FLORIDA GOP RAPID RESPONSE

How low will Charlie Crist go? How about an illegal campaign rally at the Orange County Courthouse – and shutting down free speech by not allowing protestors into a public building.

After running away from protestors outside of the courthouse, Crist illegally moved his rally inside the government building. Orange County Clerk of Courts Eddie Fernandez said the campaign’s actions were “not permissible.” 

And outside the illegal rally, a Crist staffer blocked the door so protestors couldn’t get in: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9Hbkw6D5-M&feature=youtu.be

Of course, this isn’t Charlie’s first run-in with illegal campaign activities

First it was recording an ad in St. Pete High School, in violation of school district policies…

…then it was illegally using a yellow school bus for a campaign tour.

While Charlie Crist campaigns at the University of Florida today, it’s important both to remember what he has done and what he wants to do to Bright Futures Scholarships. And for the nearly 27,000 Florida Bright Futures Scholars at the University of Florida, it’s bad news. 

Earlier this month, Crist’s running mate, Annette Taddeo, said she wants to completely gut the program, making it a need-based program instead of merit-based, a move that would launch the largest brain drain in the history of Florida.

Charlie Crist’s affinity for private planes has been well documented. But now, he really doesn’t want you to know about it.

Just this past weekend, Crist flew around the state on a private jet, which isn’t unusual for him. But this time, he forbade anyone from documenting his flights, saying it might “undercut his message”:

Of course, Crist’s paranoia about his private jet travel is probably warranted after he flew to an environmental event on the jet of a serial polluter.

And as Governor, Crist increased his use of the state plane, costing taxpayers $972,332 over a two year period. He even used it to fly to political fundraisers.

Unfortunately, Charlie Crist trying to cover up his use of private planes is much like him trying to cover up his failed record as Governor.

Floridians see right through it.

  BACKGROUND

Between January 2007 And December 2008, Charlie Crist Charged $972,332 In Taxpayer-Funded Air Travel. “Records released Wednesday by the agency that manages state-owned aircraft show that in the first two years of the Crist/Kottkamp administration, Kottkamp's office ranked second only to Crist's in taxpayer-funded air travel, despite the lieutenant governor's light schedule. The Department of Management Service said that from January 2007 through December 2008, Kottkamp's office charged the state $722,101. Crist's office charged $972,332.” (Steve Bousquet, “Lt. Governor Kottkamp Takes Trip On Taxpayers' Dime,” Miami Herald, 5/7/09)

DURING BOOK TOUR, CHARLIE CRIST FLEW ON PRIVATE JETS OF DONORS AND CEOS

While On His Book Tour, Charlie Crist Flew On Private Jet Owned By Texas-Based Trial Lawyer Steve Mostyn. “He has just flown in from Key West on a plane belonging to Steve Mostyn, a Texas-based trial lawyer and Democratic mega-donor.” (Molly Ball, Is This What Post-Partisanship Looks Like?” The Atlantic, 3/11/14)

“In February, Charlie Crist’s Political Committee Received A $300,000 Contribution From Steve Mostyn’s Law Firm.” (“Charlie Crist Picks Up Biggest Check To Date From Texas Trial Attorney Steve Mostyn,” SaintPetersBlog, 3/5/14)

In February, Charlie Crist Flew On Private Jet Owned By Martin Hiller After Book Signing In Tallahassee To Raise Money In Islamorada. “After a recent book signing in Tallahassee, for instance, Crist hopped aboard the private plane of a Tampa coal and energy company owned by Martin Hiller to head down to Islamorada to raise campaign money. He will have to report that on his campaign report.” (Adam Smith, “In St. Petersburg, Charlie Crist Wraps Up Publicity-Generating Book Tour Across Florida,” The Tampa Bay Times, 2/22/14)

AS GOVERNOR, CHARLIE FLEW ON DONOR-PAID PRIVATE JETS MORE THAN 100 TIMES …

The Orlando Sentinel: “Gov. Charlie Crist Often Flies On Private Jets But Keeps Details Under Wraps.” (Megan O’Matz, “Gov. Charlie Crist Often Flies On Private Jets But Keeps Details Under Wraps,” The Orlando Sentinel, 3/22/09)

During Two Year Period, Charlie Crist Flew 100 Times On “Private Jets Of Wealthy Businessmen,” But Wouldn’t Answer Any Questions About Who Was Paying For The Trips. “Crist regularly flies on the private jets of wealthy businessmen, the Sun Sentinel found, but the governor won't disclose the details. During the past two years, Crist's calendar shows about 100 occasions when he was scheduled to fly in or out of private air terminals to get to the capital, concerts, dinners, sporting events, political appearances and stays in St. Petersburg and South Florida.” (Megan O’Matz, “Gov. Charlie Crist Often Flies On Private Jets But Keeps Details Under Wraps,” The Orlando Sentinel, 3/22/09)

… AND FLEW ON STATE-OWNED JET FOR CAMPAIGN, PERSONAL REASONS ON THE TAXPAYER DIME

Crist Took 96 Trips On State-Owned Private Jets In 2007 Alone. “Among the frequent fliers on the taxpayers' tab were former Gov. Charlie Crist … In 2007, a year when state officials spent more than $1 million using state planes, Crist took 96 trips. Controversies and ethics complaints seemed to follow the officials' flight paths, and state leaders gradually reduced their use of the planes as the economy headed south.”  (Editorial, “Scott Puts Clamps On High-Flying Officials,” The Daytona Beach News-Journal, 1/7/11)

Over The Course Of His Term, “The Only Statewide Official Who … Increased His Use Of State Planes [Was] Gov. Charlie Crist.” “The only statewide elected official who has increased his use of state planes is Gov. Charlie Crist, who flew around the state more often this year than last, mostly to promote legislation he signed and attend ceremonial functions. Crist has flown 84 times since the beginning of this year, 18 more times than he flew in the first 10 months of 2008. As Crist has taken more state-paid flights, he has also been hitting the campaign trail on his own dime as a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate … His new wife, Carole Crist, has been flying on the taxpayers’ dime as well: she has used the state plane 19 times since January at a cost to Florida taxpayers of nearly $6,500.” (Marc Caputo, “Most Candidates Slash Use Of State Airplanes Crist Is Only Florida Official To Fly More After Questions Raised About Travel, Use,” The Miami Herald, 11/17/09)

Charlie Crist Used State’s Private Jet To Fly To Campaign Fundraiser On Fisher Island. “Gov. Charlie Crist used the taxpayer-funded state plane Wednesday for a four-city media blitz that promoted a pro-business initiative but ended with a Miami campaign fundraiser. The ceremonial bill-signings that took him from Tallahassee to Orlando, Tampa, Fort Myers and finally, Miami, touted legislation signed eight days ago to temporarily delay an unemployment compensation tax increase. After the last event at the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, Crist was slated to attend a fundraiser for his U.S. Senate campaign on Fisher Island. Asked at the chamber if it was appropriate to travel to a campaign event on the state plane, Crist said, `So long as I'm doing this [bill-signing] before I do something else, yes ma'am.'” (Beth Reinhard and Marc Caputo, “Crist Combines Bill Signing Tour On State Plane With Campaign Stop,” The Miami Herald, 3/10/10)

Crist Used The State Jet After Boasting That He Would Never Use The Plane For Campaign Events. “The statement marked a reversal for the governor, who used to boast that he wouldn't fly the state plane to cities where he had both state business and campaign events. `I don't think the taxpayer ought to get me to South Florida [for a fundraiser],' Crist told a Herald/Times reporter in June when asked why he was flying commercial. `I'm trying to do the right thing.' Total cost to taxpayers for Wednesday's flyaround: About $3,100, according to flight data on similar trips maintained by the Department of Management Services.” (Beth Reinhard and Marc Caputo, “Crist Combines Bill Signing Tour On State Plane With Campaign Stop,” The Miami Herald, 3/10/10)

IN JULY, CHARLIE CRIST FLEW TO AN ENVIRONMENTAL PRESS CONFERENCE ON THE JET OF A SERIAL POLLUTER

Miami Herald Last Friday: “Charlie Crist Flies To Enviro Press Conference – On Jet Of Developer Fined For Pollution” “Democrat Charlie Crist flew to an environmental press event [Friday] on the private jet of a developer fined for pollution. Almost as soon Crist stepped off the 2005 Cessna 560XL, Gov. Rick Scott's campaign had photographed its tail number and traced its ownership to developer James Finch, whose company Phoenix Construction was fined at least twice for violating environmental rules …”  (Marc Caputo, “Charlie Crist Flies To Enviro Press Conference – On Jet Of Developer Fined For Pollution,” The Miami Herald, 7/28/14)

Apparently Debbie Wasserman Schultz doesn’t find the sexism and exploitation of women that is rampant in the strip club industry offensive.

Today, on CNN’s State of the Union RNC Chairman Reince Priebus called out Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s hypocrisy for condoning Charlie Crist’s war on women by accepting $90,000 in donations from strip club owners who have abused and exploited women. This comes after DWS made wildly offensive attacks against Rick Scott, using domestic violence as a tool in her partisan agenda.

Charlie Crist is still refusing to return the dirty strip club cash even after CBS Miami’s Jim DeFede pushed Charlie on the “sexism involved with taking money from a strip club owner.”

When will Debbie Wasserman Schultz call on Charlie Crist to do the right thing and return the dirty strip club cash?

It’s clear that Charlie Crist is not sorry for accepting money from strip club owners who have made their money abusing and exploiting women.

Crist’s lame excuse for why he won’t return the dirty strip club money – “we got it from a management company” – was blown out of the water by CBS Miami’s Jim Defede last night.

Defede asked Charlie about the “sexism involved with taking money from a strip club owner” and pointed out that Charlie’s excuse doesn’t hold water since we know the source of the money.

When asked if he feels it’s “appropriate to return it” now that he knows the source of the money, Charlie said “no, I don’t”

It’s now been almost 3 weeks since RPOF Chairman Leslie Dougher called on Charlie Crist to return the dirty strip club cash, but apparently rampant sexism is not reason enough for Charlie Crist to do the right thing.

  CHAIRMAN LESLIE DOUGHER: CHARLIE CRIST MUST RETURN $40,000 IN STRIP CLUB CASH

TALLAHASSEE – RPOF Chairman Leslie Dougher made the following statement regarding Charlie Crist’s strip club donations.

“Charlie Crist should follow his own lead and return the dirty strip club dollars his campaign has collected. We already know that Charlie keeps shady company - the prison sentences for Jim Greer, Scott Rothstein, and Alan Mendelsohn can attest to that. But Charlie returned tainted money the first time he ran for governor and he should do it again. As Charlie likes to say, it’s the right thing to do.”

Background:

As the saying goes, you can tell a lot about a person by the company he keeps. And that’s certainly true of Charlie Crist.

And just in the last two weeks, Charlie Crist has received huge contributions from them, including:

$420,000 from big unions, who are looking to take away school choice for Florida’s most vulnerable children.

$90,000 from strip club owners being investigated for criminal activity and failing to pay their workers minimum wage. (Which, not shockingly, Crist lied about)

$190,000 from Michael Singer, a man who paid a $2.5 million settlement in a fraud case.

$1,834,685 from trial lawyers trying to increase litigation and backlog in our court system.

With company like this, you can only imagine what it would be like if Charlie Crist gets elected.

It’s well known that Charlie Crist has brought in his liberal, out of state, billionaire buddies to spend millions of dollars to smear Governor Scott with false and misleading attacks.

In particular, Crist has used this out of state money to personally attack the Governor over Duke Energy.

But once again, in true Charlie Crist fashion, the disgrace of his lies is closely followed by his dumbfounding hypocrisy.

In total, Charlie Crist has taken $35,000 from Carlos Saladrigas, who serves on the Board Of Directors for Duke Energy.

  It’s very simple: Charlie Crist has spent millions of dollars attacking a company while at the same time taking thousands of dollars from one of its chief officers.

It’s the latest, and perhaps most damaging, in a series of serious blunders for Charlie Crist following his loss in last night’s debate.

But really, it’s just another day in the life of a deceptive, self-serving and hypocritical man.

TAMPA - RPOF Chairman Leslie Dougher, Representative Kathleen Peters, RNC Florida Hispanic Advisory Council Member Bertica Cabrera Morris, and Hillsborough County Republican Party Vice Chairman Debbie Cox-Roush released the following statement today following a press conference in Tampa calling on Charlie Crist to return tainted campaign donations from strip club owners who are accused of running a prostitution ring and refusing to pay women minimum wage:

How desperate for cash can Charlie Crist get?  The candidate who constantly repeats his calls to raise the minimum wage is being bankrolled by strip club owners who are being sued for paying women below the minimum wage – and Charlie doesn’t want you to know about it.

Click here to watch footage

STATEMENT FROM JACKIE SCHUTZ, DEPUTY COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR: “Looks like it only takes $90,000 to buy silence from the self-proclaimed candidate of the people. First Charlie pockets campaign cash from strip club bosses accused of running prostitution rings, mistreating women, and paying employees below the minimum wage. Then he lies about his ties to his dirty donors. Charlie is out for himself yet again while his bankrollers take advantage of Florida women."

 BACKGROUND:

Crist has taken another $50,000 in dirty money from “Cheetah Hallandale Beach” club owner Joe Rodriguez, whose joint was investigated in 2009 for drug dealing and illegal prostitution – among other things.

LESLIE DOUGHER: "You would think a millionaire would not have to take cash from strip club owners to fund his own campaign.  I called on Charlie to return $40,000 in strip club cash and we now find out he has taken even more - $50,000 -  this time from a strip club owner with links to prostitution and drugs. Charlie Crist ignoring the call to do the right thing and return $90,000 in strip club cash is insulting to women."

Today, it’s come to light that Crist has taken another $50,000 in dirty money from “Cheetah Hallandale Beach” club owner Joe Rodriguez, whose joint was investigated in 2009 for drug dealing and illegal prostitution – among other things.

Last week it was uncovered that Charlie Crist took $40,000 in dirty money from strip clubs – owners being sued for not paying their employees minimum wage. So far, he has refused to return the dirty money.

TALLAHASSEE – In response to Charlie Crist’s running mate, Annette Taddeo, saying she would gut the Bright Futures Scholarships program yesterday in Tampa, Republican Party of Florida Chairman Leslie Dougher released the following statement today: 

"Charlie Crist would launch the largest brain drain in the history of Florida by ending the Bright Futures Scholarship program as we know it. Bright Futures was created to help keep Florida’s highest-achieving students in the Sunshine State without regard to financial status. After increasing tuition on Florida students by 15 percent every year while he was governor – a tuition hike that Rick Scott repealed - it is appalling that Charlie Crist wants to take away these scholarships from our best and brightest students.”

Weeks after an elections complaint was filed against his campaign for repeated campaign finance violations, Charlie Crist has refunded the money before a decision on the complaint has been made. As such, they’ve admitted they were guilty of the infractions while trying to circumvent the Election Commission process.

As detailed below, the Crist campaign has surreptitiously returned thousands of dollars after knowingly taking contributions well over the legal limit of $3,000. 

The complaint also outlines Crist’s shady use of donors’ private jets. Since the complaint was filed, the Crist campaign and Crist’s political committee have spent more than $64,000 on private airfare, expenditures that never appeared on their reports prior to the complaint. In fact, the first expenditure for private airfare, to the company of serial polluter James Finch, came two days after complaint was filed.

Once again, the Crist campaign has cut corners and tried to bend the rules of the law in their favor. This time, they hoped nobody would see them try to undo their shady tactics.

Oops.

The party boss who said Rick Scott gave women ‘the back of his hand’ hasn’t said a word yet about Charlie Crist’s $40,000 strip club cash haul – donations that came from club owners being sued for refusing to pay their employees minimum wage.

“Gov. Rick Scott's campaign is blasting Democratic challenger Charlie Crist over $40,000 he accepted from a trio of South Florida strip club owners. The companies donating to Crist are owned by Brandon Samuels, John Blanke, and William Beasley, and J.W. Lee operates the Hallandale strip club Scarlett's Cabaret. The trio have also reportedly been sued over allegedly misclassifying female employees as independent contractors to avoid paying them minimum wage.” (Aaron Deslatte, “Crist’s Strip Club Problems,” Orlando Sentinel, 10/8/14)

Yesterday, it was reported that Patrick Murphy had received $12,500 in contributions from Danny Porush, a notorious fraudster made famous by the movie Wolf of Wall Street, who served 39 months in prison for swindling investors out of hundreds of millions of dollars. Sound familiar?

Murphy isn’t the only politician benefitting off Porush’s crimes. In February, Porush donated to none other than Charlie Crist.

Porush was ordered to pay almost $200 million in restitution to the victims of his crimes, but instead of paying the investors he swindled, what is Danny Porush doing with his money (at least when he’s not enjoying his lavish lifestyle)? He’s donating to a corrupt politician like Charlie Crist, who has a history of accepting money from shady characters.

Who do you call when you need a quick $40,000 contribution? If you’re a desperate politician like Charlie Crist, you’ll take your campaign cash wherever you can find it – even if it comes from strip club owners with legal problems.

Where would Crist come across donors like these? Are they connected to his former party chairman Jim Greer, who had a penchant for unsavory characters when he was Charlie Crist’s top adviser – before he was sent to prison for corruption? Pulitzer Prize winner Lucy Morgan provided those details from a junket taken during Crist’s time in office:

“Perhaps it's the accusation of a golf cart filled with prostitutes that scares them away. Johnson told prosecutors last summer that he saw women who appeared to be prostitutes in a golf cart driven by one of Sargeant's employees. The information surfaced late last year when a video of Johnson's testimony was made public.” (Lucy Morgan, “Details of Bahamas Frolic Could Emerge in Jim Greer Trial,” Tampa Bay Times, 2/8/13)

STATEMENT FROM GREG BLAIR: “It looks like Charlie Crist is in bed with some unsavory characters once again. On a desperate hunt for campaign cash, he’s calling up Jim Greer’s old friends, who – big surprise – have legal troubles of their own. When everyone around him seems to end up in prison, we don’t expect anything else from a corrupt politician like Charlie Crist.”

SB Productions and J.W. Lee Properties are companies owned by Brandon Samuels, John Blanke, and William Beasley. You can see their names on thesefilings.  J.W. Lee is doing business as Scarlett’s Cabaret, a Hallandale strip club:

“The OIG investigation revealed that thirty-nine of the listed attendees were not present, and that J.W. Lee is the corporate name of Scarlett’s Gentleman’s Club in Hallandale, Florida, a strip club. According to the affidavit, the charges incurred at Scarlett’s were for ‘alcoholic beverages’ and ‘private room expenses’ where ‘girls provided lap dances, nude dancing and conversation.’” (PHT Defrauded into Paying Expenses for Strip Clubs, Fishing trips,” Westside Gazette, 12/23/04-12/29/04)

And all three men were recently sued for misclassifying exotic dancers as independent contractors and failing to pay minimum wage and overtime rates: 

In a speech at Northwestern University, President Obama said “I’m not on the ballot this fall. But make no mistake, these policies are on the ballot – every single one of them.”

With President Obama’s & Obamacare’s approval rating at all-time lows, it’s no wonder even one of Obama’s closest allies, David Axelrod, called that statement a “mistake.”

A recent Tampa Bay Times poll shows Floridians are skeptical of Obamacare.

“A new Tampa Bay Times/Bay News 9/UF Bob Graham Center poll found 37.3 percent of likely Florida voters would like Obamacare repealed entirely, and another 20.9 percent would like "major changes" in the health care law...

“Nearly one-third of Democratic voters and nearly 47 percent of independents would like major changes or an outright repeal.”

But guess who loves Barack Obama and Obamacare? Charlie Crist.

Statement from RPOF Chairman Leslie Dougher: Straight from President Obama’s mouth to the ears of Florida voters: a vote for Charlie Crist is a vote for the Obama playbook.