Chris Christie's in FL very hush hush. Home Depot founder admires Christie more for bridge scandal.

[madfloridian]

The hush-hush FL fundraisers of Chris Christie; Scott donor calls secrecy "stupid"

Seems Scott is proud of it, and it is Christie wanting it to be hush hush.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is coming to Florida to help fundraiser for FL Gov. Rick Scott in Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Orlando. The venues are like a state-held secret now that Christie is taking fire over "Bridgegate."

But word of the locations is leaking out anyway (see below). And Scott supporters are shaking their heads in the meantime about the secrecy that, they say, is being insisted upon by Christie's political handlers.

"This is ridiculous. It's stupid, amateur hour," said one major Scott donor, who plans to attend at least one of the events. "They took a little story and made it into a bigger one than was necessary. Trust me, this isn't Rick making this a state secret."

So the somewhat-run-of-the-mill fundraising story could now become a spectacle, replete with Weston Rep. and Democratic National Committee Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz announcing that she'll hold press availabilities to highlight how Christie is hiding.

More from the Palm Beach Post:

100+ GOP donors to meet with Christie in Palm Beach County to discuss White House bid

Co-founder of Home Depot says bridge controversy made him more supportive of Christie.

“It’s just a meeting of people I’d like to have him meet, get to know him. Just a meet-and-greet” and not a fundraiser, said organizer Kenneth Langone, a New York investor who co-founded Home Depot and owns an oceanfront home in unincorporated North Palm Beach.

Langone, who said he expects donors from all over the country to attend, wouldn’t reveal the site of Sunday’s meeting except to say “it’ll be in Palm Beach someplace."

But Langone said the bridge controversy adds to his admiration of Christie.

“All this latest episode does for me is to persuade me further that his ability to make decisions and be a leader who makes decisions is impressive,” Langone said. “The only reason this noise is going on is because everybody knows this guy can go the route. I’m very excited about his candidacy if he runs.”

[madfloridian]

1. DNC chair holds rally less than mile from one secret fundraiser.

From the Asbury Park Press, NJ

For Chris Christie, even in Florida, no escaping 'Bridgegate'

The New Jersey Republican joined up with Florida Gov. Rick Scott at the posh Country Club Oaks here Saturday morning, kicking off a weekend of fundraising events in the Sunshine State.

But less than a mile away at Guernsey Park, Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz led a small rally where she ripped into Christie, saying he had no business leaving New Jersey the day after the serving of 20 subpoenas was completed — some going to Christie’s closest advisers — in the politically motivated George Washington Bridge lane closures.

[malaise]

14. LOL

Christie is hiding?

[valerief]

2. Another reason to shop at Lowe's. nt

[TexasTowelie]

3. Exactly!

Langone shows his callousness for those hurt by this incident and I won't put a dollar into a company that puts dollars into his wallet.

[madfloridian]

7. I did not realize that about Langone.

That's an awful statement for him to make.

[onehandle]

6. Yep. nt

[jsr]

21. +1

[global1]

4. All This Latest Langone Episode Does For Me Is To Persuade Me To.....

shop at Ace or Lowe's.

[onehandle]

5. Pricks of a feather... nt

[Rex]

8. So CEO Fuckwad likes him better now that he held up traffic and got an

elderly person killed as a result? I knew most GOP assholes were psychopathic, but it seems to be a trait they also admire as well as covet. Narcissistic, psychopathic, sadistic, you name it...if it is BAD, the Pukes love it and think it is an adoring trait!

No wonder they can send millions of troops off to another land and completely not care when they start dying in large numbers...they LIKE that sort of thing! Give them time to work on their sloganeering.

'He can go the route'? He blocked two routes and a woman died for it...why do Repuke scumbags place such high value on evil?

[moondust]

16. Moral midgets.

I'd suggest this is what unbridled greed and big amoral (corporate) capitalism do to people, even to those raised with some moral and ethical principles: there is no right vs. wrong, only profitable vs. unprofitable.

[Rex]

18. True, that is a far more accurate description of the problem.

Right and wrong don't enter the equation, because it is about money!

[madfloridian]

19. Good description

They have no consciences.

[jwirr]

9. HD ceo should wait awhile before he gives his approval. What I heard on MSNBC last night there is

money missing from two accounts and lots more to come.

[madfloridian]

10. Interesting...

Had not heard that. Thanks for sharing.

[MisterP]

11. and the new Pope's very much against bad banking practices--but what does HE know

about Catholicing? he's not a hardware CEO like St. Peter was!

[madfloridian]

12. More major fundraisers in Sun Sentinel article. FL blog calls it Hide the Christie.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/elections/fl-chris-christie-florida-20140117,0,4837159.story

The invitation for Saturday's first event, in Orange County at the Country Club of Orlando, has leaked out. Minimum suggested contribution for the VIP reception is $2,500; the general reception costs $1,000.

Democrats say they've learned, though state Republicans and the Republican Governors Association won't confirm it, that the second is in Palm Beach, at the home of Pepe Fanjul Jr., of the prominent sugar family. (That would put Christie on a bridge connecting the city of West Palm Beach and the town of Palm Beach, most likely the Royal Park Bridge or the Southern Boulevard Bridge.)

The third fundraiser is planned for the home of the prominent Fort Lauderdale lobbyist Billy Rubin, who is close to Scott. (Rubin's long list of recent clients includes the Fanjul family's Florida Crystals Corp.)

The Florida Politics blog calls it like it is:

Scott campaign plays "Hide-the-Christie"

[Baitball Blogger]

13. All of them are doing the same chicaneries.

Of course they're going to admire him. He's riding point for them. If he gets away with it, so can they.

[madfloridian]

15. Very good point.

We can only guess at what "chicaneries" Scott is up to now. The media here is so kind to him. They either praise his actions or ignore them. Mostly they ignore the really bad things he is doing to our state. We can not afford him again.

[Baitball Blogger]

17. I think the Steven Precourt appointment to the Orlando Expressway Authority

reeks of old boy cronyism.

We'll see what Rick Scott will say about it. He has a lot to gain if he says nothing.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/politics/os-state-attorney-precourt-20140117,0,7489700.story

[madfloridian]

20. Wow, had to look that up. Unfamiliar with him.

Looks like a cushy job with super benefits. Sounds like he for sure kept his connections while in office.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-expressway-precourt-salary-20140114,0,5146431.story