Who is Sarasota congressional candidate Martin Hyde?
Sarasota congressional candidate Martin Hyde is under scrutiny following his comments to a law enforcement officer that implied she was hurting her career by issuing him a ticket.
Hyde, 56, was pulled over Monday for traveling 57 mph in a 40 mph zone and was ticketed for not having his vehicle registration.
Body camera footage showed he asked the officer “You know who I am, right?"
When the officer persisted with the ticket, the Herald-Tribune reported, Hyde told her “You’re making career decisions.”
Watch: Video shows Sarasota candidate threatening police officer's career during traffic stop
Previously: Sarasota congressional candidate allegedly threatened to 'end' cop's career during traffic stop
Here’s what to know about Martin Hyde.
This wasn’t his first incident with police during a traffic stop
A 2017 report from the Herald-Tribune revealed police documents indicating a number of similar circumstances. In 2013, officers responded to a traffic incident wherein Hyde reportedly told the officer he would contact the city manager or police chief and Hyde “advised this officer he would not say that he pays my salary but he pays a lot of taxes in the city,” according to the report.
From 2017: Records and police reports shine light on Sarasota commission candidate's temperament
Martin Hyde is outspoken in the community
As a Sarasota businessman, he’s frequented Sarasota City Commission meetings hundreds of times to discuss neighborhood development, traffic and fiscal responsibilities, among other topics.
Elections 2022: Martin Hyde loans campaign another $100,000 as he challenges Vern Buchanan
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He previously ran for Sarasota City Commission
Hyde ran for the Sarasota City Commission in 2019, an effort that was complicated by allegations of racism he adamantly denied. In a Nov. 2019 incident, Hyde allegedly confronted a teenage Puerto Rican tennis player and told him to “cut the grass.”
“You said! You said cut some grass, man,” the Herald-Tribune reported somebody on the video saying, to which Hyde replied, “Yes, so what?”
Hyde initially told the Herald-Tribune that his “Yes, so what?” was not an acknowledgment that he made the comment but was a response to another allegation.
The website Latino Rebels, which reported on the incident, indicated Hyde was banned from the Bath & Racquet Club.
From 2019: Martin Hyde says a ‘A BIG NO!’ to quitting Sarasota City Commission race
And: Martin Hyde, controversial Sarasota City Commission candidate, seeks second chance
Hyde is from the United Kingdom
Previously a U.K. soccer player, according to his website, Hyde moved to Sarasota more than 20 years ago. He then became president of Gulf Business Systems, a local office equipment company. Hyde and his wife divorced in 2010, and he told the Sarasota Observer in 2020 he had four sons.
Hyde has support of Michael Flynn and Roger Stone in his congressional race
In his current race to unseat U.S. Rep Vern Buchanan for Florida's 16th congressional district, Hyde hired Roger Stone as a campaign consultant and received Michael Flynn’s endorsement.
Read the story: Roger Stone and Michael Flynn backing Sarasota Republican's effort to unseat Vern Buchanan
Hyde issued an apology to the police officer, community for his behavior during traffic stop
In a February 22 Facebook post, Hyde apologized for his recent actions toward the officer.
“There will be some who will say it's not the first time I've acted out and they'd be right. I have faults and one of them is to be overly aggressive on occasion when I'm challenged. In the political arena that is possibly a good thing but on a personal level it's not,” he wrote. “I've apologized to the officer in question, and now I'm apologizing to the community as a whole.”
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Who is Sarasota's Martin Hyde? Details about the congressional candidate
