – and it sends a strong message.
With the election just days away, incumbent politicians are spending heavily to convince you and me that, if we return them to high office, they will be accessible – and responsive – to our needs.
While some live up to their obligations, unfortunately, many elected officials have proven that, once they ascend to the dais of power, unless you have given thousands of dollars in campaign contributions, neither your concerns – nor opinion – seem to matter.
It is called pay-to-play politics, and the pernicious effects of this legal quid pro quo system is evident throughout Volusia County.
For instance, a frequent criticism of incumbent Volusia County Councilwoman Deb Denys is her arrogant habit of ignoring the concerns and requests of her constituents, refusing to return telephone calls or emails, shutting off access, and sending a crystal clear message that her time is best spent servicing the wants and whims of those who stuff large sums of money into her campaign coffers.
Now, Dishonest Deb is in the race of her life with political newcomer Jeff “Plan B” Brower for the County Chair seat – the Big Enchilada of local politics – and her haughty practice of ignoring her constituents is coming back to haunt her. . .
Rather than even try and appear approachable, or within reach of John Q. Public, inexplicably, Ms. Denys continues to engage in whale-shit level politics, a weird no-holds-barred campaign that uses a murky Political Action Committee to foment lies and launch smear tactics – not to elevate her position on the issues – but to teardown her opponent personally and politically.
But just when you thought Ms. Denys could not stoop any lower – she did.
This weekend, The Daytona Beach News-Journal ran a story by Mark Harper entitled, “Attack tying Brower to Trump raises questions,” that attempted to explain a repulsive glossy mailer sent to some Democratic and nonaffiliated voters by Dishonest Deb which insinuated the worst form of party politics into the nonpartisan County Chair race.
The mailer referred to Jeff Brower as “A radical, rightwing puppet publicly supporting President Trump & his radical agenda!” (?) – essentially painting Ms. Denys – the darling of the local Republican apparatus – as a left-leaning democrat as she pretends to be all things to all people.
Even if it means shitting on everything her fellow Republicans hold dear – including slamming her party’s presidential candidate during a hotly contested race – just to gain a few votes in her own local contest.
My God.
In my view, this skeevy mailer best characterizes the self-serving, win at all cost, strategy that Ms. Denys and her well-heeled political benefactors have prosecuted since Mr. Brower beat her like a gong in the primary.
Now, how will Ms. Denys politically accountable supporters – like the uber-wealthy State Senator Tom Wright, Congressman Michael Waltz or Committeewoman Debbie Phillips – staunch Republican standard-bearers who enthusiastically endorsed Dishonest Deb’s campaign – reconcile the fact she turned on them with harsh criticism of republican values and a clear willingness to besmirch their presidential candidate for personal gain?
I don’t care which party’s candidate you support in the presidential race no one likes a backstabbing turncoat.
Clearly, when it comes to Ms. Denys propensity for wallowing in the mud, nothing is out of bounds – and this hypocritical horseshit that allows local GOP leadership to turn a blind eye is just one reason I, and many like me, have left the Republican Party to become proud No Party Affiliates. . .
Whatever.
Perhaps most telling was the fact Ms. Denys refused to return the News-Journal’s telephone calls on Friday.
I guess with over $244,000 in a campaign account (for a County Chair race?) – and some $82,000 in a shadowy Political Action Committee chaired by a political hitman who calls himself “The Prince of Darkness” – Ms. Denys no longer feels an obligation to answer inquiries from the working press – or her constituents. . .
No response truly is a powerful response – because it lets you know where you stand.
And it speaks volumes about the sense of entitlement and base arrogance that has defined Dishonest Deb’s eight year parasitic hold a Volusia County Council seat – with absolutely nothing to show for it – beyond a egoistic need to promote her own self-serving political aspirations.
Vote Jeff Brower.
Barker's View 
She and her campaign team are despicable! They’re LOWER than whale sh$%! God Bless Jeff Brower and his family for their grass roots ETHICAL campaign. I pray our swamp is drained come Tuesday!
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Mark, great summation. This is what people desperate to hold onto power at all costs do when they know they’re behind. When Deb goes down in flames Tuesday night, this will be one of a multitude of bad decisions made since the start of her campaign we will all be pointing to as the reason.
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This is really going to screw up her plans to replace Tom Wright when his term is up in two years and he decides not to run again and endorse her……
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I have been very vocal in my support for Jeff Brower. I can’t help thinking that mrs Denys actions now border on the criminal. I’m pretty sure the Headline Weasels are responsible for the latest attack ads. Or is DD really that big an asshole? I have dealt with some very serious backstabbers in my life, but none the likes of Deb Denys. Her integrity is no longer in question. It is nonexistent. In my opinion, like many others, she is unfit for the position she seeks.
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My guess is Ms. Denys may be the front runner for “Asshole of the Year”.
G
I’ll give her credit for her timing. She turned on the Republican party after the mailers and voting guides were all distributed.
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We already voted for Brower.I send her an email every day telling her she is dangerous not Brower.50 years in Brooklyn and never saw a piece of shit like her and Kelley..Builders own Ormond Beach and Daytona.Derrick Henry is another piece of excrement.Look up his history that starts at Charlie Christ taking him down as a commissioner and he quit as a high school asst principal and paid a small fine for voter fraud and you assholes elected him mayor.God bless your stupidity.I will move if she wins..Corruption in this area is rampant and all the political ads are disgusting.Worst I ever saw is the schmuck running for mayor in Flagler who never voted in his life and the current mayor may go to jail for corruption.
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Mark – enjoy your writings, especially this one, and added my thoughts to the post on Facebook. One thing I differ with you on….leaving the Republican Party. I see lots of people frustrated with what’s happening with the Republican Party, especially the ineptitude of the “leadership”, or lack thereof, in Volusia County. But rather than leave, I chose to stay and fight for change. If we leave, we let the leeches and lowlifes run it. We need to step into the fray and make it so miserable for them, fight them on every front, that we get the changes we need. I realize people have fought this fight for a LONG time and gotten tired of fighting. My involvement in this election just over the last 6-8 weeks have revealed to me a system that is beyond corruption and cronyism and needs to be changed. Thanks for your effort to point these things out.
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To those who praise Barker, and especially to those who crucify Barker, please realize the phenomenon only exists because the long absence of intellectually honest and consistent local investigative journalism.
That and the undeniable great disconnect between the wannabes on the dais and the voters that must grovel before them —jeepers what a system— that the former police chief, of that speed trap called Holly Hill, highlights so well.
And to all those recently waxing poetic the Tippen Davidson era are you kidding me. That old antebellum codger and kingmaker lead things ten times worse than today.
You speak of a left-leaning bias? Hell at one time, at the peak of their existence, over 90% of the News-Urinal’s staff were registered Dixiecrats. It was a complete joke then as it is now. Nothing new.
Boy howdy and what about the incestuous nature in those decades with those who ran the newspaper and those who ran the county/cities. Countless husband and wife teams working both sides of the street. Oh wait, that still occurs. Moving along.
Lastly here is a free tip for the News-Urinal.
Looking at and publishing the background of some guy supporting Brower and not looking at and publishing the (shady-as-fuck) background of the guy coordinating with Denys, is called advocacy, not honest investigative journalism. There is a big difference sporto. Learn to code Pat.
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Diane Reynolds lets talk about a Daytona newspaper that had a police suv turn over in front of their useless offices on Nova and Orlando cable stations reported it hours before that pos rag did.Now media uses letters to the editor that they pick out for their agenda and lots of editorials .95% of the media hides Hunter and Joes money antics and all hate Trump.Why did a man who paid a fine for voter fraud gets re elected as Mayor of Daytona.Stupid voters. .I voted for Post and hate builders but Denys and Bonarignno loves the money they come up with.
Sounds like you are a Dem.I am a Dem for 50 years and that party changed big time .Went to get a drivers license 10 years ago in Palm Beach as we moved from NY state and the employee said I can register you for voting and when she said what party and we said Dem she said Praise the Lord 5 times .Now south Florida is a Dem shithole.Stop the beaching if you dont like the results move like I will.Glad I moved out of NYC as the entire city is being turned into plywood when the Anarchists and ANTIFA try to loot and burn the city down.I am still a Dem but time will tell.I live in Ormond and have lots of friends in Holly Hill who love Barker as much as my family
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I agree with some of what you say, but please don’t attack newspapers and a free press just because many are educated democrats. Democracy depends on free speech and a free press whether you agree or not with what they publish and there are just as many so called news outlets that are so singular focused on one side, Fox news for example is basically a state run outlet for Trump, much like Putin’s state run media outlets. Bad mouthing free news and painting them as dark state enemies is right out of the Hitler playbook and Russian oligarchs. Remember when we are divided we will fail, don’t take the bait.
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Yo Tim,
You’re correct in defending free speech. It is the cornerstone of our democracy. But the only folks trying to put a muzzle on speech during this election are the mainstream media and the big tech companies by ignoring Hunter Biden’s documented shenanigans. Throwing Nazi and Communist analogies out only shows your total ignorance of history. They burned books and put political dissidents in concentration camps.
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Tim guess you dont watch CNN,MSMBC,ABC,CBS,PBS or read Dorseys Twitter who threw the NY Post off for 14 days because Dorsey did not like that this paper exposed Hunter and Joe for what they are.Yahoo eliminated comments 6 mos ago so they can print whatever shit they want and you cant come back at this DNC rag..I am a registered Dem for 50 years but my party is the party of hiding Biden in his basement and shut down free speech.I voted for Trump not the. DNC of ANTIFA and Anarchists that causes many homes and businesses to buy plywood if Trump wins.
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Mark,
Great summary of Denys‘ political treachery.
But you failed to mention one of Denys’ political running dog bag carriers, Barbara Bonarrigo. On October 30th, the same Denys supporter, Committeewoman Debbie Phillips, was seen under Bonarrigo’s campaign tent at the Ormond Beach Library early voter venue, wearing a Bonarrigo t-shirt presumably campaigning for Bonarrigo. (Debbie Phillips, or a company she is related to, have been linked to two $5,000 contributions to the PAC financing the Denys’ anti-Trump mailer send to Democrat’s and Independents. )
It is widely suspected that Bonarrigo was hand picked by the same “ Republican Big Wigs” beholding to big money real estate developers’ contributions, to be Denys’ wingman on the County Council. Bonarrigo seemly dropped from the sky like “magic” to run against Heather Post who has been an advocate for truth and transparency in Volusia County government. Bonarrigo, in my opinion, has no record of prior local political experience or community service, and like “magic”, she has amassed a huge campaign war chest from the same folks who support Denys. And like Denys’ “good wing man” , Bonarrigo has put out equally perfidiously campaign literature and commercials against Heather Post similar to the Denys’ lies about Brower. Evidently, Bonarrigo might share the same campaign consultants and advisors with Denys, who specialize in innuendo and character assassination.
Since Bonariggo is seemly joined at the hip to Denys, it might be useful if someone asks Bonarrigo if she hates President Trump too? And if Debbie Phillips is conclusively proven to be behind any of the financing of the Denys’ anti-Trump mailer, Ms. Phillips should do the right thing and immediately resign her Republican Committee Woman post because she is backstabbing the majority of her Republican constituents who back the President.
Mark, the Republican rank and file are still waiting for Republican County Chairman, Paul Deering, to denounce Denys’ scurrilous attack on President Trump. When is Deering going to grow a set of balls and call Denny’s out for her treachery?
Best regards,
Jon Wong
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Jon per the Orlando Sentinel Bonarrigo was arrested at the Orlando Airport in 2002 when she was a German citizen for carrying a 9mm in carry on.She got $10.000 bail.Wonder what the outcome was.It did say they took her passport away.Funny how this got buried but she goes after Post.I voted Post
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Peter,
On Friday the 30th it was cold at Ormond Beach Library early voting venue. So what did Bonarrigo wear to keep off the chill. Well…I have several pictures of her parading around in a German Army tunic with a German flag on each sleeve. Talk about a politically tone deaf move. Un-freaking Real. She looks like she is running for a seat in the German Parliament (Bundestag). It’s impossible to make this crap up. Bonarrigo is running in an American election and she isn’t smart enough to wear Red, White and Blue or anything patriotic. I almost asked her in German, “ Your rank in the German Army, Please.” ( Ihr Rang in der Bundeswehr, Bitte.) But she was acting like such a fool, I didn’t want to spoil the show for the voters. Her politically tone deaf outfit didn’t go unnoticed by many of the poll workers of both parties, who marveled at the sheer stupidity of her actions. WHO THE HELL hand picked her to be potentially Denys’ wingman on the Volusia County Council? Have to guess they picked her because they figured she’s not too bright and would be easy to control. Just throw her a few bucks in campaign contributions and she would follow Denys’ lead.. No questions asked.
As always, just my opinion. But based on the hard facts!
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Mark,
As always, the forgoing comment is just my considered opinion after viewing what I think are the hard facts.
Best regards,
Jon Wong
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DEB DENYS is not just a turncoat, she is a despicable human being void of heart, soul, and moral standards.
She would kiss SATAN on the lips if it wins her election. There are no holds barred in her esteem. The end justifies the means, to hell with County, State, or our Republic. She only answers to DEB DENYS PARTY.
Finally, anyone that still aligns themselves with her cause are just as much a traitor as she is!!
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