Crist: Show me the money

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist made landfall Tuesday in wintry Washington, buttering up the guys who hold the federal purse strings to make sure money designated for the Everglades  actually arrives.

"It's already been put into the process, we just need to get it appropriated now," Crist said at the U.S. Capitol with Sen. Mel Martinez, his host for the Senate's weekly Republican Policy Luncheon. Other special guests included Vice President Dick Cheney and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. The senators also heard from Sen. John McCain of Arizona, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, whom Crist is backing.

Crist was in town to collect a national service award from the Friends of National Service, which honors politicians and private citizens who help expand opportunities for civic service. The group is allied with the agency that oversees AmeriCorps, which in Florida focuses on education, the environment and disaster relief.

He was also planning to attend McCain's victory celebration in Alexandria, Va., following Tuesday's presidential primary elections in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia.

But during the day Crist focused on the Everglades. In Congress, certain committees authorize projects, but only the Appropriations Committee can actually award the money. Even though the Water Resources Development Act calls for spending $2-billion on Everglades restoration, the money still must be provided through a separate bill crafted by the Appropriations Committee.

With Rep. C.W. Bill Young, R-Indian Shores, a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, as his guide, Crist met Tuesday with Appropriations Chairman David Obey, D-Wis., as well as top Republican and Democratic members of the two subcommittees with control over Everglades funding, Interior and Energy/Water.

Crist also spent an hour with most of Florida's 25 U.S. House members from Florida.

Comments

Ha ha ha, Cristi was in the frame again last night during McCain's "victory" speech. I think that must have been his only condition for endorsing McAmnesty. Simply let me in the picture, man!

charlie mccain

Let's face it, it really curls the hair of GOPers to do good. Maybe he can divert the restoration money into the education shortfalls their irresponsible tax reform policies have created in FL. Have to check with Big Sugar, but I'm sure they're down with it.

wow, Martinez and CC in the same picture...mccain doesn't want to be seen with those two...it won't help him shore up the conservative base

[Dee]

Martinez, again, what district of Havanna does he represent. His support for juan mcamnesty, open borders, not having ENGLISH as the official language of government and increased taxes for law abiding AMERICANS to profide social services and benefits for illegal aliens makes him a traitor not to mention ungrateful for the opportunity this nation provided him. He is nothing more than a sorry turncoat cuban with the right to vote.

Martinez is one-term anyway. There's no way he's re-elected after the amnesty stunt he pulled. There aren't enough Cubans in the state to re-elect him.

Bushbot Charlie, your chair is empty. Stopped by your office -- and you were not there. As usual.

Good move -- steal taxpayer dollars to clean up damage done to Glades by BIG SUGAR. That way they can keep paying for your elections.

Here's some education --- LOOK UP responsibility. Make them pay for THEIR pollution. Saying Oops is NOT enough.