Ex-FL GOP chair endorses the 'delightful' Dockery

State Sen. Paula Dockery of Lakeland, who recently stepped up to challenge Attorney General Bill McCollum for the Republican nomination for governor, announced a name-brand endorsement today: Former Republican Party of Florida Chairman Tom Slade.

Slade, who lives in Jacksonville and headed the state party during the 1990s, is known as a straight-talking maverick -- a perfect fit for Dockery's anti-establishment campaign.

"McCollum is a nice guy, but I think he would be better in the U.S. Senate, where I think his skills are better suited,'' Slade says in a press release. "But I think Paula would do a better job of being governor. She's got the kind of tenacity you need, and she's got the knowledge."

He added: "Paula would be better position to win the general election than her opponent. She has a delightful personality and a pleasantness that is rare in most politicians."

Dockery remains a longshot but this endorsement has got to bug the McCollum camp, coming one day before he addresses the Republican Governors Association's annual conference in Texas. McCollum, who is trailing Sink in fundraising, could use the heft of a group like the RGA behind him.

McCollum tells banks to improve home loan modification response

Attorney General Bill McCollum, miffed at the red tape and unresponsiveness that homeowners have reported in dealing with their mortgage banks, just sent a letter to the Florida execs of several major banks calling on them to create a "fair and efficient" process for recession-weary homeowners to modify and renegotiate their loans.

McCollum spokeswoman Sandi Copes said McCollum's office has been getting complaints for many weeks from homeowners who are trying to tweak their loans -- only to be put on hold for hours or directed through a frustrating maze of phone calls and bank reps. McCollum heard an echo of those complaints during a Nov. 7 housing forum in Broward County, and a deputy attorney general from his office saw the problems firsthand while recently sitting with a frustrated homeowner at a bank for two hours, said McCollum spokeswoman Ryan Wiggins.

"Homeowners who experienced excellent customer service from their banks at the time they originated their loans are now frustrated and disillusioned by the lack of response and cooperation they have received from their banks," McCollum said.

Helping homeowners can no doubt build good will among potential voters, of course, so McCllum isn't alone among elected officials seeking higher office. Gov. Charlie Crist in 2008 created the HOPE task force to seek remedies for the state mortgage crisis. Democrat gubernatorial candidate CFO Alex Sink has helped some 750 homeowners renegotiate and pay their loans through initiatives such as the Florida Housing Help program, said her spokeswoman Kyra Jennings.

And McCollum critics (who tend to be Sink supporters, big shocker) point out that he was a member of Congress when much of the legislation faulted with contributing to the national mortgage crisis was passed. McCollum voted for the Financial Services Act of 1999 and the Commodity Futures Modernization Act in 2000, which have been credited for allowing banks to become more aggressive mortgage lenders.

Read the letter McCollum sent to Bank of America, JP Morgan/Chase, Wells Fargo, and Wachovia here.

Federal judge allows EPA to set pollution limits

TALLAHASSEE -- A federal judge on Monday authorized the Environmental Protection Agency to set limits on the flow of pollution into Florida's waterways, rejecting a challenge from Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Bronson and a coalition of major agricultural, business and utility groups.

U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle approved the settlement between the EPA and environmental groups, which filed a lawsuit in 2008 asking the federal government to intervene because the state wasn't enforcing clean water laws.

The judge was critical of the state Department of Environmental Protection's 11-year delays in setting water quality standards, asking repeatedly, "How much more time do you need?" He also was openly skeptical of the main arguments articulated by attorneys for the state and business groups, including most points made in a recent press conference.

"What you want me to do (is say that) even if Florida's regulation is inadequate, let it go, not do what the act requires because economic times are hard and (water quality) is worse somewhere else?" the judge asked. "That would be a lawless decision."

The EPA is expected to announce its first set of standards in January 2010, despite protests that the limits will cost businesses too much money. Opponents are expected to continue to fight those limits in the future.

Sink cautiously favors gay adoption, insurers covering abortion

Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink, the leading Democratic candidate for governor, stopped short of calling for an outright repeal of the state law banning gay adoption but said the decision should be up to judges, on a case by case basis.

"We need a system in which all of our children are assured that they live in a healthy, loving home --  a home that's determined not by any law,'' Sink told about 300 gay activists who packed a gallery of modern artwork at the Museum of Art in Fort Lauderdale. "The decision has to be made by the judge, in consultation with the experts, to determine what is the best for that individual child.''

Sink said she looked forward to working with Democratic state Sen. Nan Rich of Weston, who has  unsuccessfully pushed legislation to repeal the state's gay adoption ban. But Sink said after the speech that she had not read the bill and would not immediately commit to signing it if it passed and she was elected governor.

Never to be confused with a Democratic firebrand, Sink also was careful when asked about legislation in Congress that would forbid insurers that participate in a federally subsidized health care system from covering abortion. "One of the things that the president has promised was that if we like the insurance we have we should be able to keep it,'' she said, suggesting that insurers should be able to continue covering abortion. Sink has been endorsed by Emily's List, a national fundraising group for female Democratic candidates who support abortion rights.

Story on Sink's speech Sunday to Equality Florida is here.

McCollum shows support for anti-EPA effort

AG Bill McCollum is indicating support for a big business, anti-tax effort to stop the federal Environmental Protection Agency from enforcing water quality standards in the Florida's waterways.

In letter (download here) asking DEP Secretary Michael Sole to brief the Cabinet, McCollum embraces many of the talking points espoused at a press conference Thursday. The political calculation is not surprising -- any Republican likes to stab at the Democratic administration in Washington -- and it is sure to draw a distinction between his GOP primary opponent Paula Dockery, whose is likely to campaign on her environmental credentials. What is more surprising: the letter came to us from Ron Sachs' PR firm, which is behind the donttaxflorida.com effort, not from McCollum's office.

Update: McCollum spokeswoman Sandi Copes said the attorney general's office has been working on the letter "for more than a week now'' and they "didn't know anything about the talking points. We had our water attorney draft the letter." She acknowledged "it could become a political issue in the future. We're not there yet."  

More Sink-McCollum fingerpointing over Rothstein

 

This photo comes from an Alex Sink press release titled "Why is this man smiling?" It's the Democrat's retort, of sorts, to Republican Bill McCollum's bashing of Sink for taking money from accused Ponzi schemer Scott Rothstein and then suggesting they had some "deal." Sink has vowed to give up Rothstein campaign contributions. McCollum never got any Rothstein cash, according to state records.

In hitting her opponent over Rothstein, Sink is entering RPOF hypocrisy territory (more here on that). But hey, we're already in say-anything mode, so why not?

While the McCollum-Sink picture's kinda interesting, it pales in comparison to the photo of Gov. Charlie Crist's 52nd birthday cake. Rothstein paid $52k to sponsor it. Other special interests forked over a mere $5,200 each to sponsor a candle. Here's the photo and blog on all that.

Roger Stone v. Alex Sink v. 'douche' Rothstein v....?

Roger Stone, the man who puts opera in the word "political operative" (ask Elliot Spitzer), is getting back in the good graces of the Republican Party of Florida hierarchy now that he's beating up on Democratic Gov. candidate Alex Sink (though he still takes a few shots at RPOF chief Jim Greer as well).

 

Last week, Stone blogged on the StoneZone about former ally and alleged Ponzi schemer Scott Rothstein that the lawyer: insisted I had to support Sink and told me he had a commitment from Sink that he and Broward money man Austin Forman would "pick all her gubernatorial appointments" and "all the judges." I declined to support Sink who is a disaster as a candidate and would be no better as Governor.

 

RPOF highlighted this in a press release today for Sink's opponent, Republican Bill McCollum, who wants the press to ask about "secret deal" Sink engaged in. No mention of all the nearly $600k Rothstein has given RPOF, etc. Also, Rothstein was a major backer of Republican Gov. Charlie Crist. And Crist tapped Rothstein to sit on a judicial nominating commission that picks judges... hmmm... again, no mention of that.

 

Anyway, here's the Sink camp: “Even respected conservative publications have called Roger Stone ‘a Nixon-era dirty trickster’ and ‘a professional lord of mischief.’  Roger Stone himself has said, ‘If you can’t fake sincerity, you can’t make it in this business.’  There is absolutely no truth, whatsoever, to Mr. Stone’s wild and outlandish rantings about Alex Sink."

 

At the least, Stone's stuff is funny, a worthwhile diversion in a time of the say-anything hypocritical ersatz outrage of campaign season (10 months out, no less). Check this out from the same blog that mentioned Sink:

 

Upon entering a room, Rothstein was like Rodney Dangerfield at the country club in Caddyshack, throwing money around, tipping parking valets $100 and generally acting like a douche.....

 

Although Rothstein complained bitterly when Florida GOP Chairman spent party funds on lavish food, drinks, limousines, luxury jet travel, five-star resorts, premium cigars and five-star restaurants, he still gave the RPOF $100,000 in January of 2009 when Governor Crist, who now claims he barely knew Rothstein, called and asked for it. Chump.

 

Alex Sink to return more Rothstein cash

Democratic Gov. candidate Alex Sink has announced she'll return more cash from suspected Ponzi schemer Scott Rothstein. The total now: $6,000. Sink initially returned money directly from Rothstein, his wife, his firm AAMM Holdings. But now the campaign has identified contributions from another Rothstein-tied corp., WAWW.

Said the Sink campaign: "These are very serious allegations. The campaign is returning or donating to charity any contributions from Mr. Rothstein, his wife, his law firm and his other corporate entities. If it becomes clear that others were involved in this matter, it’s our intention to return those contributions as well.”

Rothstein, a predominantly Republican fundraiser, decided to switch sides in the governor's race, much to Sink's recent dismay and the joy of Republican Bill McCollum's campaign, which has hammered her over receiving the cash. No mention from the McCollum camp that Republican Gov. Charlie Crist or that Republican CFO candidate and Senate President Jeff Atwater or that Republican Rep. Ellyn Bogdanoff or that the Republican Party of Florida got more from Rothstein. All, too, say they're returning cash, as is the Florida Democratic Party.

In light of SEC probe, Gelber pushes plan to remove AG from SBA

Sen. Dan Gelber, vying to be Florida's next attorney general, says the proposed anticorruption package he unveiled earlier this week is more vital than ever in light of confirmation this week that the Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating possible fraud by the board that oversees the state pension fund.

The reform package by Gelber, D-Miami Beach, would remove the AG from the SBA board, which now consists of the Governor, AG and Chief Financial Officer. Gelber says the AG should have "more arms length oversight" that will lead to prosecuting wrongdoing if needed.

Paula Dockery gets pro-NRA email

If there's one group that can sway loads of votes in Florida with a single blast email, it's the NRA. And it just sent out this big, wet kiss of an email in support of Sen. Paula Dockery, running against fellow Bill McCollum for governor:

ALERT Paula Dockery, A+ NRA rated Senator enters FL Governor's Race

STRONG PRO-GUN, A+ rated Senator Enters Governor's Race

Paula Dockery, a Strong Pro-Gun and NRA A+ rated Florida Senator has entered the race and is challenging Attoney General Bill McCollum in the Florida Governor's race.

Dockery, who has a perfect A+ record on Second Amendment issues, has been and continues to be an outstanding leader in our fight to protect and preserve gun rights in Florida. 

"Sen. Dockery's committment and dedication to the Second Amendment and strong record of support is unequaled in this race.  She is a true champion of Freedom, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights... When she took her oath of office and swore to uphold the Constitution, she meant it,"  said Marion P. Hammer, NRA past president and exceuctive Director of Unified Sportsmen of Florida.