Florida Political News for 9/1/07
The Florida Progressive Coalition's “8 Stories to Read“. Our review of today's Florida political news and punditry follows.
Lies! … All Lies!
“A St. Petersburg organizer for a Rudy Giuliani presidential event plans to step down amid revelations of his arrests for allegedly extorting an FSU student in a sex case”
Barry S. Edwards, 45, told The Miami Herald that the charges against him were ''old news'' — and were 'unfounded' in the student sex case — but he nevertheless thought it would be best to withdraw from the Pinellas County Republican Party fundraiser because “I'm not relevant and I shouldn't be the story.''Edwards said he was not being paid for organizing the Sept. 7 Reagan Day dinner, and had no real connection to the campaign of Giuliani, who is to be the keynote speaker at the Renaissance Vinoy Resort and Golf Club in St. Petersburg.
Edwards is listed as the events chairman on the invitation for the $100 per ticket dinner.
What about the “extortion” charge? Well,
according to a Florida State University arrest affidavit: Edwards was first charged after a 19-year-old FSU political science intern claimed Edwards, then an adjunct professor, plied him with beers, trolled briefly for prostitutes, watched ''heterosexual'' pornography and then exhorted him to masturbate in a game.The intern said Edwards threatened him with bad grades if he didn't ''get into it.'' He declined to press charges. Edwards said the claims were ''lies'' but he didn't ''want to revisit it.'' Edwards was fired from FSU.
Shortly after his extortion arrest, state Capitol police then arrested Edwards on charges of theft, burglary and dealing with stolen property after the cops said he stole at least $10,000 worth of computer equipment from offices of the Florida Legislature.
In November 1998, the state dropped the extortion charges, saying the victim had requested that charges be dropped.
“Republican organizer to quit, citing 'lies'“.
What is it with these GOPers and sex? Bathroom solicitations for sex (from the statehouse to the U.S. Senate), extortion to coerce a male student to masturbate, the new head of the national Young Republicans (just sworn in by Charlie Crist) sexually assaulting another man while he was sleeping, and then there's the Foley underage male congressional page thing. Remind me, what did Gary Hart do again?
Laff Riot
Florida's Bushco hood ornament has never been one to let the facts get in the way of his fealty to all things Bush. This may top the list: “Florida Sen. Mel Martinez says he is convinced there is progress in Iraq, even after the plane carrying his congressional delegation was fired on Thursday as it left Baghdad airport.” “Martinez, Meek views on Iraq policy are at odds“.
The plane was not merely “fired on”: rather it was “under fire from three rocket-propelled grenades during the course of several minutes as they left … a bright flash outside the window. … [the pilots took evasive action and] banked in one direction and then banked the other direction, and they set off the flares [to confuse heat seeking missiles].” “Plane carrying Martinez fired on in Iraq“
The depth of Mel's “thinking” is further revealed here:
Although his plane was fired on as it left Baghdad, U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez said he is “very optimistic” about the situation in Iraq.“I do believe that the situation is on an up-tick, for sure, particularly the tremendous … Improvement of the military situation,” Martinez, R-Fla., said in an interview Thursday night with the Associated Press that was released today by his office. “Having al Qaeda on the run is not an over-statement.”
“Martinez remains optimistic about Iraq after plane is attacked” (ellipsis original).
What a dope.
Ready, Fire … Aim.
“Democratic presidential contenders Bill Richardson, Joe Biden and Chris Dodd have pledged not to campaign in states like Florida and Michigan that moved up their primaries in violation of party rules.” “Three candidates say they'll skip Florida“. See also “3 Democrats to skip rogue primary states” and “Richardson, Dodd, Biden To Skip Early States“.
Lawsuit
“As Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean put out peace feelers to Florida on Thursday, a Tampa party activist filed a federal lawsuit seeking to make the party recognize results of the state's Jan. 29 presidential primary.” “Tampa activist sues DNC“. See also “Local Democrat Sues DNC In Primary Date Fight“.
It Never Ends …
“Cuban-American lawmakers are beginning an offensive to persuade foreign governments to take a hard line on Cuba.” “Lawmakers push a united, hard-line front on Cuba“.
Another Jebacy
The Palm Beach Post editors:
Florida doesn't have a top-tier public university system because Florida no longer runs it like states that do have top-tier public university systems. The man who ran Florida's system when it was a system made that point last week in the city that needs to hear it - Tallahassee. …But in 2001, the Legislature and Jeb Bush broke up Florida's system and the power of that governing board, setting off a year-to-year political fight over shrinking higher education money. …
Breaking up the university system was one of the worst acts by a governor and Legislature determined, in their ignorance and arrogance, to fix what wasn't broken.
“Florida's universities get good blast from the past“.
Huh?
“A Clermont resident must pay $50 to display support for presidential candidate Ron Paul, the city has said.” “ACLU joins fight over sign touting '08 hopeful“.
Empty Suit En Route to Florida
“Fred Thompson’s campaign organization, Friends of Fred, now has confirmed that he’ll announce Sept. 6 that he’s running for president, and that he’ll visit Florida at least twice in September, including a stop in Tallahassee and possibly one in Tampa.” “Thompson Confirms He’ll Announce Run, Visit Florida“. See also “Thompson Plans Fundraiser In Tampa Following Announcement“.
“Jenne is in big trouble”
The Miami Herald editorial board: “Mr. Jenne is in big trouble. Federal prosecutors are looking to indict him on multiple fraud and corruption charges, each of which, upon conviction, carries a stiff penalty of five years or more in prison. The potential charges relate to how Mr. Jenne may have used his public position to get contracts for his private consulting businesses. A deal could result in Mr. Jenne pleading to lesser charges and facing less jail time, in exchange for prosecutors winning a conviction and saving taxpayers the cost of a long, expensive trial.” “In Jenne case, plea deal or no deal?“.
What's Wrong With Orlando?
“Two of the Orlando Fire Department's top brass were suspended for a month without pay Friday for cheating on a promotional exam five years ago — a punishment that union officials decried as too light.”
Fire Chief Jim Reynolds said an investigation found evidence that Deputy Chief Rudolph Johnson and District Chief Brian Will used a departmental radio to secretly listen while colleagues took a test they would be taking the next day.Both men will begin serving 30-day, unpaid suspensions next week.
Johnson, one of three deputy chiefs who report directly to Reynolds, makes $108,409 a year and will lose $9,034 in pay. Will, in charge of the department's internal-affairs investigations, makes $83,220 annually and will lose $6,935.
“Cheating will not be tolerated, and this does send that message,” said Reynolds, describing the punishment as “substantial.”
But not everyone agreed. Union officials said they will file a labor grievance next week on behalf of the firefighters who missed out on promotions that went to Johnson and Will.
Union president Steve Clelland said rank-and-file firefighters think the two men should be stripped of their promotions and demoted to lieutenant.
“2 fire officials suspended for cheating“. One of the cheaters is in charge of the “the department's internal-affairs investigations”? Ahem … Buddy Dyer where are you?
“I don't suppose it would help”
“A jury will be allowed to hear a statement made by state Rep. Bob Allen as he was placed into a patrol car, a judge ruled this week.”
Judge Oscar Hotusing determined that Allen was not responding to a question when Allen asked an officer, “I don't suppose it would help if I said I was a state legislator, would it?”
“Jury can hear Allen remark, judge decides“. See also “Judge won't toss Allen statement“.
Protest
“At the heart of black protesters' anger at Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Alvarez this week is a pair of initiatives that some community leaders and county commissioners say would toss decades of political gains out the window.” “Dade blacks gear up to fight county mayor“.
DubyaDee
“In his 2006 opinion, Allen said because Kahn was a former law partner in Fred Levin's firm and appointed to the bench by former Gov. Lawton Chiles, Kahn should have recused himself from Childers' appeal. Allen drew connections between Levin, Childers, Chiles, Florida's landmark $13 billion tobacco settlement and the $250 million in fees associated with the case, and ultimately Kahn. 'More suspicious members of the public would have assumed that Judge Kahn had simply returned past favors provided to him by Mr. Levin and Mr. Childers, thus allowing them, once again, to 'snooker the bastards,'' Allen wrote in his opinion.” “Lawyer: Scathing written opinion not enough to remove judge from bench“.
Gambling
“The state dealt a new hand to licensed poker rooms in July and it has meant full houses for many of them as revenue at Florida's 18 state-regulated card rooms shot up almost 60 percent from June to July.” “Poker rooms across state hit jackpot with new laws“.
Oops!
“An education chief hopeful draws flak for claims he wrote music for major stars.” “Resume gets a fine tuning“.
While Mel Extols The Tremendous Improvement in the Military Situation
“U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek: No more funds if no plans for Iraq pullout“.
Sick Kids
The Palm Beach Post editors remind us that “last week, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued a rule that would block states from covering children with family incomes above 250 percent of the federal poverty level ($42,925 a year for a family of three). It also would require states to cover 95 percent of the poor children eligible - a threshold no state has met. Florida enrolls less than 10 percent.” “Let states insure children“.
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