GOP: Audit links Charlie Crist to state party's financial scandal

Orlando Sentinel ^ | September 12, 2010 | Jim Stratton

[JulieRNR21]

State Republicans moved the three-way U.S. Senate race to a new level Saturday, with party leaders pointing to an audit of their books they say implies Gov. Charlie Crist — now an independent candidate for U.S. Senate — ran up potentially "hundreds of thousands" of dollars in inappropriate charges.

Party Chairman and state Sen. John Thrasher said the expenses came to light during the just-completed forensic audit by Alston & Bird LLP — which was the examiner in energy giant Enron's 2002 bankruptcy. He said the party may sue their former standard bearer to get the money back.

The announcement is rife with political implications, given that Crist and Republican Senate candidate Marco Rubio are running neck and neck in many polls, with Democrat Kendrick Meek a distant third.

The review, which the party did not make public but may release later, was initiated earlier this year after former state GOP Chairman Jim Greer was forced from office, in part by accusations of extravagant spending. Thrasher, who took Greer's place, discussed the report's findings after a three-hour, closed-door meeting with the party's executive board at Disney's Boardwalk Resort.

He said auditors found that Crist, Greer and Delmar Johnson, the party's former executive director, may have inappropriately spent money on travel, consultants, meetings and other items not related to party business.

Thrasher provided no firm numbers but said Greer could owe "hundreds of thousands" of dollars and that Crist was in "that ballpark." Thrasher said party officials would spend the next 10 days considering a lawsuit against Crist, Greer and Johnson.

Crist abandoned the Republican Party in April and, since then, has been hammered by the party as a turncoat, liar and political chameleon.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

I never believed there is any way Greer was operating in a vacuum, he is too close to Crist.

It's past time for serious house cleaning.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

What’s hilarious is that once he realized he was down in the polls against Rubio, he should have graciously stepped aside, endorsed Rubio, and then ran in 2012 against Nelson. I mean, it’s only 2 years away does he need to go to the Senate that damn bad?

[JPG]

Yeah, The Beard Brothers.

[CPT Clay]

Buh bye Charlie

[FreedomPoster]

I saw someone on FR make the same assertion as this headline months ago. What’s the big deal? The news is often old for FReepers who pay attention.

[Frantzie]

The Dems are even bigger at using blackmail like this.

More Charlie Crist corruption:
http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/pulp/2010/09/north_broward_hospital_district_privatize.php

[MinuteGal]

Great post, Julie.

Topped off my whole day!

Leni

[JulieRNR21]

Maybe Charlie’s EGO couldn’t wait that long.....LOL

[NautiNurse]

Charlie Crist returns $10,000 to Jim Greer

[musicman]

"Christ? Isn’t that a close friend of Obama?"

Uhhhh...no....that would be Mohammed.

As for Charlie and Obama being close "friends", well...

[JulieRNR21]

Don’t you love it when ‘karma’ happens!

My favorite part of the article quotes Marco Rubio saying that “there are three candidates in the Senate race...a Republican, a Democrat and an opportunist.”

[JulieRNR21]

Thanks.....Greer says he needs the donation rturned due to legal bills.....$10,000 won’t cover much with the way lawyers charge today.

[St. Louis Conservative]

I can’t wait to see this clown finish THIRD in this race. Eat sh!t Crist!!

[HiTech RedNeck]

Yore in big trubble boy

[liberty or death]

At this level 10,000 is such a pathetic amount.Probably doesn’t pay the bills for more than a week or two.

[November 2010]

You know you are right. It would have been a good chance for him against Nelson and would have helped the party . . . plus 2 years to disassociate himself from the Obama hug.

[onyx]

I like Marco Rubio’s line: “There are three candidates running for Senate in Florida, a Republican, a Democrat, and an Opportunist.

- - - - - - -

ROFL!

I like Marco Rubio. A lot!!!

[NautiNurse]

Crist mocks the GOP by returning $10,000 to Greer, while simultaneously refusing to return money to dedicated GOP donors.

Crist's actions surely smell like a payoff to Greer for his silence.

[JulieRNR21]

Yes, good point especially since he hasn’t returned donations to others.....but I doubt $10,000 is enough to buy Greer’s silence.

[seekthetruth]

Florida Ping! We must make sure Charlie Crist is TOAST!

Also including the list of Conservative candidates to support for the upcoming election on November 2nd! Please support the conservative candidate in your Congressional District and support Conservatives in other Florida districts. Let's make sure all of our 25 House Districts send a conservative to Congress.....NO SOCIALIST DEMS!

DISTRICT 1:
Jeff Miller - Incumbent Republican - Unopposed
http://jeffmillerforcongress.com/

**********
DISTRICT 2:
Steve Southerland - To Face DEM INCUMBENT, Allen Boyd.
http://www.southerlandforcongress.com/

**********
DISTRICT 3:
Mike Yost - To Face DEM INCUMBENT, Corrine Brown.
http://yostforcongress.com/

**********
DISTRICT 4:
Ander Crenshaw - Incumbent Republican - Unopposed
http://andercrenshaw.com/

**********
DISTRICT 5:
Richard Nugent - To Face DEM, James Piccillo
http://www.nugentforcongress.com/

**********
DISTRICT 6:
Cliff Stearns - Incumbent Republican - Unopposed
http://cliffstearns.net/

**********
DISTRICT 7:
John Mica - To Face DEM, Heather Beaven
http://www.micaforcongress.org/

**********
DISTRICT 8:
Dan Webster - To Face DEM INCUMBENT, Alan Grayson.
http://www.electwebster.com/

**********
DISTRICT 9:
Mike Bilirakis - Incumbent Republican To Face DEM, Anita de Palma
http://bilirakis.house.gov/

**********
DISTRICT 10:
Bill Young - Incumbent Republican - to Face DEM, Charlie Justice
http://www.congressmanbillyoung.com/

**********
DISTRICT 11:
Mike Prendergast - To Face DEM INCUMBENT, Kathy Castor.
http://www.pickprendergast.com/

**********
DISTRICT 12:
Dennis Ross - To Face DEM, Lori Edwards
http://electdennisross.com/about-dennis/

**********
DISTRICT 13:
Vern Bucannan - Incumbent Republican - To Face DEM, James Golden
http://buchanan.house.gov/

**********
DISTRICT 14:
Connie Mack - Incumbent Republican - To Face DEM, James Roach
http://mack.house.gov/

**********
DISTRICT 15:
Bill Posey - Incumbent Republican - To Face DEM, Shannon Roberts
http://billposey.com/

**********
DISTRICT 16:
Tom Rooney - Incumbent Republican - To Face DEM, Jim Horn
http://tomrooney.com/splash.html

**********
DISTRICT 17:
Roderick Vereen (NPA) - To Face Fredricka Wilson (Kendrick Meek’s old seat.)
http://www.roderickvereenforcongress2010.org/

**********
DISTRICT 18:
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen - Incumbent Republican - To Face DEM, Rolando Banciella
http://www.ros-lehtinenforcongress.com/

**********
DISTRICT 19:
Joe Budd - To Face DEM INCUMBENT, Ted Deutch.
http://joebuddforcongress.com/

**********
DISTRICT 20:
Karen Harrington - To Face DEM INCUMBENT, Debbie Wasserman Schultz.
http://www.karenforcongress.com/

**********
DISTRICT 21
Mario Diaz-Balart - Incumbent Republican - Unopposed
http://mariodiazbalart.org/

**********
DISTRICT 22:
Allen West - To Face DEM INCUMBENT, Ron Klein
http://www.allenwestforcongress.com/

**********
DISTRICT 23:
Bernard Sansaricq - To Face DEM INCUMBENT, Alcee Hastings
http://sansaricq4congress.org/

**********
DISTRICT 24:
Sandra Adams - To Face DEM INCUMBENT, Suzanne Kosmas
http://www.sandyadams.com/

**********
DISTRICT 25:
David Rivera - To Face DEM, Joe Garcia
http://davidrivera.org/

**********