Posted on 10/30/2009 9:03:04 AM PDT by La Lydia
Florida Gov. Charlie Crist’s Senate campaign is accused of breaking campaign finance law by ghost-writing a negative website about his opponent in the Republican primary race. At issue is the new site, TruthAboutRubio.com, which launched this week and features hits on Crist primary opponent Marco Rubio, including suggesting Rubio's campaign was behind a video comparing Crist to Adolf Hitler.
Redstate.com blogger Erick Erickson has been on the case, after a reader ran down the source code from the site. There, Erickson found a tag that appears to be connected to a longtime Crist adviser, Rich Heffley. Heffley is a Crist appointee and is currently being paid as an adviser to the state GOP.
After Erickson and reporters contacted Heffley, the site was reportedly taken down and then relaunched, with the tag, “rheffley,” no longer in the source code. Heffley would neither confirm nor deny involvement in the site.
Erickson, who is backing Rubio in the primary, has suggested Crist’s campaign could get in trouble for failing to disclose its connection to the website. Candidates are required to provide a disclaimer on all campaign literature.
Erickson and The Miami Herald also suggest Heffley’s connection to the Florida Republican Party raises issues of whether the site represents coordination between the state GOP and Crist’s campaign, which would open up another can of worms. Such coordination is limited by law and must be disclosed.
The website, which The Hill noted earlier this week, no longer features the Crist/Hitler video, and on its front page it is thanking Redstate.com for all the attention. It still does not list an author or responsible party.
Crist told the Herald on Wednesday that he wasn’t aware of anyone from his campaign being behind the site, but he was familiar enough with it to say that all of its content was in the public domain. Asked about Heffley’s alleged involvement, Crist didn’t have an answer.
"I don't know that it's verified," he told the Herald.
I dislike Charlie more each day!
Marco Rubio is the ‘REAL DEAL’.
Every conservative should do their part to ensure his election to the Senate.
I put Marco Rubio in the same level with Sarah Palin and Jim Demint.
IF Floriduh voters would soundly reject Crist, it would send a message to the pubby elite that American conservatives are not going to be herded by the ‘progressive pubbies’ runnning conservatism into the dirt by continuing to put up moderate, valueless, and progressive candidates. ... Please, Florida, send Rubio into the Senate and Crist to the dust bin for faux conservatives.
Bump and thanks to Eric Erickson at Red State for uncovering this!
Conservative heavyweights need to come out for Marco now just as they have for Hoffman in NY.
Looks like the RINO wing of the GOP is out in force in Florida
Yep. “Paging Mrs. Palin. Would Mrs. Palin please pick up the white courtesy phone in the lobby?”
Crist said he didn’t know Obama was going to be in Florida this week either. Of all the potential explanations for not chumming around with TOTUS this time, he chose the most lame excuse.
Charlie Crist is old school. He’s part of the past. Besides, he’s so lazy and pompous.
Crist is a sleazebag politician. He’s NEVER been a public servant.
St. Pete Times is beating up Crist almost every day.
Late to the fray, but, I've never cared for Charlie. But, he was the only repub running and I thought he might carry on with what Jeb had done. Apparently, a pipe dream.
It will send the same message to RNC if Hoffman wins in NY!!!
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