- Doug Guetzloe
-
Douglas M. “Doug” Guetzloe was born on June 15, 1954 in Tampa, Florida. Guetzloe is the founder and chairman of Ax the Tax; a radio talk show host and founder of an internet broadcasting network.
Biography
Guetzloe is a community activist, leader of a statewide anti-tax group called Ax the Tax; a radio talk show host[1] who is now heard exclusively on a network that he owns called the Phoenix Network who has been very active in political and civic affairs in Central Florida, the state and nationally.[2] Guetzloe is a graduate of the Florida State University where he served as Student Body President. Guetzloe’s Student Body Vice President was former Florida Governor Charlie Crist.
Following graduation Guetzloe moved to Orlando, Florida to accept a position as PR director for the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association. Following a two-year stint there, Guetzloe was appointed the Regional Director for the Florida Medical Association where he handled public relations, lobbying and political matters in a 17-county area of Florida for the FMA.
In 1982, Guetzloe founded Ax the Tax[3] and shortly thereafter established a public relations and marketing company called Advantage Consultants. As chair of Ax the Tax, Guetzloe has led seventeen successful anti-tax battles.[4]
Guetzloe has been involved in many political battles and scrapes including one in that Guetzloe was credited with successfully saving an historic trailer park in Winter Garden, Florida. Guetzloe, was described by a park resident and Winter Garden City Commissioner as “a knight in shining armor charging in on his white horse." [5] In 2006, Guetzloe was charged with 14 misdemeanors (13 counts were dismissed by Florida’s 5th District Court of Appeal)[6] by distributing a controversial campaign mailer that failed to indicate who paid for the failure. Guetzloe was sentenced to a 60 day jail term becoming the only individual in America sentenced to jail for not putting a seven-word disclaimer on a political campaign flyer. The US Supreme Court has held that requiring the disclaimer is an unconstitutional infringement of free speech(McIntyre vs. Ohio)[citation needed]. Additionally Florida First District Federal Judge Stephen Mickle threw out Florida’s Electioneering Communications Organizations law [7] that Guetzloe was charged under well in advance of his jail sentence but local judge Jeffrey Arnold sentenced Guetzloe in open defiance of the US Supreme Court decision and the Federal District Court injunction.[8]
In 2009, Guetzloe helped his longtime attorney Fred O’Neal found the Florida Tea Party [9] a registered political party in Florida and created a firestorm of controversy resulting in over a dozen lawsuits against O’Neal, Guetzloe and the Florida Tea Party.[10] All lawsuits were settled in favor of O’Neal, Guetzloe and the fledgling Florida Tea Party.[11] The Florida TEA Party was credited with assisting Florida Governor Rick Scott win a very close battle with Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum in the 2010 Republican Primary for Governor.[12]
In 2010, Guetzloe founded The Phoenix Network and placed his long running radio show [13] on the network. The Guetzloe Report receives an average of over 12,000 listeners a day with some shows reaching over 50,000 listeners.[14] In February 2011, Guetzloe and the Phoenix Network were invited to broadcast live from the Ronald Reagan Library and Museum at the Centennial Celebration of Ronald Reagan’s birthday.[15]
Guetzloe is married with three children.
References
- ^ "Radio show feels right to Guetzloe". Orlando Business Journal. 20 January 1997. pp. 1–3. http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/stories/1997/01/20/tidbits.html.
- ^ Schlueb, Mark (October 15, 2006). "Doug Guetzloe: A man for all political seasons". Baltimore Sun. http://www.baltimoresun.com/orl-guetzloeprofile-012307,0,2964088,full.story.
- ^ "Ax the Tax-Wins Web Site Award". http://axthetax.org/_site_of_the_week_.html. Retrieved 9 November 2011.
- ^ Guetzloe, Doug. "Axe The Tax - Grassroots Success". http://www.winningcampaigns.org/Winning-Campaigns-Archive-Articles/Grassroots-Success.html. Retrieved 9 November 2011.
- ^ Baltimore Sun. http://www.baltimoresun.com/orl-guetzloeprofile-012307,0,2964088,full.story.
- ^ Jacob, Paul. "Don't Outlaw The First Amendment". thisiscommonsense.com. http://thisiscommonsense.com/?tag=doug-guetzloe. Retrieved 9 November 2011.
- ^ The Orlando Sentinel. http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_politics/2009/05/federal-judge-strikes-down-florida-eco-law.html.
- ^ Smithson, Jim. "Judge defies Florida Supreme Court and Orders Florida’s Top Anti-Tax Crusader to Jail over First Amendment battle.". centralfloridapolitics.com. http://centralfloridapolitics.com/2011/05/23/judge-defies-florida-supreme-court-and-orders-florida%E2%80%99s-top-anti-tax-crusader-to-jail-over-first-amendment-battle-2/. Retrieved 9 November 2011.
- ^ Sunshine State News. http://www.sunshinestatenews.com/story/tea-party-stirs-florida-election.
- ^ Sunshine State News. http://www.sunshinestatenews.com/story/florida-tea-party-fight-boiling-over.
- ^ Sunshine State News. http://www.sunshinestatenews.com/blog/lawsuit-against-tea-party-dropped-more-legal-fireworks-ahead.
- ^ Sunshine State News. http://www.sunshinestatenews.com/story/tea-party-backs-rick-scott-governor-november.
- ^ "Radio show feels right to Guetzloe". Orlando Business Journal. http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/stories/1997/01/20/tidbits.html. Retrieved 9 November 2011.
- ^ "Doug Guetzloe Streaming Radio". Streaming Radio Guide. http://streamingradioguide.com/radio-show.php?show=1781. Retrieved 9 November 2011.
- ^ Freeline Media Orlando. http://freelinemediaorlando.com/phoenix-network-heading-to-california-for-celebration-honoring-president-reagan/.
Categories:- Florida politician stubs
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