A former Republican contender for Orange-Osceola state attorney has filed a lawsuit against the area’s top prosecutor as he gets ready to face off against his suspended Democratic opponent, Monique Worrell, in a debate before the November election.
Thomas Feiter filed the lawsuit on Tuesday night, accusing State Attorney Andrew Bain of participating in a plot to rig the election by requiring GOP nominee Seth Hyman—who is being called a “ghost candidate”—to post bond two weeks after winning the primary with overwhelming support.
Feiter had previously presented his claims against Hyman’s campaign to reporters on Monday, but he had only hinted at the lawsuit in recent weeks.
In order to guarantee that Bain “did not face any Republican candidate in the general election,” the lawsuit claims that Hyman was an unofficial candidate supported by a portion of the GOP.
In the case, it is claimed that Republicans offered Hyman a judgeship or other political privileges in exchange for dropping out, allegedly creating “artificial support” for his campaign “with the intent to diver votes away from [Feiter].”
Feiter said that he was also promised favors in return for leaving the party, citing text messages attesting to his meetings with party officials during which they purportedly discussed the issue.
The complaint described Feiter’s previous opponent as a “complicit opportunist” and said that Hyman’s “plan was always to serve as a ‘placeholder’ so that no genuine Republican could interfere with the faction’s plan to keep Andrew Bain State Attorney.”
Hyman has maintained his denial that he was given any inducement to resign, explaining the action as the consequence of a limited campaign fund and an attempt to bring the conservative base together behind Bain, the independent nominee that Governor Ron DeSantis nominated last year after suspending Worrell.
The campaign spokesperson for Bain referred to the allegations presented to media outlets as a “distraction” but made no mention of the most recent lawsuit.
In addition, Feiter accused Orange and Osceola county elections officials of being involved in the plot by forbidding his moniker, “Fighter,” which is also the name of his legal practice and appears on his bar certification, from being listed on primary ballots.
Christopher Heath, an Orange elections spokeswoman, stated, “We’re aware of the lawsuit and we will respond accordingly in court,” while the supervisor of Osceola’s elections office did not reply to a request for comment.
Feiter submitted comparable grievances to the Florida Bar and the Florida Commission on Ethics in July, but both organizations denied his allegations.
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The lawsuit was filed the evening before the first of two debates leading up to the election, which will feature Worrell and Bain.
Presented as a clash of opposing theories of justice and an assessment of Bain’s term since his nomination, this Wednesday’s debate before the Orange County League of Women Voters is anticipated to be intense.
It might become even more evident following Worrell’s press appearance on Monday, during which he urged Bain to definitively address claims that he was involved in the alleged scheme—a position he has not yet taken on.
The Tiger Bay Club of Central Florida is set to hold the second discussion on September 20.
