Report: Congressional candidate Alan Grayson hits Lynx bus in downtown Orlando

[The Backlash Cometh]

Former congressman Alan Grayson collided with a Lynx bus this afternoon near a busy downtown intersection, according to WESH.

Grayson, a congressional candidate who was on his way to a campaign fundraising event, ran a red light and struck the bus, reports show. Two people aboard the bus suffered slight injuries. Grayson's Mercedes Benz suffered significant damage, according to WESH.

Watch the video at WESH.com.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/os-alan-grayson-hits-lynx-fundraiser-20120310,0,4842558.story

[RZM]

1. Grayson drives a Benz to campaign events?

Huh. I would think House candidates would eschew expensive cars. Once in office it's a different story of course.

[The Backlash Cometh]

2. Well, he is a lawyer.

I can't imagine he would be driving a Fusion and garner respect from the other Central Florida lawyers.

[left on green only]

4. I once hired an attorney who drove a Benz (leased - as it turned out)

Except some weeks later when he arrived at my deposition, it had been switched for a Maverick (leased, as well). The result: He took me to the cleaners. Hard times.

[The Backlash Cometh]

10. Our world would be better off

if lawyers weren't allowed to police themselves.

[demosincebirth]

9. Maybe even driving and American (union) made car.

[Hollywood Hills]

3. Grayson was the richest member of Congress...

....when he was in office.

[2ndAmForComputers]

5. Source?

[Angry Dragon]

6. Issa net worth -- #300 million

Grayson has more??

[girl gone mad]

7. Rich, but not the richest.

from Wikipedia:

Grayson was ranked as the 11th-wealthiest member of Congress in 2010, based on financial disclosure forms with a minimum net worth of $31.41 million, according to Roll Call.[84] Grayson disclosed that his attorney fees and costs for the war contractor case had exceeded $4 million.[12][14]

How he made much of his money:

In the 2000s, he worked as a plaintiffs' attorney specializing in whistleblower fraud cases aimed at Iraq war contractors. One contractor, Custer Battles, employed individuals who were found guilty of making fraudulent statements and submitting fraudulent invoices on two contracts the company had with the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq.[11][12] On behalf of his clients, Grayson filed suit under the False Claims Act and its qui tam provisions.[11] The jury verdict was more than $13 million, which was upheld on appeal in April 2009. The case remains the only successful prosecution of those who profited illegally from the war in Iraq. The Iraq war contractor fraud case brought Grayson his first national attention.[13] In 2006, a Wall Street Journal reporter described Grayson as "waging a one-man war against contractor fraud in Iraq" and as a "fierce critic of the war in Iraq" whose car displayed bumper stickers such as "Bush lied, people died".[14]

[RZM]

11. Here's the list from 2011

The top five are:

1) Michael McCaul (R-Texas) $294 million
2) Darrell Issa (R-California) $220 million
3) John Kerry (D-Massachusetts) $193 million
4) Jay Rockefeller (D-West Virginia) $86 million
5) Mark Warner (D-Virginia) $76 million

http://www.rollcall.com/50richest/the-50-richest-members-of-congress-112th.html

[Mojorabbit]

8. Is he ok? I hope no one was seriously injured in the accident. nt