Author: Buck Banks

Verbatim

Buck Banks

I think, frankly, the president should recess all of them … It should be done. What’s being done to this president is unfair.

— Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), quoted by Roll Call, calling for President Obama to follow through on his threat of making recess appointments for stalled nominees.

Who Broke the Florida Republican Party?

Buck Banks
Big Jim and Delmar.
Big Jim and Delmar.

The Florida Republican Party is:
A. penniless
B. destitute
C. insolvent
D. All of the above.

The correct answer is D, of course. You can add to that morally bankrupt and ethically impoverished, as well.

How else do you explain that last week the state party reported $124,129 in cash and $466,978 in debt. And it has one nasty senate primary race coming up between Gov. Charlie Crist and rising right-winger Marco Rubio, not to mention the general election against a young, dynamic black Democrat who’s pretty good at fundraising (sound familiar?).

How did that happen? The St. Petersburg Times is reporting that it happened through $100 flower arrangements for the wives of party Chairman Jim “Big Jim” Greer and Gov. Crist, thousands of dollars in meals, $15,000 to charter a jet to George LeMieux’s swearing in as U.S. senator, and another $1,800 for in-flight catering services.

Now that was after Greer had made the state GOP leadership turn in their AmEx cards in a symbolic gesture to prove he was on top of the whole spending thingy. Except Greer allowed the party’s executive director, Delmar Johnson, to keep his card — you know, for incidentals. Big Jim and his sidekick Delmar then proceeded to wear the numbers off Delmar’s card, racking up more than 1 million American Express points.

Now that’s big-league spending. Those guys were not slouches when it came to emptying the party’s coffers.

But wait, there’s more:

The records also show that executive director Delmar Johnson padded his $103,000 salary with a secret, $260,000 fundraising contract and another $42,000 for expenses — at the same time the once mighty Florida GOP was having to lay off employees amid anemic fundraising.

Boy, Delmar, that 400 grand is starting to look like real money!

Members of the party had been suspicious of Greer’s oversight of the party’s accounts for many months before his ouster as chairman in December. He had repeatedly assured them that things were under control, and even let some folks look at the books, or at least some of the books … OK, he let them “spot-check” the books, but not audit them. Remember, Big Jim’s the kind of guy who knows how to hide a secret $260k contract.

The Times quoted a text message that was quintessential Greer — a trademark mixture of vague threats and illogical obfuscation:

It is in the best interest of the party and the upcoming chairman’s election to not extensively comment at this time. However, in the future I may do so to ensure the facts are known and the piling on is shown for what it is — political. I will say Delmar Johnson is a good person and a tireless and hard-working man who did a good job as ED and as a fundraiser for RPOF in hard economic times. I’m proud of the man.

Now the Florida Republican Party leadership has its collective panties all in a twist over what to do. If they conduct a full investigation, that could lead to some very public, very embarrassing revelations. If they don’t conduct an investigation, who is going to donate to the party if they can’t be certain that the party will actually spend the money on politics, not pork chops?

These Republican fat cats have been top dogs for too long, and now maybe, just maybe they are getting a taste of comeuppance. For now, we’ll just have to watch the drama unfold. Meanwhile, Big Jim’s keeping mum and Delmar has been laid off.

Verbatim

Buck Banks

The only way I’m not going to be governor next year is at the ballot box, and the only way I’ll be leaving office before is in a box.

— New York Gov. David Paterson (D), quoted by CBS News, responding to rumors that he might resign.

Even the Super Bowl Has Gone Partisan

Buck Banks

Public Policy Polling: A national survey finds that 32 percent of voters are rooting for the New Orleans Saints, compared to 22 percent who prefer the Indianapolis Colts. Democrats prefer the Saints by a 36-21 margin, but Republicans are narrowly for the Colts, 26-25. Independents lean toward the Saints as well, 33-20. But 46 percent of voters don’t care who wins.

There is less division along racial lines with whites, blacks, and Hispanics all pulling for the team from New Orleans. African Americans are strongest in their support, 38-23, with whites and Hispanics putting up almost identical numbers at 31-22 and 31-23, respectively.

Verbatim

Buck Banks

In the almost 17 years since the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ legislation was passed, attitudes and circumstances have changed. I fully support the new approach presented to the Senate Armed Services Committee this week by Secretary of Defense Gates and Admiral Mullen.

— Gen. Colin Powell, reversing his position on the issue of how the military treats gays and lesbians.

Verbatim

Buck Banks

Women sometimes need a little more handholding, or they need their friends to help them make a decision. And by our going in and talking to them and recruiting and educating and training them to either get involved in a campaign or become acandidate, we’re giving them the tools so that they can do that on their own.

— RNC Co-Chair Jan Larimer, quoted by The Hotline, on the Republican party’s strategy to recruit more female candidates — and demonstrating that RNC Chair Michael Steele is not the only quotable bonehead at the head of the Republican Party.