Greer bashing continues

UPDATE: RPOF spokeswoman Katie Gordon responds: "Chairman Greer takes full responsibility for all Party expenditures, including House and Senate expenses."

John Bertran, a Brevard Republican (who last appeared in the Buzz leading a fight to save Tucker Carlson's job), has sent members of the RPOF executive committee a missive blasting state GOP chairman Jim Greer's spending: You can criticize Florida Republican Party Chairman Jim Greer all you want, but you have to admit he really delivered the English-American vote here in Florida.   

How else can you explain the $45,458.57 expenditures by the Republican a Party of Florida in London, England, during Governor Crist's very successful Florida Trade Mission? Surely, important meetings were held in the Chairman's suite at the 5-star Sheraton Park Hotel in fashionable, Knightsbridge. Only the best restaurants like Mr. Chow (5-stars -Zagat), Toto (5 diamond award), and the Noura Brasserie (4-whisks –Michelin's) were good enough for Chairman Greer's efforts to nail down the English vote. The Chairman never spent less than $800 for a restaurant tab. ... Why is the State GOP paying a $10,000 registration fee for Jim Greer to hob-knob with Governor Charlie Crist and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger at the government sponsored Climate Control Conference in LA?  This was a non-political event. ...

...This is made all the more tragic by the underfunded effort to help John McCain win Florida. I have to believe that the monies used to augment the Chairman's life-style could have been used to win 3% of the vote to bring McCain-Palin to victory in Florida. As a registered Republican who is damn pissed off about the half-hearted efforts by the Florida Republican leadership for John McCain and Sarah Palin, as a donor, I want a full financial accounting of where State Republican funds have gone.

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Comments

Sadly there is no one to challenge Greer with enough creditability to win.

Greer has got to go.

I've heard the Greer's use party staffers to babysit their kids.

RPOF is a mess.

The Chairman's ego is bigger than his waistline.

When a thorough audit is completed, donors will be shocked to see most of those expenditures were for Charlie and Carole's jet-setting lifestyle - Greer is simply covering for them.

By Greer accompanying Charlie and Carole on their trips - UK Trade Mission, So America Trade Mission, California Climate Summit - the expenses appear to be for Greer only, but in reality the expenditures covered Charlie and Carole.

Charlie has always been known to be extremely frugal and responsible with donor money. Never would he have booked the Presidential Suite at any hotel, and certainly would be the first to direct staff to be as frugal as possible on RPOF trips or events. Then Carole comes along. Has anyone checked to see if she is holding a RPOF American Express card?

Charlie has changed, from the humble, practical public servant to the jet-setting, high living boyfriend of Carole Rome. So sad. I liked Charlie better when he was only a few months into Governor, Attorney General and Education General, well before he became intoxicated by Carole's celebrity lifestyle.

[Bitter we lost FL because of Greer]

this is just RIDICULOUS. Why is NOTHING being done about this guy STEALING our money? that's what it's called...THEFT! I don't want my party funds spent on fancy restaurants and spa treatments! THIS HAS GOT TO STOP.

Someone should subpoena travel receipts for the two kids that travel with Greer - Delmar and Jeremy. They can share the details about the suites, clothes and booze on the party's credit card.

A "full accounting" is part of the customary accounting practices of the party. The people who should fear the "full accounting" are members of the legislature...particularly those with credit cards...

So, which is worse? Spending too much or being an enabler of someone spending too much? Neither option looks very appealing. Charlie was elected governor, not governor AND chairman.

I want to see Delmar's Barnhill tab.

Greer needs to go, seriously. how is still being allowed to spend like a reckless sloth?

You bloggers are idiots!! This guy is supporting a far right wing nut who is running against Greer. That is why all the exagerated lies! He is a total joke and the SPT's is helping destroy the party by publishing this crap! Get real or at least get a brain!!

3:40 I hear this Eric guy who Burtran is supporting has post tramatic something from being in the war. Also heard he is angry the party did not support him against another Republican! Sounds like a girly man to me.

3:40 - Delmar, calm down, take your meds and grab another donut.

People on the east coast say he is mean and nasty. Jan meeting should be fun watching him implode

Truth = none of these bloggers griping about the money they donated supposedly being wasted actually donated a dime.

Greer is being...humbled...right now. Crist could pick a consensus candidate and the controversy would go away. Hopefully he'll still come around.

Greer is being...humbled...right now. Crist could pick a consensus candidate and the controversy would go away. Hopefully he'll still come around.

All this money and you can't get a return phone call from the staff.

Anyone feel like donating to the RPOF lately?

[Guess I look good now]

Don't blame me I voted for Jordan.

who cares who is supporting who? Greer treats his staff like slaves. Spends all the money on frivilous spending. Why did Greer need to go to CA for the climate summit change??? Who was this helping? I bet he flew private!

[Change Agent]

Stop your whining 3:22. You didn't lose Florida because of Greer. You lost Florida because of President-elect Obama. Deal with it.

3:54 - NO. Not until there is an audit. This conservative says if you have nothing to hide, then why not audit?

totally agree with 4:09.....if there's nothing to hide. agree to the audit, clear your name and move on!

Greer for RNC!! Woohoo!

The Chairman is crazy and anyone that guarantees his spot as Chairman again for another term is just as crazy. Not only is he careless with money he is careless of the treatment of the people that surround him. Unless you are Charlie Crist you are lower than donkey dung in Greer's book.

Greer for RNC! I'm sorry, what? That will never happen. Greer better practice his catch phrase for his next career. How does it go? "Time to make the donuts."?

I don't know what you Republicans are complaining about. Don't you believe that fiscal responsibility is only for the poor? And clearly Greer isn't poor.

Bring back Carole Jean Jordan!!

Oh don't bring her back either. She's finally mastered her new position after leaving the RPOF. Would you like fries with your shake???

No can do 4:41. Greer already bought her off.

10K of hard earned money spent for a registration to a Climate Change Conference with Al Gore in L.A.?

A group whose goal is to pass legislation for Cap and Trade mandates which would harm small businesses?

What a waste of party money. It's unconscionable.

Can someone explain why the governor did not campaign on a Global Warming platform?

Or campaign as a "Republican" but then
expand state gambling by Executive Order only to be sued by the Republican House Speaker and have the FL Supreme Court agree in their opinion?

Why did he not campaign on
Restoring Convicted Felon's Rights instead of repeatedly stating he was "Chain Gang Charlie?"

or

not tell us he planned to
extend voting hours so that 5,000 more Democrats per hour could vote during a Presidential election?

Campign for governor as a "Jeb Bush Republican" but govern like Arnold Schwarzennegar?

Go to Disney World 3 weeks before a Presidential election instead of attending a campaign finance event with visiting governor Bobby Jindal for our nominee John McCain?

Expand and socialize FL with state run insurance with billions of taxpayer $ at risk.

The Republican Party of Florida needs credible and solid leadership, sooner than later.

Honestly, with Delmar and Greer in tow, I'm surprised the restaurant tabs are as low as they are.

[Wow]

3:40 scare tactics don't work. You can't just tell us somebody is a "far right wing nut" to turn us away from him. In fact, Greer has turned RPOF into Charlie Crist's private publicity agency/exchequer and that simply MUST stop. Quick solution:

RPOF DONORS: Write no more checks while Greer is Chairman. Period. They don't have enough money in the bank to survive a dry-up like that.

NO MORE CHECKS!
NO MORE CHECKS!
NO MORE CHECKS!
NO MORE CHECKS!
NO MORE CHECKS!

If you want to see some crazy expenditures, someone should take a look at what the House and Senate spent there money on. How about that 1.6 miliion raised from the gambling industry for House Campaigns. Where did that money go? How many over priced consultants like Bridgete Gregory did they support? How many over priced hotel rooms for members did they pay for? I remember when you gave money to the GOP it was to elect members to the House and Senate, not pay lavish lifestyles of the employees and consultants to the party. It is a mess and no more money needs to be given, I know I am cutting off my checks.

I LOVE Bridget Gregory. Worth every dime, if you ask me!

4:06 REALITY CHECK: Obama won ONLY because the economy turned so sour so fast.

And as for Florida? 3% is very little. Crist & Greer malingering and sulking like 2 jilted Queens made the difference. And we will remember

We all have bigger issues than lightweights running the parties:

TALLAHASSEE — Last spring, the agency overseeing Florida's colleges made a list of budget requests in what was one of the leanest years in modern history.

Northwest Florida State College was slated to get $1-million for a building project.

Yet when lawmakers signed off on the budget in May, the school had snagged $25.5-million — the single largest project of any college.

For that, it could thank state Rep. Ray Sansom, the Destin Republican who controlled the House budget.

The assistance, documented in a memo the St. Petersburg Times obtained this week through a public records request, highlights the close relationship between Sansom and the college president, Bob Richburg.

Last week that affiliation burst into public view when Sansom was given a $110,000 job as a vice president at the college.

It came on the same day Sansom was sworn in as speaker of the Florida House, a juxtaposition that has elicited cries of cronyism.

Sansom, who has a master's degree in education, denies any correlation and says he was merely doing his job as a citizen legislator.

But the extra $24.5-million was not the only boon to the school, renamed Northwest Florida State College in July under legislation Sansom supported that boosted the school's ability to offer bachelor's degrees.

State records show the college received $1-million more than initially budgeted for an extension center in Walton County and $105,000 more than initially budgeted for general renovation.

Sansom also got $750,000 added to the budget for "startup funds" for the college's leadership institute, according to records the House released Wednesday. The Times reported last week that it got $200,000, but that was based on a preliminary request.

The amount ballooned some time before a Dec. 5, 2007, meeting between Sansom and college president Richburg. A memo from the meeting details how the two discussed accelerating funding — hence $1-million becoming $25.5-million.

That was the single-largest public education capital outlay (PECO) award for community college projects this year.

Not even Miami-Dade College, which has 160,000 students to Northwest Florida State College's 15,000, fared better in a single budget line.

The $31.1-million in overall PECO funds the college secured this year topped the $23-million awarded to Pasco-Hernando Community College and the $16.8-million given to St. Petersburg College.

It is important to consider that building projects have different time lines, so a one-year snapshot only tells part of the story. And the money provided this year could have come down the road, though the budget crisis could have hurt those prospects.

Nonetheless, Northwest Florida State College's success is notable given controversy surrounding Sansom's hiring last week. He is expected to become a full-time employee next summer.

It comes as lawmakers will likely have to return to Tallahassee next month or in January to cut hundreds of millions from the current budget due to rapidly declining tax revenue. And next spring, when a new budget is assembled, lawmakers face a shortfall approaching $6-billion.

Sansom has already said that no money for pet projects will be approved in the coming year.

Sansom and Richburg deny a quid pro quo. "I'm qualified for this job. I'm well qualified," Sansom, 46, said last week.

At the college, Sansom will oversee development and planning, including oversight of grant acquisition, fostering relations with the business community and overseeing a training school for emergency response teams.

He has a long relationship with the school. In the 1980s, he put himself through what was then Okaloosa-Walton Community College. His wife also attended.

Sansom said the college, located in Niceville near his hometown of Destin, is a vital player in the emergence of the region and can train a legion of new professionals, boosting the economy.

"I'm very excited about the opportunity," Sansom said. "I term out in two years, and I want to make my permanent home there at the college."

We just lost a Presidential race. Largely because of the failure to act of our Governor and his boy at RPOF. Are we going to give them another vote of confidence in January?

I say kick the bums out!

Experience, for RPOF Chair? How much experience did Greer have? He ran his own business and was a two-bit town councilman.

Carole Jean? She (allegedly) helps her husband run their business. At least she ran the Florida federation of Republican Women, a large state-wide group before becoming Chair.

Al Cardenas? He is a lawyer. And a lobyists. Period.

Tell me again why Eric Miller is unqualified?
Miller is a self-made businessman, like Greer;
Miller has extensive experience with various organizations helping his community, like Greer;
Miller served in the Military (Greer?);
Miller worked for a well known Congressman (Hunter) (Greer?)

Eric Miller is indeed qualified. However, his haircut gives me the heebie-jeebies.

Greer is nothing more than an empty suit like his suitor Charlie.

Greer, please, just go away. And no, we don't like the way you or your wife sing.

If Sansom really wanted to bring pork back home to the "Northwest Florida State College", why not save us Floridians some trouble and serve up Greer, Delmar, and Fat Mikey to his constituents?

Eric who?

lmao....

What is the matter with you people? If you don't like Delmar, then you don't like life, dontchaknow?

The RPOF didn't lose Florida...the McCain campaign did.
The RPOF did help re-elect members of the legislature...we maintained our full strenth in the House and Senate. We also held on to two heavily challenged Congressional seats in Miami, and won the Palm Beach seat back. Considering the environment, Greer and his staff at the RPOF deserve praise for their performance. As for the spending, none of you have pointed out that Greer has helped break all fundraising records in Florida....on the spending side...it most likely compares with spending by Cardenas.

Eric is well qualified. You need to see his resume. http://ericmiller08.com this guy has hit the bullseye. As a SCM I will be voting for him and I am urging others to do the same. We need a person like him at the wheel. At least we know he won't be drinking while driving the rpof.

Hmm...sounds like a teetotaler to me. Never trust anyone who doesn't drink.

8:37,nice try, but you come up short. You lost a house seat and marginally lost winnable house seats that extra money (that was undoubtedly used for consultants and other questionable expenses) could have swung. And the party could have done tons more to help the McCain camp.