What did he know, and when did he know it?

"Crist, eager to distance himself from a longtime political ally, said Sunday he knew nothing about a secret fundraising contract between the Republican Party of Florida and ousted party chief Jim Greer." "Crist denies knowledge of Greer's fundraising pact".

"What does Crist know about Victory Strategies?"

"What I know about it is only what I’ve read about in the newspapers," Crist told Candy Crowley on "State of the Union." "It's an unfortunate situation. It's very disappointing, and sometimes people disappoint you. And that’s what happened here."

Greer, 47, of Oviedo has been indicted on six felony counts of grand theft, money laundering and running an organized scheme to defraud. He is accused of using a company called Victory Strategies to launder money.

The lawyer for Greer has said that Crist knew about Victory Strategies from the beginning. Crowley wanted to know if that was true.

"Absolutely untrue," Crist said. "Sometimes desperate people say desperate things, and it's very sad."

"Gov. Charlie Crist to CNN: All I know about Victory Strategies is what I read in papers".




Choice politics

"With only a few days left before a controversial abortion bill must be delivered to Gov. Charlie Crist's desk, abortion foes are working on Plan B in their campaign to pressure Crist to sign the bill."

The bill in question, HB 1143, includes a section that would require pregnant women to view a sonogram of the fetus or listen to a description of the sonogram before they could receive an abortion. Abortion-rights supporters oppose the sonogram as an unnecessary and cruel intrusion under the 1973 Roe vs. Wade decision of the U.S. Supreme Court.

With the ultrasound issue thoroughly dissected in the press and political forums, anti-abortionists are raising the specter of taxpayer-financed abortions.

"We're trying anything and everything to show Gov. Crist that by vetoing this bill he's going against the centrist grain," said Adam Goldman, vice president of Florida Right to Life. "Bringing up the taxpayer strategy is part of that."

By vetoing the law, abortion opponents say, Crist will be opening the door for tax money to be used to pay for abortions.

"Florida abortion bill with sonogram requirement nears decision by governor".

Related: "Ultrasound bill sponsor has personal motive beyond antiabortion politics".




Good luck with that, Charlie

"Crist says if elected to the U.S. Senate he may not caucus with Democrats or Republicans. 'I'll caucus with the people of Florida.'" "Crist secretive on how he'll lean if elected to Senate".




Fl-oil-duh

"Oil spewing into the Gulf of Mexico was expected to move east today, driven by winds that for three days have been pushing tar balls and gooey flecks of crude onto some of Florida's most spectacular beaches. More sticky bits of oil washed ashore Sunday, appearing along Pensacola Beach and the sugar-white sands of Gulf Islands National Seashore." "Irate residents want action as more tar washes ashore in Pensacola". Related: "Tar balls stain beaches in Escambia County".

See also "USF scientists to talk about underwater oil plumes", "Fla. pilots capture 'before' picture of Gulf coast", "Oil spill tar balls reported farther east on Florida coast", "Government warns of `siege' as BP shows some optimism over new containment cap", "Oil spill battle to continue into fall", "Birds rescued from oil released into safety of Merritt Island refuge", "Gulf residents fear another impact of spill: lost oil jobs", "Tiny tar balls reported farther east on Fla. coast", "Some oil spill events from Sunday, June 6, 2010", "", "Many Gulf fed'l judges have oil links", "", "" and "Long road to oil cleanup looms over Gulf Coast".




Rubio inserts his nose into the Chamber's derriere

Labor relations expert Marco Rubio argues that "the role unions play should not come at the expense of the individual liberties of the American worker. Unionization under duress not only threatens fundamental and inalienable rights, it also endangers America’s long-term economic recovery by further burdening job creators." "Card Check Would Harm Economy, Violate Rights of Workers".




Greene

"Jeff Greene's personal life, not his politics, sets him apart".




5% to Chiles could tip the Governor's race to the GOP

"Lawton 'Bud' Chiles III, son the of the late governor, looks like more than a long shot in his independent run for governor. But don't underestimate his potential significance in the race or how worried many Democrats are about him. Chiles, running to the left of Democratic front-runner Alex Sink, is highly unlikely to pull many conservative voters, but he is poised to attract liberals disaffected with Sink's cautious campaign style. Chiles could win just 5 percent of the vote and deliver the Governor's Mansion to the GOP." "Chiles' entry could tilt race GOP's way".




Crist to sign Condo bill in Dem-world

"A politician normally needs a Democratic voter registration card to get an audience inside the gates of South Florida's vote-rich retiree condos."

But Republican-turned-independent Gov. Charlie Crist, who's pushing hard for Democratic votes in his U.S. Senate race, might visit Dem-heavy Century Village of West Palm Beach and Wynmoor of Coconut Creek for ceremonial signings of a condominium reform bill.

"Crist may sign condominium reform bills at South Fla. retiree communities".




Rothstein

"Ponzi schemer Scott Rothstein, the Fort Lauderdale lawyer who spent the past five years handing out millions of dollars in campaign contributions to Florida politicians, says he has spent the past few months working undercover for the FBI. The admission, made in letters and other documents filed in a bid to reduce the federal prison sentence he will get Wednesday, does not identify the people who may soon learn they have legal problems of their own." "Ponzi schemer Scott Rothstein says he's been working undercover for FBI".