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Michael Schiavo says that he's formed TerriPac, a national political committee to hold politicians---particularly Republicans--accountable for trying to save the life of his disabled wife, Terri Schindler-Schiavo.
But so far, his name appears on none of the formal filings lending the question of if he's the front man for individuals with other agendas.
Political Action Committee (PAC)----A popular term for a political committee organized for the purpose of raising and spending money to elect and defeat candidates. Most PACs represent business, labor or ideological interests. PACS can give $5,000 to a candidate committee per election (primary, general or special). They can also give up to $15,000 annually to any national party committee and $5,000 annually to any other PAC. PACs are not limited to advertising spent on the support of their own issues.
And Michael Schiavo apparently intends to personally reward himself with as much of the money raised through the PAC as he can, by claiming that its for advertising, to pay for his personal appearances to expound his hate of the politicians who tried to save a disabled woman and insure a fair and impartial review of the death decisions made in the Pinellas County court of George Greer who readily accepted money from Schiavo's lawyers to stay on the bench during the 1998 and 2004 election campaigns while Schiavo was petitioning the court to sanction judicial homicide.
"At the TerriPAC Election Center, you will see your donations being put to work to pay for television and radio ads, direct mail or personal appearances for Michael Schiavo in the states and districts of political leaders who chose their own political gain over personal privacy and the rule of law", the website for TerriPAC says.
Michael Schiavo put himself, his greed and his vendetta against the Schindlers to take his personal argument to the world, destroying any possibly of personal privacy for Terri and totally annihilating the rule of law.
What can you do to help TerriPAC, Michael says? Well, of course you make a financial contribution anytime because Michael spent all the proceeds of the fraudulent medical malpractice actions to cause Terri's death by one of the most cruel and inhumane ways possible---withholding nutrition and hydration from an individual is expressly prohibited in the state of Florida.
And he's bitter about that. He had designs on that money, he didn't intend to spend it all for lawyers trying to achieve her death.
PACS may receive up to $5,000 from any one individual, PAC or party committee per calendar year. A PAC must register with the Federal Elections Commission (FEC) within 10 days of its formation, providing name and address for the PAC, its treasurer and any connected organizations.
Although commonly called PACs, federal election law refers to these accounts as "separate segregated funds" because money contributed to a PAC is kept in a bank account separate from the general corporate or union treasury.
Accountability. Families. Personal privacy.
Michael Schiavo walks the walk and talks the talk but he's still playing the same charade in the death of wife in name only as he did during his decade long quest to end his wife's life. It's still all about Michael, a vendetta and money. Terri Schiavo had no personal privacy because of Michael Schiavo---not the politicians.
Michael claims that he's the chairman of TerriPAC yet his name does not appear on any of the filings at the Federal Election Commission. For over 10 years, he violated Florida Statutes by failing to comply with the required filings under the guardianship laws and was aided and abetted in violating the law by Pinellas County probate court judge George Greer who violated the provisions of the guardianship law himself.
 But now Schiavo and his brother, Brian, the treasurer of TerriPAC are subject to federal rules and regulations of the Federal Elections Commission---they are accountable at the federal level and subject to stiff penalties if they don't comply, George Greer won't be able to protect them from the FEC.
According to public documents, it appears that there are already violations of the law regarding TerriPAC.
According to the law, a PAC must register with the Federal Elections Commission within 10 days of its formation. According to the domain registration for www.terriPAC.com Derek Newton, Democratic political consultant of Coral Gables, Fla., registered the domain under the name of the November Group and in essence formed the PAC on Aug. 7. However, there was no registration of the PAC with FEC as required until Dec. 8, four months later. (PDF of domain registration)
Schiavo and Newton claim that the PAC "will raise and spend funds to educate voters on where their elected officials stood when they had a choice between individual freedom and personal privacy and overreaching government action. TerriPAC is a federal political action committee and will be able to endorse or oppose candidates for federal office - including members of Congress".
According to the propaganda on Newton's website for the November Group, Newton has been "running campaigns for more than 14 years (albeit not winning ones). In addition to being a campaign veteran, he has served as a press aide and speech writer for Gov. Lawton Chiles and a lead political staffer for the Florida Democratic Party. Newton also served elected officials and policy officers in both the Florida House and Senate".
Newton touts his fundraising talents, boasting that the November Group can "help your campaign raise the money you need to win through direct mail, traditional donor and PAC solicitations or Internet solutions". There is no indication how much Newton stands to profit through the death of Terri Schiavo.
"The November Group can arrange, in some campaigns, to work on a commission basis", Newton's website says. "Moreover, in some cases, the November Group can even provide 'no-risk' fundraising for your issue or campaign". There is no explanation provided of what constitutes "no risk fundraising".
According to the statement of organization filed by treasurer Brian Schiavo, the TerriPAC committee "supports/opposes more than one federal candidate and is not a separate segregated fund or party committee". http://www.northcountrygazette.org/TerriFiles/papers.pdf
A nonconnected committee is a political committee that is not a party committee, an authorized committee of a candidate or a separate segregated fund established by a corporation or labor organization. Nonconnected committees such as TerriPAC become a "political committee" once its contributions or expenditures exceed $1,000 in a calendar year. Michael Schiavo says that "thousands" have already been raised but, although he is demanding accountability of politicians, there is no accountability of his PAC.
PACs are required to file quarterly reports and according to FEC regulations, in a non-election year, the first report required to be filed by TerriPAC and Brian Schiavo is the year-end report for the period July 1 through Dec. 31, to be filed by Jan. 31.
Treasurers such as Brian Schiavo are personally responsible for carrying out duties, filing complete and accurate reports and statements on time, depositing receipts within 20 days in designated bank, authorizing expenditures and keeping required records.
Michael Schiavo spent the proceeds of two fraudulent medical malpractice lawsuits to retain attorneys to end his wife's life and continues to focus on money in Terri's death. In his "holiday message", presumably sent to individuals who had signed up for his email list, he continues to focus on his mercenary traits, stating that "thousands of Americans who have touched me with their financial support for TerriPAC…..in just the first few hours TerriPAC was open, more than 1,000 people joined our email list and we raised thousands of dollars from Alaska to Florida".
It appears money is the one thing that "touches" Michael Schiavo. Within minutes of Terri's passing on March 31 after 13 days without food and water, Michael was ensuring that he was named executor of her estate.
According to the records filed with FEC, TerriPAC has received no contributions to date. http://herndon1.sdrdc.com/cgi-bin/cancomsrs/ and http://herndon1.sdrdc.com/cgi-bin/cancomsrs/?_06+C00417576
FEC regulations require that a nonconnected committee such as TerriPAC must also file a copy of the statement of organization with the appropriate state election officer in the state where the committee has its headquarters. (Chapter 2, Section 5 FEC Campaign Guide, Nonconnected committees) Thus far, according to the records of Florida's Division of Elections, Brian Schiavo has failed to register TerriPAC and therefore appears to be already in violation of FEC regulations.
In announcing his political action committee, Schiavo continued to play the charade of devoted husband with strong family values, but claimed that the politicians who tried to save his wife's life "lost a basic respect for marriage, family and personal privacy," Schiavo said. "Their blind obstruction of my wife's wishes and the legal courts orders that enforced them was a sickening exercise in raw political power." At the time he was living with his concubine while death judge was defying federal subpoenas, the Florida Constitution and statutes, the U.S. Constitution as well as the Vatican, the White House and the FDLE and federal marshals but yet Greer, Schiavo, George Felos and others tried to maintain that Greer was following the rule of law.
"At the TerriPAC Election Center, you will see your donations being put to work to pay for television and radio ads, direct mail or personal appearances for Michael Schiavo in the states and districts of political leaders who chose their own political gain over personal privacy and the rule of law".
He continues his pretense of exercising strong family values and devotion to his wife in his pandering for money, saying that "after the way the politicians acted, I knew I couldn't just sit around and do nothing. Somebody had to stand up to them and say, "Personal privacy is important. Families matter. And they are far more important then any politician's re-election."
 Throughout the decade plus battle that Michael Schiavo waged with Terri's parents in his effort to kill Terri by judicial homicide, Michael lived in adultery with Jodi Centonze, fathering two illegitimate children. While he claimed to be such a devoted husband, carrying forth his wife's wishes, Michael Schiavo did not wear a wedding ring and cast aside his wedding vows. So much for the family values he claims.
In the 15-year battle that Michael waged to kill Terri, the St. Petersburg Times acted as his public relations  agency but even in the newspaper's photo shoot arranged in 1990, Michael Schiavo wore no wedding band. The partnership of the St. Petersburg Times and Michael Schiavo continues with him at the TerriPAC website, urging his contributors to read the "compelling St. Petersburg Times article 'Faith and Consequences". http://www.northcountrygazette.org/articles/121905SkewedPolls.html
While it's doubtful that Michael Schiavo wrote the Dec 21 "newsletter" sent to selective individuals who signed up for his email list, it's certain that he did not sign it as the signature purported to be his is not, yet another misrepresentation of this political committee that touts accountability of everyone but themselves.
In Terri's death as in her life, the focus of Michael Schiavo is on the financial aspects of Terri, not love, not honor but rather a shameless exploitation of Terri to serve his own purposes of getting even with those who value life. June Maxam 12-23-05
© 2005 North
Country Gazette
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