LeMieux law firm hangs shingle; what's next?

Speculation is growing that Gov. Charlie Crist's chief of staff, George LeMieux, will leave the administration by Jan. 1 and return to the practice of law. Here's one revealing sign: His old law firm, Gunster Yoakley & Stewart, has established an office in Tallahassee at the SunTrust building at 215 S. Monroe St. (see photo from the lobby directory). The building, catty-cornered from the Capitol, is a major center for lobbying firms.

LeMieux went from serving as Crist's chief of staff in the attorney general's office, to a two-year marathon in charge of the campaign (dubbed "The Maestro" by Crist), then to a hectic seven-week transition followed by a grueling first year in office. Under the state Constitution, LeMieux cannot lobby the governor's office for two years after he leaves.

"Whenever the day is that I decide I need to do something else, it will be with heavy heart, because I'll miss it," LeMieux told The Buzz. "As challenging as it is to work with this governor, you try to do the right thing every day, and really help people. It's awesome."

A competing political blog, The Miami Herald's Naked Politics, was first to report the creation of Gunster Yoakley's new Tallahassee office.   

Comments

I believe that's "Gunster Yoakley Stewart & Lemieux" no doubt he will make partner.

Good luck to you, George, in all of your future endeavors.

Translation:

"As challenging as it is to work with this governor… it’s going to be a hell of a lot easier for me to get this putz to do what I say, as a lobbyist.” … “ Chuck’s a corporate puppet, and I know just the puppet master to pull his strings. It's awesome."

A freshman political science major at FIU could have managed the Crist campaign. He was up against a self destructing Tom Gallagher and promised everything to all. George happened to be in the right place at the right time and will now cash in his chips because of it.

I wonder if they will hire Arlene now that she is being pushed out the door ?

When George leaves it will spell the end for the Crist administration. Who will be left to run this sinking ship?

It's pretty evident that anyone with any sense has already left or is getting ready to leave.

George IS the Governor! Please George, don't go!! We need some semblance of sanity in the gov's office!

What’s next: let’s see, last night the Chairman of the Federal Reserve, Ben Bernanke, had a press conference announcing that He is working with banks to have teaser rates become static with respect to subprime loans. In this way, the “people” won’t have to pay the higher rates for their mortgage. Arnold Schwarzenegger just had his own press conference this morning with the same “idea.” Look for Charlie to do the same within a few days, if not hours.

[terminator]

"it's awesome helping people"?

What people have they helped? Certainly not "the people" Chuck professes to love so much.

What have they accomplished with regard to property tax reform?

What have they accomplished with regard to property insurance reform?

What have they accomplished for public education?

What have they really accomplished after a year in office?

Oh yeah, I forgot. The felons are happy because now they can vote.

The state's economy is going down the toilet and all Chuck can do is keep on pandering and stage meaningless photo-ops, yet his approval rating remains relatively high.

How dumb can the people of Florida be? Apparently, pretty dumb.

What's the old saying about, you get what you pay for?

I'll bet all those people who pumped $30 million into Charlie's campaign are rueing the day.

Can't wait to watch the state's downhill slide over the next three years.

12:56 - I was in California the week before Thanksgiving...

watching the news, I thought I was in Florida, as Arnold had just signed an agreement with the Indian casinos to allow Las Vegas slots and blackjack...

however, once they said it would benefit the state to the tune of $2 billion, I realized I was out of town...

11:47 - right place and right time is what politics is all about... Arlene, Erin, etc, etc...

[Some one who knows]

The signs are on the wall , George is leaving before things go really south, Eric will want out by end of next year ,Greer will need to stay at the Party to keep them from turning on Crist. 08 will be a bad year for our Governor.

1:57 - right on the money. I feel bad for Eric who will have to clean the dishes.

George is the smart one , Eric will leave soon after he see's how bad things are, Greer looks older eveytime you see him having to deal with all the complaints about Crist. The storm is forming.

How come the Gov has appointed so many Gunster Yoakley clients to boards and commissions? The list is a mile long!

WHO KNEW?

Its like I said from the begining, when the only people he pleases are Democrats, the only people he pleases are Democrats. And they won't help him get re-elected. (Hey Charlie, felons will vote Democrat - you idiot). He will be left all alone with no party backing and stopped cold well inadvance of the 2010 Republican primary. He is most certainly a one term Governor make the governor with a small "g".

Its obvious his staff is bailing on him and he doesn't have the sense to know why. It never occurred to him he should actually listen to them. He is a ship without a compass and soon will be without a crew. If Bense wants to be Governor I think he may very well have a golden opportunity if things continue as they are.

[zenator]

Who is George Lemieux?

He is the "brains" behind the Governor. HAAAA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA! The "Maestro" HAAAAA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA! Great political strategist lousy judge of character

That appointments comment way up is right on. Exactly what can those people deliver that George cannot in the 2 years he has to sort of sit on the sidelines? DOes anyone have a short list of how long men and women in the same position have served? Is he going to be the shortest 'first-termer' in that position?

George ......we will really missyou...can you take Erin with you......... Vivian, would you come back in that case?

Someone ask Terminator how many of Rubio's 100 Bad Ideas to Destroy the State of Florida have been adopted? What has HE accomplished? Anyone? Anything? They are all tools.

Marco complained (in Spanish back in Miami) that the Special Session on property insurance reform was highjacked by the insurance industry, but he was the one that fired his insurance floor managers when they dared to say that same thing first and on the floor of the House. He is a panderer of the highest order (yes, much better than Charlie will ever be), and he seems to believe that no one in Tallahassee knows how to translate Cuban radio into plain English.

[Later]

George is big government RINO from Ft. Lauderdale and when you say something is dropping like a rock, it had better be.

[Micro-Manager]

Micromanaging never works George--go as Jimmy Carter. The AG micromanging was an exception because those AGA are rather pathetic.

Is it two years, or did Charlie switch to one year prohibition?

Still, I think George would be eligible to lobby the legislature and his current position will bring LOTS of clients...

The way I see it, he has three years to make tons of money before a new governor is elected.

It is obvious: George may be prohibited fro lobbying - per se, himself. However, by putting his branch office right accross the strreet (a brisk walk away) and placing all his firms's people on boards, he assures himself that he can pull strings galore. Works the same way.

And then George can start the political career HE dreams of. Why, he wants to be President.

[Napolean Complex]

Who is the last leader you know of who was 5 foot 4?

Jim King...

5 foot 4 around the mid-section :)

[LeGeorge]

Politics a la Le George is to do or say or take a position that will get you a vote--similar to the Clinton strategy. And completely opposite of the Reagan strategy.

Who then is the anti-Crist? From this blog it seems everyone is? How then 70% approval ratings?

The wool can only be stretched so far...

[zenator]

9:20

The better analogy would be the one about taking the mote out of your own eye...

In 2007, George was awarded a Polli as the top Repub national political strategist for the 2006 election year. This is the same award the previously went to Atwater, Rove etc. Is it possible that you have blinded yourself to that which the professional political consultants see?

Wasn't talking about George... a consultant can only do so much with a candidate and George did a tremendous job with what he had to work with.

[zenator]

oops...sorry

[If George is so smart]

then why the dropping like a rock? My fifth grader could have told you that it wouldn't drop unless you tackle the fundamental issues which is beyond the small detail here smaller detail there kind of people like George.

No problem, I went back a re-read what I wrote... trying to type fast, sometimes I know what I want to say, but skip some words on the keyboard. In my mind, I type like 350 words per minute, but my fingers only type about 55 words per minute.

[George]

Thinks all can be regulated with his thumb on everything and he knows the revealed truth of all. Global warming---sure George as it give government more authority over everyone and it will be more restricted by bureaucrats that owe their alliegance to George and viola: another mini herbert hoover: I can micromanage the economy and the excess of capitalism.

Say goodnight gracie.

From the Orlando Sentinel...

Gov. Charlie Crist's chief-of-staff, George LeMieux, is expected to announce as early as today that he is leaving the administration at year's end to rejoin his old law firm, Gunster, Yoakley & Stewart in its new Tallahassee office.

LeMieux, dubbed the "maestro" by Crist of his election victory last fall, is expected to be succeeded by deputy chief-of-staff Erick Eikenberg. LeMieux, a former Broward County Republican chairman, became top adviser in Crist's attorney general's office when the future governor won that Cabinet post in 2002, and eventually played a similar role in in last year's campaign.

Lately, LeMieux served as the administration's lead negotiator on the controversial gambling compact with the Seminole Tribe. LeMieux's ties to the governor's office are expected to help him become a major rainmaker for his West Palm Beach headquartered firm.