TRUMP’PICK FOR RNC CHAIRMAN “SWITZERLAND JOE” GRUTERS IS AN ESTABLISHMENT WILES FLUNKY
Once again President Donald Trump Chief of Staff Susie Wiles has whispered in Trump’s ear to put one of her favorites in a position she can control, which is “Switzerland Joe” Gruters, as Chairman of the Republican National Party (RNC).
The RNC is scheduled to appoint Joe Gruters as its Chairman at the upcoming RNC meeting on 8/26/2025.
It’s clear that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis does not share Donald Trump and Susie Wiles’ enthusiasm for making Joe Gruters the next RNC Chair—especially given what DeSantis said when asked why he couldn’t support Gruters for Florida CFO:
“If George Washington rose from the dead and came back and tapped me on the shoulder and said, ‘Will you appoint Joe Gruters CFO?’ my response would be, no, I can’t do that without betraying the voters that elected me,” DeSantis said, according to Florida Politics.
DeSantis accused Gruters of siding with teachers' unions in battles with the state government, as well as supporting the marijuana industry (a constitutional amendment to legalize recreational use failed last November).
DeSantis also stated, “He (Gruters) authored legislation that would have put gender ideology as a special class in Florida law; we’ve done the opposite since I’ve been Governor.”
DeSantis and Gruters also clashed over a bill Gruters supported that would have put the job of chief immigration officer for the state in the hands of the state's agriculture commissioner. In a post on the social media platform X, DeSantis called the bill "truly contemptible" and described it as "amnesty."
The conservative pro-life website LifeSiteNews made its view clear on Gruters as Chairman of the RNC in its headline and subhead of Trump's endorsement.
"Trump endorses LGBT ‘ally’ Joe Gruters to be next RNC chair," the headline declared.
With a subhead stating, "Donald Trump has endorsed Joe Gruters to lead the Republican National Committee despite the Florida lawmaker’s liberal stances on LGBT ‘discrimination,’ immigration, teachers’ unions, and marijuana." Trump endorses LGBT ‘ally’ Joe Gruters to be next RNC chair - LifeSite
All that DeSantis–Gruters friction and online sniping seemed to vanish—at least for now—when Wiles whispered in Trump’s ear that Gruters should be appointed Chairman of the RNC and end campaign for CFO.
GRRUTERS BECAME "SWITZERLAND JOE" GRUTERS IN 2015
In 2015, Gruters was nicknamed "Switzerland Joe" because he did not challenge Sarasota UNI Party members who pressured him to withhold support for Republican candidates running for the Sarasota City Commission.
Barfield
Michael Barfield was the UNI Party messenger called the "Con Man's Con Man" hit man with 68 felonies, who back in 2015 carried a message to Gruters to go easy on electing two Republicans, who were running for the Sarasota City Commission in 2015.
Gruters initialed refused, but when on social media he was alleged to have had a salacious sexual relationship his advocacy for the Republican candidates faltered.
When asked why he did not act against those blackmailing him, Gruters said he needed their support for his Florida Legislature campaign and would become “like Switzerland.
Normile and Zimmerman
Shortly after Republicans Eileen Normile and Stan Zimmerman were defeated, Gruters became actively involved in running for the Florida House of Representative.
Gruters then began hiring "Pay to Play" political operatives, who were connected to local developers, who stuff local Sarasota and Manatee County, and beyond politicians in their pockets.
Gruters hired Eric "The Prince of Dirty Dark PAC Money” Robinson as his treasurer and fellow Robinson political operative Mac Stevenson as his political consultant. Two years later Gruters became Robinson's partner in a local CPA firm.
"Switzerland Joe" Gruters shortly after throwing Normile and Zimmerman under the bus had a massive fundraiser in Lakewood Ranch put together by developer Pat Neal and other “Pay to Play” developers. The fundraiser took place following the hiring of Robinson, Stevenson, and several other Neal political operatives.
The local Neal Republican establishment have been stuffing Gruters in their pockets supporting "Switzerland Joe" ever since that fund raiser in Lakewood Ranch.
Brill
As Gruters moved on to Tallahassee, Gruters turned over the daily operations of the local Sarasota Republican Executive Committee (REC) to a gofer of developers, Jack Brill.
Following collaboration with Neal and the UNI Party, Gruters served as a Florida State Representative, State Senator, Chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, and is currently a candidate for the RNC Chairmanship, receiving support from Wiles.
Neal
President Donald Trump once called the future RNC Chairman Gruters a "Rock Star," though he is also associated with "Never Trump" supporter Neal.
Neal told the Sarasota Herald Tribune that Trump is "an incredibly vulgar candidate leading our party off a cliff," and said he's concerned the GOP base supports Trump.J
Jensen/Benderson/Beruff/Neal
Switzerland Joe is also closely tied to local Sarasota/Manatee developers like Rex Jensen, Randy Benderson, Carlos Beruff and Neal, who also strongly supported Governor Ron DeSantis's presidential campaign against Trump.
GRUTERS IS SOMEONE NOT TO BE IN A FOXHOLE WITH
A local political operative who knows Gruters for years observed, "I don't understand Gruters' apparent tendency to abandon those who've consistently supported him."
Angley
Case in point, a longtime Trump America First activist Terry Angley expressed surprise when Gruters appointed Brill, who is associated with establishment Republicans Neal and Beruff to an RPOF position for which she had applied.
Recently Gruters has thrown Angley under the bus, as the Florida National Committeeman to the RNC, has taken no action while the RPOF, led by RPOF Chairman Evan Power, pursues a lawfare lawsuit against the former SREC State Committeewoman Angley and other Trump activists for forming an America First group in Sarasota County.
Dhillon
Gruters has a history of turning on America First activists, as he did in 2023 when he endorsed the establishment Rona McDaniel for re-election to Chair of the Republican National Committee over America First candidate Harmeet Dhillon.
Dhillon threw the contest into a Republican Establishment vs. the grassroots of the Republican Party.
Dhillon had stated, “We must hear the grassroots of our party, and elect leadership responsive to them. Above all, we must return to our main goal of winning elections.
“I’m running against Conservative Inc.” Dhillon. “I’m running against a swamp of fat cat consultants who take the money of small-dollar and billionaire donors, and they get paid whether they win or lose.”
Kirk
Gruters ignored a straw poll of attendees at Charlie Kirk’s nation’s largest gatherings of conservative activists showed overwhelming opposition to McDaniel continuing as chair of the RNC.
Helmich and Power
GRUTERS SILENT AS POWER AND HELMICH PURGE TRUMP MAGA AMERICA FIRST ACTIVISTS FROM RPOF
Evan Power serving as Chairman of the RPOF and Bill Helmich serving as the Executive Director of the RPOF while earning significant sums as Tallahassee lobbyists, are removing Trump MAGA America First activists from the RPOF, with Gruters remaining silent.
Gruters, who is now moving on to be chairman of the RNC became part of the Power and Helmich controlled RPOF when he was elected to be the Florida National Committeeman over James Campo.
Gruters won by only seven votes out of 207 votes cast even though Trump endorsed him and called Gruters a “Rock Star.”
GRUTERS NO “ROCK STAR” IN HIS DISTRICT
Heisse and Wayman
Someone needs to whisper in Trump’s ear that Gruters is no “Rock Star” in his State Senate District. MAGA America First activists in Gruters State Senate backyard elected to leadership positions within their local REC were removed, as was Manatee County Republican State Committeeman Trent Wayman and MREC State Committeewoman Jackie Heisse and not a word from Switzerland Joe Gruters.
May and Wright
Two of Florida's most respected long time Trump MAGA America First grassroot activist's in Gruters Manatee/Sarasota backyard, Kevin Wright and the America First Manatee Patriots organization's Jack May, have been ignored by the RPOF leadership team of Power Helmich and Gruters when they stated that America First activists' Constitutional rights are being violated by the Tallahassee based RPOF in removing elected Wayman and Heisse.
In Gruters’ Sarasota County over 150 Trump MAGA America First grassroots activists were purged from the SREC recently. A majority demonstrated outside the Potter Building on the Sarasota Fairgrounds location during a SREC meeting.
They protested because Chairman Brill, the SREC, and Power removed Trump MAGA America First activists from leadership roles, while Gruters stayed silent.
Pozzie and Brunni
Two America First activists from Gruters’ Sarasota County, Connie Brunni (who lost the 2022 SREC Chair race to Brill by 15 votes) and Michelle Pozzie (a 2024 SREC Chair candidate opposing Brill), were denied entry to the SREC meeting.
Gruters Selby Gardens social elite donor class
One group that supports Gruters is the Sarasota wealthy white elite establishment. Gruters pushed through the Legislature $100 million for the Selby Gardens expansion where Gruters and the social elite donor class enjoy their Chablis, brie, and other high-priced cuisine.
The Gruters at a Selby Grdens Gala
The Selby Gardens expansion financed by $100 million from Gruters legislation
Gruters made it happen as the CEO of Selby Gardens Jennifer Rominiecki stated, “We could not have secured this appropriation without the phenomenal leadership of Sen. Joe Gruters."
Ziegler taking Gruters along for the ride
Claims that future RNC Chairman Gruters led Florida Republicans' America First-Red White and Blue movements in 2022 and 2024 are incorrect.
Those accolades go to Christian Ziegler, who is recognized through his digital company Microtargeting Media, as the moving force with the assistance of America First grassroots activist in turning Florida - America First Red White and Blue. Ziegler led winning elections in Florida and beyond and took Gruters along for the ride.
Former RPOF Chairman Ziegler is credited, along with America First grassroots activists, for helping turn Florida into an America First stronghold.
Jones
DeNAPOLI AND JONES EXAMPLIFIED GRUTERS UNETHICAL TENURE AT
Gruters permitted Stafford Jones to utilize RPOF funds that were directed through his dark money PACs, managed out of the Coates law firm in Tallahassee, to support political candidates associated with developers influencing local governments.
"Switzerland Joe's" bag man, Jones, has been described by Daniel Roth of the Tampa Bay Times as, “A master of the dark arts of creating phony political committees with dubious names like “Citizens Alliance for Florida’s Economy,” or “The Responsible Leadership Committee.”
GRUTERS PAC IS A SLUSH FUND
Gruters PAC Florida Conservative United PAC managed by Jones while he was Chairman of the RPOF was nothing more than a slush fund for Gruters with over $2.5 million in contributions and expenditures, which Gruters uses to travel the state and various sites like Chicago, Washington D.C., Houston Texas, Denver while dining and lodging at five-star restaurants and hotels.
DeNapoli
In regard to Richard DeNapoli, Gruters refused to allow grievances filed against DeNapoli, which among others concerned felony voter fraud in an election and lying about his military service.
Furthermore, any legitimate grievances filed with DeNapoli that raised serious concerns regarding RPOF procedures during Gruters' tenure were ignored.
Gruters dodge a bullet in 2021 while hanging out at a late-night bar and after a night of heavy drinking in the Tallahassee bar, which is the "hangout" for legislators in Tallahassee, reportedly Gruters got involved in attempting a salacious act with a Democrat male staffer on a ride back to his apartment. Florida GOP chair investigated for alleged sexual harassment - POLITICO Florida GOP Chairman Joe Gruters cleared after probe into alleged sexual harassment
GRUTERS AND ALLIES ATTACKED PRO LIFE AND PRO FAMILY CANDIDATES
Gruters and his allies have had political consultant Anthony Pedicini, Peter Schorsch of FLORIDA POLITICS' and other Gruters "allies" attack conservatives America First Republican candidates throughout the State of Florida on their Pro Life and Pro Family proposals.
Those candidates, who are the backbone of the Florida America First Republican Party have attacked Gruters on his stance on Heartbeat and Equality legislation. Gruters stance on those issues are not consistent with Republican America First conservatives’ voters.
Stemberger
GRUTERS ASKED TO RESIGN AFTER PUSHING LGBTQ AGENDA
After Gruters introduced SB 438 in 2020 to address LGBTQ workforce discrimination, Conservative activist John Stemberger urged him to resign as RROF chairman.
Stemberger, president of the Orlando-based Florida Family Policy Council, wrote, “No state Republican Party chairman in the history of America has ever supported a bill this dangerous and irresponsible. The bill represents both bad policy and bad politics and because of his refusal to pull his support from this egregious legislation, we are announcing a grass roots campaign to unseat him as state party chairman."
Trump's tight knit 2024 campaign, run by Susie Wiles, Chris LaCivita and Steven Cheung
SWITZERLAND JOE’ “GODMOTHER HAS COME A LONG WAY SINCE DEPOSED IN 2019
Switzerland Joe’s “Godmother” Wiles was forced out of Tallahassee in 2019 by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and his wife Casey after she tried to take control of the Republican Party of Florida, while working as a lobbyist for Ballard Partners. Wiles was also removed from President Donald Trump’s political team at the request of DeSantis.
Wiles was deposed despite her playing a key role in DeSantis's successful campaign for Governor of Florida in 2018 and Trump taking Florida in 2016. Wiles re joined the Trump campaign in 2020 when Trump campaign was in danger of defeat in Florida.
Wiles, not Gruters was given high praises by political observers for taking command of a disastrous faltering Trump campaign being run out of Sarasota and led by Gruters in 2016. Wiles moved the HQ to Orlando where she engineered a Trump victory in Florida.
Unfortunately for Wiles, she moved too fast while lobbying for Ballard Partners in 2019 when she conspired with Gruters, who was the then Florida State Representative and RPOF Chairman Gruters to take control of the RPOF.
Wiles with Gruters assistance as Chairman of the RPOF was on her way in 2019 to becoming the leading political operative in Florida and beyond ended after the two most important political advisers in Governor DeSantis’ orbit — chief of staff Shane Strum and his wife, Casey DeSantis — went to the Florida GOP headquarters in Tallahassee in April of 2019 to check it out
Locetta
What they found was an organization stocked with “Susie people" and Gruters was following in line by replacing the highly competent political operative George Riley with the handpicked Wiles and Gruters mouthpiece from the Sarasota REC, Jennifer Locetta.
Those actions set off a chain of events that sent Wiles packing from Tallahassee and the Trump orbit.
Locetta and Wiles were sent packing to Washington D.C., as DeSantis had Wiles banished from the Trump campaign in 2019. Wiles also was pressured at the time to part ways with Ballard Partners.
Ballard
Ballard Partners was and is today a top lobbying firm led by Brian Ballard, who lobbied for Trump and is a top fundraiser in Florida and nationwide for Trump.
While at Ballard for eight years, Wiles lobbied on behalf of companies ranging in size from local businesses to multinational corporations at the state and federal levels.
Even after Locetta and Wiles were sent packing to Washington D.C tensions continued to worsen between Gruters and DeSantis but were kept out of public view, as not to create a rift between various RPOF factions during the 2022 political cycle.
Pizzo
Gruters angered DeSantis back in December of 2020 when he tweeted "kisses" to Florida Senator Jason Pizzo, a Miami Democrat and challenger to DeSantis.
“@SenPizzo is a thoughtful and hardworking member who has the ability to work across the aisle, and he is also a successful businessman and an advocate for the free market and policies that will continue to move Florida forward,” Gruters tweeted. “Definitely not a socialist.”
During this time, Wiles’ arch enemy DeSantis was unsuccessful in his attempt to defeat Trump for President in 2024.
Wiles being a seasoned and effective political operative, Wiles returned to be a major part of Trump’ Presidential campaign in 2020 and stayed on to become the major force in Trump getting elected in 2024, as DeSantis got destroyed in his attempt to defeat Trump in 2024.
WILES LOBBYING FOR MERCURY PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Wiles also began working as a lobbyist for the global public strategy firm Mercury Public Affairs serving as co-chair of the firm’s Florida and Washington offices.
Wiles also launched Public Strategy Advisors, a new company focused on electing Republicans across the country.
Wiles stated that “Mercury will “be my corporate home and offers me new challenges and opportunities.”
“I am excited to join the bipartisan team of experts and established public strategists at Mercury,” Wiles said. “I look forward to working hard to provide successful outcomes on behalf of our world-class roster of clients in both Florida and D.C.”
Moffet
Wiles joined Mercury as part of an expansion that saw former Democratic U.S. Rep. Toby Moffett become a partner at its Washington office the same time Wiles did.
Mahoney
“Mercury continues to attract nationally recognized, top talent across party lines, which speaks to our reputation as a leading bipartisan public affairs firm,” Mercury CEO Kieran Mahoney said.
Wiles made it clear in 2022 she would continue to serve as chair of the Super PAC, Save America PAC, a leadership committee launched by Trump after the 2020 election.
Wiles is now in 2025 the most powerful political force in Florida and beyond, as the Chief of Staff for President Trump and major influence at the Justice Department headed by her fellow lobbyist when she worked at Ballard Partners, Pam Bondi.
WILES NO PROBLEM WITH FELLOW LOBBYIST POWER IN CONTROL OF RPOF
As the former lobbyist for Ballard and Mercury see her two daughters now becoming lobbyists in Washington Wiles and with her gofer Gruters about to take control of RNC, Wiles has no problem with her former fellow lobbyist in Tallahassee Power and Helmich in control of the RPOF Republican, as Wiles is looking on favorably.
Wiles with Byron Donalds--Trump endorsed candidate for Florida Governor in 2026 and Power
Wiles publicly demonstrated her support for the RPOF under Power’s leadership, which included Gruters when she received the RPOF Statesperson of the Year Award from Power at a ceremony in Orlando two weeks ago.
As Power and Helmich control the RPOF and Gruters moves onto Chairman of the RNC, Gruters and Wiles remain silent both in the White House and at Mar-a-Lago, as MAGA America First activists are purged in Florida.
As Trump MAGA America First activists are being purged from the RPOF and Florida Republican leadership positions not a word, from Gruters and those whispering in Trump’ ear.
Fried
Not a word that Power and his fellow lobbyists pushing the billion-dollar marijuana agenda are in bed with the hapless Florida Democrat Party under the leadership of a former lobbyist for the Pot billionaires and Chairwoman of the Florida Demcrat Party Democrat Nikki Fried. All of whom are in league with Attorney John “Pot Daddy” Morgan.
It makes no difference to Wiles as she has become the Trump gatekeeper at the White House to have sleaziest lobbyists swimming in the Tallahassee swamp, while her former lobbyist cronies at Ballard and Mercury swim in the Wahington swamp.
Pedicini
While Power and his cronies in the Republican establishment like Helmich and Power’s boss David Ramba lobbying firm are swimming in the Tallahassee swamp pushing pot in Florida for a Michigan hemp firm, Power is funneling $millions into their lavender political operative in the lap of a Tampa based political operative Anthony Pedicini to take out MAGA America First candidates, not a word from Gruters.
Not a word from the Power/Helmich/ Gruters RPOF leadership as $millions have been funneled into Pedicini’s PAC’ and LLC under Power’s leadership, as the establishment RPOF has become controlled by a corrupt multimillion and billion-dollar establishment donor class and a not a word from those whispering in Trump’ ear about MAGA America First activists being purged.
Pedicini and Castor
$Millions have been funneled into the Ybor City based political operative Pedicini connected politically and socially to the liberal Democrat LGBTQ activists Mayor of Tampa Jane Castor and the Democrat political operative Anna Cruz and not a word from Power/Helmich/Gruters leadership team and those whispering in Trump’s ear.
According to the Florida Trident.... The Florida Division of Election campaign finance database shows Pedicini’s SIMWINS LLC has received more than $35 million from Republican establishment candidates and Republican establishment political committees since February 2020.
Castor and "Tampa’s 1st Lady and Cruzmissle" Cruz with President Biden during Covid 19 days
Castor has been recently appointed to the National Revenue Review Board by Trump to Board no doubt by a whisperer in his ear, who is the same whisper who had Trump appoint Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister to head up former based Tampa Bondi’s DEA.
Chonister with former Democrat States Attorney Andrew Warren removed by DeSantis for refusing to enforce laws.
The Chronister appointment concluded shortly after Cloister withdrew from consideration for the DEA position due to complaints related to his association with Castor and her positions on LGBTQ issues and specifically for his arrest of a pastor for violating a COVID lockdown in 2020..
Chronister sent checks to Barack Obama, Charlie Crist, the Democratic National Committee, and to Hillsborough County Democratic state legislators such as Fentrice Driskell, Dianne Hart, and Susan Valdes.
Sabatini
“THIS MAN’S NOMINATION MUST BE BLOCKED HE WAS A TYRANT DURING COVID,” wrote Lake County Commissioner Anthony Sabatini, who filed a lawsuit against Hillsborough County for its COVID lockdown. “I HAD TO SUE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TO STOP THE INSANITY HE CREATED WE NEED A DEA DIRECTOR WHO BELIEVES IN FREEDOM.”
Pedicini with Cruz-"Tampa's 1st Lady" and self proclaimed "Cruzmissle"
Cruz is long time lobbyist for Ballard Partners, while being politically active with local, state and national Democrat liberal organizations. Castor's "First Lady" has helped run Florida campaigns for President Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton. Cruz was executive director of the Florida Democrat Party and worked as a spokesperson for Hillary Clinton's 2008 and 2016 presidential campaigns.
Pedicini/Andrade/Power
$MILLIONS TO POLITICAL OPERATIVE TO ELECT LEGISLATORS IN POCKETS OF DONORS.
Pedicini, now with $millions in “house money” from the establishment Republican Party, is seeking to silence with frivolous warfare lawsuits The Bradenton Times, the Sarasota Phoenix and their publisher Jon Susce, and former Manatee County Commissioner Betsy Benac.
The Pedicini lawsuits being filed by a Pensacola based Florida State Representative Alex Andrade follows the recent shutdown of the Manatee County Republican Executive Committee (MREC) by the Tallahassee based RPOF, which is under the leadership team of Power, Helmich and the RPOF National Committeeman, Gruters.
This Pedicini lawfare lawsuit by the RINO Republican establishment political operative Pedicini filed by Andrade is retribution in response to Manatee County grassroots organizers and local media outlets sending the lavender Republican political operative Pedicini back to Tampa with major political defeats in campaigns financed by multi million dollars, who turned Manatee County government into a Shit Show.
WILES AND GRUTERS HAVE COME ALONG WAY
Gruters has come a long way from now be running earnings for Wiles at RNC since he shined shoes and carried luggage for now U.S Congressman Vern Buchanan when Buchanan ran Sarasota Ford.
Likewise so has Wiles come a long way since she attempted to take over the RPOF in 2019.
Just as Power stated when awarding Wiles the RPOF Stateswoman award, the establishment Republican Wiles has proceeded from being Chief of Staff for two establishment Jacksonville Mayors to an establishment Republican lobbyist for Ballard Partners and now the Republican establishment Chief of Staff to U.S. President Trump. offices.
Power did not mention that between Ballard and the White House, Wiles worked as a lobbyist at Mercury Public Affairs, a non-partisan global public strategy firm, where she served as co-chair of the firm's Florida and Washington offices.
Also not mentioned was that Wiles worked with Mercury until becoming Trump’s Chief of Staff and that Mercury is now part of $10.51 billion Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. (NYSE:IPG), which is now one of the three world’s premier global advertising and marketing services companies.
Jon Susce
The Sarasota Phoenix team is the last media guardian in the Sarasota/Manatee area and beyond laying bare for all to see how the Sarasota/Manatee area and beyond is controlled by a UNI Party financed by millionaires and billionaires turning Florida into Paradise Lost...
"As usual, Jon Susce offers great insight found nowhere else in Sarasota and State of Florida Republican politics." Kevin Wright of the Manatee Republican Liberty Caucus.
Jon uncovers local corruption you will read about nowhere else. Vital and important information." Dan Lobeck President of Control Growth Now.
"Jon is easily the very best investigative reporter to ever work this market." Don Schilke a Director for Sarasota Alliance for Fair Elections.
"Jon searches for the truth of the mater. He holds everyone accountable for their misleading actions or not. To God be the glory for what he is doing ." Valeria Buchand President of Newtown Nation.