Dun & Bradstreet lists Foley as the principal of Sons of Confederate Veterans, Inc. in Montverde.

The Sons of Confederate Veterans — whose motto is “vindicating the cause since 1896” — promotes the Lost Cause ideology of the Confederacy, which romanticizes the Old South, whitewashes the horrors of slavery and recasts the South as undefeated in the Civil War. Despite adopting statements, like "heritage not hate," Sons of Confederate Veterans has long been associated with white supremacy and white supremacist groups, such as League of the South and Council of Conservative Citizens. In 2023, the Southern Poverty Law Center described the group as “purveyors of hate, extremism, and revisionist history."

The Ocoee city proclamation makes no mention of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. The minutes from the Oct. 20 meeting refers to Foley only as a representative of “Camp 1630,” even though he introduced himself as commander of the Bluford M. Sims Camp 1630.

Foley told the commission his group sought to get the Ocoee Cemetery approved for participation in the Wreaths Across America program. He noted that there were 200 veterans in the city cemetery. He said the group plans to sponsor 50 wreaths at $17 apiece.

“I don’t want to bite off too much of the elephant at this time,” he said with a slight laugh.

Mayor Rusty Johnson offered to display the group's promotional posters in the city hall lobby and suggested that "some of us could donate to that."

He did not respond to VoxPopuli's text and phone messages for comment.

With its own page on the Wreaths Across America website, the Bluford M. Sims Camp 1630 will earn $5 for every wreath it sells through the organization's Payback Group Program. According to Wreaths Across America’s 2025 annual report, “WAA stimulates other charitable funds by returning $5 of every wreath sponsorship received through these groups back to them. In doing so, we 'do good twice' — honoring the nonprofits that support us by directly giving back to their missions.”

In other words, wreath purchases may directly fund white supremacy.

As of Oct. 31, eight wreaths had been purchased.

Wreaths Across America has not yet responded to a request for comment.

District 2 City Commissioner Rosemary Wilsen told VoxPopuli in a Saturday phone interview that she was initially unaware of Foley's Sons of Confederate Veterans connection. She said she'd been focused on Wreaths Across America — something she was familiar with because the Ocoee Woman's Club, where she is a member, also participates — and she was thinking about the potential to honor veterans buried in the Ocoee Cemetery the way veterans in the National Cemetery are honored.

“ I did not piece it together at that point that he was Sons of Confederate Veterans,” Wilsen said. “ I thought about it after we agreed [about the proclamation]. I'm supportive of Wreaths Across America. That's number one. If it's honoring our veterans, as we honor [them] in the national cemeteries, I'm supportive.”

Wilsen said she only realized Foley’s connection when she received an email from him the day after the meeting. Even so, she didn’t want to say that Foley’s presentation was deceptive.

“ I wouldn't call anyone deceptive. I wouldn't want to say that,” she said. “I was focusing on Wreaths Across America, and what an honor it would be for our veterans here because not everybody is buried in the National Cemetery."

Foley did not respond to email questions about why he did not share his Sons of Confederate Veterans connection with the commission and whether his group planned to lay wreaths for Confederate veterans only or all veterans.

Asked if knowing Foley’s background would have changed her position on supporting his request for a proclamation, Wilsen was uncertain.

“ Honestly, I don't know at this point. I think it … I had not really thought about that part. You got me puzzled there. That may be something I have to think about.”

District 4 City Commissioner George Oliver III and District 3 City Richard Firstner did not respond to requests to comment.