More juicy details from the GOP credit cards

The unprecedented look at Republican Party of Florida spending in its credit card statements is the gift that keeps on giving. Below find some more questionable expenses and interesting factoids:

Delmar's Valentine's Day trip: Former GOP Executive Director Delmar Johnson resigned Feb. 1. So why did his credit card statement include a four-night stay worth more than a $1,000 at a Courtyard Marriott in West Palm Beach over Valentine's Day weekend? It is possible someone else used Johnson's card, which is what he has said happened frequently, but it's interesting that the party would use the card of an official leaving under a cloud of suspicion. (And don't worry, if Delmar didn't go, he still spent $900 for two nights at Fontainebleau Resort in Miami Beach the week before he left the party.)

Who spent the most on GOP plastic? Here's the list.

The Republican Party of Florida released 2,452 double-sided pages of credit card statements Friday revealing 31 card holders spent about $7.3 million from January 2007 through March 2010. Below is the list of every card holder and how much they spent. (Do note that the totals only reflect charges starting in 2007, even though many of these officials held American Express cards prior to that date.)

Jim Rimes, former executive director: $2.2 million

Delmar Johnson, former executive director: $1.4 million

Melanie Phister, aide to former Speaker Ray Sansom: $1.2 million

Debbie Bishop, deputy finance director: $694,000

Jim Greer, former chairman: $478,000

Cameron Ulrich, Senate campaigns finance director: $208,000

Carrie Madden, Senate campaigns staffer: $175,000

Ray Sansom, former House speaker: $167,000

Dean Cannon, incoming House speaker: $124,000

Jeremy Collins, special assistant to Greer: $118,000

Thrasher: Crist pic coming down at RPOF HQ

Asked what he would do following Gov. Charlie Crist's announcement today, Sen. John Thrasher, the chairman of the Florida GOP, had this to say:

"All I’m going to do is take his picture down at the Republican Party headquarters, and probably put it on ebay," he said, adding he didn't know how much it would fetch.

Thrasher won't 'whipsaw' GOP to oppose Crist

The Republican Party of Florida recently reminded members about the loyalty oath to temper support for Gov. Charlie Crist's nonpartisan bid. But GOP Chairman John Thrasher said the party won't force top Republicans to shun Crist.

"It's not up to me to enforce it," he said. "I'm not going to go out and whipsaw people to ask them to go after their money."

(Though it appears the Republican Party did erase Crist's prominent placement on it's website, instead featuring Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp on the main page.)

Thrasher said a number of Republicans will "feel betrayed by him" if Crist bolts from the party, as is expected.

"I hope he doesn’t use any justification for what he’s doing on the basis that ‘the Republican Party has left him’ because our principles are still the same," he said, previewing the messaging that is sure to come tomorrow.

He added that Crist can't run as a nonpartisan and still claim to be a Republican. "That don’t cut it for me," he told reporters. "You are either a Republican or you’re not.That’s why we have R's behind our names."

Greer received $125,000 through secret party contract

Florida GOP officials said Tuesday that former party Chairman Jim Greer received $125,000 through Victory Strategies, the shell company he owned that siphoned party donations through a secret contract with then-executive director Delmar Johnson.

Jason Gonzalez, the party's general counsel, said officials discovered the information recently amid the ongoing internal audit into Greer's management of the party, which ended with his ouster in January. Victory Strategies received a total of $200,000 from the party and the clandestine contract spurred a criminal investigation. Greer countered with a civil suit, alleging the party failed to honor a severance agreement.

Greer contends the party knew about the Victory Strategies arrangement and the party initially deemed the contract invalid because Greer never signed it. But party officials said the legal strategy is shifting to suggest the severance is void because Greer defrauded the party.

The battle between Greer and the Republican Party of Florida now involves three former U.S. attorneys. The party hired Ken Sukhia, former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, to defend the civil lawsuit Greer filed against the party.

Crist's friend received RPOF gig for questionable work

UPDATED: Jay Burmer's firms actually received more than $350,000 through a "strategic media planning" contract with the party. Read new details here.

As forensic auditors scour the finances at the Republican Party of Florida after the ouster of former Chairman Jim Greer, one agreement is sure to raise a red flag: $316,000 the party paid to Jay Burmer, a close friend to Gov. Charlie Crist.

In a 2 1/2 year period ending in December 2009, Burmer's company Green Wolf Group, LLC received about $10,000 a month, according to the party's federal campaign finance reports, to serve as an outside communications consultant to the party.

It's a vague description for apparently vague work. GOP party officials -- former and current -- said they knew little about Burmer's role and it's unclear whether he ever signed a contract with the party.

What is known is Burmer's connection to Crist, who put Greer at the helm of the party in November 2006 when he took office. It's not clear who authorized his contract, whether it was Greer or a request from Crist.

Crist said in an interview that he knew Burmer worked for the party and called him a smart guy.

Rubio's credit card hypocrisy

A day ago, Marco Rubio demanded the release all Jim Greer's GOP credit card statements during his time as chairman of the state party.

"I would ask you to strongly consider releasing all AMEX statement from Jim Greer's time as chairman to the RPOF Executive Committee," stated Rubio's letter, which tried to link Greer to Charlie Crist, his GOP primary opponent.

But it's interesting to note that Rubio won't release all his credit card statements. The Miami Herald and St. Petersburg Times obtained a portion of his statements during his tenure as House Speaker but the records didn't date back when he first received his party credit card.

So how does Rubio's campaign explain the seemingly hypocritical stance? They couldn't.

Rubio reimburses RPOF

Marco Rubio today sent the Florida GOP a check for $2,417.80 for plane tickets that were double-billed to the party and to state taxpayers. "These are the only expenses we have been able to identify in our records that should be reimbursed,'' he wrote in this letter.

"It has bcome clear that Charlie Crist and Jim Greer have done untold damage to the Republican party of Florida. As Republican leaders, it is all of our responsibilities to clean up the mess they made as quickly as possible so we can turn the page and return to the true focus of the RPOF: to elect Republicans. Therefor I would ask you to strongly consider releasing all AMEX statement from Jim Greer's time as chairman to the RPOF Executive Committee."

Crist to Legislature: 'Who is running the asylum?'

On the U.S. Senate campaign trail in Jacksonville, Gov. Charlie Crist continued to berate the Legislature for how it passed Senate Bill 6. His veto message last week compared the lawmakers to those in charge in Washington (Democrats) who rammed through the health care bill.

But in a speech to teachers at a small "grassroots event" he took it a step further. He found it particularly alarming that a teacher's certifications and advanced degrees might not count.

"You have to kind of scratch your head and think: Who is running the asylum?" Crist said.

Thrasher elaborates on closed-door RPOF meeting

Sen. John Thrasher explained to reporters today that next week's closed-door meeting of the RPOF executive board has to be held in private because they'll be discussing litigation filed against the party.

Regarding the secret contract with the party and Victory Strategies (owned by former chairman Jim Greer and Delmar Johnson): "It was a secret deal done between two people without consulting the board of the party. It was for compensation over and above what both of those individuals were being paid."