More trouble for Harry Sargeant
NBC News: A prominent fundraiser for Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign is facing a new legal challenge over a lucrative Pentagon contract that involved shipping oil to military forces in Iraq. A competing firm filed a federal suit under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act this week against the fundraiser, Harry Sargeant III, and his company, International Oil Trading Company. The suit accuses them of a "bribery scheme" to pay officials in the Kingdom of Jordan, in an effort to keep competing firms out. Sargeant and his company deny wrongdoing and say no bribes were paid.
Sargeant is the Finance Chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, a key state in the upcoming presidential election. The federal lawsuit is the latest case to bring attention to him. NBC News first reported last May that Sargeant was awarded the Pentagon contract even though he was not the lowest bidder. NBC reported he was being sued in Florida state court by a former business partner who was the brother-in-law of the King of Jordan. More background here. (Photo: Sargeant, center, with Gov. Charlie Crist during a trade mission in 2007.)
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Boy, this the thanks Mr Sargeant gets for helping the Republican Party, McCain and Brian Ballard.
Posted by: | October 23, 2008 at 07:09 PM
This is the Thanks Mr Sargeant gets for helping the Republican party, McCain and Brian Ballard.
Posted by: | October 23, 2008 at 07:16 PM
there will be a new republican party in 13 days
Posted by: | October 23, 2008 at 07:19 PM
Looks like bad news for the Fla GOP, but when is someone going to look into Ballard's money raising and his activities, there's a real story, just ask some of his clients. Seem's BB thinks he is the Governor and rules the EOG. More Storm's are comming!
Posted by: | October 23, 2008 at 07:28 PM
Awww, comeon.... a brother has to make money!
Posted by: | October 23, 2008 at 07:55 PM
ballards activities and fundraising are always above board. one thing you cannot question about him is his integrity when it comes to these things and his loyalty.
Posted by: | October 23, 2008 at 08:05 PM
Some1 is confused/ Jimbo thinks he's governor and runs the eog his storm is comin
Posted by: | October 23, 2008 at 08:07 PM
The only thing that's bad news for the florida GOP is not sargeant or ballard, but greer himself. The man has spent all the money the party has on booze, planes and steak dinners at silver slipper.
Posted by: | October 23, 2008 at 08:15 PM
Ballard and Greer are good friends and both do good things for the party and Crist, so stop the B.S.
Posted by: | October 23, 2008 at 08:47 PM
Ballard is a great fundraiser for the RPOF and CC and Greer is a great State party Chairman, both these guys bust there A.ss, so I agree stop the B.S.
Posted by: | October 23, 2008 at 08:56 PM
No one is friends with Greer and Im sure Ballard isnt either. Greer is all about himself. He doesnt even have the qulaities of someone who knows to be a friend but he'll buy $$$$$you a beer on the State Party if you would kiss his ring$$$$$$$$
Posted by: | October 23, 2008 at 09:23 PM
Please tell me we're done with these guys!
Had enough yet?
Posted by: | October 23, 2008 at 09:43 PM
ballard and greer have one thing in common, both are disliked by many!!
Posted by: | October 23, 2008 at 09:50 PM
I know that most people at RPOF and other's think Mr Greer is a very nice man and enjoy working with him, but most I know think Brian is a creep and an ego maniac. But why are we talking about these two guy's when the blog is not about them?
Posted by: | October 23, 2008 at 10:00 PM
Another McCain scandal? SHOCK!
Posted by: | October 23, 2008 at 10:11 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03fcGelz8Hw
Posted by: | October 23, 2008 at 10:45 PM
Oh please, all you on this blog backing greer and are interns or rookies on here passing time and backin the boss. Everyone knows Greer is a joke. He blew through more money than a college student on a drunken rampage. Honestly, does anyone actually believe he has actually helped the party. How many seats will be lost this year??? Little kiddies in the office, there is only one person with any brains, and its Jim Grimes period. Now with the way things are going for McCain in Fla, I am rooting for McCain to lose here just to see Arlene go down like the titanic. Sorry Arlene, but you know your gunna have to fall on the sword for this one darlin. Couldn't happen to a better person. Charlie your royally screwed if McCain goes down in Fla, they are gunna be coming for you hard. Can you imagine Sink and Charlie in a debate over fiscal policy. Enough said. Good luck boys and girls...12 days to go
Posted by: The RPOF is royally screwed | October 23, 2008 at 10:54 PM
Royally Screwed is right.
As much as Crist wants McCain to lose, he (Crist) knows it'll be that much tougher for re-elect if the Dems pull off a stunning win this election. And if McCain should win, there is so much animosity between McCain and RPOF/Greer, Crist will not have any support from the national party - insiders know how very deep the discontent is between the Crist and McCain camps - i'm amazed that the media do not report this. The pictures today of McCain and Crist - they both deserve an Oscar for putting on such an act.
Too bad for Crist that Mr. Sargeant is under the microscope, as it is he that bankrolls Crist. Mr. Sargeant now has no choice but to disappear and take care of his own problems; Crist will have to distance himself for protection for re-elect, and yet there goes the financial help, oh, and the jets.
Posted by: | October 23, 2008 at 11:27 PM
Do you think McCain will still bring up Rezko? I mean, Keating and now this? McCain's got dirt all over himself. Good thing the White House ain't made of glass. But then, he'll never see the inside of it.
Posted by: McDirt | October 23, 2008 at 11:57 PM
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Posted by: Imran | October 24, 2008 at 01:28 AM
11:57 Sargeant should have bombed a police station or bought a vacant lot so an Illinois politician could have an better view from his house. Then all would be forgiven.
That being said, why don't we bring up EVERYTHING on EVERYBODY? Let the chips fall where they may, whether its Rezko or Keating or Abramhoff or the former heads of Freddie and Fannie. I really doubt you have the stomach to see where real investigations would lead on some of the ones you're supporting.
Posted by: | October 24, 2008 at 09:38 AM
Obama is going to WIN! Obama is going to WIN! Obama is going to WIN! Obama is going to WIN! Obama is going to WIN! Obama is going to WIN! Obama is going to WIN! Obama is going to WIN! Obama is going to WIN! Obama is going to WIN! Obama is going to WIN! Obama is going to WIN! Obama is going to WIN! Obama is going to WIN! Obama is going to WIN! Obama is going to WIN!
No need to vote now!
Posted by: wallpaper | October 24, 2008 at 09:57 AM
More trouble for Obama and his ACORN friends: According to today's New York Times, ACORN vastly overstated how many new voters the corrupt organization has registered - 450,000 nationwide, not 1.3 million. So the "new voter" effect is going to be far less than Dems are counting on.
Second part of this bad news for Obama: NYT reports that THIRTY percent of Acorn's registrations are fraudulent, so that 450k number drops even more.
And the upshot of this news is that voters nationwide now have even more reason to be concerned about risky Obama.
Don't forget that last February the Obama campaign paid $830,000 to an ACORN front group. And don't forget that Obama once served as ACORN's attorney.
Even the NY Times, almost always in the tank for Obama, is reporting the troubling connection between Obama and a group actively attempting to perpetuate voter fraud.
This ought to be of concern to any thoughtful voter.
Posted by: TruthCheck | October 24, 2008 at 10:00 AM
More trouble for Greer. He is going to lose this election plain and simple for mccain and he will be the only one to blame. His out of control spending has hurt get out the vote efforts, etc.
Posted by: | October 24, 2008 at 10:38 AM
Party Chairman needs to do be voted out. He has caused division between the Mccain and Rpof. Crist is known for bringing people together and being a fiscal conservative....Rpof chairman is none of those things he just a big spender with a dangerous ego. How much of every $1000 given by a supporter goes to support his planes, steaks, lady friends and drinking buddies?
Posted by: | October 24, 2008 at 10:47 AM
FLORIDA. Politics1 is hearing quite a bit of insider gossip from the Florida McCain folks about Republican Party of Florida Chair Jim Greer and his outrageous spending habits. These sources complained Greer and his RPOF team have used party funds for a private jet for Greer's travels, run up a tab of nearly $500,000 in unitemized American Express charges, paid a mail consultant an exorbitant fee of roughly $1.75 per piece for the RPOF absentee ballot mailing to 2+ million voters, and just printed a full-color and multi-page RPOF newsletter featuring 11 photos of Greer (mailed to all RNC members nationwide, as Greer is running for RNC Chair next year). Under Greer, RPOF spending has been so unrestrained that McCain insiders say the party has already spent all but $400,000 of the money the RPOF had collected for its federal campaign account to benefit McCain's efforts in the Sunshine State. The frustration reached such a level of fighting that Greer was denied a seat on McCain's campaign plane when McCain hopscotched around Florida a few days ago.
Posted by: | October 24, 2008 at 11:32 AM
whats Politics1? Sounds well informed.
Posted by: | October 24, 2008 at 11:39 AM
Who does the rpof mail?
Posted by: | October 24, 2008 at 11:40 AM
11 40: Heffley
Posted by: | October 24, 2008 at 01:17 PM
tic.tic.tic.tic...
Posted by: | October 24, 2008 at 01:17 PM
wallpaper is shouting the mccain campaign death rattle. Quick, lets make dems complacent with an auto win claim so no one will vote! keep with that, see how the numbers play out.
Posted by: | October 27, 2008 at 11:34 AM