Florida election chief questions how Johnson spent money

TAMPA -- Florida's top election official said today the state may investigate how Hillsborough's former supervisor of elections spent more than $2-million in federal grant money if ongoing audits don't come up with the answer.

Secretary of State Kurt Browning said he was surprised when Buddy Johnson's office told county commissioners in December that his office had more than $2.3-million in cost overruns. Browning said there should be no deficit considering that Hillsborough received a federal grant meant to cover costs for voter education, poll workers and some equipment.

"We keep hearing that he's short $2.3-million, and I wonder, 'What did he spend it on?'" Browning said. "I don't understand."

Johnson was supposed to provide a full accounting of how he spent the $2.5-million federal grant by Dec. 31, but Browning said the form filled out by his office was incomplete.

Browning said he'll wait for the finish of audits already underway before calling for a state investigation. He said he'll also hold off until Hillsborough's new supervisor, Phyllis Busansky, wraps up her own inquiries into the deficit.

"We're going to wait for the county to come up with a conclusion," Browning said. "But our concern is that the (federal grant) money was not spent correctly."

-- Michael Van Sickler

Comments

[douston]

Arrest and convict Buddy Johnson. WORST ELECTION SUPERVISOR EVER!!!