The Rothstein Hot Seat
When it comes to ill-gotten gains, no one scatters faster than the recipients (or the perceived recipient of).
The Palm Beach Post (11/8/09):
(...)
Revelations that Fort Lauderdale lawyer Scott Rothstein's nearly $1.4 million in political contributions since 2006 - much of it landing in Tallahassee - might be tainted also chilled the marbled halls of the Capitol and its environs.
(...)The allegations that Rothstein had bilked investors and the law firm he founded out of as much as $500 million unfolded during a committee week in Tallahassee, just as the indictment against another political rainmaker, Broward County eye doctor Alan Mendelsohn, had a little more than a month before.
Both were generous fund-raisers not just for Gov. Charlie Crist but for politicians of all stripes, as they coughed up cash for campaigns and charities.
Lobbyists, lawmakers and staffers were glued to their BlackBerrys monitoring blog posts as the Rothstein drama unfolded from Monday throughout the week. Developments in the saga dominated chatter in the hangouts surrounding the 22-story Capitol. By late Wednesday, the clientele at the popular watering hole Clyde's and Costello's was whispering about an FBI raid on the offices of Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler even as it was going down hundreds of miles away in Fort Lauderdale.
For some, it held the same morbid appeal of watching a train wreck. For others, it posed a more ominous threat.
Flynn observed that some were thinking this "could be happening to me. You never know where these things go."
You never know where these things go.
And with the feds on the money trail, all bets are off. Additionally, with so many ties to South Florida, I'm very interested in what the Palm Beach Post describes as entities.
Those on the hot seat of explaining to do....
(...)Research more contributions here.South Florida Republicans whose campaigns received money from Rothstein or entities associated with him include Senate President Jeff Atwater of North Palm Beach, Sen. Joe Negron of Stuart, House Majority Leader Adam Hasner of Boca Raton, and Reps. Ellyn Bogdanoff of Fort Lauderdale, Juan Zapata of Miami and Carlos Lopez-Cantera of Miami, according to state records. (U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam, R-Lakeland was mentioned previously in the above cited article).
Rothstein also gave to Democrats, including Sens. Ted Deutch of Boca Raton, Dan Gelber of Miami Beach, Jeremy Ring of Margate and Chris Smith of Fort Lauderdale, along with House Democratic Leader Franklin Sands of Weston and Reps. Martin Kiar of Davie and Evan Jenne of Dania Beach. Jenne's father, disgraced Broward Sheriff Ken Jenne, took a job with the lobbying arm of Rothstein's law firm after he was released from prison last year.
Bob Norman of The Daily Pulp posted his September brush with Mr. Rothstein a couple months back. A brief skim of the interlude fairly sums up why Florida's been caught up in a strangle hold all these years. Read Scott Rothstein Calls Himself "Jewish Avenger," Out to Destroy the Pulp here.
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Did you notice this:
Rothstein also gave to Democrats, including....Dan Gelber of Miami Beach.
I also noticed that Republican Mel Martinez was mentioned with SEVERAL contributions as well.
Things that make you go HHHMMMM
Or
KICK THEM ALL OUT and put in some responsible grass roots individuals who will look out for the interest and safety of Florida citizens, rather than putting money into individual POLITICAN'S POCKETS.
Wonder if Ron Book's name will surface during this investigation somehow. Charlie Crist's name already has!
Just a thought.
In all fairness to Crist, Martinez and Gelber...I don't know how they used the money contributed to them, but my post above is more a question of "What DID you do with the contributions???"
I had the very same thoughts.
Explaining it all away...
(...)
Gov. Charlie Crist called for the Legislature to stiffen anti-corruption laws Wednesday at a gathering of state prosecutors, even as the governor sought to distance himself from disgraced Broward lawyer and fundraiser Scott Rothstein.
Pressed about his relationship with Rothstein, who raised funds for the governor and state Republican Party, Crist acknowledged he attended Rothstein's wedding reception but said their political relationship wasn't particularly cozy.
"He had supported me, like he did so many others, (Democratic) CFO Sink and many people," Crist told reporters. "That's about the extent of it."
Crist said he did not consult regularly with Rothstein during the 2006 campaign or on policy matters since taking office in January 2007.
Crist's 2010 campaign for U.S. Senate returned $9,600 in direct contributions from Rothstein in an "abundance of caution" Tuesday, joining other politicians from both parties in taking that step.
As he batted away questions about Rothstein, Crist used an appearance at the Florida Prosecuting Attorneys Association Meeting in Tallahassee to urge the Legislature to pass anti-corruption measures. The governor has convened a statewide grand jury to look into the issue and make recommendations before the legislative session starts in March.
"I think we're at a time where the members of the Florida House, the members of the Florida Senate, understand there's a serious, grave problem as it relates to public corruption," he said. "I think we have a real opportunity to work with the grand jury to change the laws, to tighten things up, to do what the people deserve."
One idea, pushed by Sen. Dan Gelber, D-Miami Beach, would give state prosecutors the same broad powers as their federal counterparts to go after politicians who use their offices for personal gain. Crist said he likes that idea.
"Why should there be any disctintion with the authority that the federal prosecutors would have versus the state?" he said. "They ought to be well armed, I think."
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/elections/fl-crist-corruption-110409-20091104,0,7469874.story
The BEST way to hide something if someone is to hide it right in front of their nose.
No one would expect to find that HIDDEN THING right out in front of them.
Just another thought.
read the history of how 'weston' came to be. weston is a freak show stepford like place. i doubt their democrats are democrats. it's a carefullllllllyyyy planned REGIMENTED community along the lines of domino's pizza catholic freak show town. that kinda thing. you expect there to be private roads into these places soon. Interestingly enough one of my worst neighbors calls that place home and rents his house HERE out to utter pigs who rotate from behind to in front of me.
Another interesting point about weston: it shares a name with Sheriff David Gee's son. Disgraced sheriffs all OVER florida. Only some of them not caught yet.
Wow being in prison is like a BULLET POINT on a GOP CV.
1991-2000 corrupt sheriff of anytwon usa.
2000-2009 PRISON ANYWHERE..
2009-next prison term. LOBBYING ARM (presumably alongside mark you got a buck for my dead daughter lunsford) of ANY GOP NEONAZI party.
Enjoy your laugh, book. LOL
bada bing I'll be here ALL WEEK
I just asked that question about Weston...how in the world did that city come to be constructed in the Everglades...for crying out loud....
read the history.