PORT RICHEY, Fla. — Dale Massad says he is the victim of "fake news."
The former mayor of Port Richey, who is accused of opening fire at law enforcement who came to his home, is speaking out in a jailhouse interview.
He denied the allegations, calling them false and trumped up.
"I wouldn't shoot at a policeman," Mossad said.
Massad said his arrest is the result of a long-standing grudge held by Port Richey police, calling his relationship with them "tenuous."
He said when he took office, he went to the police chief at the time and asked where the budget could be cut.
"Once you get in with these guys ... it's like a bulldog," Massad said. "They bite down and they don't let go."
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