Crist says Sansom 'qualified'

Gov. Charlie Crist this morning on House Speaker Ray Sansom's new position as vice president at NW Florida State College: "He seems qualified for the job."

Sanson has come under tight scrutiny for the $110,000-a-year job and his role in securing tens of millions in extra construction money for the school.

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Comments

look at greer's spending at it again? www.realpolitics1.com

[Champagne Charlie]

Well, if Governor Crist says it's okay, that's good enough for me. Open your checkbooks, fellow Floridians, because it's carte blanche for the boys in the Florida legislature!

PLEASE!! Quit trying to knock everyone down who serves as a legislator! You can't even accept a drink of water from someone without being accused of taking a bribe!! What about the Dr's in the legislature?? Should they have to give up their practice because of voting on health issues? What about lawyers? Should they have to give up their job when voting on legislation that effects their practice??? This is totally nuts. If you want a legislature of full time politicians then keep them from working but pay them more than $30,000 a year!!! You have to work to be able to serve because no one can live on that small amount of money. Otherwise only the very wealthy will be able to run for office. So get off it! Rep Sansom will be a great Speaker but for crap sake give him a chance without tearing him apart.

Another Maddenism from Charlie....

Kick out Crist! Kick out Crist!

[Champagne Charlie]

11:49am, I'm sorry if the fact that I want my public officials to be held at a higher standard bothers you, but Sansom blew his chance when he accepted the position at the same community college he steered MILLIONS toward in a tight budget year.

I have a serious problem with the fact that Sansom gets a pass when Floridians of every stripe are suffering the effects of an economic downtown.

There are many difference between physician-legislators voting on healthcare issues or attorney-legislators voting on tort reform. Among those differences are the fact that these votes are conducted in an OPEN PUBLIC FORUM. This job . . . these millions allocated to the Northwest Florida College . . . these backroom deals all reek of corruption.

To top it all off, Sansom has the temerity to emanate righteous indignation when asked about this arrangement.

Sansom lacks the moral rectitude, ethics, and civic-mindedness to serve in one of the three most powerful positions in Florida state government. That our governor and our legislature willingly gives him a pass on this behavior is baffling and disappointing.

Bottom line: There is not one person left in Tallahassee with any balls. The Florida Democrats are a pathetic, disorganized bunch. The Florida Republicans are corrupt. Floridians are left without good representation.

I wouldn't trust Sansom with a church collection plate, let alone a billion dollar budget.

http://www.politics1.com/blog-1208.htm#1201

Here's the right link.

http://www.politics1.com/blog-1208.htm#1201

Here's the right link.

[Diamond Jim Greer]

www.politics1.com this morning:
RNC CHAIRMANSHIP. More problems for Florida GOP Chair Jim Greer's likely campaign for RNC Chair. A letter of support for Greer from Governor Charlie Crist has not quelled growing questions about RPOF spending first reported here on Politics1. Greer has blamed many of the questionable expenditures charged to the RPOF American Express card on the outgoing Florida House and Senate leadership. Former Senate President Ken Pruitt and former House Speaker Marco Rubio both had been issued RPOF credit cards. Meanwhile, Republican activists are raising questions about other alleged expenditures including a $10,000 registration fee Greer paid to attend a conference on climate change; $46,000 for a posh London hotel, 5-star restaurants, limousines and department stores during Crist's summer trade mission to the UK; and over $3,600 to a premium cigar store for cigars purportedly delivered to Greer's home. Large RPOF donors are also concerned about a hotel bill at the posh Breakers in Palm Beach during a birthday celebration for Crist earlier this year when Greer stayed in a $2,000-a-night suite and charged an additional $2,000 to the room for food and alcohol. The big ticket expense was the nearly $700,000 charged for the use of charter jets. RPOF officials insist all expenditures were legitimate and directly related to party activities. Greer's allies also note the Republicans fared surprisingly well in this year's state legislative races, losing only one seat despite the Obama wave and heavy Democratic spending. Some RPOF executive committee members are demanding a breakdown of flights, destinations and other costs. Greer has promised a "corporate level" audit of RPOF books -- but critics want a forensic audit that will reveal who paid for what and why. A least one party donor is contemplating a lawsuit to force a forensic audit. Greer is a close friend and ally of Crist. Declared candidates for RNC Chair next month include current RNC Chair Mike Duncan, South Carolina GOP Chair Katon Dawson, Michigan GOP Chair Saul Anuzis, former Maryland Lieutenant Governor Michael Steele, former Iowa Congressman Jim Nussle, and former Mike Huckabee campaign manager Chip Saltsman. Greer promises to make a decision on the RNC Chair race within the next few weeks.

Clearly the Speaker's office is blogging.

Perhaps only the wealthy should serve in the state legislature. These country bumpkins from the panhandle have proven only that they are adept at enriching themselves whilst in public service.

Champagne Charlie: and your comments about the Dems who have done the same thing? You republicanderangementsyndrome is showing.

There have been poor Speakers and Senate President's from all over the state. Quit picking on the Panhandle.

Speaker Bense is from the Panhandle and he set the bar so high in terms of statesmanship and leadership that no one will ever reach it.

There are bad apples everywhere.

12:51pm - You'd do better to post about the present issue of Sansom's corruption or not post at all, if you are indeed in agreement that Sansom has abused his position. Instead, you cloud the issue by bringing partisan attacks. This is not a partisan issue.

The real issue here is the lack of quality leadership in our state politics. We've got a House Speaker lining his own pockets. We've got a Governor says "it's alright". We've got a Legislature who is giving the Speaker a pass. Where the Dems went wrong is that they are too scared to comment or pursue this issue.

We've got a real problem here, folks.

Bense = TBRC

11:14 The dirtbag lawyers should be banned from any and all public office. They are trained liars. The dirtbags go into politics to get rich.

[terminator]

and I suppose Charlie thinks he's qualified to be Governor?

Let's check in with the New York Post, first:

High-ranking members of Congress were flown to a lush Caribbean resort this month for a three-day conference planned and paid for by several of the country's most powerful corporations - a violation of federal ethics rules, critics say.

Six members of the Congressional Black Caucus attended the 13th annual Caribbean Multi-National Business Conference in sun-drenched St. Maarten, including embattled Harlem Rep. Charles Rangel and New Jersey Rep. Donald Payne.

Let's give you the list, shall we?

Charles Rangel (D, NY-15) Donald Payne (D, NJ-10) Sheila Jackson-Lee (D, TX-18) Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (D, MI-13) Bennie Thompson (D, MS-2) Donna Christensen (D, VI) (nonvoting member).

Give the Gov. credit, all he said is that Sansom SEEMS qualified for the job. He didn't comment on Sansom's salary, the massive appropriation to the leadership institute, the unreal thirty-seven million dollar appropriation of PECO funds, the use of House staff to hide the appropriation from Speaker Rubio and the host of other allegations that this issue has raised. The Gov.'s statement is noncommittal at best... He is going to have to work with Sansom and least until an indictment is handed down or when Sansom resigns. This process will work itself out and Sansom will and others will have to answer for their actions. For now, good job Gov. Crist!

Not a good sign when the Govenor has to be endorsing your political career....its usually the sign that all has fallen politically apart. Sansom should step aside, he has ineffectively lost his power and most now just see him as a puppet. He cant lead from this position.

[NO MAS]

YEAH RIGHT, SO IS TOMMY MINKOFF FOR CIRCUIT JUDGE IN THE 6TH LOL

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Oh boy, Charlie....there is more reporting to be done. This story of corruption is far from over. Working here in the capitol, it's clear every reporter in Tallahassee smells blood and they are all over this corruption. The Gov., and any others stupid enough, may have to eat his words over the next few weeks/months as more gets disclosed and reported, unless Sansom nips it in the bud by admitting lack of discretion/transparency and honesty or stepping down, but he must be in hiding because there doesn't seem to be any quotes coming from him or the college president who worked this deal with him.

[None of the Above]

Hell, he's most surely qualified by the one measure that counts in the Legislature...

He steered a ton of money to an organization during an economic downturn that's full potential for devastation on any budget, statewide or otherwise has not fully been realized.

Once again, Garbage in, Garbage out...

Keep re-electing the same stuff and the same stuff is what you get...

Really, who is surprised here.

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Why not hire Bo Johnson back on the college payroll now that he's out of prison. He could do federal relations while Ray brings home the bacon from Tallahassee. Why do our legislators from Central Florida allow this? There comes a time when somebody, either Rs or Ds or state attorney's should stand up, grow a backbone, and reject this misuse of our tax dollars. Too bad our governor has missed the boat on this, but he's been missing it more and more in the last year. Elections for governor are right around the corner.

Term limits has just accelerated what was already a sad cycle. They should be ashamed of themselves, but they don't have the moral sense to even have an inkling that something might be wrong.

[Oldest Trick in the Book]

Give me a break!!!

Of course he's qualified for the job! He's not stupid. When he "appropriated accelerated funding" to his hometown college and they later created a job ESPECIALLY FOR HIM, they simply backed the job requirements/description in to fit Sansom's education, experience etc.

The lobbyists on here defending Sansom are the same ones bending Crist's ear - big surprise.