George LeMieux’s Senate campaign in trouble

In a series of one-two-three blows, George LeMieux's Senate campaign has been staggered by anemic fundraising, the specter of a big-name Republican jumping into the race and new court documents that make him a witness in the criminal case against the former governor’s hand-picked Republican Party of Florida chairman.

Now some are wondering how long LeMieux’s campaign will last.

LeMieux knows he's struggling against fellow Congressman Connie Mack of Fort Myers.

“Do I have an uphill climb? Sure I do,” LeMieux said. “I’m not the frontrunner in this race. I’m the underdog. Connie Mack the Fourth is the establishment candidate.”

LeMieux’s campaign got even tougher this week when Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater said he was considering entering the Republican race to unseat Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson.

As a statewide office-holder and solid-fundraiser, Atwater would pose an immediate threat to Mack’s top-dog status and would further threaten the viability of LeMieux’s candidacy.

Mack, the namesake of a former Senator and baseball player, raised nearly three-times the money last quarter as LeMieux, who reported Friday taking in just $305,000.

The day he reported his fundraising numbers, LeMieux was dealt another setback when he was mentioned in connection with the fraud case against former RPOF Chairman Jim Greer. Greer is accused of defrauding the party for allegedly setting up a dummy company and funneling some of the party’s fundraising proceeds to himself.

Greer says he’s innocent, and that the fundraising work he did saved the party money and was legitimate.

More here

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/04/17/2754273/george-lemieuxs-senate-campaign.html#storylink=cpy

FL CFO Jeff Atwater: I'll "take a hard look" at running for U.S. Senate. Bad news for Connie Mack?

It started as a few shaking heads, some whispers, a sense of disappointment in the Republican U.S. Senate race. Now the feeling that Congressman Connie Mack might not be what Republicans need is leading to a draft-CFO-Jeff-Atwater campaign.

The Shark Tank reports that Sen. Marco Rubio's former finance chair, Nancy McGowan, and Indian River Tea Party Chairman Toby Hill want Atwater to run for the seat.

"I think I have a responsibility to sit back, to these people that I respect greatly, who are serious-minded conservatives of this great state, to take a hard look at it..I think I have to," Atwater told The Shark Tank.

It's no easy task running for a federal seat if you've been a statewide candidate (it's harder to raise non-corporate dollars). But unlike Mack or Republican George LeMieux, Atwater has actually been on a statewide ballot.

In fact, he received more votes than any Republican in 2010 (more than Rubio, Gov. Rick Scott, Attorney General Pam Bondi or Ag Commissioner Adam Putnam.

Atwater, a former Florida Senate President as well, hails from one of the hotbeds for Republican political finance, Palm Beach County. And unlike Mack, the current frontrunner, Atwater has a more experienced Florida team that's better plugged into the state Republican Party.

Still, Atwater has a major weakness: His 2009 vote in the state Legislature to take Obama stimulus money and raise $2.2 billion worth of taxes and fees. Tax-raising is a killer in a GOP primary, let alone a general election. Also, Atwater's a banker. He's cautious by trade, if not by nature. Chances are, and this is a guess on my part, he doesn't do it.

Regardless, it's a warning shot to Mack and LeMieux.

**Update, Mack's campaign comments on Atwater and the "left-wing media:"

"Connie Mack has sent Bill Nelson and his liberal allies, including those in the press, into panic mode and it won't work. Republicans know that  conservative Connie Mack will defeat liberal Bill Nelson and Mitt Romney will defeat Nelson's chief ally Barack Obama, regardless of what the left wing media wants."

Senate needs to try again on PIP reform, Scott says

From left, Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty, Florida CFO Jeff Atwater, and Florida Gov. Rick Scott address the PIP insurance bill, Thursday, being debated in the Florida Legislature. Scott said he is confident the Senate will strengthen its PIP reform legislation by adding new restrictions on service providers and attorney fees, but time is winding down. [Scott Keeler, Times]

Gov. Rick Scott said he is confident the Senate will strengthen its PIP reform legislation by adding new restrictions on service providers and attorney fees, but time is winding down.

The Senate sent its proposal for reforming the no-fault car insurance system over to the House on Wednesday, but it is much different than the one the House approved. Now Scott, Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty and Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater say the House should kick the issue back over to the Senate so it can continue working on its plan.

Without any changes, they said, Senate's version of HB 119 won't lower insurance rates and could make the problem worse.

“It’s clear that the House has a bill that’s going to make more sense,” Scott said.

The governor used even stronger language in a web video released by the Florida Chamber of Commerce Thursday morning.

Atwater: Gambling bill won't 'contain' gaming

Count Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater among those who never bought the argument that adding three destination casinos to Florida could somehow be leveraged into containing gambling.

The former Republican Senate President recounted to the Tampa Bay Times editorial board Friday that same argument was used two years ago when the Legislature weighed the Seminole Indian gaming compact. No matter what anyone says, Atwater said, whenever gambling comes up in the Legislature, "it's never really about containment. They said that two years ago, just do this and that will contain it."

Atwater is on record with the two other Cabinet members, Republicans Attorney General Pam Bondi and Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, in opposing the casino bill, saying gambling is an industry Florida doesn't need more of.

-- Joni James, Tampa Bay Times

SBA chief asks bosses to hold off discussing his reappointment

Ash Williams' bosses were poised to discuss his annual reappointment as executive director of the State Board of Administration during this morning's Cabinet meeting. But Williams asked them to push it back to the next SBA quarterly meeting in December, and SBA trustees Gov. Rick Scott, CFO Jeff Atwater and Attorney General Pam Bondi agreed.

That way, Williams said, they could examine reports of recent meetings of the SBA audit committee and investment advisory council, which are reviewing the agency's investment policies and procedures for public records requests at the request of Atwater. Members of the council agreed in a joint Monday meeting that Williams did not act inappropriately in the agency's $125 million investment in a hedge fund.

"I think the trustees should have the benefit of getting the final minutes and motions and a report directly from those advisory bodies before acting upon this reappointment," Williams said after his Cabinet update.

State orders Goldman Sachs to repay investors for misleading sales tactics

Florida's securities regulators announced a settlement agreement with Goldman, Sach & Co. that has required the investment firm to back back an estimate $20 million in so-called "auction rate securities" because the company claimed they were liquid and secure when they were not.

From the OFR press release:

CFO Jeff Atwater says his office will pay for teen's funeral; blames DJJ for delay

Jeff Atwater, Florida's chief financial officer, issued a statement Monday regarding a story last week noting that his office was not paying for the funeral of 18-year-old Eric Perez, who died in a West Palm Beach detention center on July 10.

Atwater's office says it is working directly with Perez's family attorney to cover the funeral expenses within 48 hours through the state's Division of Risk Management -- instead of through the Department of Juvenile Justice, which did not have the authority to make the payment.

Here is the statement:

TALLAHASSEE—Florida’s Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater, who oversees the Department of Financial Services, released the following statement today following news reports last Friday regarding the payment of funeral expenses for Eric Perez, who died on July 10, 2011, while in the care of the Department of Juvenile Justice at a state detention facility in West Palm Beach.

“My office is now working directly with the family’s attorney through our Division of Risk Management, and my commitment is to have a check covering funeral expenses for this young man in the hands of the family within 48 hours.

“Regrettably, this tragic delay would not have occurred if the Department of Juvenile Justice had not blatantly ignored guidance from my office.

“In the future, I would hope that DJJ would be more transparent in its dealings with the public and with taxpayer monies.”

CFO Jeff Atwater won't pay for funeral for teen who died in detention

Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater is refusing to pay the funeral expenses for a teenager who died in state custody after unsuccessfully seeking medical attention for several hours.

Juvenile justice administrators had offered to pay up to $5,000 in funeral costs to bury 18-year-old Eric Perez, who died at the West Palm Beach detention center on July 10. But after cutting a check to the Tillman Funeral Home, Florida’s chief financial officer ordered that the check be destroyed, records show.

Perez, who was detained at the Palm Beach County Juvenile Detention Center on a marijuana possession charge, would not have been the first child whose funeral expenses were borne by the state.

In November 2008, the Department of Juvenile Justice paid for the funeral of a Tampa Bay-area youth, said agency spokesman C.J. Drake. In January 2009, the agency helped bury a Highlands County youth.

“The Department of Juvenile Justice has a policy dating from 2008 authorizing the payment of funeral expenses when a youth dies in our custody,” Drake told The Miami Herald.

“The chief financial officer printed the check, and sent it over to us,” Drake said, referring to the agency’s offer to pay for Eric’s funeral. “Then they said, ‘Whoa, don’t send it.’ ” The funeral home, Drake said, has received no payment from the state.

Atwater's office said in a statement: "The CFO wants to have resolution on this claim and in a timely manner for the family. The Department of Juvenile Justice was advised that they did not have statutory authority to pay for funeral expenses.  DJJ was also advised that a more appropriate venue to address this claim is the Division of Risk Management."

 In a July 26 email to DJJ, Mark Merry from the chief financial office said DJJ “does not have statutory authority to make the payment.” An agency spokesman is looking into why the department stopped payment of the check.

Drake said leaders of the two state agencies still are discussing the funeral expenses. “I’m confident that we can work out an agreement so that the expenses are paid,” he said Friday afternoon.” And Secretary Walters is committed to paying the expenses.”

--CAROL MARBIN MILLER AND MARC CAPUTO

How RIck Scott made Republicans (Gaetz, Atwater, Hasner) eat their (rail) words

Gov. Rick Scott's decision to cancel Florida's high-speed rail projects (for now) rebukes the Republican-led Legislature's decision in December 2009 to build a bullet-train network that would compliment local rail projects, such as SunRail in Central Florida.

Below are a sampling of the rah-rah quotes that Republicans gave as a compelling reason to vote for high-speed rail during a hastily called special session on the issue. How much of this did they believe, how much was/is true and how hard will they fight to justify what they said a little over a year ago?

Dec. 3: Senate President Jeff Atwater (and current state Chief Financial Officer) "This is indeed time for visionaries." (More Dec. 3 commentary below)**

Dec. 4 House Republican Leader Adam Hasner (now a likely U.S. Senate candidate): "I understand why people are concerned about the projected cost of what these projects are going to be.. But these are longterm investment decisions in our state's infrastructure."

Dec. 7: rail bill sponsor, Rep. Gary Aubuchon, R-Cape Coral: "This is about transforming Florida's future."

December 8: Rail sponsor and Sen. Andy Gardiner (current Republican leader): "We have put forward a vision for rail all around the state of Florida.... But if we are serious about rail in the state of Florida, it has to be a comprehensive approach."

Sen. Don Gaetz: "Every single penny that would go to the support of this bill would come from the transportation trust fund. It is an egregious departure from the facts to suggest that we are balancing education and health care against this bill, when it is simply not true. The people of Florida have agreed to fund transportation projects. We should not make everything that we might do in rail transportation in this state hostage to getting full funding right now on everything."

Movers and Shakers: Departures at State as Elder Affairs, Lottery get new hires

This week's edition of Movers and Shakers is packed. It's not a bad thing! Send your personnel news to ksanders@sptimes.com.

Shuffles at Dept. of State
Trey Stapleton made the first edition of Movers and Shakers Jan. 17 by becoming the agency's communications director. A month later, he has moved on to fill the same role at the Republican Party of Florida. Anthony Bonna, the agency's newly appointed legislative affairs director, is on the move too. The Georgetown University finance alumnus resigned from State for a new job as a senior financial management analyst at the Department of Business and Professional Regulation.
Filling Bonna's place is W. Pierce Schuessler, a 2008 FSU political science grad who has worked as a budget manager at State since July. He previously worked in former Gov. Charlie Crist's office as a governmental analyst and briefly was a legislative specialist under former State legislative affairs director Rivers Buford.

Additions to Elder Affairs
Kevin Reilly, a 2008 UF grad and Rick Scott campaign staffer, started a new job as the agency's legislative affairs director today. Reilly previously worked for Rep. John Tobia, R-Melbourne, as a legislative assistant. Reilly is a former University of Florida student body president and joins a league of campaign staffers filling legislative affairs positions in Scott's administration.
The agency's press shop has a new communications director in Ashley Marshall. Marshall, a Baylor University grad, is a veteran of Scott's campaign. Before that, she worked as a press lead on President George W. Bush's advance team and as a speechwriter and special assistant for the U.S. Department of Justice.

Tallahassee PR professional to run Lottery
Cynthia O'Connell, a longtime Tallahassee consulting professional and former UF trustee, is Scott's pick to lead the Florida Lottery. She had worked as the agency's director of research and promotions from September 1987 to July 1991. O'Connell will earn $140,000 annually.

PR professionals team up
John Van Gieson, of Van Gieson Media, and Alisa LaPolt Snow, of Snow Strategies, have formed a public relations partnership to help clients "educate policymakers," the pair announced last week. The former journalists will offer services in media relations, event planning, grassroots advocacy, social media, advertising and messaging.

Crist policy director joins Floridian Partners' Tallahassee office
Ken Granger, Crist's deputy chief of staff and policy director, joined the consulting and lobbying firm's Tallahassee office last week as an associate. Before joining Crist's office, the Florida State University alumnus worked as chief of staff at the Department of Management Services.

Outgoing state prosecutor joins Holland & Knight
William Shepherd joined the firm's national white collar defense team. The West Palm Beach native will work on investigation and enforcement, the firm announced. Shepherd spent seven years in the attorney general's office. Former Attorney General Bill McCollum promoted Shepherd to statewide prosecutor in 2007.

Former Holland & Knight employee gets Florida Association of Counties gig
Stephen James will be the association's environmental advocate. He replaces Diana Ferguson. James has experience at two Florida law firms (Holland & Knight and Akerman Senterfitt) and Tallahassee's WREN Group.
 
CFO office gets top law enforcement official
CFO Jeff Atwater picked Thomas Kirwin, an assistant U.S. attorney, to be deputy CFO over law enforcement, where he will have a "laser focus" on fighting insurance fraud, Atwater's office said. Kirwin will lead the agency's three law enforcement areas: Division of Insurance Fraud, Bureau of Fire and Arson Investigations and Office of Fiscal Integrity.

Chamber of Commerce nabs political director
Veteran Republican operative John Wehrung is the Florida Chamber of Commerce's new political director, working alongside another political pro, senior VP Marian Johnson.
http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/the-buzz-florida-politics/content/florida-chamber-lands-new-political-director

Three-time gubernatorial campaign aide takes new Senate job
Arlene DiBenigno, a former campaign aide to Jeb Bush, Charlie Crist and Scott, began a new role in the Florida Senate as the chamber's director of minority outreach, a new position.

Media man heads for The Hill
Keith Laing, a News Service of Florida reporter and Howard University graduate, will cover transportation for The Hill, a Washington, D.C. newspaper.

Republican Party of Florida names more staffers
Mike Grissom, a campaign veteran of Bill McCollum, John McCain and Scott, will be the party's deputy executive director for political affairs. Pablo Diaz, who worked for Jeb Bush, will be deputy executive director for operations. Richard Swarttz, an RPOF employee since 2003, will be chief financial officer. Brian Swensen, another Scott campaign member, will be political director. And Deborah Ramsay Aleksander, who served as Atwater's chief financial officer during his CFO campaign, will remain as financial director.

Commercial law firm Becker & Poliakoff elect shareholders

Neil M. Schiller and Nelson D. Diaz are attorneys in the Florida-based firm's government law and lobbying practice. Now they are shareholders. Schiller works from several South Florida offices and ran successful campaigns there. He represents clients before city, county and state governments. Based in Coral Gables, Diaz is a former chief of staff of U.S. Senator Marco Rubio and lobbies in Tallahassee and Washington, D.C.

News Service of Florida reports were used in this roundup.