First Amendment

77-Year-Old Florida Veteran Investigated For Sending an Official a Postcard Saying 'You Lack Values'

High-level state officials launched a threat investigation over a harmless postcard to Florida's chief financial officer.

C.J. Ciaramella | 7.6.2026 12:26 PM

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Public records show that high-ranking Florida officials were behind a recent threat investigation into a 77-year-old Army veteran. The reason for the investigation: a postcard to the state's chief financial officer that simply read, "You lack values."

James O'Gara, a resident of Largo, Florida, was interviewed by detectives from the criminal division of the Florida Department of Financial Services (DFS) last September after he mailed the postcard to Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia's office. The police encounter led to accusations of First Amendment retaliation and government bullying by Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis' administration.

Records released by the DFS to Reason shed light on the internal decision to investigate O'Gara, his interview with detectives, and the ensuing public backlash. An audio recording of detectives' interview with O'Gara shows that they didn't think there was anything wrong with his statement and quickly closed their investigation. After local and state media covered the incident, Ingoglia's office received dozens of postcards from all over the country with the same message: "You lack values."

The investigation started on September 15, 2025, when Simon Blank, the former director of the Criminal Investigations Division, emailed the division's assistant director and lieutenant colonel. "The attached was mailed to the CFO," Blank wrote. "Can you have someone look into the name and do a threat assessment?"

The order filtered down the chain of command. Lt. Col. James Evangelina wrote to Darrell Wilson, the former chief of the division's Bureau of Fire, Arson and Explosives Investigations, on September 29, 2025. "I'd like a member of our team........

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