How About "Liar"?

This one's a knee slapper!



I've got a word or two....

As Jim Geraghty points out, this is the guy who swore on national television, multiple times, he was going to run as a Republican.  No ambivalence about it whatsoever.

And now this is the guy running as an independent and who got sued this week for refusing to return campaign donations from Republican donors who believed him.

I've got a word...how about LIAR?

(Cross posted at And So it Goes in Shreveport )

Charlie Crist Being Sued?

Via Legal Insurrection who has more including the PDF of the complaint.

If Charlie Crist would have dropped out, he would have saved himself this trouble.

A pair of Republicans who contributed to Florida Gov. Charlie Crist's (I) campaign for Senate have filed a lawsuit demanding that those donations be returned.

The class action suit seeks refunds for all of Crist's GOP donors, arguing that not refunding Republican donors now that the governor has left the party and is running against a Republican, actually violates state law.

The man leading the legal fight is Florida state Rep. Tom Grady, a former regional chairman of Crist's Senate campaign.

From what I've read, a donation to the candidate is a donation to that candidate. Regardless of party affiliation. It's a waiting game on how it will be played out in court.

Quarterly reports will be out at the end of this month. So we'll see how badly he needs to hold onto what funds he has in his account.

John McCain. The Matthew Lesco Of The US Senate.*

He's looking to give away money like a stranger in an unmarked van gives away candy to kids.

*In case you don't know who Matthew Lesco is.

John McCain Continues To Piss Down The Backs Of Arizona Voters And Telling Them That It's Raining

Via Hot Air.

It appears this will be part II in an ongoing series.



I have to agree with Allahpundit that this ad isn't as bad as 'Build The Dang Fence' where McCain looks angry enough to chew prickly pear cactus but it is a close second.

To accuse J.D. Hayworth of being an insider when McCain has been in Washington DC for almost 30 years is laughable. McCain prided himself on being the 'Man To Get Things Done' in the Senate. He worked across the isle more times than I can count. He couldn't attain such a status if he wasn't an 'insider'. Is he looking to reclaim the 'Maverick' title again?

Cross posted here At The Point Of A Gun.

You wonder why the NRSC ever suported a scumbag like Crist

So, Charlie thanked the GOP by bailing out on them, and doing his best to screw them out of the Senate seat the NRSC endorsed him for. Now he is showing his true colors by erasing his "pro-life principles"?

Charlie Crist, the new synonym for weasel, has cleansed his website of its pro-life content. He makes my skin crawl. Mark Hemingway asks, "So what’s the next core political political belief will Charlie Crist unceremoniously dump in his shameless bid for office? Any ideas?"

What a class act huh?

Rubio: We need to stand beside Israel!

He nails it! Video via Babalu

Crist Claims Ignorance

And so it begins.  The fallout of the Jim Greer arrest is about to rain down all over Charlie Crist.

Via The St. Petersburg Times:

Gov. Charlie Crist personally signed off on his former Republican Party chairman's confidential fundraising role with the state party, according to Jim Greer's attorney, whose allegation contradicts the governor's statement that he "didn't know anything" about the deal now part of a criminal investigation.

State investigators say Greer and the party's former executive director, Delmar W. Johnson III, secretly set up a shell company called Victory Strategies to divert party money and enrich themselves. Greer was charged Wednesday with fraud and money laundering.

Crist says the entire Greer incident is "surprising" and "unfortunate"  He says he didn't even know about the shell corporation Greer was using to funnel cash into his own pocket "until after Greer resigned in January."  Crist's explanation for not knowing the specifics?  He's too busy running the state.  He can't be bothered with the little stuff.

When did ignorance become an excuse?

Actually, ever the opportunist, Crist attempts to take credit for Greer's current legal troubles by explaining "I'm the one actually who empanelled the state-wide grand jury that came down with this decision."

Greer's attorney contradicts Crist's ignorance excuse, explaining that Crist signed off on the diversion of GOP funds:

Chase said Greer and Crist discussed the fundraising deal at least three times last year: at the golf tournament in February, over the summer; and in the fall at the Fisher Island home of the governor's wife.

"The governor knew about Victory Strategies from the very beginning," Chase said. "They all worked on it together. … They saw it as a way to save money."

Jennifer Rubin points out that Crist is certain to find out that he's the wrong candidate at the wrong time:

In an election year in which inside deals are under scrutiny (with the Sestak and Romanoff scandals swirling) and establishment candidates face a hostile electorate, Crist may find there is little patience for this sort of thing. And it’s a good reminder that the GOP inside the beltway political gurus (who backed Crist) often get it very, very wrong.

Some of us suggested a long time ago that Crist was the wrong guy.  It was the NRSC who thought he was the right guy.  They were wrong.

And so it begins.

(H/T:  Memeorandum)


(Cross posted at And So it Goes in Shreveport)

Crist Uses Oil Spill for Campaign Cash

Reaching lower levels of decency than one could fathom, Charlie Crist is now using the BP oil spill to raise campaign cash.

Via Ben Smith at Politico comes this fundraising plea from Crist:

As you know we are facing tremendous challenges in view of the BP oil spill which is now threatening our shores unlike anything we have ever experienced before.  This spill is now being reported as the largest environmental disaster in our nation’s history.  As we begin our summer it's important that we all come together to face this challenge. 

He goes on to tell you how to donate to his campaign, which I won't link here. 

It's bad enough that Crist refused to return Republican donations after he turned "Independent," now he wants to capitalize off this.

Ah well.  It looks like he's received the kiss of campaign-death anyway.  He's likely going to get Obama's endorsement.

Horrors.

Rubio Pounds Crist With New Ad

Powerful stuff!

Former Florida GOP Chair Jim Greer is Arrested; Crist is "Disappointed."

Charlie Crist buddy and "top-tier" fundraiser Jim Greer has been arrested at his home in Florida this morning.  Greer was arrested around 9:15 a.m.; his buddy Charlie Crist was informed of the impending arrest around 9:00 a.m.

Greer was hand picked by Crist to head the Florida GOP and Crist steadfastly stood by his man when pressure mounted on Greer to resign earlier this year.  Today, Crist says he's disappointed.

Greer is charged with six felony counts stemming from his corporation Victory Strategies.  Prosecutor William Shepherd explained that Greer set up this shell corporation on which he could write checks to himself from the donations using the money "for his own personal lifestyle."

One one such occasion Greer is suspected of writing himself a check for $39,000 from Victory Strategies for his own personal use.  There are multiple instances of such behavior and Greer is now charged with fraud, money laundering and four counts of grand theft.

During the press conference today, Shepherd was asked about potential prison time:

When asked about potential prison time, it was explained that each of the six charges is a felony count.  Three are third degree felonies which carry a potential five years each in prison.  The two first degree felony counts carry a maximum of thirty years each.

Greer is charged in Orange County, Florida and will be tried there.  His bond is $105,000.  There are no further arrests expected at this time.


My report of the press conference is here.


Memeorandum thread is here.


Stacy McCain's post is here.  His Am. Spec. post is here.