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FLORIDA POLITICS
Since 2002, daily Florida political news and commentary

 

UPDATE: Every morning we review and individually digest Florida political news articles, editorials and punditry. Our sister site, FLA Politics was selected by Campaigns & Elections as one of only ten state blogs in the nation
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Welcome To Florida Politics

Thanks for visiting. On a semi-daily basis we scan Florida's major daily newspapers for significant Florida political news and punditry. We also review the editorial pages and political columnists/pundits for Florida political commentary. The papers we review include: the Miami Herald, Sun-Sentinel, Palm Beach Post, Naples News, Sarasota Herald Tribune, St Pete Times, Tampa Tribune, Orlando Sentinel, the Daytona Beach News-Journal, Tallahassee Democrat, and, occasionally, the Florida Times Union; we also review the political news blogs associated with these newspapers.

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Not that we don't provide spin; we do, and plenty of it. Our perspective appears in post headlines, the subtitles within the post (in bold), and the excerpts from the linked stories we select to quote; we also occasionally provide other links and commentary about certain stories. While our bias should be immediately apparent to any reader, we nevertheless attempt to link to every article, column or editorial about Florida politics in every major online Florida newspaper.

 

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The Blog for Wednesday, April 06, 2005

Bush Booster Crotty in Crosshairs

    Are the chickens coming home to roost?
    Another complaint of potential election-law violations, similar to the allegations that led to suspended Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer's indictment last month, is headed to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement -- this time focused on Orange County Mayor Rich Crotty.

    A retired airline employee asked the Orange County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday to examine Crotty's role in the Mobility 20/20 campaign, the unsuccessful 2003 referendum to raise Orange County's sales tax by a half-cent to pay for transportation improvements.

    Belle Isle resident Charlie Klein, 70, wants investigators to probe $11,500 in payments that Mobility 20/20 made to political consultant Ezzie Thomas. Thomas is the man at the center of the charges against Dyer. Prosecutors say Dyer's campaign paid him to collect absentee ballots, a practice prohibited by state law.

    A Sheriff's Office spokesman said the agency would forward Klein's statement to FDLE, which investigated Dyer's case.

    Crotty called the complaint "political garbage."
    "Tax activist wants probe of Mobility 20/20 vote".

    I agree entirely. It is political garbage. Just as the charges against Dyer are "political garbage". But when Dyer was indicted, Crotty was not heard to complain about it - after all, because Crotty is a GOoPer, a big Bush family booster, and Dyer political rival, there no doubt was a bit of schadenfreude.

    As for FDLE getting the Crotty case, don't both the "Jeb!" controlled FDLE and the "Jeb!" appointed prosecutor (Marion County state attorney and former Baptist minister) have a conflict of interest?
    After all, Rich Crotty (father of the infamous pudgy kid who was falling asleep during a Dubya speech), was originally appointed to his position as Orange County Chairman by "Jeb!", and most importantly is a huge Bush family financial supporter [a Bush pioneer level contributor].
    How can these "Jeb!" shills - the FDLE and Brad King - investigate Crotty? Expect an immediate whitewash with little or no media follow through.

    Perhaps the issue should be referred directly to the grand jury via this curious provision in the Florida Election Code:
    The grand jury in any circuit shall, upon the request of any candidate or qualified voter, make a special investigation when it convenes during a campaign preceding any election day to determine whether there is any violation of the provisions of this code, and shall return indictments when sufficient ground is found.
    "Section 104.43. Grand juries; special investigation".

    If criminal charges are not pursued against Crotty or Hood (see below), perhaps an ethics complaint would be viable (the Florida Commission on Ethics is in the news today). After all, what's good for the goose is good for the gander.

    And, it remains incredible that, Glenda Hood, Florida's Secretary of State and chief elections officer, has not been subject to greater scrutiny on this? After all, "Thomas told investigators he did similar work in past elections for candidates such as ... Secretary of State Glenda Hood" See "Details released in probe of Dyer". See also "Hood sidesteps absentee issue".
    viable.

8:38 AM

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