Rubio, Pruitt, Carlton could be called as witnesses in Ray Sansom case

Former House Speaker Marco Rubio, ex-Senate President Ken Pruitt and Senate budget writer Lisa Carlton are potential witnesses in the House investigation of Rep. Ray Sansom, according to new documents that portend a high profile, politically-charged spectacle.

The names, and many more including top House staffers Mike Hansen and Bob Ward, land on a list presented to Sansom's attorney by House prosecutor Melanie Hines. Sansom lawyer Richard Coates offered his own preliminary witness list that includes developer Jay Odom and former Northwest Florida State College president Bob Richburg.

The inclusion of Rubio in particular will attract attention as he's running for the GOP U.S. Senate nomination against Gov. Charlie Crist*. Rubio was speaker during the two years that Sansom funneled millions to the college. The Miami Republican has said he delegated responsibility to his top budget chief, and there is no evidence Rubio knew a $6 million airport building could have benefited Odom's corporate jet business.

LeMieux says he wondered how Rothstein made his money

Sen. George LeMieux said he long wondered how disgraced lawyer Scott Rothstein was so successful but never acted on it because he's not "the kind of person to try to pull down others."

"I’ve talked to him and know him," LeMieux, who ran a competing law firm, said last week. "I never understood how he was so successful, but I wasn’t the kind of person to try to pull down others. I just hope for the best and was always optimistic about him as I am about everybody and thought there must be some other way he is making his money."

"I hate to see it because I’m from Fort Lauderdale," LeMieux said of allegations Rothstein engaged in a $1 billion investment scheme. "It’s a black eye for my hometown. There is a culture of corruption in southeast Florida and perhaps other parts of Florida and we’ve got to root it out."

Sen. Feingold goes after 'wasteful' TV Marti

U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wisc., is taking aim at Radio and TV Martí, calling it a $300 million "relic of the Cold War ... that virtually no one tunes in to."

"Government studies show that Radio and TV Martí are riddled with problems, and fall short of journalistic standards," Feingold said in a news release today launching an effort he calls Spotlight on Spending. "As we progress toward a more modern and constructive relationship with Cuba, Radio and TV Martí no longer have any real diplomatic or fiscal purpose. I plan to bring up this issue when the Senate takes up President Obama’s recently announced nominees to the Broadcasting Board of Governors."

That kind of talk won't be well received in South Florida, and Florida Sen. George LeMieux recently put a hold on a bill that would cut funding for the government-financed stations.

Lori Edwards claims advantage in CD 12 race with Dennis Ross

Lori Edwards' campaign for Florida's 12th Congressional district released a poll today boasting she's got the lead "despite the challenging political environment for Democrats going into 2010."

In a recent survey conducted by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research, Edwards holds a 4-point edge over Republican challenger Dennis Ross, 46 – 42 percent. But the poll has a MOE of +/-  4.9 percentage points.

"This poll release smacks of desperation and is just the kind of gutter politics voters are tired of. Even after telling people that Dennis Ross is bought, a crook, and maybe even that he hates puppies, Lori Edwards is still not winning," said campaign manager Fred Piccolo. (UPDATE: Edwards' campaign says the 46-42 spread came before positives and negatives were tested for either candidate)

With Nelson on board and LeMieux against, U.S. Senate votes to advance health care bill

The U.S. Senate just voted 60-39 to advance the health care bill, exposing deep division that will continue to play out during debate after Thanksgiving. Florida Senators reflected the party line vote.

"This is a debate that we must have. It is a debate that we cannot afford not to have," Democrat Bill Nelson said in a speech Friday, adding there is "room for improvement" and "that's why we need to debate it." Nelson said he would offer an amendment to force an additional $100 billion in savings from drug makers. "So let the debate begin," he declared.

Republican George LeMieux echoed party leaders who assert the plan amounts to a massive government takeover. "What I'm afraid is the end of the day, where we're going to be in five or ten years from now, is that this is Medicaid for the masses," he said during a news conference earlier Saturday. "We're going to turn Medicare into Medicaid and we're going to put everybody basically on a government-run or a government-regulated program."

No holds barred: LeMieux quickly reaches for Senate's 'power of one'

WASHINGTON — George LeMieux has been a member of the U.S. Senate only two months but has managed to jam up legislation on oil drilling, a bill cutting funding for Radio Marti and he is blocking President Barack Obama's nominee for ambassador to Brazil.

But what may seem remarkably effective from afar is merely a reflection of a grand tradition in the Senate: the hold.

You won't find a description in the rule books, but a "hold" is one of the most powerful, many say abused, weapons available to the 100 men and women who make up the Senate — even to a neophyte like LeMieux, who was never elected and is serving on a temporary basis.

"It's the power of one," LeMieux says. (story here)

McCollum faults Sansom in court, presses case

Attorney General Bill McCollum says there is reason to appeal a circuit court ruling dismissing part of the criminal case against dethroned House Speaker Ray Sansom.

A motion motion filed today with the First District Court of Appeal, lays out several technical arguments why the appeal is justified and asks the appellate court to deny a motion from Sansom and co-defendant Jay Odom to dismiss the appeal. But the motion only addresses legal questions and does not delve into the specifics of the allegations against Sansom. That would come later, if the appeals court tosses Sansom's motion to dismiss.

Sansom argued that because Judge Terry Lewis dismissed only part of the charges, it remains an open issue requiring "additional judicial labor in the lower court." But the McCollum motion cites Florida law and rule of criminal procedure stating the state may appeal "an order dismissing an indictment or information or any count thereof."

Nelson, LeMieux split vote on whether to advance health care bill

UPDATE: Florida's Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson will vote to move the bill forward. Listen to his floor speech

Sen. George LeMieux said he will vote against moving the health care bill to the floor, contending it is still an unfinished product. "It's out for six weeks in Harry Reid's conference room. We should certainly have (time) to evaluate the actual bill we're going to vote on before we move to proceed."

LeMieux said he would speak to the issue at 3 p.m. "From what I see so far, there's a lot that concerns me," he said about 12:30 p.m., making his way into the Charlie Crist fundraiser.

Republican votes like LeMieux's are not critical. What Majority Leader Reid needs is the 60 members who vote with the Democratic caucus (58 Ds and two independents) to move the bill forward. A vote is expected tomorrow evening.

Crist, in D.C. raising money, insists he's focused on 'jobs, jobs, jobs'

Gov. Charlie Crist is in D.C. today raising money at Holland & Knight but insisted he is also focused on the dreadful state of the Florida economy, reinforced by a fresh report about 11.2 percent unemployment.

"I just think it's so important to stay focused on jobs, jobs, jobs," the U.S. Senate hopeful said, adding a pitch for the special legislative session on SunRail. "I think we're on a very good path to hopefully be able to deliver that because that would mean a lot of jobs for our people."

Since it is such a pressing issue, should you be back in Florida instead of raising money? "Well, I'm dealing with it here, too. I'm about to meet with Sen. LeMieux to talk about that. He's our main contact for us dealing with the U.S. Department of Transportation. So I think it's all hands on deck."

Crist said he's not ready to debate GOP challenger Marco Rubio but will "next year." He said, "I have no real interest in doing it at this point and time. I think what we need to do is continue workin' hard and fighting for the people. You know, I've got a day job."

We hear Crist is off to New York later today for another fundraiser.

GAO lists Tampa contractor in report on fraud in government program

A Tampa company got a $900,000 Air Force contract through a program benefiting veteran-owned businesses but funneled the job to another firm, according to a new report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office.

The GAO report on fraud and abuse cites 10 examples in which firms obtained $100 million in contracts under the Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Program. The Tampa case involves Furniture Fixtures & Equipment Office Solutions, which got the $900,000 contract through MacDill Air Force Base to design and install furniture.

But the company, which consists of one man and is based at a mail box rental store, passed along the work to a furniture dealer his wife works for, according to the report. The man also works full-time at MacDill.