Dyer supporters rally to protest indictment

[struggle4progress]

By Rich McKay
Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted March 17 2005

Holding signs high over their heads and chanting, "Our vote counts!" about 100 supporters of ousted Mayor Buddy Dyer rallied outside City Hall on Wednesday to claim that the suspension of Orlando's top leader is dirty politics.

Republican Gov. Jeb Bush suspended Dyer on Friday after he surrendered on charges he paid a consultant to collect absentee ballots in Orlando's predominantly black neighborhoods. The protesters at City Hall said they were angry that Dyer, a Democrat, and three others are the first people ever indicted on charges they broke the 1998 absentee-ballot law. <snip>

The protesters were a mix of young people, some wearing T-shirts and dreadlocks, and middle-aged executives in business suits, who were undeterred by a brief but heavy rain. For 45 minutes, they shouted at the rush-hour traffic. Some drivers honked horns as they passed. <snip>

"Of course it's partisan," said Debbie Flanagan, 69. "You have a Republican governor taking out a Democrat mayor." <snip>

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/florida/orl-locmayor17031705mar17,0,7424098.story?coll=sfla-news-florida