Posted on 09/19/2010 8:51:37 AM PDT by Brilliant
The Republican Party of Florida released a long-awaited audit of party spending during the tenure of indicted former Chairman Jim Greer on Friday, detailing how party donors footed the bill for hundreds of thousands of dollars in questionable expenses for Greer and associates including Gov. Charlie Crist.
In all, auditors with Alston & Bird LLP said they discovered $381,786.12 in expenses that were not “primarily” related to party business, including $13,345.59 in charges for a June 2009 trip the Crist and Greer families took to Walt Disney World and Universal Studios; $3,376.43 on a September 2009 trip to New York City by Greer, Crist and the two men’s wives, including $1,589.56 spent by Crist and Greer’s spouses before the two men arrived in New York; and $3,790 for a trip the two families took to Fisher Island.
Auditors said the Crists might have been present for a trip to Washington, D.C. in early 2009 that included $2,971.85 in charges for a room for Greer’s wife and room service and other expenses...
Crist bolted the Republican Party in April to avoid a potential primary loss to former House Speaker Marco Rubio, R-Miami, in the race for an open U.S. Senate seat...
In many cases, the report does not detail whether the spending was on behalf of the Greer family, the Crist family or a combination of the two.
“Florida Republicans, elected officials, donors and grassroots supporters alike, were disgusted by the inappropriate and extravagant spending rumored and reported to have taken place under Charlie Crist and Jim Greer’s leadership, but for the first time we have a specific dollar amount tied to certain items and events and can gain a broader understanding of the mismanagement that occurred,” Sen. John Thrasher of St. Augustine, who now doubles as party chairman, said...
(Excerpt) Read more at zimbio.com ...
Great info for Rubio to use.
Ya think?
This could put it in the bag for Marco Rubio if he plays his cards right.
Crist claims that he paid it out of his own pocket, but if so, then you wonder how Alston & Bird even knew about it. Presumably if that were the case then there would be no evidence of the charges on the GOP credit cards.
Crist LIES!!
"Auditors said the Crists might have been present for a trip to Washington, D.C. in early 2009 that included $2,971.85 in charges for a room for Greer’s wife . . . "
I wonder if the charges include paying for a man for Charlie’s “wife”.
This is why they cling so desperately to their seats. Follow the money.
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