Sink fundraiser set record for gay rights group

Here is Equality Florida's breathless review from of Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink's appearance at its fundraiser on Sunday:

Fantastic news from our Equality Florida Broward Gala. Last Sunday's gathering of Equality Florida activists, donors, elected leaders and volunteers was our biggest event of the year and smashed through all of our previous fundraising records. The event has triggered major headline-grabbing political news as well. Florida CFO Alex Sink has become Florida's highest ranking official to oppose the anti-gay adoption ban. Sink told the packed crowd of over 300 Equality Florida members, that family law judges and child welfare experts should make adoption decisions based solely on the best interest of each child. The Broward Gala is the largest of the eleven major events Equality Florida holds across the state. This year was a record-breaking success, raising $203,000 for the fight toward full legal equality for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. 

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.

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.

Sink raising money in Coral Gables

Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink is slated to attend a fundraiser tomorrow at the home of Coral Gables activist Vincent Damian. Hosts include leaders of the Cuban-American Bar Association. Download Sink Fundraiser on Nov 10 2009 from 7 pm to 830 pm

Alex Sink could have primary rival too

So Republican Bill McCollum drew a primary rival today in the governor's race -- state Sen. Paula Dockery of Lakeland -- while Alex Sink has the Democratic field to herself? Well, maybe not. Anthony Shriver, the founder of Best Buddies International, a nonprofit group that matches disabled people with with mentors and employers, is talking to folks about running for governor, too.

Shriver lives in Miami Beach and is the brother of California First Lady Maria Shriver. Their mother, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, who was a founder of the Special Olympics, died in August.

"My mother's efforts on behalf of individuals with intellectual disabilities -- particularly her work with Special Olympics -- inspired me to similarly devote my life to this shared mission,'' Shriver wrote on his web site after her death. "Through her unwavering faith in their abilities, she helped me -- and countless others -- to appreciate the fact that everyone is capable of something exceptional; especially with the support and encouragement of friends and family....My mother's lifelong commitment to people with intellectual disabilities also taught me that there is no greater joy than the satisfaction of contributing one's time and energy to the enhancement of another person's life.''

Shriver hasn't returned calls.

Dockery: People 'don't want to be told what to think'

Paula Dockery, a state senator from Lakeland, confirmed Tuesday she will file papers to begin raising money and seek the Republican nomination for governor in 2010. Her candidacy means that the GOP now has internal primaries for every major statewide office but one -- chief financial officer.

Dockery, 48, issued a statement in which she took issue with the Republican Party's decision to "anoint" Attorney General Bill McCollum as its nominee. "People want a choice," Dockery said. "People I meet don't want to be told what to think." Helping to distribute news about Dockery's candidacy: Rosemary Goudreau, a friend and former editorial page editor of The Tampa Tribune who previously worked as a Miami Herald reporter and editor. Orlando area anti-tax crusader Doug Guetzloe is also a supporter of Dockery.

"I'm getting in the race to offer voters the opportunity to have a different choice ... and I'm asking the voters of Florida, 'Would you hire me to be your next governor?' It doesn't matter who's in the race. The more, the merrier," Dockery's statement said.

She declined to say whether she plans to use some of her extensive family wealth to underwrite her candidacy. "Let's see how well I do fundraising," she said, adding that she already has developed a volunteer network of hundreds of supporters. 

McCollum appeared to be unconcerned with Dockery's candidacy, calling her a "reputable" candidate but adding. "I'm focused on the race against the chief financial officer (Democrat Alex Sink), who's my principal opponent in this race."

-- Steve Bousquet