Tag: Florida

This Just In: Foley Resigns After Approaching Underage Male Intern

Trish

Just this morning, I was thinking there was nothing to the story circulating around Florida of U.S. Rep. Mark Foley (R-Palm Beach) being improper toward a male teenaged former page in email.

And when I’m wrong, I’m wrong big.

ABC is reporting Foley just resigned.

Here’s the background:

The boy served as a page to a Louisiana congressman last year and came to know Foley, 52. He sent the congressman a thank-you note when his term as a page ended. After the boy returned to his home in Louisiana, Foley used his personal e-mail account to correspond with the teen.

Under the AOL Instant Messenger screen name Maf54, Foley made repeated references to sexual organs and acts

In the exchange, Foley asked the boy about weathering Hurricane Katrina and wrote, “send me an e-mail pic of you.” In another e-mail, Foley told the boy he was on a break from Congress and was in Florida. He asked the boy, “how old are you now?”

The boy forwarded excerpts from the e-mails to congressional staffers and said, “Maybe it is just me being paranoid, but seriously. This freaked me out.”

The boy, who is not being identified because of his age, told the St. Petersburg Times in an interview last November, when the Times first learned of the e-mails, that he cut off correspondence with Foley.

“I thought it was very inappropriate,” the boy told the Times. “After the one about the picture, I decided to stop e-mailing him back.”

…ABC News reported that Foley’s office said he routinely asked interns and job applicants for photographs. But when the Times asked Foley about the e-mails nearly a year ago, he did not mention that practice. He said he was merely trying to be friendly and did not mean to make the boy uncomfortable.

Foley has had e-mail exchanges with at least one other former page who told the Times he was surprised to get an e-mail from a congressman.

So check this out:

Saying he was “deeply sorry,” Congressman Mark Foley (R-FL) resigned from Congress today, hours after ABC News questioned him about sexually explicit internet messages with current and former congressional pages under the age of 18.

A spokesman for Foley, the chairman of the House Caucus on Missing and Exploited Children, said the congressman submitted his resignation in a letter late this afternoon to Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert.

Hours earlier, ABC News had read excerpts of instant messages provided by former male pages who said the congressman, under the AOL Instant Messenger screen name Maf54, made repeated references to sexual organs and acts.

In a statement, Foley said, “I am deeply sorry and I apologize for letting down my family and the people of Florida I have had the privilege to represent.”

Did you get that? The chairman of the House Caucus on Missing and Exploited Children?! Man, those Republicans are sick puppies.

Update: Here’s some of the text of the emails/instant messages. Maf54 is Marky Mark.

Maf54: You in your boxers, too?
Teen: Nope, just got home. I had a college interview that went late.
Maf54: Well, strip down and get relaxed.
…
Maf54: What ya wearing?
Teen: tshirt and shorts
Maf54: Love to slip them off of you.
…
Maf54: Do I make you a little horny?
Teen: A little.
Maf54: Cool.

Katherine Harris Tells Chris Matthews She Has Cut Sen. Nelson’s Lead by Half

Jon Ponder

Rep. Katherine Harris was on Hardball this afternoon painting rosy pictures of her campaign to unseat Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson. Host Chris Matthews opened the segment by saying that Rep. Harris had just told him off camera that her poll numbers were surging — that she had cut Sen. Nelson’s lead in half. Nelson lead Harris by about 30 percent last time I checked.

On September 21, Harris was allowed to attend a GOP rally in Orlando headlined by President George W. Bush. She was not allowed to appear on stage with the president and other Republican notables, which included the president’s brother, Gov. Jeb Bush, and the nominee to replace him, Charlie Crist.

Basking in their reflected glory seems to have helped.

FL Gov: GOP’s Crist Has ‘Commanding’ Lead over Dem Davis

Jon Ponder

“Grim:”

Republican gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist has taken a commanding lead over Democrat Jim Davis among a large swath of Florida’s electorate, a new poll indicates.

Six weeks out from the Nov. 7 election to replace Gov. Jeb Bush, Crist leads Davis 51 percent to 36 percent in the poll of 625 likely voters conducted last week.

The Mason-Dixon poll conducted for Gannett Co. and other news organizations puts Crist over the magic 50-percent threshold, a significant signpost for campaigns.

And the overall picture it paints for Davis is grim.

Buck, Look Out for the Caribbean Crazy Ants!

Trish

I think these are the ones I noticed on the floor of the bathroom this week.

Caribbean Crazy Ants are now welcome in Trish’s bathroom. But no reggae after midnight.

As the saying goes, almost no one living in Florida is from Florida…

The Caribbean Crazy Ant has made its way to Florida.

“There are ants that were imported into Florida through cargo ships and freighters,” said [Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens Senior Veterinarian Nick] Kapustin.

Jacksonville’s thought to be its second stop in this country, making its first appearance in West Palm Beach.

Hear that Buck? West Palm Beach! Just up the turnpike from you!

But actually, they don’t sound so bad.

“They’re not harmful to the animals, they’re not a problem for our guests, they’re just literally, a nuisance,” said Kapustin.

The Caribbean Crazy Ant, called that because they don’t move in any real direction, isn’t just new to this country. It’s new to the world.

And unlike many other species, these ants don’t usually eat food we leave behind…

“They eat other insects. They’ve been known to eat fire ants,” said Kapustin.

Well, O.K. then. Plus, I like the name. The ones in the bathroom were milling around so randomly that I felt kind of bad stepping on them. Next time, maybe I’ll let them live. I think it’s what Bob Marley would do.

Florida’s Dark Days Could Be Over: The Boring Guy and the Possibly Gay Guy are Ahead in the Governor’s Races

Trish

No matter what, if U.S. Rep. Jim Davis (the boring guy) and Florida Attorney General Charlie Crist (the possibly gay guy) continue to maintain the leads they have now in the governor’s primaries, Florida will be so much better off soon that we will all dance in the streets for the rest of the week!

Here’s some background on the race, but it appears there are blue skies ahead for the Sunshine State, because either of the two finalists are so much better than Jeb that I might wet my pants. Thanks, Florida voters, for helping get us out of this nightmare!

P.S. Yes, Katherine Harris is winning the Repiglican primary.

P.P.S. And pro-life extremist Randall Terry’s getting stomped!

Going to walk the dog. Will update in a little while…

Update: Tom Gallagher has conceded the Republican primary to Charlie Crist in the governor’s race. In what will hopefully represent a trend repeated nationwide this fall, the St. Petersburg Times described how the two candidates conducted their campaigns, and how Gallagher’s style is so two years ago.

Crist ran as someone who champions consumer causes and [Jeb] Bush’s policies – at least when it came to crime, taxes and education. But he wasn’t afraid to step out of line with the governor on some issues.

He questioned Bush’s decision to intervene in the Terri Schiavo right-to-die case and said that he won’t try to change the class size limits that the governor tried and failed to put back on the ballot.

“All I want to be is the people’s governor and they should rest assured that if they elect me in November, no one will fight harder for the people than Charlie Crist,” he said. “This is a time when we need all of Florida to come together – Republicans, Democrats and independents.”

Gallagher lost despite positioning himself to come across almost exactly the same as Bush all the way down the line, abandoning a more moderate stance on social issues he had the last time he ran for governor for far-right positions opposing all abortions, gay marriage and adoption and stem cell research. He also promised to outlaw billboards for adult businesses like strip clubs.

Update: Harris has 49% of the Republican vote, splitting the remaining votes with her three challengers. So she won the primary, and will go on to try to unseat U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in November. Yeah, right.

Maybe It Sounds More Convincing in Spanish

Buck Banks

Radio free Hialeah: Katherine Harris took her campaign for the U.S. Senate to the Miami Hispanic community over the weekend. She even aired a new Spanish-language commercial on local radio. Who knew she has so many Spanish Republican supporters? Here’s a translation, courtesy the Palm Beach Post:

NARRATOR: Attention Republicans! Next Tuesday, we can move one step closer to electing our second Republican United States Senator in Florida.

Katherine Harris is a gutsy woman who’s fought for Republican values during her entire life and won.

Katherine Harris is a leader, hard-working and believes in family values, but most of all she is loyal. And that is why the following Republican leaders have endorsed her. Senator Mel Martinez, Congresswoman Illeana Ros-Lehtinen, Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart, Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart, the United States’ first Cuban-American House Speaker Marco Rubio, and many other Republican officials.

Katherine Harris is the true Republican candidate who has always been loyal to our community, our state, our president, George W. Bush, and our Republican values.

Katherine Harris with #11 on the ballot!

This advertisement is paid for by Friends of Katherine Harris. I am Katherine Harris and I approve this message.

Jeb Slammed By Righteous Florida Senator

Trish

Update: Villalobos won!

In Florida’s meanest and most expensive state Senate race, Miami Sen. Alex Villalobos was reelected Tuesday night, overcoming the millions spent by third-party attack groups and the ire of Gov. Jeb Bush, who helped run a candidate against the moderate Republican.

I have a new hero and she’s a Republican.

Florida State Sen. Nancy Argenziano has never been accused of hiding her feelings, but a masterpiece scathing email she sent about Jeb Bush last week is too fun not to share.

“The Governor has a history reflecting accommodation of special interests as evidenced by his agencies’ contracts, and his flexible Republicanism is at odds with both America and actual Republican principles. In his heart of hearts, the Governor prefers dictatorship to democracy.”

First, a little background. Fellow Republican Florida Sen. Alex Villalobos was in the queue to be the Senate majority leader until he parted ways with Big Boy on two initiatives the Florida governor has refused to abandon, despite being overruled by the people of Florida and the state supreme court: lowering class sizes (duh) and furnishing vouchers to public school students for private school tuition (no way).

After Villalobos, who would have been the first Cuban-American to lead the Florida senate, sided with his constituents over Jeb, he found himself the subject of a Jeb-led coup. And as Michael Schiavo could tell you, there is no pettier or more vindictive bully than a pissed-off Jeb Bush.

But Nancy’s on the case. When Jeb sent a fundraising letter to state legislators on behalf of Villalobos’ opponent, Frank Bolanos, Argenziano had enough. She emailed back, and cc’d her missive to the Tallahassee Democrat.

Full text:

Mr. Bolanos:

You are grossly in error in presuming to send me this garbage, especially through my legislative e-mail.

[…]

Florida Cliff Hanger: Final Candidates to Replace Jeb to be Selected Tomorrow

Trish

Tuesday, Sept. 5 is the day so many Floridians have waited for: when we find out if the candidates for our next governor will be — on the Republican side — a Schwarzenegger or a DeLay, or — on the Democratic side — a Bill Nelson or a DeLay.

A few months back, I told people I preferred Davis but would be happy with either man. Now Rod Smith has pissed me off enough that I would consider voting for Charlie Crist — the Schwarzenegger Republican.

The Republican race started out as the more interesting of the two, and while it hasn’t lost any drama, the Democratic one has my attention.

In the beginning, there were complaints that the two Democrats were too similar, too nice to each other on the campaign trail, and too boring. Then Rod Smith, a former state senator, found himself behind in the polls and pulled out the heavy ammo: U.S. Sugar.

When Smith headed the state’s agriculture committee, he evidently made some friends with money — the huge sugar industry, which Florida has spent years in court trying to get to clean up the Everglades. That money is now painting U.S. Rep. Jim Davis — a plodding, deliberate but pragmatic boy scout ala U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson — as a racist in a series of ads and phone calls because of a vote from 16 years ago. […]

A Cuban’s As Good as a Nod to a Blind Idiot

Trish

The always fun In The Hoop blog at Indianz.com caught the Current Occupant exhibiting his colossal dunderheadedness again.

Oh they all look alike…

One is a Democrat from New Jersey. The other is a Republican from Florida. Both are Cuban. And both serve in the Senate. AND they have similar last names. Easy to mix them up, si? But what if one of them used to serve in your administration?

Well, that won’t help you tell them apart. Just ask President Bush, Al Kamen of The Washington Post reports in his In The Loop column. At a recent White House event, el gobernor anterior de Tejas went up to Sen. Robert Menendez (the one from Jersey) and told him, “Senator Martinez, you’ve been very quiet.”

Menendez was quiet no longer. “That’s Martinez,” he told the president, pointing to Sen. Mel Martinez (the one from Florida), who served in Bush’s Cabinet no less.

“Bush turned bright red, we’re told. Señor Mayor?” Kamen writes. The White House wouldn’t confirm.

Gay Son, Unwed-Mother Daughter Campaign Against Wingnut Dad Randall Terry

Trish

Things are getting good in a Florida state senate race that’s coming down to the wire on Tuesday. Anti-abortion zealot Randall Terry is running against moderate Republican incumbent Jim King to represent much of Northeast Florida.

Terry’s family values include divorce and remarriage to a younger wife and abandoning fatherhood when children disappoint you

Two of Terry’s children are coming forward to offer some reality checks on their dad, whose family values include divorce and remarriage to a younger wife and abandoning fatherhood when children disappoint you.

Terry’s adopted son has inserted himself into the election – publicly criticizing his father’s claim to uphold family values as hypocritical and even offering to help his opponent.

Jamiel Terry, 26, who is gay, said he is estranged from his father because Randall Terry disapproves of his sexuality. His sister, Tila, said she is also estranged from their father because she had a child out of wedlock.

…Tila, 21, who was also adopted by Randall Terry, said she asked her father for help with her child, but he turned her down.

“He told me he couldn’t help me because he was running for office and he had his own baby on the way,” Tila Terry said.

I’ve heard that many of these anti-abortion crusaders are only interested in babies before they’re born, not after. I wonder what Tila thinks about that?

For his part, King took the high road and declined the Terry children’s offers of assistance.

“I am a father just like Randall Terry is a father, and there are things that happen in a family that are personal, and they shouldn’t have much to do with a campaign,” King said.

Terry’s low blows in the race include getting not one but two cronies to qualify as last minute write-ins, shutting non-Republicans out of the primary vote, which in this case, will decide the seat.