Today Sen. Paula Dockery dropped out of the Gubernatorial Race.  Below is an email her campaign sent out.

Patricia Sullivan

EUSTIS, FL – Patricia Sullivan for Congress – Patricia Sullivan announced Friday, April 02, 2010, she is the only candidate in a potentially crowded field Certified by Signature to contest Democrat Alan Grayson in Florida’s 8th Congressional District by the Florida Division of Elections. “Many candidates will talk the talk of fiscal responsibility but we actually walked the walk and saved $10,440 of donor money by not ‘buying’ our way onto the ballot, but by working hard,” said Sullivan, one of several candidates expected to qualify for the Republican primary August 24, 2010. Sullivan gathered more signatures than required to put her on the ballot in the 8th district, the Florida Division of Elections verified well over 4,600 signatures on Patricia’s petitions.

Congressional Candidate Patricia Sullivan, a “Patriot not Politician”, was elated and humbled by the hard work and dedication of the great volunteer group, indicating this is only the beginning of a remarkable opportunity to say “Good bye Mr. Grayson” and return America to a country rooted in the values of our Founding Fathers.

Sullivan says she is looking forward to debating the issues with Congressman Grayson and proceeding to Washington to “give the fine people of Florida’s 8^th District the kind of respectful, common sense representation that they have been missing”.

To learn more and become a part of this winning team visit the official campaign website at www.patriciasullivanforcongress.com

Jim Greer

TALLAHASSEE — Former Florida Republican Party Chairman Jim Greer is the subject of a criminal investigation after an auditor found he funneled party money to a political consulting company he owned.

Attorney General Bill McCollum referred the matter to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement on March 15 after it was discovered during an internal party audit.

“This information indicates there may have been criminal activity surrounding a former senior official of the Republican Party of Florida and a company called Victory Strategies, LLC,” McCollum said in a statement.

Just a side note that McCollum was never in favor of the actual audit.  John Thrasher stated publicly that he would have a private firm audit the RPOF.  McCollum also knew about the secret deal between Delmar Johnson and Jim Greer for two months before actually going public with the finding.

The audit showed that Greer owned 60 percent of the company and Delmar Johnson, the party’s former executive director, owned the remaining 40 percent. Greer authorized the contract to let Johnson take a 10 percent commission on all dollars he raised for the party coffers. It totaled $133,005 for 2009 with an additional $66,250 for other consulting services.

Gov. Charlie Crist said the news is “terribly disturbing.” Greer was Crist’s hand-picked candidate to lead the state party following the governor’s election in 2006, and Crist remained publicly loyal to Greer until it became obvious in January that Greer had virtually lost all support.

“I find it terribly disturbing to hear, but I know that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement will certainly conduct a thorough and comprehensive investigation,” Crist said. Asked if the investigation could tarnish leading Republicans, Crist, who’s trailing in polls as a U.S. Senate candidate, said: “I certainly hope that it does not. The acts of individuals are the acts of individuals, and that is for the people to decide.”

Crist said he “had heard rumors” that Greer owned a stake in a consulting company, Victory Strategies, that was paid with party funds.

FDLE Commissioner Gerald Bailey reports to Crist and the Cabinet, and Crist is constantly accompanied by one or more FDLE agents, but the governor said he did not receive a heads-up of the FDLE probe of Greer. “I heard about it about an hour ago,” Crist said at about 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Marco Rubio

Miami, FL – Recognizing the importance of the youth vote, the Marco Rubio for U.S. Senate campaign today launched its college campus organizational drive to recruit college students for on-campus campaigning, summer volunteering and voter outreach efforts.  As part of this launch, the campaign announced its 31 Florida college coordinators, who will focus on recruiting supporters, volunteers and interns for the campaign during the final weeks of the spring semester.

The campaign also announced that Rubio will hold his first major statewide college rally on Wednesday, April 14 at the University of Florida in Gainesville.  The event will be broadcast via streaming video to Marco Rubio for U.S. Senate college groups across the state.

“College students are excited about Marco Rubio’s candidacy and drawn to his message of ensuring their generation inherits a secure and prosperous America,” said Rubio for Senate spokesman Alex Burgos.  “Through our campus recruiting drive, college students will play a key role in making sure that, by the time they return for the fall semester, Marco will be the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate and heading to victory in November.”

“Having a strong presence on Florida’s college campuses is an essential part of communicating Marco’s message and achieving our goals,” Burgos added.  “Marco and his campaign are honored to have students across the state stand with him and stand for the conservative principles that will get America back on a limited government, free market track.”

RUBIO FOR SENATE COLLEGE COORDINATORS

• Ave Maria University: Devin Mace
• Barry University: Sara Quinn
• Broward College: Johann Berenguer
• Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University: Mike Carkin
• Florida Atlantic University: James Shackleford
• Florida Gulf Coast University: Jason Boswell
• Florida International University: Johnathan De La Torre
• Flagler College: Bethany Maddox
• Florida State College at Jacksonville: Tyler Smith
• Florida State University: Juan Montalvo
• Indian River State College: Mike Waters
• Jacksonville University: Mike Kerekes
• Lake-Sumter Community College: Tim Mitchum
• Miami-Dade College: Erwin Meinhardt
• Palm Beach Atlantic University: Adam McKinney
• Pasco-Hernando Community College: Jessica Griffin
• Rollins College: Christina Benitez
• Santa Fe College: Monica Gordon
• Southeastern University: Dustin Keeling
• St. Leo University: Nick Bliesner
• St. Petersburg College: Jake Holehouse
• Stetson University: Brooke Nattkemper
• Tallahassee Community College: Miguel Gonzalez
• University of Central Florida: Lauren Edwards
• University of Florida: Josh Mize
• University of North Florida: Hampton Ray
• University of Miami: Vincent Foster
• University of Tampa: Shane Twaddell
• University of South Florida: Thomas Bell
• University of West Florida: Meagan Enderson
• Valencia Community College: John Steuber

Farid Khavari

Miami, FL Mar. 30 – Noted economist and Florida Democratic gubernatorial candidate today called on Alex Sink, also a Democratic candidate, to withdraw from the governor’s race. “The poll numbers are bad enough, with Republican Bill McCollum 15 points ahead of Alex Sink,” Khavari said, referring to the March 29 Mason-Dixon Poll showing McCollum leading Sink by 49% to 34%. “But these poll numbers are really much worse than they seem.

“Florida has 17% more Democratic voters than Republican,” Khavari continued. “24% of Democrats already support the Republican. This is not because Democrats like McCollum. It is because Democrats simply don’t support Sink. If the race were evenly divided along party lines, Sink would be eight points ahead of McCollum.

“This means that 24% of Democrats prefer to vote for a Republican who was a 20-year Congressman on banking committees, then a lobbyist for the Mortgage Bankers of America, rather than a Democrat who is a multimillionaire retired banker. Even Democratic women don’t support Alex Sink.

“Democrats see through the rhetoric in Alex Sink’s ‘Business Plan’ and realize that the same old schmaltz didn’t create jobs before and it won’t create jobs now. If the Chief Financial Officer of Florida knew anything about creating jobs, why hasn’t she done anything about it? Over a million Floridians are out of work and she just found out about it?” Khavari said.

“Alex Sink was hand-picked by Democrat Party leaders, who lavished over $1.5 million on her campaign, without any input from Party members. We can’t afford crony politics in Florida any more, not with a million Floridians out of work and 800,000 foreclosures already, and worse to come. It is time for her to step aside,” Khavari said.

“My plan to create 1,000,000 new private-sector jobs in Florida, without subsidies, is spelled out in detail. Voters from all parties support it because everyone can understand that it will work. And, above all, we need jobs, jobs, and more jobs here in Florida. We can get them with my plan,” Khavari said.

Another aspect of Khavari’s Economic Plan, the creation of a state-owned bank, has received national acclaim. Since it was announced, gubernatorial candidates in five other states have included proposals for state-owned banks in their campaigns. The proposed Bank of the State of Florida would slash interest costs for state and local governments, and for all Floridians as well, while turning a profit for the state. “This is common-sense economics,” Khavari said. “2010 is about economics, not crony politics.”

Farid A. Khavari, Ph.D. is a respected economist and author of nine books, including Environomics. His Economic Plan for Florida is at www.khavariforgovernor.com.

Bill Posey

WASHINGTON, DC – Today Congressman Bill Posey (R-FL) announced that he is introducing legislation to close the loophole to eliminate the special health care reform exemption for certain Congressional staff and require all Legislative Branch employees to enroll in the new government run health care system.

“It appears as though some of the folks who participated in drafting the health care takeover exempted themselves from it,” said Posey. “If the plan is so great, the folks who wrote it should be running to be the first one’s in line to sign up. The opposite seems to be happening and the American people see that and don’t like it.”

Specifically, Posey’s legislation would close the loophole so that all Legislative Branch employees are required to get their health care from the health care exchanges.  This would include all leadership, committee and joint staff as well as officers of the House and Senate and their employees.  All other Legislative Branch employees would be included as well, including those employees working for the Architect of the Capitol, the Library of Congress, and the Government Accountability Office.

Posey also questioned why the White House has exempted its staff from participating in its signature health care program. “I just think if these folks want the reform so bad, they should be required to join it too.”

Charlie Crist & Marco Rubio

Miami, FL – With the first 2010 U.S. Senate Republican primary debate scheduled for this Sunday on FOX News Sunday, the Marco Rubio for U.S. Senate campaign today questioned which Charlie Crist will show up.

In a new video series launched today, Rubio for Senate provides Floridians with flashbacks to the first time Crist ran for U.S. Senate – in 1998 against Sen. Bob Graham – and debated before the legendary Tim Russert.

As voters will see, there are plenty of reasons to wonder: which Charlie Crist will show up and what positions will he change in order to win this Sunday?

WATCH THE VIDEO

“One of the advantages of perpetually running for political office is that Charlie Crist heads into this Sunday’s debate as a five-time statewide candidate with lots of debate experience,” said Rubio for Senate spokesman Alex Burgos.  “Charlie Crist is a slick politician and debater who will say and do anything to score a win.  In addition, he has also made several appearances on Sunday shows, including his most recent one in which he vigorously promoted the failed $787 billion stimulus.

“As these flashbacks will show, a lot has changed since the last time Charlie Crist ran for U.S. Senate, including his positions on a host of issues, though his willingness to say and do anything to get elected is still alive and well,” Burgos added.  “However, Charlie Crist’s biggest challenge this Sunday will be to reconcile his past positions with today’s desperate need to say whatever he thinks is necessary to get elected.”

FACTS ABOUT SUNDAY’S DEBATE

• This is Marco’s first statewide campaign.

• This is Crist’s fifth statewide campaign.  It is also the second time he has run for U.S. Senate.

• This is Marco’s first campaign debate ever.

• Crist has participated in numerous debates – in both primary and general elections for U.S. Senate, Education Commissioner, Attorney General, Governor and now U.S. Senate again.

• This is Marco’s first appearance on a nationally televised Sunday show.

• Crist has been a Sunday show guest before.  In his last memorable Sunday show appearance, Crist defended the stimulus on Meet The Press.

The South Florida Water Management District Governing Board faces a defining vote at its meeting this week, one that could bring the agency to the fiscal brink and force an increase in property taxes for homeowners in the 16 counties that make up the district.

Two weeks ago, the district’s financial adviser gave the agency a dire forecast if it proceeds with the planned purchase of land owned by U.S. Sugar, which, despite what you’ve heard, would do little to advance the important goal of Everglades restoration. Still, the board appears determined to approve this sweetheart deal, no matter that the purchase would create operating deficits of $89 million and $110 million in each of the next two years.

The board’s financial adviser says significant cuts will be needed in the operations and maintenance budgets for current projects essential to the district’s mission. To make ends meet, the board will likely have to raise property taxes. No matter the red flags, the district’s unelected board is stacked to approve this deal, which was negotiated in secret by big-money special interests in Tallahassee.

Last week, in making two new appointments to the South Florida Water Management District board, Gov. Crist told the St. Petersburg Times that he applied a “litmus test:” assurance that the new members would vote to approve the purchase. Predictably, both new members are on record as supporting the deal.

As I’ve said from the start, the U.S. Sugar deal represents bad public policy. I was the sponsor of the bill to authorize bond sales for Everglades restoration, as well as legislation that created the Florida Forever land preservation program. But if completed, the U.S. Sugar purchase will swallow the district’s budget for years, and prevent progress on other water-supply measures identified as priorities, including the reservoir, pollution-treatment marshes and flood-control protections around Lake Okeechobee.

So, while this project is being sold as Everglades restoration, it would delay actual restoration efforts by using needed money for land acquisition, while U.S. Sugar would retain the more significant tracts in the natural flow-way. Making matters worse, the deal would give U.S. Sugar an exclusive right to lease back the acreage at below-market rates for 20 years.

I’m asking board Chairman Eric Buermann to be forthcoming about the consequences, including tax increases that will be needed and opportunities that will be lost. Continuing to pursue this purchase is not just fiscally irresponsible; it is nothing short of reckless.

SEN. PAULA DOCKERY

Lakeland

Editor’s note: Paula Dockery represents Florida Senate District 15. She is a Republican candidate for governor.

Senate President Jeff Atwater tapped Sen. J.D. Alexander to chair the Ethics & Elections Committee now that Sen. John Thrasher stepped down once he became head of the Republican Party of Florida. Atwater spokeswoman Jaryn Emhof said Atwater chose Alexander, who was chair last year, because he was already on the committee. That way, she said, the president wouldn’t have to tap someone from another committee and start a domino effect of “shuffling people around” from one committee to the next.

One of those people who wanted to be shuffled: Sen. Paula Dockery,  wrote Atwater earlier today:

This letter serves as a notification of my desire to serve as chair of the Senate Ethics & Elections Committee, in addition to my current chairmanship of the Criminal Justice Committee. The people of Florida are rightfully demanding substantial ethics reforms. The chairperson that you select for this committee will be in a position to truly listen to the people and begin the restoration of the public trust.

I have been emphasizing this need for the past three years and have researched changes that would restore the integrity of our beloved institution, and my sincere desire to use my leadership skills for this critical purpose, as well as my record on transparency and open government makes me the logical candidate for the job.

Thank you in advance for your careful consideration in this matter.

Interestingly enough Senator Dockery has been the only one calling for Ethics Reform in the state legislature.  J. D. Alexander refused to remove himself from the Sun Rail vote, even though he stood to benefit financially from the vote.  His recently acquired company Phoenix Industries in Winter Haven is located adjacent to the CSX rail line.  The company specializes in Rail to Truck transportation, Cold and Perishable Storage.

The way I see J.D.’s appointment is simple.  It’s a classic case of a FOX WATCHING THE HEN HOUSE! Not to mention the Sun Rail connection between Jeff Atwater and J.D. Alexander, but then again seems as if it’s business as usual in Tallahassee.