| Our digest and commentary on today's Florida political news and punditry follows.
Charlie's Angels
"A Jordanian businessman was indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly making illegal campaign contributions to three presidential candidates and Florida Gov. Charlie Crist."
The indictment alleged Ali conspired with others to recruit Southern California residents to contribute to the campaigns with promises they would be reimbursed. Ali was said to have reimbursed them with cash or checks. "Jordanian indicted in LA for illegal contributions".
Check out the neat picture of "Harry Sargeant [introducing] Gov. Charlie Crist to King Abdullah of Jordan in 2007.".
"Ala'a Ali, 37, a citizen of Jordan and the Dominican Republic, was a business associate of Harry Sargeant III, a Palm Beach County man who recently resigned as finance chairman of the Republican Party of Florida. Sargeant helped raise more than $500,000 for GOP presidential nominee John McCain last year. In 2007 and 2008, Sargeant also contributed to the presidential campaigns of Rudy Giuliani and Hillary Clinton and the congressional campaign of Robert Wexler." "Jordanian made illegal donations to Crist, others, indictment says" ("Crist has not said how much Sargeant helped raise for his 2006 gubernatorial campaign, but the indictment alleges Ali contributed about $5,000 illegally, according to a news release from the California prosecutors.")
Back at the ranch, "Crist unaware of possible fundraising troubles". Good luck with that
"Florida lawmakers should use a two-year allotment of federal stimulus money to stave off painful budget cuts while they make overdue changes to the state's inequitable tax system, a speaker from a Tallahassee policy group told about 40 people Thursday at the United Way of Volusia/Flagler Counties." "DBNJ: Speaker: Use stimulus money; change Florida's tax system". Blame the teachers ...
When a Zell Corporation newspaper screws up, it blames the teachers: "Outraged teachers: Spam campaigns counter-productive". Cuba travel
The Miami Herald editorial board: "Lawmakers in Washington are showing once again how difficult it is to change U.S. policy toward Cuba in meaningful ways." The latest legislative proposal moving through Congress would kill enforcement of regulations that restrict travel to Cuba by Cuban Americans. This is an objective we have long championed, but Congress has picked the worst way to go about it -- making it impossible to enforce existing regulations without tackling the regulations themselves. "Lift restrictions on travel to Cuba". See also "House Approves Fewer Restrictions On Cuba Travel".
The St. Petersburg Times editorial board: "Pull plug on decades of failed Cuba policy". Deportees
"Haitian officials say the struggling country can't handle the return of deported citizens while it copes with the lingering effects of last year's tropical storms and food riots." "Ambassador: Review Bush-era decisions for Haitians". Another fine Jebacy
"Pre-kindergarten test results declined from a year earlier". Up to Charlie
"Crist is the only person who stands between a hungry group of high-speed-train enthusiasts and a shot at as much as $2 billion in federal tax dollars. Crist's backing is key to the hopes of the Florida High Speed Rail Authority, which met for the first time in more than four years Thursday and wants to apply for some of the nearly $800 billion Congress is making available to reinvigorate the failing economy." "High-speed rail depends on Crist, board says". Yaaawwwnnn
"Fundraising and social networking have converged as Tallahassee politicians embrace Facebook, texting and instant messaging." "Social networking, fundraising converge in Tallahassee". Protecting Florida's "ceremonial infrastructure"
Frank Cerabino: "The fact that Al-Qaeda hasn't attacked the Florida lieutenant governor proves that his rapper-like security entourage is working. As any intelligence expert will tell you, terrorists frequently target lieutenant governors as a way to paralyze our nation's ceremonial infrastructure." "Lt. Gov. Kottkamp worth every privilege taxes can buy".
"Lt. Gov.'s travel, protection cost $700k over two years". See also
"FHP plane, SUVs add to Florida Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp's travel bill". Florida's Bobby Jindal wannabe
"Mario Diaz-Balart: Not a big fan of Obama's budget proposal". Family planning
The Palm Beach Post editorial board: "Publicly financed family planning services prevent nearly 2 million unintended pregnancies and more than 800,000 abortions each year, according to a new Guttmacher Institute report. And for every $1 spent on those services, taxpayers save $4 - $24 in Florida - that would have been spent on those unintended births." "Prevent the pregnancies". Manny versus The Excorcist
"Manny Diaz rebukes Bobby Jindal". |
