Ramirez files suit against Waechter

Two years after Bob Waechter, former Sarasota GOP chairman, used Lourdes Ramirez’s name to make donations to Democratic candidates, he could be facing a civil lawsuit in federal court.

In 2012, Waechter made donations with a pre-paid debit card under Ramirez’s name to negatively affect her campaign as a Republican candidate for the Sarasota County Commission District 4 seat, according to prosecutors. Ramirez lost to Alan Maio in the primary in August.

Waechter accepted a plea deal in December 2013. Judge Donna Berlin sentenced him to two years of probation, a $5,000 fine and three months of house arrest.

But, Ramirez has not finished with her end of the issue.

“Justice has not been served for me,” she said. “He got the misdemeanor, not the felony.”

Ramirez is being represented by Merritt & Sanderson, a firm in Osprey. She is suing for appropriation, misrepresentation, libel, fraud, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and civil conspiracy.

Ramirez said she believes other people were involved in the case. Frequently during her campaign, people approached her to tell her Waechter was continuing to defame her, she said.

Waechter was unavailable for comment. Morgan Bentley of Bentley & Bruning is representing Waechter. 

"He regrets this happened-- he said it was a dumb thing to do," Bentley said. 

It's not unexpected Ramirez filed the suit, he said, but called the cause of action is hard to understand. It would be hard to prove that she lost the race because of the contributions.

"If the Democratic party has sank so low that contributions to them should cause damages... it's a head-scratcher," Bentley said. "The bad effect is due to her telling people about it. If it's self-inflicted, can it be considered damages?"