Archive for March, 2010
Gov. Charlie Crist said the revelation that former Republican Party of Florida Chairman Jim Greer is the subject of a criminal investigation following a party audit is "terribly disturbing." Greer was Crist's hand-picked candidate to lead the state party following the governor's election in 2006, and Crist remained publicly loyal to Greer until it became obvious in January that Greer had virtually lost all support.
"I find it terribly disturbing to hear, but I know that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement will certainly conduct a thorough and comprehensive investigation," Crist said. Asked if the investigation could tarnish leading Republicans, Crist, who's trailing in polls as a U.S. Senate candidate, said: "I certainly hope that it does not. The acts of individuals are the acts of individuals, and that is for the people to decide."
Crist said he "had heard rumors" that Greer owned a stake in a consulting company, Victory Strategies, that was paid with party funds.
FDLE Commissioner Gerald Bailey reports to Crist and the Cabinet, and Crist is constantly accompanied by one or more FDLE agents, but the governor said he did not receive a heads-up of the FDLE probe of Greer. "I heard about it about an hour ago," Crist said at about 1:30 p.m. EDT on Wednesday.
– Steve Bousquet
The Hill now rates Florida's Senate race as a toss-up — as Gov. Charlie Crist and Marco Rubio slug it out for the GOP primary and Kendrick Meek completes his push to get enough signatures to get his name on the ballot.
The Hill had rated the race as "leaning Republican." But it says "The open seat in Florida, currently held by placeholder Sen. George LeMieux (R-Fla.), is looking more and more like a potential Democratic pickup opportunity. As the race stands now, Marco Rubio is likely to be the GOP nominee. And Rep. Kendrick Meek (D-Fla.), unlike in early polls against Gov. Charlie Crist (R), is polling close to Rubio in some cases. Rubio has also begun to take his bumps over some personal financial issues, and it’s hard to see him coming out of the primary against Crist’s $7.6 million bankroll without some bruises.
"Meek has been raising solid money, and he’s also less well-known than Rubio at this point, which could account for his deficit in some polls. Florida is a swing state, and like other swing-state open seats right now, we’re expecting a close race that should start as a toss-up. MOVED FROM 'LEAN REPUBLICAN' TO 'TOSS-UP.' "
The Florida Senate voted unanimously to approve its budget.
A few issues:
Bottom line: about $69.5 billion, about $2 billion more than the House.
Stimulus money: About $3 billion of Congressional Democratic largesse is plowed into the Republican-crafted budget. The spending plan tentatively includes $880 m more in extra Medicaid stimulus money, which Congress has yet to approve. This isn't in the House budget.
Gaming: $435 million for expanding gaming and deal with the Seminole Tribe of Florida. This isn't in the House budget.
Medicaid 16 lines of last-minute proviso lanugage, never before debated or presented in the Legislature, could restructure Medicaid in a "transformative" fashion, according to sponsor Joe Negron.
Prisons: The private Blackwater prison will get more inmates, but two public prisons won't close (as had been previously proposed). Nor will about 2,000 prison guards lose their jobs.
Environment: Florida Forever gets a small $15 million, which is about $15 million more for land purchases than had been previously thought.
From Kendrick Meek — who has distanced himself from President Obama lately on a few issues:
"The bar for drilling off Florida’s coast needs to be raised higher than for other states. Ending our reliance on foreign oil, researching alternative green energy sources, and exploring domestic supplies of oil and natural gas is critical, but the cost for error in Florida is greater than it is for our neighbors. Florida’s economic
well-being is tied into the success of our tourism and fishing industries, and the preservation of our beaches. Our military’s readiness and training ability cannot be compromised at the expense of drilling for an unknown quantity of reserves. The damage potential to Florida, a hurricane-prone state, of offshore oil drilling could be
immeasurable. Today’s announcement on energy security and independence requires serious consideration and study as questions remain unanswered, but caution must trump expediency."
UPDATED: Former Florida Republican Party Chairman Jim Greer
is the subject of a criminal investigation after an auditor found he
funneled party money to a political consulting company he owned.
Attorney
General Bill McCollum referred the matter to the Florida
Department of Law Enforcement on Mar. 15 after it was discovered during a
routine party audit (download here).
"This
information indicates there may have been criminal activity surrounding a former
senior official of the Republican Party
of Florida and a company called Victory Strategies, LLC,"
McCollum said in a statement.
The audit showed that Greer owned 60
percent of the company and Delmar Johnson, the ousted former
executive director, owned the remaining 40 percent. Greer authorized
the contract to let Johnson take a 10 percent commission on all
dollars he raised for the party coffers. The disclosure of the contract
earlier this year helped lead to his
dethronement. Now party documents indicate his company received
$133,005 in 2009 from the fundraising commissions and another $66,250
for other consulting services.
Party Chairman John Thrasher,
a state senator, released a statement suggesting this disclosure if
part of his effort to clean up party finances. "The Republican Party of
Florida may have been the victim of illegal criminal activity on the
part of one of its vendors, controlled by a senior-level official," he
said in a statement.
Florida Sen. Bill Nelson, who has vehemently opposed efforts to drill near Florida says:
"I’ve talked many times to [ Interior Department ] Secretary [ Ken ] Salazar and told him if they drilled too close to Florida’s beaches they’d be risking the state’s economy and the environment. I believe this plan shows they heeded that concern. And it ought to derail the scheme in the Florida Legislature to drill three miles offshore. Now I need to hear from Defense Secretary Robert Gates. And I want him to look me in the eye and assure me that this plan will not compromise national security by interfering with the unfettered space we have for training and testing our most sophisticated military weapons systems."
President Obama says he didn't come to his decision to open up the coasts to drilling "lightly" and said he expects pushback from both sides: that he's doing too much or that he's not doing enough.
"But the bottom line," he says, "Is this: given our energy needs, in order to sustain economic growth, produce jobs and keep our businesses competitive, we're going to need to harness traditional sources of fuel even as we ramp up production of new sources of renewable, homegrown energy."
His full remarks after the jump.
"Thank you, Secretary Salazar. Ken and I were colleagues in the Senate, and I appointed him because I knew he’d be a faithful and pragmatic steward of our natural resources. As Secretary, he’s changing the way the Interior Department does business so that we are responsibly developing traditional sources of energy and renewable sources of energy, from the wind on the high plains to the sun in the deserts to the waves off
our coasts.
"It’s also good to see so many members of our Armed Forces here today. Andrews is the home of Air Force One, and I appreciate everything you do for me and my family. You’ve got a 100-percent on-time departure record. And you don’t charge for checking luggage. So it’s a pretty good deal. But in all seriousness, I want to thank you not only for the support you provide to me – but also for the service you perform to keep our country safe.
"We are here today to talk about America’s energy security, an issue that has been a priority for my administration since the day I took office. Already, we’ve made the largest investment in clean energy in our nation’s history. It’s an investment that’s expected to create or save more than 700,000 jobs across America: jobs manufacturing advanced batteries for more efficient vehicles, upgrading the power grid so that it’s smarter and stronger, and doubling our nation’s capacity to generate renewable electricity from sources like the wind and the sun.
"Just a few months after taking office, I also gathered the leaders of the world’s largest automakers, the heads of labor unions, environmental advocates, and public officials from California and across the country to reach an historic agreement to raise fuel economy standards in cars and trucks. Tomorrow, after decades in which we have done little to increase auto efficiency, those new standards will be finalized, which will reduce our dependence on oil while helping folks spend a little less at the pump. So my administration is upholding its end of the deal, and we expect all parties to do the same. I’d also point out: this rule will not only save drivers money; it will save 1.8 billion barrels of oil. That’s like taking 58 million cars off the road for an
entire year.
"Today, we’re also going one step further. In order to save energy and taxpayer dollars, my administration – led by Secretary Chu at Energy and Administrator Johnson at GSA – is doubling the number of hybrid vehicles in the federal fleet, even as we seek to reduce the number of cars and trucks used by our government overall. We’re going to lead by example and practice what we preach: cutting waste, saving energy, and reducing our reliance on foreign oil.
"But we have to do more. We need to make continued investments in clean coal technologies and advanced biofuels. A few weeks ago, I announced loan guarantees to break ground on America’s first new nuclear facility in three decades, a project that will create thousands of jobs. And in the short term, as we transition to cleaner energy sources, we’ll have to make tough decisions about opening new offshore areas for
oil and gas development in ways that protect communities and coastlines.
"This is not a decision that I’ve made lightly. It’s one Ken and I – as well as Carol Browner, my energy advisor in the White House, and others in my administration – looked at closely for more than a year. But the bottom line is this: given our energy needs, in order to sustain economic growth, produce jobs, and keep our businesses competitive, we’re going to need to harness traditional sources of fuel even as we ramp up production of new sources of renewable, homegrown energy.
"So today we’re announcing the expansion of offshore oil and gas exploration – but in ways that balance the need to harness domestic energy resources and the need to protect America’s natural resources. Under the leadership of Secretary Salazar, we’ll employ new technologies that reduce the impact of oil exploration. We’ll protect areas vital to tourism, the environment, and our national security. And we’ll be guided not by
political ideology, but by scientific evidence. That's why my administration will consider potential new areas for development in the mid and south Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico, while studying and protecting sensitive areas in the Arctic. That’s why we’ll continue to support development of leased areas off the North Slope of Alaska, while protecting Alaska’s Bristol Bay.
"There will be those who strongly disagree with this decision, including those who say we should not open any new areas to drilling. But what I want to emphasize is that this announcement is part of a broader strategy that will move us from an economy that runs on fossil fuels and foreign oil to one that relies more on homegrown fuels and clean energy. And the only way this transition will succeed is if it strengthens our economy in the short term and long term. To fail to recognize this reality would be a mistake.
"On the other side, there will be those who argue that we do not go nearly far enough; who suggest we open all of our waters to energy exploration without any restriction or regard for the broader environmental and economic impact. They’d deny the fact that with less than 2 percent of oil reserves, but more than 20 percent of world consumption, drilling alone cannot come close to meeting our long-term energy needs, and that for the sake of the planet and our energy independence, we need to begin the transition to cleaner fuels now.
"Ultimately, we need to move beyond the tired debates between right and left, between business leaders and environmentalists, between those who would claim drilling is a cure all and those who would claim it has no place. Because this issue is just too important to allow our progress to languish while we fight the same old battles over and over again.
"For decades we’ve talked about how our dependence on fossil fuels threatens our economy – yet our will to act rises and falls with the price of a barrel of oil. For decades we’ve talked about the threat to future generations posed by our current system of energy – even as we can see the mounting evidence of climate change from the Arctic Circle to the Gulf Coast. And for decades, we’ve talked about the risks to our security
created by our dependence on foreign oil – even as that dependence has grown year after year after year.
"And while our politics has remained entrenched along worn divides, the ground has shifted beneath our feet. Around the world, countries are seeking an edge in the global marketplace by investing in new ways of producing and saving energy. From China to Germany, these nations recognize that the country that leads the clean energy economy will be the country that leads the global economy. Meanwhile, here at home, as
politicians in Washington debate endlessly whether to act, our own military has determined that we can’t afford not to.
"If there was any doubt about that, you need only look to the F-18 fighter and the light armored vehicle behind me. The Army and Marine Corps have been testing this vehicle on a mixture of biofuels. And this Navy fighter jet – called the Green Hornet – will be flown for the first time in just a few weeks, on Earth Day. If tests go as planned, it will be the first plane ever to fly faster than the speed of sound on a fuel mix that’s half biomass. The Air Force is also testing jet engines using biofuels and had the first successful biofuel-powered test flight just last week. Though I don’t want to drum up any kind of rivalry.
"Now, the Pentagon isn’t seeking these alternative fuels just to protect our environment; they are pursuing these homegrown energy sources to protect our national security. Our military leaders recognize the security imperative of increasing the use of alternative fuels, decreasing energy use, and reducing our reliance on imported oil. That’s why the Navy, led by Secretary Mabus who is here today, has set a goal of using 50-percent alternative fuel in all planes, vehicles, and ships in the next ten years. And that’s why the Defense Department has invested $2.7 billion this year alone to improve energy efficiency.
"Moving toward clean energy is about our security. It’s about our economy. And it’s about the future of our planet. And what I hope is that the policies we’ve laid out – from hybrid fleets to offshore drilling, from nuclear energy to wind energy – underscore the seriousness with which my administration takes this challenge. It’s a challenge that requires us to think and act anew.
"So I am open to proposals from my Democratic and Republican friends. I believe we can move beyond the broken politics of the past. And I know that we can come together to pass comprehensive energy and climate legislation that will foster new industries and millions of new jobs protecting our planet and helping us become more energy independent. That’s what we can do. That’s what we must do. And I am confident that that is what we will do."
Ken Salazar is introducing President Barack Obama at the big energy event and says "all the things we are doing will help us cut our dependence on foreign oil.
He says the administration will "responsibly expand" drilling in new areas like the Eastern Gulf of Mexico — 125 miles off Florida's coast, as well as areas in the Atlantic.
"We are listening to the communities that are most affected by development," he promises.
House GOP Leader John Boehner says the Obama administration’s plan to expand drilling doesn't go far enough — by keeping the Pacific Coast and Alaska, "as well as the most promising resources off the Gulf of Mexico, under lock and key."
"Opening up areas off the Virginia coast to offshore production is a positive step, but keeping the Pacific Coast and Alaska, as well as the most promising resources off the Gulf of Mexico, under lock and key makes no sense at a time when gasoline prices are rising and Americans are asking ‘Where are the jobs?’ "Boehner says in a release.
Three top Senate Republicans have decided to introduce a new piece of legislation — a last-minute amendment — regarding Medicaid that was given scant attention after weeks of committee meetings where they talked about the nitty-gritty of health policy.
The amendment directs the Agency for Health Care Administration to ask the feds for a new waiver to Medicaid rules to give the state more power over the Medicaid program, which is largely federally funded and controlled. The amendment would also cap total expenditures of the program, allow Medicaid recipients to use vouchers to buy private insurance, and force some recipients to pay more co-pays and deductibles.
The amendment is offered by fure Senate Presidents Mike Haridopolos and Don Gaetz, along with Sen. Joe Negron. They all sit on the Health Appropriations Committee, but never introduced this idea for consideration before the committee, said Sen. Nan Rich, the ranking Democrat on the committee.
Rich criticized her colleagues for violating the spirit of Senate President Jeff Atwater's push for more transparency in the budget process.
"This privatizes Medicaid," she said. It also could blow up former Gov. Jeb Bush's Medicaid Reform plan, which sought to create more managed-care companies to handle Medicaid without handing the entire program over to HMOs.
Some of the ideas in the amendment aren't new; Medicaid Reform contemplates some vouchers and Gaetz and Haridopolos last year mentioned the block-grant capping of Medicaid and the demand for more "flexibility." But for some reason, it was never submitted as a bill where it could be vetted by legislative and AHCA staff and the committees themselves.