The outfit with a Wyoming address acted like a PAC in Sarasota races.
By Ramon Lopez
Original Air Date: August 25, 2026
Host: Political Action Committees are the vehicles to funnel a lot of money and negative campaigning into local elections, and they seem to act with little oversight. One local activist wants to change that and filed a complaint with the IRS against the operators of a Wyoming-based non-profit that played a role in the primary elections. WSLR News reporter Ramon Lopez has the story.
Ramon Lopez: Two Sarasota County Commissioners recently suggested that their bids for re-election were subjected to a shadowy negative campaign by an outside player operating from Wyoming. Mark Smith survived the attempt while Joe Neunder unexpectedly crashed and burned.
Mark Smith (l.) and Joe Neunder (r.) | Photo: Lopez
They brought up the subject at a press conference on Friday, August 14.
The two alleged that the anonymous out-of-state organization was using AI and fabricated voting guides to deceive voters ahead of the recent primary election. The dark campaign also sought votes for Smith’s and Neunder’s rivals.
We hear from Joe Neunder.
Joe Neunder: As of today, I was just informed that there is an IRS complaint filed—I have those documents right here—by one Lourdes Ramirez. It also appears that these organizations may be violating federal law. I cannot confirm that. This story is not done. This is just the beginning of what future elections could look like. That is why we want to highlight this. We want to continue to follow this and make sure that the people and/or individuals that are involved in this type of behavior are hopefully found out.
RL: The Wyoming-based entity is known as Local Government Accountability, Inc. It’s been the subject of a Florida Trident investigation. And, as noted by Neunder, community activist Lourdes Ramirez has filed a complaint with the Internal Revenue Service.
Lourdes Ramirez, r., at Joe Neunder’s election night watch party. | Photo: Lopez
LGAI’s activities are troubling and may violate federal law. This, because it’s registered as a tax-exempt charitable non-profit barred from participating in a political campaign. And the Florida Trident reports that LGAI is not registered in Florida as a political committee, which is a must.
Ms. Ramirez provided WSLR News a copy of her request for review. It asked the IRS to rule whether LGAI is operating in a manner consistent with the Internal Revenue Code. She said there are “objective facts that warrant examination.”
She is concerned that the organization’s questionable activities “may be directed primarily toward influencing Sarasota County’s local elections rather than promoting social welfare.”
She seeks an IRS ruling as to whether LGAI is a political action committee masquerading as a non-profit.
This is Ramon Lopez for WSLR News.
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