Prosecutor was campaign host for Blair

TAMPA --  The prosecutor who cleared former Hillsborough County Commissioner Brian Blair of child abuse charges last week served as a campaign party host for him last July.

State Attorney Mark Ober is listed as an "honorary host" of a July 15 fundraising party for Blair, a fellow Republican, held at the home of Marc and Debra Mandt. Blair was in the midst of a re-election campaign that he ultimately lost to Democrat Kevin Beckner.

Ober said he neither attended the event nor contributed money to Blair's campaign. He said he and Blair shared the same political consultant, Michael Corcoran, who asked him to lend his name as an event host, which is not uncommon.

There would not have been a conflict even if he attended, Ober said. Since Blair is no longer a commissioner, he has no control over the purse strings for the State Attorney's office. So Ober said he saw no reason to ask another state attorney to review the case.

"I try not to, when I don't have a real conflict, get off of these cases and burden another state attorney with it," Ober said. "I am able to make the decision honestly and ethically."

Blair was arrested last month, accused of punching his two sons during an early morning Father's Day altercation. A prosecutor who reports to Ober examined the case and found that Blair sustained more blows tham he gave. She concluded that Blair's actions had been defensive, and the scuffle could be characterized as "discipline" in response to a pattern of ongoing aggression from his oldest son.

-- Bill Varian, Times Staff Writer

Comments

[Republican State Attorney - no wonder]

We know Bill McCollum got $$$$ from Jay Odom. I wonder if Mark Ober did as well.

Hey Bill - when are are you going to give the money back.

[Time for the revolution]

Politicians = Criminals. Any questions? When do we start the next civil revolt?

[Hey brotha, can you spare a crime!]

And this shocks you how? We are, after all:

Floriduuh!

"Last in Education; First in Corruption!"

[Michael]

What does "When I don't have a real conflict" mean? You either do or you don't. Its time for a new State Attorney!! or at least one that will prosecute cases and is tough on crime.

[FixHillsborough]

The bottom line is this - if Joe Citizen were to rough up his sons, would he be released and charges dropped??? Does Brian Blair get the same treatment as the average citizen??
Not on your life!!!

[Disgusting]

Just more of the same from the republicans. What is even more disgusting is that if the same charges were brought against a black or hispanic that person would still be in jail.

Here is a challenge: find one child abuse case prosecuted by Ober's office that was for lesser violent offenses. Find that one case to prove that this was political favors and you can have the prosecutor investigated by the Bar and the case reviewed by a different prosecutor in a different county.

Ober: there is a clear conflict of interests. You endorsed Blair. Your office had official business with Blair. You personally had business with Blair by endorsing and hosting a fund raiser.

[George]

Excuse me?

Pardon me Your Honor, you have a bit of explaining to do.

You now have to prove that you have no history with Brian Blair. None what so ever.

Prove it Judge.

[Bee killer]

This must be re-examined.

[The Word]

Well, they should all remember that the defense of illegal campaign bundling is ignorance of the law. Do you think the FL Attorney General, or any District Attorney anywhere, is going to charge any Republican politician for anything anytime?
That is correctomundo. It ain't gonna happen. Who is counting the votes?

[Come On]

Who in their right mind would lend their name to Blair (even before he choked his kids?) At best the perception is there for a Conflict and Mr. Ober should know better.

[Ned]

Bill knows that names are lent all the time. Looking for smoke when there is no fire. An unworthy article of a usually sound reporter.

[Lent?]

So, you would lend your name Ned to someone who was accused of beating a girlfriend? You would lend your name to someone who has filed frivolous lawsuits for "slip and falls" when they were allegedly drunk? Ned, you would lend your name to someone who wouldn't take a $400 a month pay decrease from a $92,000 a year elected position because it would take "food from his kids mouths"? Or, someone who stated that he "and Michael Jackson were the two whitest people from [his] hometown"?

Really Ned? So, our State Attorney shouldn't think twice about who he "lends" his name to?

Seriously?

Ober should have referred this case to another impartial State Attorney's office. Period.