Escambia County Politics
Defends Mailer Targeting Vinson’s Church
Commissioner Ashlee Hofberfer tells the News Journal that Joe Vinson should have to answer for his church membership.
My post on the Committee to Protect Florida mailer attacking Joe Vinson’s church has drawn a flood of reaction on social media. Many readers saw the same pattern we did. In the 1920s and 1930s, the Ku Klux Klan in Pensacola used a person’s house of worship to turn neighbors against Roman Catholics and Jews. Nearly a century later, a District 4 mailer is doing the same to a Unitarian Universalist.
Hofberger has now answered. She told the Pensacola News Journal that Vinson is the immediate past president of the church and that his wife sits on its board.
“If you don’t agree with it, why would you stay involved?” Hofberger said in a text message.
The theology argument. She said the Bible is clear “about heaven and hell and about God. You can’t pick and choose which parts of the Bible you want to believe.”
“Also, if you belong to an organization which calls itself a Church and does not believe in God, I think you should have to answer people’s questions on that. I answer questions about my faith all the time,” Hofberger said.
The deeper question. What is Hofberger’s position on people who don’t see the Bible as the center of their faith, such as Jews, Buddhists and Muslims—or who don’t attend any church? Are they unfit to hold an elected office?
Another False Accusation by Hofberger
Commissioner Hofberger has sent out another mailer accusing Vinson of “no record of public service.”
Vinson responded on Facebook with his extensive record of serving the public that is documented:
- After college, he volunteered for Pensacola Habitat for Humanity and was named its Volunteer of the Month in September 2005.
- When the Pensacola MESS Hall first launched in 2012, he designed their original marketing materials pro bono.
- With the Escambia County Public Schools Foundation, he championed key programs like Take Stock in Children and Grants for Excellence.
- With Friends of West Florida Public Library, he publicized and worked book sales to support our library system.
- As a Gulf Coast Kid’s House board member since 2010, he helped create awareness and fundraising campaigns to protect local children.
- As a board member and past president of the Japan-America Society of Northwest Florida, he helped organize annual events like the Japanese New Year Celebration and the Japan-U.S. Military Program.
- For his efforts to share and preserve local history, Sue Straughn/WEAR TV named him an “Angel in Our Midst” in 2023.
- In 2024, Vinson received a CivicCon Award as part of the team behind the “Righting the Past” project.
Zero Public Service for Hofberger in 2024
When she ran for commissioner in 2024, Hofberger listed her business achievements, her certifications—Human Resources SHRM-CP designation (2020), SHRM Talent Acquisition Specialty Credential (2021) and Emergenetics Certified Associate (2022)—and being a “proud UWF alumna.” No community involvement or any government service.
- Her campaign website still doesn’t list any.
- Her profile on myescambia.com lists her church, Pace Center for Girls and the Krewe of Warriors.
- When Gov. DeSantis appointed her to the county commission in October 2024, he listed that she was the 2019 National Association for Industrial and Office Properties Member of the Year. He noted she volunteered at the PACE Center for Girls.