Reply #16: Check out these two articles on Florida's Democratic Party & Progressives, e.g. Russell

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M. Collins: Florida Citizens Versus Party Insiders

Tuesday, 17 July 2007, 9:39 pm
Opinion: Michael Collins

Candidate for Congress John Russell with DNC Chair Dean, Summer 2006

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0707/S00219.htm

Michael Collins
“Scoop” Independent News
Washington, D.C.

Karen Thurman is the current Chairman of the Florida Democratic Party. Al Cardenas is the former Chairman of the Florida Republican Party and a major player in Republican politics in Florida. Al pays Karen $3,500 a month to lobby Democrats in Washington in behalf of Miami-Dade County.

Ms. Thurman gets $100,000 a year for the full time position of party chair. Apparently she’s giving 242% since the Cardenas contract and another extracurricular endeavor earn her an extra $142,000 beyond the cool $100,000 she gets from the Democrats.

The St. Petersburg Times quoted Rep. Dan Gelber, (D-Miami Beach) as saying: "Everybody in political life navigates the ironies of relationships and friendships. It's ironic, but it's not improper." This was typical of the tolerance shown by others in the Florida Democratic establishment to this apparent conflict.

It could have been more ironic. The other firm representing Miami-Dade in Washington is Greenberg Taurig of Miami where convicted felon and former Republican operative Jack Abramoff served as a partner.

Snip



Snip

The only Democratic Congressional challengers well funded by the state party in 2006 were: Christine Jennings, Charlie Stuart, Phyllis Busansky, Ron Klein, and Republican turned Democrat Tim Mahoney (running against Foley in the 16th). Klein and Mahoney were the only party supported candidate to win. The rest received little to nothing. These Democratic Congressional candidates (Progressives) were largely or entirely neglected by the Florida Democratic Party: Dr. Bob Bowman, (Lt. Col, Ret) (15th), David Bruderly (6th), Clint Curtis (24th), Frank Gonzalez (21st), Samm Simpson (10th) and Russell (5th). However, four of the six did receive money from the progressive National Committee for an Effective Congress. Each of these candidates fought hard campaigns with little support and went down in defeat.


...and on Florida's Democratic Party Chairperson Karen Thurman

Collins: Citizen Russell Interviews Karen Thurman

Thursday, 19 July 2007, 10:02 pm
Article: Michael Collins
Show Me the Money (& Listen to the Tape)

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0707/S00271.htm

Michael Collins
“Scoop” Independent News
Washington, D.C.

KT - Karen Thurman, Chairperson of FDP
JR - John Russell, Congressional Candidate, 2006, Democrat
Tape starts.

KT: John how are ya?

JR: Very good Karen. Just drove all the way down to hear your side of the story on this Miami Herald thing (telling of the F

KT: I’m not worried about it John

JR: They’re a lot of people are concerned about it.

KT: OK so what do you want me to say?

JR: If you worked for Pepsi, can you honestly you do some consulting on the side for Coke?

KR: Well I don’t work for Al.

JR: He signs the check doesn’t he?

KT: He does…no, his check comes from the Miami Dade County Commission who says, we need some democrats.

JR: The paper says you’re working on a number of lobbying gigs.

KT: No they said that I have the Miami Dada contract that he has. They said to him, since the Congress has changed to be Democrat, that they they want some Democrats representing them to Washington, DC.

KT: No they said that I have the Miami Dada contract that he has. They said to him, since the Congress has changed to be Democrat, that they they want some Democrats representing them to Washington, DC. SNIP …the concern is there is only one party in Florida, the money party, and you represent the Democratic side and Al Cardenas is representing the Republican side. Where do the ordinary people fit in? We only have so much time…