Doc and Abate Dive Deeper Into The Cess-Pit

I've written here before of my distaste for FL Abate's President and paid Lobbyist. I've always felt that holding both positions was a conflict of interest. No one I know disagrees with that opinion either. Thus far, I have withheld my opinion with regards to Doc, on this blog, but I can keep silent no longer.

I am not sure what hold Doc has over FL Abate's board of directors, but it must be something substantial, and perhaps either dangerous or damaging. Any other explanation could only point to extremely ignorant and/or blind qualities of the individuals holding those offices. I cannot believe they are so blind to what is happening right in front of their faces.

As a Lobbyist, Doc's actions leave much to be desired. And apparently, others feel the same. It has been my belief for some time now that state legislators hold very little respect for Doc as a Lobbyist, and perhaps as an individual.

My first suspicion came in the form of viewing their behavior when Doc spoke in front of them at a hearing last fall. Most were whispering between each other, and some were idling flipping through papers in front of them. A few smirked to themselves when Doc made suggestive comments on how well he knew all of them. This was not the reaction I expected to see from those who work with Doc behind the scenes.

The second revelation came when I spoke to an official (who shall remain nameless), and was interesting in speaking with RC and I on our views of what could be done to make highways safer for bikers. She asked if I was affiliated with Abate. When I said no, she said, "oh good, I cannot stand Doc, he is mean, nasty, and spiteful". She gave me her card, and has since kept her word on exchanging ideas and has offered her help in dealing with state reps.

Another person, also nameless, but I will say is a state rep, said he was tired of Doc but felt he had no choice but to work with him. Other Lobbyists have said they have heard this too.

Many of us, RC of Big Bend Bikers For Freedom, Bruce of Bruce-n-Ray's Biker Forum, and others, have been the target of Doc's nastiness first hand.

RC has been threatened physically and refused entry to a State Abate meeting. Bruce had his Abate membership revoked with no forewarning, and I have been attacked for reporting what I saw at a committee hearing, by Doc specifically, and had other members of Abate attack my integrity based on pretty much nothing (apparently, I'm not a "real" biker because my leathers look too new and I don't publish my real name on this blog). One Abate member took exception to my disgust for apathy among bikers in Florida and decided to label me with the "c" word in an email, and copy it to others. Not the stuff one associates with professionalism or integrity in my book.

We have heard of members unceremoniously kicked out of Abate, chapters disbanding, and other members stifled during state meetings when they spoke up in protest. The wonders never cease.

I've heard about nothing but strong-arm actions in this "MRO" of Florida (and I use that term loosely) for the past year and a half, since making my home in Florida. In researching Abate's past, the history is not pretty (a lot of legislative compromises, and blatant financial secrecy).

Conversely, I've also heard about chapters "doing their own thing" and steadfastly keeping to matters at hand. Still, they also refuse to see the writing on the wall; Doc is taking them down, through his own unethical actions, and the fact that the BOD follows him like lambs to slaughter.

Now we have word that the Whitesands Chapter (NW Florida) has disbanded. And the reasons are right in line with all the other horror stories I've heard. Only this time, the facts are out, straight from inside the organization.

In a nutshell, upon asking to be placed on the agenda at a state meeting, Whitesands members and their President, Diana Woods, were refused. Why? Because they wanted to see an accounting of performance and financial disclosure for what the Lobbyist (and President) was doing for his $50k/year pay (62 days of work per year - jeeeez, I'm in the wrong business!).

Read the entire letter from Diana Woods here. Apparently Diana received a certified letter of notice to disband her chapter. As RC says, how can you force disbandment of a chapter that has already disbanded?

Abate has lost a valued member in Diana, and a large chapter membership. That they cannot see the damage this has done, or will do nothing about it, alarms me. It shouldn't, but it does. How many apathetic bikers will stand by and watch more atrocities of this nature within their ranks and look the other way? If not apathetic, how many are simply afraid of retribution? And what does that say about those who are afraid, or about the those they are afraid of?

I know I will get "hate mail" from Abate members. Take your best shot, I know where the delete button is, right after I post your nasty emails on B-n-R forum for the world to see. The events of this past year speak for themselves, and the actions of Abate's president are directly responsible. The perception Florida has of Abate is rapidly going deeper into the cess-pit and Doc is putting it there. Doc's actions are nothing short of a despot, and if you can't see that, well, wish in one hand, shit in the other, and see what you end up with.

Nothing will change that perception until Doc and those in power change it through their own actions. Someone once said to me that good-will is rather like a bank account. You must make sufficient deposits to stay in the black. Too many withdrawals and the perception others have of you goes deeper into the negative. I'd say that Doc and Abate have made far too many withdrawals, and it'll be a long time before that account is reconciled.

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