Senate refuses to resurrect 'leadership funds'

The Senate refused Thursday to resurrect leadership funds that were banned 20 years ago. The action came on an unrecorded voice vote with Sen. Ken Pruitt, R-Port St. Lucie, in the chair. The amendment by Sen. Steve Wise, R-Jacksonville, would have allowed the incoming Senate president and incoming minority leader to control special interest-funded slush funds in election campaigns but the Democratic opponents, led by Sens. Ted Deutch, Nan Rich and Arthenia Joyner, argued that it would have increased the amount of special interest money in the process.

Defeat of the amendment was a victory for Sen. Charlie Justice, D-St. Petersburg. Wise was trying to amend Justice's bill (SB 216), which bars cities and counties from spending tax money to influence the outcome of local referendums. Justice is trying to get a "clean" bill, without controversial amendments, to Gov. Charlie Crist's desk.

Comments

[Slushee]

Special interest funded slush funds.
You mean, like the Parties operate now without accountability to who is spending what?

[mad moderate]

Didn't the republicans claim thats what the voter restriction bill was for?
If the republicans really didn't want outside interference like they claimed when that bill was discussed why did the republicans bring this bill forward?
I smell a big fat rat,bigger then limbaugh even!

[What about the $1 million from Odom]

What ever happended to the $1 million that Jay Odom donated to the Republicans after Ray Sansom and Mike Fasano pushed through that hangar project?

[fly on the wall]

Anyone who was in the gallery or watching it on tv can tell that vote clearly passed.

[Sunshine]

So let me get this straight the same Steve Bousquet who bemoans not being able to see where money is held at the Democratic or Republican parties is against opening the process up. This bill would have allowed you to see who was raising money at each of the parties.

[Paul D. Harvill]

The Senate is the wiser chamber again.

[mad moderate]

Well sunshine,don't attack the messenger.
Fox/limbaugh fan,right?
This putz is mad about the justice bill thats all.

[...]

If Senator Wise, or any of the Republicans were really serious about transparency and accountability they would have heard any of the number of bills filed that specifically dealt with reigning in the slush funds. This was nothing but another attempt to create one more avenue for politicians to bring in unchecked contributions. Justice passed a good bill that was almost hijacked by partisan hacks who don't give a damn about accountability or transparency.

[So What?]

But don't the parties still do exactly the same thing?

[Greer, Sansom and Fasano]

Just look at what Greer, Sansom and Fasano did with the money from Jay Odom.