"A statewide grand jury indicted Greer, 47, of Oviedo, on four counts of grand theft and one count each of money laundering and running an organized scheme to defraud. All are felonies."
So started the latest chapter in corruption that permeates the Republican Party of Florida. http://j.mp/b1Wh4Y
That someone in politics is exposed as a crook is hardly news. But this story has much deeper roots than a simple pol caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
Already the spinmeisters are busy at work to camouflage the crime scene. Their hope is that you'll see the headline, shrug, and say 'good riddance to another crooked politician.'
First we'll start with Florida Department of Law Enforcement. They say, 'We're only investigating Jim Greer and we want to thank the RPOF for their helpfulness on this investigation.'
Ah yes, I'm sure that RPOF is is shocked, yes shocked, that money laundering is going on in the Republican party.' Sure you are. After all, raising astronomical amounts of money from corporate interests and then shoveling it to various elected Republican officials is all just in a days' work for this crew.
Current RPOF Chair John Thrasher and his spinners are busy trying to distance themselves from Greer, even hoping to make some political hay by attaching this scandal to Charlie Crist. Greer was handpicked by Gov. Charlie Crist and "you just can't walk away from that," Thrasher is quoted as saying.
Excellent pivot John! Direct people's view over to the hapless former Republican gov hoping to score some political points in the process.
Of course what gentleman John won't bother to mention is that he's a highly paid lobbyist himself, raising tonnes of bucks from corporate interests. What's the saying about 'the pot calling the kettle black'?
The real crime scene at RPOF (and Democrats do the same thing) is more like EVERYONE is hip-deep in money and it is always a scramble to cover up, er, distribute the cash so everyone stays fat, dumb, and happy. And if you've seen pictures of our rotund former chair, this is literally true.
FDLE should really begin an investigation of how much money is sloshing around the two big political party's. But no doubt both the Dem's and Rep's are holding their collective breath hoping that no one starts poking around and finding where the money trail ends.
Thanks for reading this far. Now for the rest of the story.
This is about much more than 'one good politician gone bad.' Remember that Charlie Crist, Jim Greer, and John Thrasher used to all be good friends. They'd work together shaking down and harvesting the money trees that dot Florida's corporate landscape.
Then they would bring home the spoils to incoming House Speaker Republican Dean Cannon, incoming Florida Senate President Mike Haridopolos, and hundreds of other elected Republicans. Happily they'd all sit down to divide up the booty.
But as all crooks know, someone always gets greedy and someone feels left out.
What we saw happen today is just the first act of a well known play that will have many more villains and bad guys.
Little birds are whispering to me that there are many more investigations going on. Word is that Cannon, Haridopolos, Rubio, and many others are all under investigation.
And we're not just talking FDLE. The Federal government would also like a crack at these so-called public servants. And when the Fed's get involved watch out.
Stay tuned, the curtain is about to go up!
Nick Egoroff
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