St. Lucie Commissioner Cathy Townsend's son calls for her resignation

Commissioner Cathy Townsend's son calls for her to resign at the August 6th Board of County Commissioners Meeting.Photo bySt. Lucie Patriot

Why did St. Lucie County Commissioner Cathy Townsend form a company with the leading Democratic candidate for Sheriff and the family of a Republican candidate for Sheriff?

Her son Wilson Townsend will tell you.

In August 2020, Cathy Townsend formed THSD LLC (Townsend, Hester, Solley & Del Toro) with Brian Hester, then Chief Deputy of the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office; Pete Del Toro, brother of then Port St. Lucie Assistant Police Chief Richard Del Toro; and Donald Solley, a motocross enthusiasts.

In January 2021, Hester announced his candidacy for Sheriff as a Democrat. Around the same time, Richard Del Toro entered the race as a Republican.

A source familiar with the matter told the St. Lucie Patriot that Townsend planned to acquire county land near the St. Lucie County Fairgrounds and convert it into a motocross park run by her newly formed company.

Commissioner Townsend opened a business with a Sheriff's candidate and a motocross enthusiast.Photo bySt. Lucie Patriot

"Their plan collapsed," Towsend's son Wison told the St. Lucie Patriot. "She told her partners she had the heavy equipment to excavate the property, and she didn't, I did."

Wilson says his mother asked him to excavate land for her, and he wouldn't. "It's unethical for my mom to use her position to obtain free county land for her benefit," Wilson said.

After the deal fell through, Hester retired from the Sheriff's Office and withdrew from the Sheriff's race. He sold motocross equipment on the Facebook marketplace and returned nearly $151K in campaign contributions, endorsing Richard Del Toro instead. "My mother tried to benefit from both sides of the Sheriff's race," Wilson said. "I'm not surprised."

According to the Florida Division Corporations, Townsend's company was dissolved in September 2021.

On August 6, Wilson confronted his mother during public comments at a Board of County Commissioners Meeting and called for her to resign from her position. "Cathy Towsend is one of the most corrupt and power-abusive politicians in St. Lucie County, and that's coming from her own blood," Wilson recently shared on his Instagram page.

"My mom's changed since she's been in office; greed now controls her." Wilson said, "I just want my mom back, and my daughters want to be proud of their grandmother."

Wilson is concerned about his mother's potential involvement in a motocross park and her partnership with a candidate for St. Lucie County Sheriff and his opponent's family. "What other business ventures does she stand to benefit from as County Commissioner."

Wilson says his mom got nervous when St. Lucie County Sheriff Ken Mascara retired in December 2023, and Governor Ron DeSantis appointed Keith Pearson Sheriff. "Cathy knows Sheriff Pearson won't tolerate unethical business dealings," Wilson said. "Someone has to stand up to her."