Southern Voice has an update on the developing situation concerning HD-80 candidate Keith Gross (D-Unknown). As intrepid reporter Matt Schafer updates us:
“May 15 a black Porsche Boxster with a Keith Gross bumper sticker was found in the parking deck of the condominium complex listed as his residence. The car had a Georgia license plate with current tag information. Steven Acuna, who handles press relations for Gross’ campaign, denied accusations, calling them a political attack. “Yes we’ve seen it. In short — it’s false, Keith has met the residency requirements,” Acuna wrote in an e-mail. “We take it as a compliment that Jacobs sees us as a threat and we are continuing full force with the campaign.””
The story doesn’t actually inform the reader who saw Gross’ vehicle with the proper license plate. Either way, the address he listed on qualifying papers, according to the story, does not match an actual unit in the complex he claims to live in. Curious.
UPDATE By Erick:
Here is a picture of Keith Gross’s black porsche taken via a cell phone camera on April 22, 2008, outside a meet and greet at Brookhaven library. While the car may have Georgia tags now, less than a month ago it was still bearing its Florida tags.
17 responses so far ↓
Doug Deal // May 15, 2008 at 7:08 pm
Looking at his picture, doesn’t one usually have to have passed through puberty in order to run for the legislature. And generally don’t you also have to be old enought to have a license to own and register a car?
Anyway, he was registered on November 7, 2007, so he will have the one year requirement met.
Doug Deal // May 15, 2008 at 7:55 pm
One could pull his voting history from all of the many states he once lived in and see if he voted in the 2006 general election.
Since it falls on November 6, he will definitely not meet the residency requirement for 2 years, as this year’s election is on November 3. He cannot be the citizen of two states simultaneously.
JBC // May 15, 2008 at 8:11 pm
Wackity, Smackity Doo
Romegaguy // May 15, 2008 at 8:13 pm
Probably owns a couple of black boxsters. Did you get a picture of the VIN?
Clayton // May 15, 2008 at 9:20 pm
That ad valorem tax really sucks doesn’t it, Keith? Yeah, you’re not the first to keep your car registration with relatives in Florida…
You may however be the first to run for office before making the switch.
moocher // May 15, 2008 at 11:16 pm
You’ve got to admit, it’s a little idiotic to be driving around with Florida plates while running for the legislature in Georgia.
Bill Simon // May 15, 2008 at 11:18 pm
Here’s a question: Is there a Boxster that DOESN’T have a convertible top?
CHelf // May 15, 2008 at 11:29 pm
His FL registration was from 8/04 and he voted early in the 2004 General. That’s the only election he voted in as far as I can tell. On that note, is he even registered to vote here in GA?
Doug Deal // May 15, 2008 at 11:52 pm
CHelf,
The closest record that I could find was:
Keithly Lamar Gross
Born 1983
Registered in H-District 80
Race Other
Voted only in 2008 in the Dem primary, first registered 11-07-2007.
If it is not him, I would be surprised.
moocher // May 16, 2008 at 12:19 am
You’d think when he was on his knees placing his campaign sticker next to his license plate a light bulb would have gone off in his head.
He seems to be a big proponent of keeping tax dollars in Dekalb, but it appears he’s been screwing the children and senior citizens of Dekalb by illegally avoiding the ad valorem taxes on his car. I’m guessing the tax was over $700. I wonder how many kids could have been fed or senior citizens kept from freezing to death with that greedy SOB’s money.
At the very least the ping-pong ball budget could could have been increased at the local senior center.
Icarus // May 16, 2008 at 7:04 am
“Here’s a question: Is there a Boxster that DOESN’T have a convertible top?”
Yes, but it’s called a Cayman
moocher // May 16, 2008 at 7:26 am
Isn’t the Boxster a woman’s car - kind of like the Mini Cooper.
Icarus // May 16, 2008 at 12:10 pm
“Isn’t the Boxster a woman’s car - kind of like the Mini Cooper.”
Only if it has a tiptronic (automatic) transmission.
Gag Halfrunt // May 16, 2008 at 2:18 pm
I’m not a lawyer, but what does any of this have to do with residency? Is Ted Turner a resident of every place where he was seen personally opening a restaurant? Did Sonny lose his Georgia residency when he took his windfall private-bill tax bill money and invested in Florida swamp land? (Please, please say yes to that one.) Is Romeo Richardson a Florida resident because he was seen getting into a Key West limo with the Florida vanity plates “Monkey Business?”
Okay. I made that last one up. You get my point(s).
Doug Deal // May 16, 2008 at 4:55 pm
Gag,
There are many rules regarding residency from tax authorities to election boards. Almost all of them involve maintaining a “permanent” physical presence in the area for most of the year. I.e. living in a hotel is generally considered a temporary residence.
Only citizens of a state can vote in that states elections. Registering to be an elector is by itself a declaration of your residency, as is voting. If Mr. Gross cast a ballot in 2006, he did not cast it in Georgia. If he cast that ballot in another state, he either committed election fraud (a felony IIRC) or he was a resident of that other state.
Gag Halfrunt // May 16, 2008 at 9:03 pm
Doug,
Now I’m really confused. Are you saying that if Richardson moved into a hotel after leaving his wife then he was just a temporary resident of the district? Shouldn’t he be kicked out of office?
Doug Deal // May 17, 2008 at 10:01 am
Gag,
That is a ridiculous example. I was talking about having a residence establish in some other location, and just renting a hotel room somewhere else. From my experience (which is not authoritative) no test would allow one to claim the hotel.
For this Gross kid, one should just ask him where he voted in 2006. If he is so politically active, he should not have missed an important “tidal wave” election for Democrats. if he voted anywhere (he definitely did not vote in Georgia) he does not meet the Georgia residency requirement, case closed.
In any event, if there is any question about someone’s state of Georgia residency, they have no business running for office in the first place. It is just a 2 year requirement, not exactly draconian in nature.