Reply #5: St. Pete Times: Jim Greer trial may expose Florida Republican party's inner workings

[seafan]

Bring. It. On.



The "Four Horsemen" of this scandal:

State Senator John Thrasher. House Speaker Dean Cannon. Senate President Mike Haridopolos. Former AG Bill McCollum.


(With Jeb Bush lurking just offstage, of course.)



Jim Greer trial may expose Florida Republican party's inner workings, September 5, 2011

By Adam C. Smith

ORLANDO — When former state Republican party chairman Jim Greer goes on trial next year on charges of fraud and money laundering, plenty of prominent politicians may be squirming as the inner workings of the party are exposed.

There's former U.S. Sen. George LeMieux, who recommended Greer for the post and earned $150,000 consulting for the party while Greer was chairman. Now a candidate for U.S. Senate, LeMieux is trying to distance himself from his part in the Charlie Crist-Jim Greer political team, while Greer says LeMieux knew about most everything Greer did that led to his indictment.

Current and former legislators, including U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, could see their freewheeling spending of state party money put back on display.

And there's Florida House Speaker Dean Cannon, Senate President Mike Haridopolos and former state party chairman and current state Sen. John Thrasher. They signed a secret $124,000 severance package with Greer, so he would resign and keep his mouth shut.

......

Greer legal complaint here.



Former GOP Chair Jim Greer opens up for the first time to 10 News Investigators, September 1, 2011


Former GOP Chair, Jim Greer tells 10 News Investigators party leaders lied, September 2, 2011




FL GOP meltdown is shaping up to be a battle between the Crist camp and the Jeb Bush camp., April 1, 2010


Let's not forget the GOP AmEx cards that these guys used, padding their personal lifestyles., April 2, 2010

Hello, Mr. Rubio. Please take a seat next to your attorney.


(Florida) Ray Sansom case shocker: Ex-college president flips on him, developer (Marco Rubio's former budget chief), March 12, 2011 (Update on Sansom here.)


I'm sure Rubio is "saddened" about his close buddy David Rivera's scandal troubles too., March 3, 2011


Page after page of this GOP rot, infesting Florida's politics, both in-state and in Congress...



Mitt Romney dangles his short list for VP: Bob McDonnell, Chris Christie and Marco Rubio., July 27, 2011



Marco Rubio is example of 'America, be very careful what you wish for', September 2, 2011

Ed Schultz took Rubio to the woodshed last week, after Rubio's speech in which he painted Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid as programs that "actually weakened us as a people".


It's time the real Marco Rubio is exposed for the country to see. He's not only a threat to Florida now.



And it just may take the Jim Greer trial next year to do it.





Meanwhile, House Speaker Dean Cannon and Senator John Thrasher were deposed on August 31, along with former RPOF attorney Jason Gonzalez and consultant John Harris.

At the center of the depositions and Greer's defense is a Jan. 4, 2010 severance agreement signed by Cannon, Thrasher, Gonzalez, then-incoming Senate President Mike Haridopolos and others. One draft of the document specifically mentioned Victory Strategies. The final didn't mention the company. But it was pretty exonerating in its wording.

"RPOF stipulates and agrees that all RPOF expenditures made during Greer's term as RPOF Chairman were proper, lawful, appropriate, and served the interests of RPOF, and RPOF specifically acknowledges that all expense reimbursements of any kind, American Express account expenditures, consultant fees, fundraising fees, agreements, service fees, travel and dining expenses were proper and authorized and otherwise ratified by RPOF," the document said.

Republicans later argued that they didn't know Greer was behind Victory Strategies.

.....

But Chase said the Victory Strategies fundraising contract actually saved the party money, so it's tough to argue the party was defrauded. He also said that the testimony of John Harris, a GrayRobinson consultant connected to the formation of Victory Strategies, acknowledged that the law firm disclosed attorney-client privileged communications to Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigators -- something that jeopardizes aspects of the case being pushed by the statewide prosecutor's office.

.....

"The prosecution's case is falling apart faster than Humpty Dumpty," (Greer's lawyer Damon) Chase said. "The prosecution isn't going to be able to put it all together again."

Words we anticipate as this trial commences in a few months:

Hello, Mr. Rubio. Please take a seat next to your attorney.