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Lake Wales commissioners split over volunteer ‘clean campaign’ pledge as residents urge action on campaign mailers
Summary
Public commenters urged the City Commission to adopt a voluntary campaign pledge; commissioners debated whether a pledge would deter outside PACs and misinformation or be unenforceable and weaponized, with several members saying they will revisit the issue.
Deputy Mayor Curtis Gibson told the commission he drafted a voluntary "clean campaign" pledge and urged the body to make it available for any candidate to sign.
"I did," Gibson said when asked who authored the pledge during public comment, adding that the document could be offered to candidates as an optional step to discourage negative attacks in local races.
Supporters in the audience and on the dais said big outside "packs" and independent political groups can outspend local candidates and spread misleading material. Catherine Price, a member of the public, said she reviewed state records and alleged transfers and large inflows into local political packs, calling the…
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