Photo: Crist had Rothstein's cake and ate it, too

None of the powerful people had ever seen a cake quite like it.

It wasn’t the double layers of chocolate that had everyone abuzz, nor was there anything particularly special about the white chocolate placards that read: “Happy Birthday, Gov. Charlie Crist. From Scott and Kimberly Rothstein.”

Rather, the fact that Rothstein paid $52,000 just to have his name there surprised some of the lobbyists and honchos with the biggest special interests in Florida: Florida Crystals, The GEO Group, Mardi Gras Race Track and Casino, Disney, TECO, Floride Power & Light, etc.** They each paid a mere $5,200 each to sponsor just one of the candles on that beautiful July 24th day in 2008 at The Breakers hotel in Palm Beach. Their donation is denoted in the little silver flags that stand by the candles of the special-interest layer cake.

Fresh off a trip to Europe with his fiancée, Crist was thanking the 40 or so folks in the Magnolia Room when a voice disturbed him.

It was Rothstein. He was talking so loudly while the governor was talking that Crist finally stopped and looked up from the microphone.

“Scott, if you want the mic, it’ll cost you $100,000,” Crist said in jest and remonstrance, according to three people in the room.

Rothstein shut his mouth and shut his wallet – something he rarely did. Still, Rothstein’s contribution stood out. So did the fact that he and Crist blew out the candles together. Rothstein posted that photo on the wall of his office.

"He spent money like it wasn’t his,” said one person who was there. “Now we know why.”

Indeed, Rothstein’s now at the center of an alleged Ponzi scheme in which he bilked investors for what some say could be up to $1 billion. Though many in the legal community had suspected Rothstein was up to something (he couldn't have that much disposable cash legally, they said), politicians and political parties didn't ask many questions. Big checks at the very least buy gratitude and a see-no-evil attitude in politics. Rothstein's $52,000 check from his law firm was the biggest single contribution for the Republican Party of Florida fundraiser, which raised about $1 million for the party.

** Here's the list of $5,200 donors who correspond to the fundraiser/cake:

THE GEO GROUP, INC.
DEGEORGE LAWRENCE
FLORIDA WHOLESALE SPIRITS CCE
LINTON TIBBETTS
JAMES PALMER
JDR COMPANIES, INC.
PREFERRED CARE PARTNERS, INC.
FLORIDA RESTAURANT ASSOC. PAC,
GUNSTER YOAKLEY
UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE, INC.
MICCOSUKEE TRIBE
FLORIDA CARPENTERS REGIONAL CC
DISNEY WORLDWIDE SERVICES, INC
TECO ENERGY, INC.
CC1 COMPANIES, INC.
FLORIDA CRYSTALS CORPORATION
MANUEL KADRE, P. A.
HOWARD GRUVERMAN
GEORGE LEVIN (a possible Ponzi victim of Rothstein's)
INTERNATIONAL OIL TRADING FZCO (The company of Harry Sargeant, likely listed as "H.S." in a separate federal indictment concerning illegal campaign contributions).
CENTENE MANAGEMENT COMPANY, LL
JONATHAN KISLAK
MOSAIC FERTILIZER LLC
OKOLOKO ONAJITE
THE HAGGARD LAW FIRM, PA
MURRAY GOODMAN

Here are the names we could read on the candles:

Don Yaeger
Emery and Margaret Wood
Armando Olivera
Southern Strategy Group
Bob Storm
Blake Casper
John Colon
Mark Kaplan
Murray Goodman
George and Susan Levin
Florida Carpenters
Mary Ann Portell
Dan Adkins
Disney
Sunshine State Health Plan
Fr* Karls* (???)
Joseph Caruncho (?)
Republica National Distributing Company
The Gee Group
Tom Grady
Peter S. Rummell (??)
Sh* Page
Lawrence De George
Cary and Elizabeth Hyden
Mr. and Mrs. William S. Williams
Dr. Charles and Nancy Crist
Julio and Marcia Martino (not sure on last letter)
Manny Kadre
Byron and Catherine Kennedy
Jay and Linda *rmer
Jim and Lisa Greer
Carole Rome
Howard Gruverm*
Harry Sargeant Jr.
George LeMieux
Annie Kadre
Dr. AK Desai
Jeff and Cyndie Kottkamp
Rob and Lynette Miller
Te* and Patty Mo*

-- Posted by Marc Caputo

Comments

[Early Bird]

Thye early bird catches the worm or in this case Crist.
I am a senior citizen and I have wittnessed many campaigns in my life and I must say in all my life I have never seen a bunch of garbage like these people.
This person Rubio(which I hope to meet this Saturday at the courtside grill in feather sound at 12:00 noon), as got my support and my money, even though I can not afford a Crist candle amount.
TV, internet,and the media(all of them), is the death blow for the Crist campaign.

[8th degree]

Alan Mendelsohn
Indicted in September for an alleged fraudulent fund-raising and lobbying scheme, ophthalmologist Alan Mendelsohn is another well-connected Florida political player with close ties to Crist.

He allegedly created phony lobbying organizations which raised big dollars from industry sources. Mendelsohn, who has plead not guilty, allegedly diverted over $600,000 of that money for his personal use, including for credit card bills and SAT prep fees for his kids. And he falsely told the FBI that he had used his influence with Crist -- attorney general during the period in question -- to quash a probe into a Florida insurance company.

What are his ties to Crist? He hosted a doctors' fundraiser at his home in 2006 that netted over $100,000 for Crist's gubernatorial campaign. And he served on the transition team after Crist won the election.

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/11/mo_money_mo_problems_rothstein_latest_crist_linked_scandal.php?ref=mp

Lets not foget ones like Geer and his credit card which last report I read will show charges.
Crist said he did not have one.
Also stated he did not know Obama was in the area either among other things

[Early Bird is a worm]

Aren't you pure, Mr. Early Bird. Stay tuned to all the sources you cite for the truth about Rubio and his shady dealings (Turnpike, etc.) as well as his proposal to raise taxes while Speaker of the House which thank goodness Charlie Crist declared DOA.

Direct your anger and disgust in the right direction---toward Rothstein. But Spare me your (and the Times) feeble attempt to wax righteous and blame the Governor for something over which he could not possibly have any control.

[The guy with the ? suit]

If you click on the picture you can see some interesting names on the candles...

[Peter]

7:59 you sound just like the Gallagher people did: always promising that some dire revelation was about to blow the other guy out of the water. You know what you call that? DESPERATE.

[Ernie]

Most large political contributors are greedy scoundrels. Clearly anyone who gives a large donation has some ulterior motive to do so. The concept that politicians should only accept money from squeaky clean, fully vetted entities is just plain ridiculous.

[JL]

That is ridiculous and shows you how out of touch these people are.

Charlie is an egomaniac.

[GOP insider]

Greer's not going anywhere, He was elected and Crist backs him 100% and if it came to a show down the majority of State Committee Members, no matter what some of you anti Greer and anti Crist people say, would support the Chairman.

Plus, with Dockery now in the race, Greer has been a supporter of McCollum and gotten most of the Party behind him, so any attempt by McCollum against Greer would backfire and the Party would end up giving Dockery alot of assistance. I might add no matter what is said, Greer has been a pretty good Chairman in very tough times.

[ray bellamy, MD]

Until you get money out of politics they will all turn into crooks. You can predict the outcome of almost any legislation by counting the money. Congress spends 1/3 their time raising money so who do you think they listen to? We must change the system before it destroys our democracy. No one cares what us common folk think anymore. Look at the healthcare "reforms" which are now not about health, but about which special interests have the most money in the game. AARP support surely is tied to the fact they get most of their revenue from their tie to United Health Care and selling insurance policies. AMA, which represents now about 17% of MDs, probably made a secret deal with the White House to get a fix to the physician pay problem in Medicare called the Sustainable Growth Rate, worth 245 bilion but not counted in the CBO computations to try desperately to keep this looking "deficit neutral"...."not one dime..." and all of that. It's now all about the MONEY for all politicians.

[Realist]

Early bird is a worm. If you are referring to the propertytax swap for sales tax when you say the Governor declared DOA. Let me edume ate you. It was a constitutional amendment that the governor would have had ZERO ability to veto. So before you go criticizing other get your own facts straight. Also if not for Governor Crist siding with the Senat during he property tax special session, the people of Florida would have had a much better plan to choose from in the house plan that passed almost unanimously a week before the special session ended. Yet Crist chose to support the wimped of a plan in Amendment 1.

[More non-news]

Amazing that Charlie didn't know about Rothstein over 1.5 years before all this came out. Proves Charlie is not a mind reader. You Rubio trolls are ridiculous.

What about Mendelsohn and Rubio - there were already problems PUBLICLY known about Mendelsohn when Rubip BEGAN his campaign at a fundraiser hosted by Mendelsohn. What kind of judgment is that?????

[whasup]

These corrupt, thieving South Florida Jacobites are making the corrupt Cubans look like pikers.

[Randall Stevens]

7:59 - are you talking about the move to require that the Turnpike operations split out the bid for fuel and food at rest stops so more people, and yes - someone that knew Rubio, could bid on the contract?

Are you suggesting that only large corporations be allowed to provide services?

Please expand why, other than a friend and supporter of Rubio requesting an opportunity to provide services to the state, you think it was inappropriate for a change in the bidding process?

[8th degree]

In either direction Crist or Rubio both look like much of a choice.
Both calling each other Hitler instead of talking about issues. At this point no matter what Crist would say would not hold much belief anyway.
Rubio's lack of not know where he differ's from Crist on some issues & not talking about others like the outy of control property taxes in the state when the value droped out the bottom.
the up coming school system back in the red when the stem money runs out and the programs they are payinghigh dollar for when they can't pay the teachers.
Not to mention the flooding in most areas of Fl. with every major storm. Speaks a lot while he says nothing.

[8th degree]

Crist or Rubio both look like not much of a choice.

[8th degree]

"Greer's not going anywhere, He was elected and Crist backs him 100% and if it came to a show down the majority of State Committee Members, no matter what some of you anti Greer and anti Crist people say, would support the Chairman. "

Funny I thought it was the people who voted.

[terminator]

looks as if the Crist/Greer apologists are trying to play damage control here on the blog.

Chuckles and his corrupt bunch from God's Country are up to their ears in this mess and it's showing.

They're on the run and proclaiming "pay no attention to the man behind the curtain".

Mendleson and Rothstein were very close to the Crist campaigns and have given hundreds of thousands.

Believe me, this will hurt Chuckles and his friends immensely before it's all over.

[needle]

This is disgusting.They should give it to a battered womens shelter instead. I guess the rich really are different from you and me.

[Just say NO to Chuck the Schmuck!]

I'll second that, terminator, if the electorate of this state is stupid enough to vote for Chuck again... then they deserve the results.

[$50,000!!!]

Rumor on the street is that Rothstein charged folks $50,000 for 1/2 hour meetings with Governor Crist. If true, who got the money?

[Red Meat Republican]

It's amazing how so many on this forum don't understand how things work or what's really going on in the real world.

Crist is about ready to unload on Rubio to the point that he'll beg to be allowed to switch to the AG's race. When Republican voter's, and I mean Conservatives too, find out about all of Rubio's baggage and dealings, they will run from his campaign. Crist has been a good Governor and a star on the national scene. Along with being a good fiscal conservative.

As far as Eikenberg goes, for those attacking him, he is a smart guy and is going to be a great campaign manager. RPOF Chairman Greer is a Crist loyalist personally but has helped McCollum get to where he is while trying to deal with the wingnuts and win elections.

I'm voting for Crist and I am going to work hard to support him.

[Adam]

George LeMieux had a candle...and look what he got a US Senate seat...I give you this,you give me that...QPQ....

Click on the cake you will be amazed at who is paying for favors from Charlie
Until we pass laws to do away with this kind of bribes it will stay..to pass these laws we will need NEW elected officials ! The old ones rely on this dirty money, and seek it out !

[needle]

In response to read meat republican .. suggesting many posting here do not unerstand what goes on the so called "real world"

Let me tell you sir, WE ARE the real world. The problem with politicians and lobbyist is that they throw around figures when talking about state and federal budgets like .. oh, its ONLY a $100,000, $6 million, $10 million dollar appropriation and etc in their normal conversations every day to a point whereby they get detached from the real world. They begin to think that say $500 or $1,000 is not real money anymore. They are detached from the real world until they are brought back down to earth which happens to about half of them over time.
Political business as usual IS NOT the real world. It is bribery, opulence,ponzi schemes, egos gone awry, people who look in the mirror and no longer recognize themselves, screw your friend, screw over your wife,trust no one, ignore your kids and believe in your own press. It is a sick, sick business and has gotten out of hand. $5,000 for a birthday candle!? When and where is this the real world? Strugging to pay your mortgage and praying that you can send your kid to college or that no one gets sick.. now that is the real world. So, dont tell me about the real world. You sir, need to look in the mirror if you believe this behavior has anythng to do with THE REAL WORLD.

[8th degree]

"It's amazing how so many on this forum don't understand how things work or what's really going on in the real world. "

If you mean by ones taking the people of Fl. to the cleaners and filling their pockets. I believe theres only one.

Before Crist unloads on any one any one.
Maybe he should stat remembering things.

Crist Claims He Never Backed Economic Stimulus. "It's getting harder every day and we know that it's important that we pass this stimulus package." -- Florida Gov. Charlie Crist (R), at a rally with President Obama on February 10, 2009. ...

http://politicalwire.com/
Club for Growth Calls Out Crist on the Stimulus - The Gaggle Blog ...

[LEMIEUX=CRIST=SPECTER]

That's one outlandish looking cake. What is it with Chuckles and all his sycophants being an assortment freaks?

[JL]

The biggest travesty is the baker - that cake is UGLY.

What are the basketball looking things and the silver candle covers are ugly.

And what's with the long stick looking candles?

[Rubio add should feature this in an add]

Rubio should feature this photo in an add along with the stories on rothstien and sure to come perp walk. It would be very effective. This conveys corruption pay-to-play associtaed with Crist.

[the worst part]

The worst part is- no one ate the cake! What a waste!

[JEB Republican]

TOTALLY F%@#ING GROSS!!!