Charlie Crist

Gov. Charlie Crist’s new U.S. Senate campaign ad continues to backfire. First, morning show host Many Connell deconstructed it on-air as, essentially, a vomit-provoking “lie.” Now Cato Institute’s Tax Policy Director Christ Edwards, who gave Crist an “A” in his Fiscal Policy Report Card on America’s Governors,” is annotating Crist’s decision to mention the grade in the Connell-maligned radio ad.

From an Edwards email:

According to the Herald’s Naked Politics (October 16), Gov. Charlie Crist is trumpeting his grade of “A” on Cato’s “Fiscal Policy Report Card on America’s Governors.” The governor earned the grade in last year’s report based mainly on his property tax cuts and moderate spending approach.

I am pleased that Crist values Cato’s ratings because we work hard to make them accurate and nonpartisan. But as the report’s author, I am concerned that the governor has fallen off the fiscal responsibility horse since the report was written in mid-2008.

In particular, Crist approved a huge $2.2 billion tax increase for the fiscal 2010 budget, even though he had promised that $12 billion in federal “stimulus” money showered on Florida over three years would obviate the need for tax increases.

About $1 billion of the tax increases are on cigarette consumers, which will particularly harm moderate-income families. The rest of the increases are in the form of higher costs for often mandatory services, such as automobile registration, which is really just a sneaky form of tax increases.

These tax increases will be particularly painful to Floridians in the short-term because of the recession. But Crist has also jeopardized the state’s long-term finances with his expanded subsidies for hurricane insurance. Hurricanes are a major challenge in Florida, but giving big subsidies to coastal property owners, driving private insurers out of the state, and guaranteeing a massive state bailout when the next hurricane hits strikes me as the height of fiscally irresponsibility.

Sincerely,

Chris Edwards
Director of Tax Policy
Cato Institute
Washington, D.C.
Author of “Fiscal Policy Report Card on America’s Governors, 2008”

READ THE ARTICLE

Kendrick Meek

U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek, D- Miami, today picked up Senate endorsements from Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink and U.S. Rep. Corinne Brown, D-Jacksonville, who had been exploring her own run for Senate.

Sink, a 2010 candidate for governor, is one of two Dems to hold statewide office in Florida. The other — U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson — hasn’t formally endorsed Meek, but was listed as a host for a Meek fund-raiser in Washington this month that was headlined by former President Bill Clinton.

Meek is the heavy favorite to win the Democratic Senate nomination, but former Miami Mayor Maurice Ferre announced this month that he will also run as a Democrat.

Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite

CONGRESSWOMAN GINNY BROWN-WAITE ENDORSES MARCO RUBIO FOR U.S. SENATE

Miami, FL–As she campaigns in Florida’s Fifth Congressional District today, U.S. Senate candidate and former Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio announced that he has received the endorsement of Congresswoman Ginny Brown-Waite (FL-05).

Making today’s announcement, Congresswoman Brown-Waite said, “Originally, I had not planned to endorse in this race, but as the challenges facing our nation and Florida grow more severe, times demand someone willing to make hard choices.  Washington needs leaders with solid conservative beliefs and the courage to do the right thing.  Marco Rubio does not try to be all things to all people.  Like me, what you see is what you get. Marco Rubio is the consistent, principled conservative we need to provide a check and balance on the Obama-Reid agenda.”

“In the Senate, Marco will stand up for Florida’s taxpayers, not with President Obama and dangerous big government spending,” she added.  “Marco will oppose Medicare changes proposed by the Obama Administration that will hurt our seniors.  Marco is a principled leader who will answer the call and won’t pass the buck.  You can count on Marco Rubio to walk the talk.”

Welcoming Brown-Waite’s endorsement, Rubio commented, “I’m honored to have Congresswoman Brown-Waite’s support.   She has proven time and time again that Republicans are the party of ideas and common sense solutions, while showing an especially remarkable ability to put these traits to work on behalf of Florida’s taxpayers, seniors and veterans.  I look forward to joining her in Washington and working together to get our country back on track.”

About Congresswoman Ginny Brown-Waite: Brown-Waite is serving in her fourth term as a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, where she has built a reputation as an independent and tenacious leader.  Currently a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, Ginny’s work centers on health care, Medicare, Social Security, taxes and trade.  During her earlier years in Congress, she served on the Financial Services, Homeland Security and Veterans’ Affairs Committees, where she focused on providing oversight and accountability of our financial markets, securing America’s borders and taking care of our veterans.  Residing in Brooksville, Ginny is a mother to three adult daughters and a grandmother to four grandsons and one granddaughter.  Her husband, Harvey, a former New York State trooper, recently passed away following a bout with cancer.

Charlie Crist & Marco Rubio

Former Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio has written a letter to his 2010 GOP Senate primary rival, Gov. Charlie Crist, asking him to probe scandal-rocked ACORN’s activities in Florida.

The left-leaning group has come under fire after a series of undercover videos — featuring a 20-year-old Florida International University student — have revealed ACORN workers appearing to condone prostitution and promote tax evasion.

Rubio’s letter notes a St. Petersburg Times report about Crist’s past links to ACORN and Crist’s absence in 2008 from the chorus of Republicans who criticized the group’s voter-registration practices.

Read the text of Rubio’s letter after the jump…..

September 17, 2009

The Honorable Charlie Crist
The Capitol
400 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32399

Dear Governor Crist:

As you are no doubt aware, the community organizing group Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) is now under intense scrutiny for recent reports of its involvement in questionable behavior and potentially illegal activity in several states.

In addition to the damning video reports of ACORN employees now familiar to most Floridians, just last week the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office announced that arrest warrants were issued for 11 former ACORN employees accused of faking voter registration cards. While it is commendable that ACORN assisted in the investigations that led to the arrests, it begs the question: why were so many people capable of these crimes working for ACORN in the first place?

Last Friday, the Census Bureau severed ties with ACORN. On Tuesday, U.S. Senators Bill Nelson and George LeMieux joined 81 other Senators in an overwhelming and bipartisan vote to strip federal funding from ACORN. Just yesterday, Governors Arnold Schwarzenegger in California and Tim Pawlenty in Minnesota took similar action, asking officials to investigate ACORN’s behavior in their respective states and prevent state taxpayer funding of the group.

Based on the mounting evidence against ACORN and the serious questions surrounding this organization, I respectfully ask that you follow the lead of the other elected officials I mentioned above and take immediate steps to initiate a thorough investigation into ACORN’s activities in Florida, including a detailed accounting of what state funds, if any, ACORN may be receiving. If it is discovered that they are receiving state funds, I believe further steps should be taken to cut off any taxpayer funding of ACORN.

The St. Petersburg Times also reported yesterday that your office may have partnered with ACORN in the past on several initiatives, including your 2007 effort to restore voting rights to convicted felons in Florida. If you partnered with ACORN, I have no reason to doubt you did so unaware of ACORN’s propensity for questionable activity, and with what you believed at the time to be the best interests of Floridians at heart. However, given the recent revelations about ACORN, I believe it is now in the best interest of all Floridians for your office to provide a thorough accounting of its relationship with ACORN and what, if any, influence ACORN may have had in any actions you have taken on behalf of the people of Florida.

Lastly, during last year’s presidential election, despite what now seems to be a prescient chorus of concerned parties asking for an investigation into ACORN’s election-related activities, you insisted that you were unconcerned with ACORN’s activities. In light of the recent allegations against ACORN, I suggest you reconsider your position, demand a full investigation of ACORN’s election-related activities, and take whatever steps available to you to prevent ACORN from engaging in voter registration and other election-related activities until the questions surrounding this organization are resolved.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Marco Rubio

Charlie Crist

Embattled former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) said Monday he was mourning the loss of his close friend and fundraiser Christopher Kelly, who reportedly committed suicide this weekend — a death Blagojevich seemed to blame on federal investigators.

“He was a close friend, and I’m mourning his loss,” Blagojevich said of Kelly, who was scheduled to begin a jail sentence this week. “I feel a deep sense of sadness about his passing and what happened to him.”

But, the governor added: “He took his life because he refused to cooperate with federal authorities, who wanted him to lie about me … We were going to call him to testify on our behalf. The truth from his point of view was going to be helpful in my case, it would help vindicate me.”

Blagojevich never really disappeared from headlines, but he’s recently returned to the forefront of the news cycle with the release of his book, “The Governor.” In it, he argues he was merely trying to use his state’s open Senate seat as leverage to create new jobs and prevent a future tax hike.

When Fox News asked the former governor during his interview on Monday whether that politicking was illegal, Blagojevich suggested other lawmakers have acted similarly in the past.

“I could have named my wife if I wanted to,” Blagojevich said of his Senate appointment, adding that his team had looked into such possibilities as Oprah and Valerie Jarrett. “Look at what Gov. [Charlie] Crist (R) did in Florida — he put his chief of staff in there to hold the seat warm for him so he could run for the U.S. Senate. I didn’t do any of those things.”

Marco Rubio

Miami, FL–U.S. Senate candidate and former Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio today issued the following statement on the anniversary of the September 11th attacks:

“On this eighth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, we remember the heroes who perished that day and grieve with the loved ones they left behind. Their memory endures in a nation blessed to have known such extraordinary souls.

“We commemorate the heroism of first responders and passengers who helped save lives in the Twin Towers, the Pentagon and on the ground. Like so many generations of Americans before them, these selfless individuals valiantly rose to the occasion when our nation needed them most. In doing so, they inspired the world.

“We honor the work of the brave men and women who have served in our armed forces, intelligence community, law enforcement and public safety agencies. Together, they have labored courageously and often anonymously to prevent another similar tragedy on U.S. soil. Especially today, they deserve our respect, admiration and appreciation for all they have done and continue to do to keep us safe.

“The world remains a dangerous place amidst the persistent threat of violent jihadists. As we remember 9/11, we should find a renewed and reinvigorated sense of purpose for the greatest of all causes – protecting America and our way of life.”

Charlie Crist

In his quest to raise $20 million for a U.S. Senate run, Gov. Charlie Crist will appear at a fundraiser on September 11 despite calls from some of his critics to postpone out of respect.

On the eighth anniversary of the 9-11 attacks, Republicans expect Crist to raise upwards of $150,000 at the St. Pete mansion belonging to Fazal A. Fazlin. The invitation indicates the minimum donation is $1,000, with “VIP Reception Photo-Op” packages available for $2,400.

“This isn’t about political correctness,” said GOP consultant Chris Ingram, who runs IrreverentView.com. “It’s not too far removed for us to still remember and honor them and put our politics aside one day and not be raising money for political campaigns.”

But hosts for the event say there simply was no other time with Crist’s ambitious schedule to hold an event at the mansion.

“When you have 67 counties and you’re trying to raise $20 million, every day counts,” said Sen. Dennis Jones (R-Seminole). “Saturdays and Sundays are pretty much out because of the football season now.”

“To me, that’s appalling,” responded Ingram. “They’re concerned about scheduling as it interferes with a college or pro football team but they’re not concerned with how it interferes with an important day in the history of our nation?”

Jones says he hasn’t heard a single complaint yet and that over 100 people have already RSVP’d. Fellow host John Stross says that Crist “plans to talk about the significance of (Sept. 11) and our political process, which the terrorists want to destroy.”

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A state lawmaker says Gov. Charlie Crist is picking his former chief of staff George LeMieux (leh-’MEW) to replace Republican Sen. Mel Martinez, who is resigning.

State Rep. Jennifer Carroll, who was considered for the position, said Crist told her he is choosing LeMieux. Crist planned to make the announcement later Friday.

By choosing LeMieux, Crist picked the candidate he trusts most to fill out the term that expires in January 2011. Crist is running for the seat in next year’s election.

LeMieux ran Crist’s 2006 campaign for governor. Crist then picked LeMieux as chief of staff. He left for a Tallahassee law firm in December 2007.

Martinez announced this month that he wouldn’t complete his first term.

Crist is running against Marco Rubio for the seat that Martinez has vacated.  Rubio had this to say in a statement “This is a disappointing pick for Florida. George LeMieux is a talented political operative and the governor’s best friend, but that doesn’t make him the right choice to represent Florida in the Senate. Governor Crist had a wealth of consistent and principled conservative candidates to choose from, all of whom would have been a reliable check and balance on the excesses of the Obama-Pelosi-Reid agenda.”

Tallahassee, FL (AHN) – Florida Gov. Charlie Crist will announce his choice of replacement for Sen. Mel Martinez (R-FL) this week, according to reports. Martinez’ retirement take effect as soon as the governor announces his choice, who will join lawmakers when Congress reconvenes next month.

Crist currently has 10 candidates for the seat he himself is seeking in the 2010 election. Earlier this week, the governor asked former U.S. Reps. Mike Bilirakis, Louis Frey and Clay Shaw to be vetted. The three joined state Rep. Jennifer Carroll, former Jacksonville Mayor John Delaney, former U.S. Attorney Bob Martinez and former state House Speaker Dan Webster as potential appointees.

Also said to be in the shortlist is George LeMieux, who was a chief of staff to Crist, and former Secretary of State Jim Smith.

Three Republicans have refused to be vetted: U.S. Reps. C. W. Bill Young (R-FL), Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL), and former U.S. Sen. Connie Mack.

The governor’s appointment will stay until the end of Martinez’ term next year, and will join lawmakers when Congress returns to session after a month-long recess on Sept. 8.

Crist began looking for a replacement on Aug. 7, when Martinez cited his family and 12 years of public service and announced that he would not finish his term. Martinez, the first Cuban-American to serve in the Senate and Housing secretary before his 2004 election, had said in December that he would not seek a second term.

Charlie Crist

Crist is running for the Republican nomination against several candidates, but his main competition comes from former Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio. Rubio is running to the right of Crist, attempting to paint the well-tanned governor as an ally of President Barack Obama and his broad deficit spending programs. Democratic hopefuls in the race include North Miami Mayor Kevin Burns and Miami-area Rep. Kendrick Meek.

Building up support for the run, Crist has already secured endorsements from Mel Martinez, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), former Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and an influential Miami-area Republican family, the Diaz-Balarts.