LeMieux Redux

LeMieux has "formed a political action committee called Protect America's Future, a sign LeMieux is looking to his own future."

"I haven't ruled anything in or anything out of our future," says LeMieux, who simply laughed when asked about the possibility of serving with Crist in the Senate. LeMieux earlier this year rejected a run for attorney general in 2010 out of concern for his wife, Meike, and their three sons under the age of seven.

"The reason I didn't do it is because I didn't want to be away from my kids," he said.

But when Crist asked him to serve in the Senate, LeMieux left the chairmanship of the Florida law firm Gunster, Yoakley & Stewart — and a $1.65 million salary — to resettle his family in Washington.

"Is George LeMieux gearing up for 2012 Senate campaign?".




"Below the radar"

Scott Maxwell: "The rail ruckus is making all the headlines right now in Tallahassee. But below the radar, your state reps have been busy filing a slew of bills for the spring session — about everything from gay adoption and term limits to both the designs and the costs of getting new license plates." "Look at what lawmakers are up to now".




"No more Mr. Nice Guy?"

Michael Putney: "No more Mr. Nice Guy? Nah, Charlie Crist is constitutionally incapable of not being a nice guy. But he's capable of getting P.O.'d at Marco Rubio and irritated with the media over what he sees as their kid-glove treatment of his GOP Senate challenger."

Just a couple of months ago the notion that Crist could be beaten in the primary, much less the general election, was laughable. Except for Rubio, a 38-year-old Cuban-American lawyer from Miami whose political career appeared to have peaked as speaker of the Florida House.

Now, thanks to a lot of hard work, a shrewd strategy and a message that resonates with disgruntled conservatives, Rubio is gaining ground. Crist, by his own admission, is going through a "rough patch.'' ...

Crist, as the whole political world knows, wrote ecstatic letters to the president praising the stimulus and gave Obama a big abrazo in Fort Myers last February.

That's one video clip Crist would like to see disappear. Along with all the photos of the governor and disgraced Ft. Lauderdale lawyer Scott Rothstein. Especially the one showing the two of them blowing out the candles on the governor's birthday cake last year. That cost Rothstein a $52,000 contribution to the state GOP. It could cost Crist much more.

I asked Crist last week if he regretted getting so close to the alleged Ponzi artist. "Well, you know hindsight is 20-20,'' Crist told me, "and I wasn't the only one who got sucked in.'' ...

Crist and his campaign team need to reconnect with her and other disgruntled Republicans. To stop spending all their time raising money and get out on the hustings like Rubio. The governor also needs to spend more time governing. And take a firm stand on some tough issues. His current strategy isn't working. The guy once deemed unbeatable is looking a little vulnerable -- to the guy who had no chance at all. Now, he does.

"In the race for U.S. Senate, Crist should be".




Bad union

The Tampa Tribune editorial board wants to "say no" to the City's law enforcement officers, couching it in their typical anti-union drivel: "Just say no to police union".




"One more shot"

The Daytona Beach News Journal editorial board: "Lawmakers get one more shot on passenger rail". See also The Sun-Sentinel editorial board: "Lawmakers falling short in resolving state's rail problems" and "Lawmakers gear up for special session". Background "Rail-transit labor issue big factor for session" ("A special session on rail transit could be tied up over AFL-CIO concerns about union busting.")




Daily Rothstein

"Fort Lauderdale lawyer Scott Rothstein doled out large bonuses to his firm's lawyers, purportedly for exemplary work — but they would receive the awards only after they made fat campaign contributions in their names to political candidates of Rothstein's choice."

That allegation, tucked into federal racketeering charges filed Tuesday against Rothstein, says the employees' donations to politicians — including Gov. Charlie Crist — were illegal because they were bundled and funded with money from the lawyer's $1.2 billion Ponzi scheme.

"(The) conduct was designed to conceal the true source of the contribution and to illegally circumvent campaign finance laws," according to the charges. ...

Except for Democratic Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink, who is running for governor, a few Democrats and a single $200,000 check Rothstein gave to the Florida Democratic Party in September, most of Rothstein's political contributions went to Republicans. The state's Republican Party has received at least $628,000 from Rothstein and his firm since 2005.

According to the racketeering charges, prosecutors sought to recover campaign donations made by Rothstein himself to Crist ($9,600), Sink ($6,000) and the state GOP ($145,000). All three voluntarily returned the money to the U.S. government, prosecutors said.

"Jailed lawyer Rothstein accused of making improper campaign contributions".

Michael Mayo: "Rothstein remains a riddle to the end".




To the extent anyone cares ...

"GOP Senate rivals Crist, Rubio on Obama’s Afghanistan plan".




RPOFer ON THE RUN

"The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is apparently conducting an investigation into Alachua County Republican Remzey Samarrai's campaign for the Florida House District 22 seat currently held by House Speaker Larry Cretul, R-Ocala." "Lawyer: FDLE investigating House candidate Samarrai".




Yee haw!

"Shaking up an already unpredictable statewide campaign for Florida attorney general, Hillsborough County prosecutor Pam Bondi jumped in the race Tuesday, ... challenging Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp and former Florida healthcare secretary Holly Benson for the Republican nomination." "Prosecutor seeks GOP nomination for Florida attorney general".

William March:

Brett Doster, a Tallahassee-based GOP political strategist who's working with Bondi, said he considers the race "wide open."

Bondi may have some top-tier political talent on her campaign.

Doster held high-level positions in both of George Bush's presidential campaigns in Florida and managed Tom Gallagher's 2006 campaign for governor. Media consultant Adam Goodman of Tampa, who designs advertising for Republican candidates nationwide, also has been working with Bondi.

"Bondi enters attorney general race".




Now, if it had been a Chamber conference ...

"A special legislative session scheduled for this week on Florida rail projects has raised the ire of black lawmakers because it conflicts with their plans for a national conference." "Black lawmakers: Delay session".




Parade of empty suits

"Grayson foe Gutierrez rolls out roster of top fundraisers".




To replace Meek

" U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek's campaign for the Senate has unleashed a torrent of candidates vying for his Miami-Dade congressional seat in 2010. Eleven candidates -- 10 of them Democrats -- are running in the predominantly black district." "Eleven candidates running for Meek's congressional seat".