Commissioners Miller and Search face a long and expensive fight to clear their names

To the Editor:

Like most of us who have closely followed the persecution of Gary Search and Oren Miller, I am disappointed that their motions to dismiss were denied. The denial means that they will have to bear the cost of a trial before they can be exonerated and reinstated as Commissioners. Worse yet, from what was said at Friday’s hearing on the motions (I was there), it looks like their trial, which was originally scheduled for next month, won’t be held until June at the earliest because of a backup caused by COVID.

Then, after, Gary and Oren are acquitted (as, contrary to the propaganda in The Daily Sun, they almost certainly will be), it looks like they will have to fight a legal battle to regain their positions as Commissioners since acquittal will not result in automatic reinstatement and the governor will probably stall on reinstating them. The whole process is going to cost Gary and Oren a fortune. Right now, in light of the hell that they and their families are going through, they must be wondering why they ever ran for Commissioner in an effort to serve the residents of Sumter County.

In any event, with respect to the denial of the Motions to Dismiss, it is important to understand that a Motion to Dismiss cannot raise factual disputes pertaining to the substance of the charge. Such Motions are directed to legal or technical defects in the proceedings. Consequently, the judge does not decide factual matters, weigh evidence, or assess the credibility of witnesses in a hearing on the Motion.

BUT, now that the matter will go to trial, perhaps (through depositions of Angeliadis, Iskra, and Montavlo), more facts about Gary and Oren’s being set up for removal as commissioners, following their efforts to roll back our 25 percent tax increase and increase the Developer’s sweetheart impact fee, will emerge. For background see the following: https://www.villages-news.com/2022/01/15/facts-about-the-perjury-arrests-of-commissioners-are-starting-to-emerge/ and take a look at this youtube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7N7mNEwvBYk 

Scott Fenstermaker
Village of Winifred