Crist seeks class action lawsuit against insurers

Gov. Charlie Crist has enlisted the help of three high-powered lawyers in an effort that may lead to a class action lawsuit against Florida's insurance industry.

Crist said Tuesday the three will review insurers' responses to subpoenas issued earlier by the state Office of Insurance Regulation for compliance with a new law requiring the companies to pass cost savings on to rate payers.

"(I want them) to review the subpoena responses that are coming back from the insurance companies and to start to develop a theory to pursue legal action against those who may not be adhering to the letter of the law -- possibly including a class action," Crist said.

The three lawyers, who are donating their time for free, are Robert Martinez of Coral Gables, who headed Crist's transition effort a year ago and is a member of the state Board of Education; Dexter Douglass of Tallahassee, a Democrat who was Gov. Lawton Chiles' general counsel;  and Robert Hackleman, a member of the firm that employed George LeMieux, Crist's chief of staff, at Gunster, Yoakley and Stewart.

"He's a great trial lawyer, and I've  gotten to know him through George," Crist said of Hackelman. "So I have great respect for his judgment."

Crist said he chose Douglass in part because of his experience with Chiles' legal onslaught against the tobacco industry in the mid-1990s.

-- Steve Bousquet

Comments

[hobson-thats who!]

This is but another reason why this guy is growing on me.

Well, that's ONE reason George is valuable at Gunster Yoarkley. He just made some mighty rain for the firm...

5:29, you missed that "free" part.

[SIMPLE GUY]

All "free" means is that the insurance companies will pay the fees indirectly. No one ever said Dexter or George were stupid.

All of you boneheaded minions missed the reality of this joke of a “story”… “…in an effort that may lead to a class action lawsuit…”

The operative word is “may”

Nothing to see here, move along… nothing to see… except the following staffer posts, praising Chuck for this nonsense.

[Mary]

Gee, where was Charlie's outrage when he was the chief attorney for the entire state? Guess the insurance companies weren't engaged in this type of activity until he became governor. Riiiiiight! Actually, now that I think about it he better have a few real attorneys look at it. Even during the primary when you looked at his resume it was always..."Charlie got the case and brought in so and so to do the trial." Nothing but more PR.

Crist seeks class action lawsuit against insurers
...

Good! Justice going forward.

[Paul D. Harvill]

Crist seeks class action lawsuit against insurers
...

Good! Justice going forward.

Posted by: | December 18, 2007 at 08:17 PM
............................

Agreed!

[Ronnie]

Has anyone out there ever been a part of a class action suit. In my experience the plaintiffs end up with pennies while the lawyers get millions.

[Paul R. Harvill]

Why doesn't the article start out, "In a loss for protecting the integrity of the vote count in the next election . . ." or "In a win for enablers of voter fraud . . ."? Its because when democrats enable voter fraud its a win for voting rights because democrats think its their right to cheat at elections to manipulate the outcome. Thats why love leaders like Sadam Hussien and Hugo Chavez (and lets not forget Al Gore - who still thinks he won the election because he should have been able to steal it)

Um...Hello...George Lemieux is going to work for Gunster Yoakley. What a joke. He just threw a huge case to himself..

[Lifelong Republican]

why can't i blog on this link?

Hackleman is a jerk at gunster..He is a lawyer with a big mouth and is not very high powered.The great Trial Lawyers in Florida are the ones that beat big tobacco etc..They are all Dems.See there arent any high powered lawyers with credentials that would ever work for the GOP..who has been screwing the bar for 8 years!

Remember when Charlie Crist "investigated" the oil companies? Remember when he "investigated" the phone companies? Remember how niether made a difference on what you pay for gas or phone service?

This will be no different.

Its nothing more than a big public relations scheme to make it appear as if he is actually doing something, but don't count on your insurance rates going down. In fact, you can probably count on your insurance rates going up, since anyone who pays insurance is probably going to subsidize their legal defense.

[Lifelong Republican]

what's interesting is our esteemed governor was the chairman of the senate committee investigating Dexter and the trial lawyers over the tobacco settlement. The investigation all of a sudden ended. Wonder if that's when the deal was done.
Governor, why can't you at least use Republican trial lawyers, not Dexter, who's the biggest lib in Florida.

Give Charlie credit. At least he knows that the legal staff he built in the Attorney General's office does not include even one lawyer who has the requisite skills to bring a meaningful lawsuit on behalf of the State of Florida.

Hey here is a giant secret my GOP friends ..There aint any Republican Trial lawyers ..Most trial laWYERS represent middle class folks vs insurance cos and Giant corparations.Gop Lawyers represent giant corporations and insurance cos.Thats why the Gov is full of Balony!

7:18, thanks for the Breaking News in your last sentence.

[joe]

Brilliant Post !!!!!! ->
Give Charlie credit. At least he knows that the legal staff he built in the Attorney General's office does not include even one lawyer who has the requisite skills to bring a meaningful lawsuit on behalf of the State of Florida.

And let me add another...if Charley had his way the state would be your insurance company. Uh - oh.