Another RPOF or REC Chairman Like Joe Gruters is NOT a Republican We Need

Editorial Written by Guest Author, Sally Nista, Member of the Sarasota Republican Executive Committee; updated 10/3/2022

UPDATE: After the publication of this article, I received a phone call from Joe Gruters. He stated he had heard about the article and that it was unfavorable, but hadn’t read it. Regarding the LGBTQ bill he wrote, he stated that I had aligned myself with the ACLU and Equality Florida. I was incredulous at the statement. I replied, “Joe, at no time have I ever aligned myself with the ACLU and the progressive group, Equality Florida.” Joe shot back, “Yes you did. You were against the bill and so were they. They were mad that I didn’t include Trans.” I thought to myself, “Is this Common Core reasoning? Is he joking? He could not possibly be serious, could he?” Me opposing the bill because it was on the Leftist agenda and the ACLU and Equality Florida opposing the bill because it did’t go far enough to advance the Leftist agenda are clearly not based on the same reason. Trying to paint me into a corner was not going to work.

He continued on, stating that I was the problem in the Sarasota REC and that when he was Chairman of the SREC problems didn’t exist. He didn’t like the division happening in the Party and it was people like me creating the problems and all of the infighting was hurting the Party. With RINO infiltrators into the Party around the state and at the state leadership, yes, there is going to be pushback by us, THE REAL REPUBLICANS, while the Party is being hijacked by them!

When I asked if he had watched the video of then Acting Chairman Jack Brill threatening me which was recorded on a Sarasota Police bodycam, he replied that when the SREC voted to make Brill the Acting Chair, that he (Gruters) no longer had any power or control over Brill. It was an incredible statement made by the REPUBLICAN PARTY OF FLORIDA CHAIRMAN. I stated that as Chairman of the RPOF, he had power over every single Florida County RECs and their elected Chairs and Boards and that he could have intervened at any point when Brill went off the rails.

He told me he knew something I didn’t know - that a grievance had been filed against me with the RPOF and I was going to removed as a member of the SREC - he asked me if I had received the Notice of the Grievance yet. I told him I had not. Then it dawned on me that someone had told me previously that the RPOF Grievances had to allow for a 10-day notice so the person could prepare a response according to the RPOF Rules and Procedures.

He then stated, “I’m the one person that can save you and you’re making an enemy of me.” I was incredulous at that statement…. and responded that I didn’t need saving.

He closed by saying he wanted to call and tell me how disappointed he was that I wrote a negative article about him. I responded that I was disappointed too because he abandoned the Sarasota REC.

SALLY NISTA

Joe Gruters is arguably not a real Republican. It was pointed out by the Florida News Report, "Gruters made history as the first GOP Chairman in the nation to write LGBTQ legislation." This legislation - SB 438 - includes wording that would protect against discrimination based not only on Sexual Orientation, but also based on Gender Identity. There are not many Republicans I know that would support such legislation. Joe Gruters has demonstrated that he does support it and has been leading us down a path to lose our Party and our Country’s values. Does he lack moral character or he is beholden to some well-financed anti-American power? I don’t know, and this is something we can explore in future articles. But what I DO know for sure now is that he is NOT the GOP leader that Florida Republicans wanted or deserved. He is also the last person we need to allow to pursue higher office. 

I am a Sarasota Republican Executive Committee (REC) member. Joe Gruters is currently the Chairman, but I have seen him at only two Committee meetings over the past two years. Gruters may try to excuse his absences by stating that he has appointed an 'Acting' Committee Chairman. A REC Chairman is by rule however, someone who is elected by the members of the Committee. The opportunity to follow that rule again will be here on December 1, 2022.

This has been a long awaited election, due to the fact that his Appointee, Jack Brill, has demonstrated time and again that he is someone who does not follow the RPOF rules and the County Model Constitution that governs the Sarasota REC. 

Joe Gruters has repeatedly been made aware of the issues with Brill not following the RPOF rules, but also of Brill’s attacks on America First Republicans. Gruters has done nothing to resolve the issues. NOTHING. 

Instead, Gruters ignores them or denies that they even exist. For example, new member applications were denied or slow- walked by the SREC for eight months. Joe Gruters only acted when he was backed into a corner by members and finally told Brill to allow new members to join.  Brill then bought in eighty new members the month before the leadership election without a membership committee review, stacking the deck for his own election.  One of those members recruited by Brill is a three-time felon. 

 Sarasota’s REC has special committees like most RECs do across the state. However, I do not know a single member of any of the Sarasota REC committees.  When I inquired who members of each committee, I was ignored and told I didn’t need to know.   

Even more astounding is that the SREC hasn’t had an audit in over ten years… mind you, Chairman Joe Gruters is an accountant….  When an audit has been suggested, that motion immediately gets shut down.   

To make matters worse Gruters appointed his close friend and ally, Richard DeNapoli as Chairman of the RPOF Grievance Committee. DeNapoli, acting as ‘gatekeeper’ protects Gruters, Brill and a host of others within the Republican Establishment from any scrutiny or criticism. You cannot be mistaken that Joe Gruters is somehow a nice guy with a henchman like DeNapoli. DeNapoli, a long time supporter of Charlie Crist, was accused in 2018 of blocking the Desantis campaign in Broward County… 

It cannot be a coincidence that these ‘Republicans’ Joe hangs around with promote leftist agenda items… so which is it… is it that their support is purchased to promote leftist agenda items or is their ideology leftist and they are simply RINOs who infiltrated the Republican Party? 

Other Florida County RECs around the state are looking for a new direction for leadership as well  since Gruters has treated their concerns the same way he's treated ours in Sarasota. He makes up rules to suit him and to please the Republican Establishment and RINOS. I know of several other RECs that Gruters controls, with members who will verify this. Hillsborough County REC has been put through the wringer by Joe Gruters and Richard DeNapoli. 

I will never forget that the RPOF CHAIRMAN, Joe Gruters, sat silently when legislation for prohibiting transgender surgeries for children and constitutional carry were presented. When Nancy Pelosi decided she wanted to expand her personal jack-boot U.S. Capitol Police killing machine to be near her soon-to-be Florida retirement home for her personal protection and to harass America First Floridians, at her command, what did Joe Gruters say? Not a word. COMPLETE SILENCE FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY OF FLORIDA. 

We need REAL and PRINCIPLED leadership in the  Republican Party of Florida… not the current leadership which appeared to take its marching orders straight from the Democrats. What other reason did Joe try to give excessive power to Florida Democrats during redistricting?  It was unfathomable to conceive that our own Party would hand our LEGITIMATE majority to the Democrats and yet there they were…. moving forward with handing power to the Florida Democrats until Governor DeSantis vetoed the proposed congressional map and created a map that represents a more realistic demographic make-up of Florida Republicans. 

But hey! Joe might be a nice guy. I don’t really know because he’s never spoken to me even to apologize after I was harassed, bullied and threatened by his 'acting' chairman, Jack Brill, all captured by a police video camera. See Bodycam Video Here

Unfortunately, this is behavior that Joe’s  'acting chairman' has participated in multiple times against Republicans for which they have never apologized. Yet in spite of it and all of Jack’s lies and unprofessional behavior, Joe Gruters still supports Jack Brill. 

We are at a critical point in our State where the road has split and  we either continue down the path of sacrificing our values to Establishment RINOs or we choose to be in the fight for our county with a true conservative leader like Conni Brunni who is running for Sarasota Chair in the December Election.  

Joe Gruters has shown us he is not what America-First Republicans need to protect the Party and save our country. 

He is not up to the task. I doubt he was ever up to the task. 

We are overdue for a change for the better. We deserve it. Thankfully, change is coming soon.

Sally Nista