Martinez's audit

U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez said Friday that the Federal Election Commission is auditing his 2004 campaign financial records.

The Orlando Republican said in a statement that he is cooperating with the FEC and blamed apparent accounting errors on the unexpected success his campaign had in raising and spending more than $12 million in a 10-month span.

"As we looked back at the campaign in 2005, we recognized there were problems," Martinez said. "Last summer, I hired the best accountant and lawyer in campaign finance law to go line by line through our filings to correct any discrepancies."

Martinez defeated Democrat Betty Castor, former state education commissioner.

Comments

[TampaGirl]

Read between the lines: Nancy Watkins screwed up and screwed up bigtime.

[Terminator]

Martinez is a fink.

He supports offshore drilling for Florida, supports amnesty for illegal immigrants (even those who have commited crimes) wants to give illegal aliens your social security benefits and supports liberal Charlie Crist for Governor.

I suppose next he'll be supporting pro-choice, civil unions for gays and gay adoption just like his contemporary CC, "Mr Big Spender" who has plans to spend billions of your taxpayer dollars but supposedly won't raise taxes.

Charlie says it will come from the growth of Florida's strong economy.

In the wake of the arrest of 21 terroritst in the UK and Al Quada plots to blow up numerous airliners simultaneously, Mel and Charlie's LIBERAL immigration policies won't protect the American people

The guy is an embarrassment and should be recalled. Nelson looks like a staunch Republican compared to this guy!

Go TG!

Nancy Watkins = disaster

At least Mel raised money. Tom Gallagher raised $225 this period. That's $225 dollars, total.

hahahahaha

So let me guess if TG would have recvd a call from Mel he would have turned his endorsement away, give me a break you guys are fooling yourselves. The best team ever assembled sits over in that Boy Scout building......George, Arlene and Jim way to go and keep it up!!!!! Brett good luck finding a job!

[terminator]

9:46
Mel didn't raise $10 mill and another $1 mill in his 527.

TG would blow Martinez doors! (No CC pun intended).

Martinez has no standing in Miami's Cuban American community. He's a LIBERAL!

Pro offshore drilling. Amnesty for illegal aliens, Social Security for illegals, support of gay civil unions and gay adoption?

Did you see where Tom made his "fight for the soul of the Republican Party" speech at Marco's 100 Ideas convention in Orlando? Didn't see the liberal press reporting on that. Hmmmm. Wonder why?

The liberal press wants CC so they can flush him out of the closet, slice and dice him in the election and expose him for the fraud he truly is.

Gallagher is the true Republican Conservative they fear.

Cardenas, Ros-Lehtinen, Arza, Rivera and Robaina (Hialeah Mayor not the state rep). CC's toast in Miami-Dade!

BREC:
I hear Elaine Vazquez is kicking your butt in Broward. Where's Ed Pouzzouli and Sharon Day when you need them? Oh forgot you have the support of the that good Christian racist pastor O'Neal Dozier. You know the guy who hates Muslim-Americans.

10:02
See you on election day sucker!

CV:
We're zeroing in on you? Seems as if you've dropped off the radar screen. Where are the usual cut and pastes? Word has it CC put a muzzle on you.

Hmmmmm let me see CC has Mayor Carlos Alvarez, Sen Mel Martinez, Cong Mario Diaz Balart, most of the Dade delegation, Joe Martinez Chair of the County Commission, Natasha Milian etc etc etc and you think he doesn't have a strong team? I heard Cardenas was walking the halls with TG yesterday at the 100 ideas conference trying to convince TG to get out. Cardenas doesn't believe TG has a chance any more than anyone else does. That 11:07pm sounds like a very bitter Brett or Albert Martinez...

[1catalyst]

Martinez has done a lot of damage! Crist would be even more of a nightmare!

Gallagher's battle cry in the primary is that he is fighting for the "soul of the Republican Party."

That is exactly what is at stake. If Jeb and you other Republican leaders want to preserve Florida's Republican edge you better get this one right and FAST!

Gallagher has a stake in Florida's future with his wife and son and hopefully the primary Republican super voters will see through CharlaTAN Charlie before September 5th.

Crist, as the Republican nominee, in the general election will be as devastating for the Republican Party as a tidal wave washing you politically expedient Republicans and the slight majority out to sea.

You who have shamelessly "piled on" what you think is the winner, CharlaTAN Crist, are haplessly misguided or part of the "Big Tent" that call yourselves moderate.

The Republican Party has a soul - the platform - it requires leadership and courage to stay firmly on track.

We're fightin' for the "soul of the Republican Party" and will only win in November with the Fightin' Irishman, Tom Gallagher!

Nancy Watkins was not the treasurer when the mess happened. She is the one he hired to clean up the mess.

The soul of Tom Gallagher?? The same man who shamelessly says whatever he must in order to convince people that he is a changed man? The same man who fails to give his staff and wife all of the details of his sordid past? The man who is using his child as a puppet in this race? Has everyone forgotten that Tom Gallagher was 35 years old and serving the State Legislature when he smoked marijuana and hid his mistress in Tallahassee. Funny how he didn't have this same change of heart in 2000 when his son was born. 11:47pm you sound like a very very bitter person who does not want to realize that Charlie Crist will be much better for this state. You are fooled if you believe that Tom was not seriously thinking about getting out of this race and was almost there until his controlling wife put her foot down. Let's move on and get Charlie elected so Tom can return to his real life, one of drinking and running around with many women. The only soul Tom Gallagher has left is of a defeated 61 year old man who knows that this is his last race. Good riddance.

You whack-job Republicans all need to get a grip. Both Charlie and Tom are nightmares!!! The only thing that is going to save Florida is Jim Davis. As for the soul of the Republican Party... the Republican Party has no soul. We are talking about a party that claims the "big tent" philosphy, but then says gays are not equal to everyone else. The Republican Party of 2006 is the most exclusive, corrupt, discriminatory bunch of rotarian wind bags ever to walk the halls of government. So, really Tom or Charlie will do well fighting for the sold of the party. Because when a soul is as black as this one is... anyone can take control!

[Boca Grande]

It's surprising to me how many people know who Nancy Watkins is. Nancy Watkins is not only good looking but competent. I'm sure she will fix whatever disclosure problems Mel has. Hey 1.43 A.M. Jim Davis is a big spending, big taxation liberal masquerading as a thouthful moderate. He's a phony who is now exposing himself in an attempt to win the Democratic nomination. According to you the Republican Party says "Gays are not equal to everyone else." I missed that plank in ther Republican Party platform. How many gays and blacks are members of that exclusive yacht club Davis belongs to?

The Federal Election Commission is auditing Tom Gallagher's campaign financial records. They are not sure how somebody can only raise $225.00 for the period.

[terminator]

11:25
That's supposed to be Charlie's Miami-Dade Hispanic team?

The liberal carpetbagger Martinez who supports illegal immigration and offshore drilling?

Never heard about any endorsement from Carlos Alvarez, just that Alvarez's campaign treasurer was supporting CC.

Mario. Cool guy. OK

Joe Martinez. What a shyster. The guy's currently the target of numerous investigations into influence peddling.
I predict he'll be the next Dade politician to be indicted. Either him or Diaz.

Most members of the Dade delegation. Yeah, most members who have been term limited out, facing re-election against oppostion or have no juice under Marco.

Natacha Seijas-Milian? What a bitch. We already raked her over the coals with the recall effort. The woman's an old windbag serving out her final term if she makes it that far.

Didn't you forget about Villalobos, Charlie's Miami-Dade Co-Chair? Seems as if CC is trying to put some distance between him and Alex. Great guy that Charlie. Would sell his mom down the river for a contribution or vote.

Gallagher's going to mop the floor with CC in Miami-Dade.

Broward is looking like a toss up at this point.

Mel Martinez is an embarrassment to Florida. This is another example of unethical practices in the campaign (along with despicable treatment of McCullum and Castor). Then came his disgusting memo trying to politicize the Schiavo issue.

He always has an excuse -blaming it on an aide or on unexpected success - give us all a break.

Mel Martinez is an embarrassment to Florida. This is another example of unethical practices in the campaign (along with despicable treatment of McCullum and Castor). Then came his disgusting memo trying to politicize the Schiavo issue.

He always has an excuse -blaming it on an aide or on unexpected success - give us all a break.

[Ron Mills]

Terminator | at 09:01 PM

Mel, Charile, Jim King And Davis are all reading the hand wrighting on the wall,
and it is not with RED ink.

[neelyohara]

Mel sucks. Nancy is doing him a favor.

[Paul D. Harvill]

Interesting.

Very interesting.

[terminator]

Ron,
What handwriting is that?

That the GOP should turn into the Democratic Party and give in to civil unions for gays and gay adoption and being overrun by illegal aliens?

Jeb will never let it happen.