Joe.My.God. LGBT News
The Tampa Bay Times reports:
A Pinellas County judge has dismissed a lawsuit centered on a 2020 presidential election wager, ruling that the bet was illegal in Georgia, where the plaintiff resided, as well as void under Florida law. The saga started in November 2020, when St. Petersburg resident Sean Hynes and an acquaintance, Jeffrey Costa of Atlanta, agreed to a $100 wager on the presidential election. Hynes bet on Donald Trump, and Costa put his money on Joe Biden.
However, after Biden was declared the winner, Hynes refused to pay up. So Costa decided to sue in December 2020, asking for the $100 from the bet, plus $250 in court fees and $300 in interest. In March 2021, the two parties settled the dispute in mediation. Hynes agreed to pay the bet, plus $215 in court costs. The agreement also stipulated that if the election results were overturned by Sept. 10, 2021, Costa would pay Hynes $207.50.
Florida Politics reports:
When Hynes didn’t pay, a judge ordered him to show cause as to why he couldn’t pay by Nov. 1. If he didn’t, Hynes was told he could face fines or jail.
“Pardon the drama, but I believe this case has gone far enough, wasted enough resources and needs to be put to rest, as we all value more important things in life,” Hynes then wrote to the court.
“While I may be ‘liable’, the approach has been immoral and is not about the money, the plaintiff does not need it. It’s about ego. I know you don’t rule on ego, but I would hope you would dismiss the case on the grounds that the plaintiff entered an illegal contract.”
Judge rules in favor of St. Petersburg man who refused to pay 2020 election bet https://t.co/maPOG8cUvM
— Sean Hynes (@SeanHynes) February 6, 2022