Flores reports $150k haul

Miami Republican Rep. Anitere Flores is sending out an email to supporters, etc., boasting that she raised $150k in three weeks*** in her race for Sen. D-38. Not a bad haul. But now that there's no legislative session (during which fundraising is banned) she still has some catch-up to do to keep her competitive with Miami Rep. David Rivera.

At the end of last quarter, Rivera had raised $236k and spent $3k. Flores, who started running just before session, had raised just $9k. Rep. Marcelo Llorente's leaving of the race should make the contest a little clearer.

The conventional wisdom: Flores needs less money than Rivera because most of her House district is in the Senate district. Being female helps as well. Rivera wouldn't disclose how much he has raised this past quarter, but sounded confident.

“I hope Anitere does well this quarter because for every dollar she raises now I’ll receive two or three from most of those folks next quarter,” Rivera said

Here's Flores' email:

Dear Friends & Family,

The first fundraising quarter for our campaign for the Florida Senate came to a close this week.  Thanks to all of your support and generosity, we exceeded all expectations and raised more than $150,000 in just 53 days!  Even more significant are the hundreds of phone calls and emails we received from so many of you, offering your time and eager to join our campaign.

You will hear it said that political races are won only by money – we know that is NOT TRUE! Nothing can beat hard work and my unwavering commitment to representing your best interests in Tallahassee – That will be what ultimately decides this campaign! 

Very importantly, we have the home team advantage: as the State Representative for District 114 I currently serve the largest portion of Senate District 38. Since my election in 2004 my team and I have worked tirelessly to constantly reflect your values and respond to your concerns. That is because this is my home too! It is where I have always lived.  Many personal milestones have taken place here including my high school and college graduations, my wedding and the birth of my son.  I am so honored to be your neighbor, your co-worker and your fellow parishioner. 

You, my friends and family, have helped lead me to victory before, and I know that together we will do it again!  Thank you for your constant support. 

Sincerely, 

Anitere

***Error mine. It is 53 days. MC

Broward GOP chair to county: quit playing politics with sheriff

Broward Republican Party Chair Chip LaMarca issued a news release today accusing the nine-member Democratic County Commission of playing politics with Republican Sheriff Al Lamberti's budget.

The county has asked Lamberti to cut $50 million. He has refused, although he has taken steps to reduce growth in his budget by laying off 177 workers by the end of this month.

LaMarca says that the County Commission has turned the budget date into a ''political circus.''

"The last straw was when the Democratic Mayor went before a partisan group of Democrats to criticize the sheriff,'' he wrote.

LaMarca called on elected officials in cities that have BSO contracts to also speak up.

"Or, will they remain silent out of fear of political reprisals from the Democratic Party?''

Commissioners have said their fight isn't about partisan politics despite the fact that nearly all of them endorsed Lamberti's opponent last year. They argue that its about money: if Lamberti doesn't cut, they will have to cut more from their side of the ledger.

Ileana and the president

The House Republican who famously hung up on President Barack Obama after his election, is still welcome in the Oval Office.

Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen was at the White House Wednesday as Obama signed into law a bill to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the Women Airforce Service Pilots who served during World War II. Ros-Lehtinen was one of the bill's sponsors.

 Photo courtesy The White House

Wasserman Schultz defends her cancer bill

Debbie Wasserman Schultz took to the airwaves -- MSNBC - today to defend her legislation aimed at educating younger women about breast cancer. The bill has attracted opposition from several cancer groups who say it's well-meaning, but misguided. And Nancy Snyder, host of MSNBC's "Ask Dr. Nancy," appears to agree with them.

"At a time when you have been charged as a member of Congress to overhaul health care reform, and there doesn't seem to be enough money to go around, my concern is while well meaning, we know that
younger women have lumpier breasts, the chance of more false positives, higher spending," Snyder said. "Even the National Breast Cancer Coalition, which is seen by doctors as being a really credible coalition, even the American Cancer Society, they haven't jumped on the bandwagon with you."

Wasserman Schultz noted the "majority of the breast cancer advocacy community" supports the bill.

"The bottom line is it is a paltry sum to spend $9 million a year simply to raise the awareness of women younger than 45 about the importance of focusing on their breast health," Wasserman Schultz said. "We need to make sure that young women know what their breasts feel like and know what's normal for them so that they know when something feels different."

E-mail describes Sansom as 'kingpin' of airport deal

An e-mail retrieved from ex-college president Bob Richburg's BlackBerry describes Rep. Ray Sansom as the "kingpin" in a plan for a taxpayer-funded building at Destin Aiport.

"Jay is positive and motivated," Richburg wrote to Sansom on July 11, 2007, several months after Sansom put $6 million into the state budget for the facility. "He and I both agree that you are the king pin in this whole operation and that the three of us need to meet and work the plan."

The e-mail, which was just turned over to investigators and includes an oblique reference to Sen. Ken Pruitt, indicates Sansom's reluctance to build Jay Odom's fixed-based operation, a fancy name for a private airport facility. And a subsequent e-mail asserts that position more forcefully but says that Odom could lease part of the Northwest Florida State College building that Sansom funded.

Odom in fact built a terminal building for his Destin Jet, but documents and interviews suggest he was going to use the hangar-like college space to store aircraft. As recently as December 2008, a college architect was writing that, "We have it confirmed by the user of the Staging area that multiple aircraft will be stored, therefore we are required to add floor trench drains, slope the floor, and add a gas intercept in the line by code.” (see that e-mail here)

The BlackBerry messages were requested from an investigator for the Florida Commission on Ethics and then turned over to the State Atttorney's Office.

Sink says she's 'trying to do the right thing' on state planes

Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink responds today to stories about her state plane use, saying ''my total intent is to absolutely do the right thing.''

She said her office is still investigating whether she used the plane properly for official state business and she noted that she was the only state official that asked for the Department of Management Services to develop guidelines on state plane use and post the plane travel on the internet.

Supremes smack down Crist's JNC moves

So much for appointing a majority of the high court.

In a unanimous decision, the Florida Supreme Court repeatedly said it "rejects" Gov. Charlie Crist's efforts to require the Judicial Nominating Commission to submit a new list of judges for the 5th District Court of Appeals. The court said Crist had to pick a judge from the original list he received. Crist argued he could wait until he was provided a slate of candidates with more diversity.

"The Governor lacks authority under the constitution to seek a new list of nominees from the JNC and has a mandatory duty to fill the vacancy created by Petitioner's retirement with an appointment from the list certified to him on November 6, 2008. Because we believe the Governor will fully comply with the dictates of this opinion, we grant the petition but withhold issuance of the writ," the court wrote.

Crist said in a statement: "While I am disappointed by today’s decision that the Judicial Nominating Commission cannot reconsider these important nominations, I respect the Supreme Court’s decision and their consideration of this case.  I remain committed to ensuring that the diversity of the people of Florida is represented in our judiciary. In respect to the Court’s decision, I look forward to interviewing and considering the nominees for the Fifth District Court of Appeal.”

Opinion is here Download Sc09-565

Dems eager to take on Miami Republicans?

The Southern Political Report suggests Democrats are eager for another bite at Miami's three Republican members of Congress, pointing to a blizzard of press releases the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in Washington has issued assailing the trio. (Last week's example, for voting against the climate change bill a release went out saying that: "Given the chance to create 2.5 million clean energy jobs, Representative .... just says No."

The report doesn't name any challengers for Lincoln Diaz-Balart, whom it notes easily dispatched former Hialeah Mayor Raul Martinez 58 to 42, but it notes 2008 challengers Joe Garcia and Annette Taddeo haven't ruled out reprising their bids against Mario Diaz-Balart and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, respectively.

B. J. Chiszar, chairman of the Miami-Dade Democratic Party, tells the report that party "intends to challenge at least two of the three.

House tribunal on Sansom could begin late this month

Rep. Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, said this evening that he has not set a date but wants the hearings on Ray Sansom to begin by late this month.

The hearings are called after special investigator Steve Kahn found there is probable cause Sansom, R-Destin, broke House rules and damaged public confidence in the institution through his dealings with Northwest Florida State College. Galvano will chair the panel.

Crist and Seminoles start compact talks

Gov. Charlie Crist and the Seminole Tribe of Florida began negotiating a new gambling compact today that would bring new revenue to the state in exchange for the tribe's right to a monopoly on some of its casino games.

 Lawyers for the governor and the tribe met Wednesday morning in Tallahassee to set schedules and review the issues to be discussed, said George LeMieux, a Tallahassee lawyer and Crist's former chief of staff who will be a part of the governor's negotiating team. They will resume discussions again in mid-July with a goal of completing the talks by Aug. 31, he said.

The governor must re-negotiate the agreement he signed in 2007 with the Seminole Tribe of Florida because it invalidated by the Florida Supreme Court a year ago. Since then, the Florida Legislature passed legislation that lays out the framework for what Crist should seek in his talks with the tribe.

Under those guidelines, the state would give the Seminoles the exclusive right to operate slot machines outside of Miami-Dade and Broward counties and the exclusive right to banked card games -- black jack, baccarat and chemin de fer -- in Broward and Hillsborough counties. In return, the tribe would be expected to pay the state $150 million a year.

Continue reading "Crist and Seminoles start compact talks "

Insurance commish seeks sit-down with angry lawmaker

Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty wants a sit-down with the lawmaker whose rate deregulation legislation he opposed.

McCarty, accused by Rep. Bill Proctor of misleading the governor and the public in his opposition to Proctor's HB 1171, today sent Proctor a three-page letter in which he applauds Proctor's "commitment  to helping solve the problems confronting the Florida property insurance market" and suggests a face-to-face meeting this summer. The letter responds to a number of Proctor's questions and assertions against McCarty, and it includes a couple of detailed attachments.

Continue reading "Insurance commish seeks sit-down with angry lawmaker"

Broward Republicans organize tea party for July 4th

Broward Republicans want residents to put down their grilling tongs and pick up their placards on July 4th.

Republican club leaders are organizing another Tea Party protest at the corner of Broward Boulevard and Third Avenue in Fort Lauderdale at 10:30 a.m.

"I would like everybody to remember that 48 percent of the nation didn't vote for this president,'' said Ed Napolitano, a Republican activist in Hallandale Beach.

Napolitano says the federal government is moving too quickly to approve spending related to the economy.

"They are rushing,'' he said. "This is payback to a lot of constituent groups. A lot of the bailouts are pay backs to the unions and ACORN.''

On April 15, Republicans across the country organized similar protests which in Fort Lauderdale police said drew 1,500 to 2,000.

Sink will start posting daily schedule online

Following the example set several weeks ago by her Republican opponent for governor, CFO Alex Sink will begin posting her daily schedules online. Her press office announced the move this afternoon, on the heels of reports about Sink's and McCollum's travels on the state plane that have drawn ethics complaints against both.

McCollum announced he was posting his daily schedule online in May, after Sink called for online logs of state plane use by elected officials including themselves and the governor.

Sink's schedule can be viewed here: http://www.myfloridacfo.com/CFOCalendar/

Pork watchers decry Florida project

Citizens Against Government Waste has labeled a Florida project sought by nearly a quarter of the state's congressional delegation as a prime example of pork.

The anti-earmark group says its preliminary analysis of the House version of the 2010 Interior and Environment spending bill found 272 projects costing taxpayers $156 million -- a 10.1 increase in projects and a 15.6 increase in spending from fiscal year 2009.

"As usual," the group says, "Appropriators loaded the bill with pork." It singled out several "outrageous examples of wasteful spending that members of the House added to the bill," including $500,000 sought by Florida lawmakers for the Florida Scenic Trail.

Those requesting the money include Reps. Bill Young, Ron Klein, Suzanne Kosmas, Kendrick Meek, Robert Wexler, Lincoln Diaz-Balart and John Mica. The trail runs from the Gulf Islands National Seashore near Pensacola to Big Cypress National Preserve west of Miami. The funds will be used to acquire approximately 267 miles of gaps in the trail, according to Wexler’s website.

Miami airport seeking slot machines to boost revenue

Miami Dade County leaders are ready to pounce on a loophole in state law that allows slot machines at leased facilities that hold a quarterhorse permit as a cure for their financial woes at Miami International Airport.

Miami-Dade commissioners voted Tuesday to allow the county manager to immediately seek the permit that would give the county the ability to apply for a slot machine license from state officials. See Matt Haggman's story today.

But legislative leaders are urging caution. Rep. Bill Galvano, the House rules chairman who led negotiations over gambling legislation, warned that if the state finalizes the compact with the Seminole Tribe and the gambling bill becomes law, the loophole will close.

"What they're proposing to do, they could not do if our bill becomes law,'' Galvano told the Herald/Times. "If our bill becomes law, they're going to have to build a racetrack.''

The slots/quarterhorse loophole that allows anyone with a quarterhorse permit to lease a facility to operate slot machines was tucked into the 2008 law but it was closed by the legislation that passed this year. The 2009 legislation imposed the same requirements on quarterhorse tracks that thoroughbred tracks now have to meet. The closing of the loophole will take effect when a negotiated compact becomes law.

"If I were the commission, I would proceed with caution,'' Galvano said.

Carrie Meek off the hook on lobbying conflict

Miami-Dade County commissioners unanimously cleared former U.S. Rep. Carrie Meek of any conflicts in her dual representation of the county and security firm Wackenhut Corp. even as the two entities are locked in a high-stakes lawsuit.

Meek has built a lucrative career as a lobbyist since leaving Congress eight years ago, and has represented both the county and Wackenhut since 2007. The Meek family has long-standing ties to
Wackenhut -- her son, U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek, and his wife, Leslie, have each worked for the security company.

Full story here.

Common ground for Sink and McCollum: the ethics defense

Attorney General Bill McCollum "misused his public position in violation of the law'' by using the state plane to divert flights from Tallahassee to the Sanford airport, close his to Longwood home, according to Ken Quinnell, a Democratic activist who filed an ethics complaint against the Republican AG today.

The arrival of the complaint Tuesday now makes it even. Chief Financial Alex Sink, a Democrat who is running for governor, drew an ethics complaint Monday from Republican activist Jose Blas Lorenzo, Jr.

Both complaints accuse the cabinet officials of wasting taxpayer money. Both complaints cite the plane logs that show that each of them had planes diverted to their hometown airports on the way to or from official business. And both provide copies of their appointments calendar.

According to the Herald/Times review Sink diverted the plane 44 times, and had state business 30 of those times. McCollum diverted the plane 53 times, almost always to and from state business. 

Given that the ethics law appears to apply to each of them for the similar allegations, does this mean these two rivals now have one thing in common: their ethics defense?  Download Ethics Complaint Sink Download Ethics Complaint McCollum

Sink hires a lawyer and McCollum draws an ethics complaint

Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink has hired lawyer Mark Herron to represent her in her ethics complaint on charges that she used the state plane to transport her family and to commute to her Tampa home. Tallahassee lawyer and Republican activist Jose Blas Lorenzo filed the complaint against Sink.

Meanwhile Democratic activist Ken Quinnell brags today on his Twitter page that he's just filed a complaint against Attorney General Bill McCollum ''for misuse of the state plane.'' No word back from Quinnell, but stay tuned.

The Herald/Times reported today that as far back as February state auditors began examining the state aircraft manifest and found numerous examples of possible commuting by state officials. The investigation seems to have avoided any review of Gov. Charlie Crist's flight logs but it gave a detailed review of Sink's trips to Tampa and McCollum's trips to Sanford, raising questions about whether they were traveling home for official business or personal convenience.

The audit was prompted after the Sun-Sentinel broke the story that Lieutenant Gov. Jeff Kottkamp had used the state plane to travel to his Fort Myers home with his wife and family, and the state never billed him for reimbursement.

Crist signs bill to close off public input in water decisions

Gov. Charlie Crist today disappointed environmentalists and signed into law a bill that removes from public input the of water management district boards on surface water and consumptive use permits. Environmentalists had urged Crist to veto SB 2010 arguing that by allowing those decisions to be made by the water management districts executive director, instead of the elected board, they will be shielded from public input and debate.

They also warned that the bill carves out special exemptions for certain large land holders to get 50-year permits to use Florida water with no public review.

Crist said he was sensitive to those concerns and, in a letter accompanying his signing of the bill, urged the WMDs to continue to make their water permit decisions in the open. "I am asking the governing boards and executive directors to continue to include surface water and consumptive use permits on all board meeting agendas or other public meetings for discussion and transparency purposes.''

Eric Draper of Audubon of Florida said they will fight to get the language repealed next year. "In the past at least we've had a chance to get in front of those people and say, 'Hey, this isn't a good idea,'' he said. "We didn't always get the votes...but this takes a decision about resources and puts it behind closed doors, eliminating the opportunity for a public hearing.''

Federal Election Commission closes complaint against Diaz-Balarts, Ros-Lehtinen

The FEC closes a complaint against the trio, finding that there was so little money spent to host the event, "it is appropriate to dismiss the complaint."

At issue: a May 2008 fundraiser in which Reps. Lincoln and Mario Diaz-Balart and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen participated, requesting that contributors write separate checks to each campaign. The South Florida AFL-CIO filed a complaint, arguing that such joint fundraising events "must either establish a new political committee...or select a participating political committee to act as the fundraising representative."

The three Republicans told the FEC, however, that the event qualified for a "volunteer exemption," which allows individuals to contribute up to $1,000 for invites and food and beverage. Read the decision here..