After posting “Tallahassee is the New Tammany Hall“, I got an email from the RPOF. In it the RPOF proudly announces that Attorney General Candidate “Holly Benson Endorses Bill McCollum for Governor”. This, coupled with the Republican Governor’s Alliance (RGA) unleashing itself against Rick Scott just reinforces the idea that the Republican Party is a Party of the Insiders, By the Insiders and for the Insiders and will fight like hell not to perish from the political scene.
Why did the RGA condemn Rick Scott for mentioning Bill McCollum’s involvement in the Jim Greer Scandal? (Fair game folks, If Bill can Play hardball, so can Rick). Legitimate questions DO surround Bill McCollum’s behavior during this sordid episode and if you think the Democrats are going to give him a pass you are kidding yourself.
The Chairman of the Party (John Thrasher) goes after Scott, because he dared to question insider, good ole boy politics. Need I remind everyone that the candidate that went to the gutter first was Bill McCollum? He asked for this type of fight, and guess what, he picked on a guy who could afford it. McCollum is no saint and his 527′s are the epitome of dirty politics. McCollum has been caught in numerous lies about his connections to them and now, he has gone and asked for help from other, entrenched Republicans. Alarm bells must have went off in the McCollum campaign when Scott finally got around to questioning McCollum’s actions in the Greer Scandal. Hence the callout to Haley Barbour and the RGA. This is a Florida fight….The RGA should butt out.
Finally, once again I ask, why hasn’t ANY Republican of note asked about or question Charlie Crist’s involvement in the Jim Greer affair? If Crist’s quick refund to Greer of 10 grand while sticking it to GOP donors is not a sign something isn’t kosher, I don’t know what the hell is. Where is the RPOF Chairman’s insistence that Charlie Crist be investigated? Where is Bill McCollum on this issue? Where are our Elected Republican Senators and Representatives, both State AND Federal? Silence. Pure, silence.
Where are the honorable men and women in the RPOF? When I joined the Local Republican Executive Committee, I was told that while I was at a party function, we were to treat all candidates alike and not endorse as a member of the Executive Committee. On our own time and dime was fine, but not during official functions. It appears there are different rules for us low level peons and the “Upper Echelon” of the RPOF. (Disclaimers be damned at the end of the Email)…
It appears to this peon that the RPOF has gone all in for McCollum. Most of the Representatives and almost all the Senators are in his corner. AND I remind you, not one of these people have called for Charlie Crist’s head. NOT ONE. The days of “just trust me” are over. The removal of Greer and election of Thrasher appears to be a mere reshuffling of the chairs on the Titanic. Only the RPOF could manage to split the Republicans of Florida in two during what was to be a banner year for the GOP.
How did they do it? By going all in on a candidate that decided to fight this political battle in the gutter when he got behind. Even more important, it is a party that STILL refuses to come clean on what Charlie Crist knew, What George LeMieux knew and now, What Bill McCollum knew and when did they know it.
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Hate to burst your bubble since I know you are in Scott’s corner, but, Scott was the first to go in the gutter with false claims against Bill. I for one wanted BM to defend himself and get the public to know WHO Scott really is. With his unlimited funds and blitzing all forms of media out there, we know the only way to get attention is get the truth out there even if it is dirty. Scott is dirty!! As far as Greer and all his shananigans, BM is not the guilty party, it is CRIST! And I DO agree with you that the RPOF leadership should be investigating Crist and finding out more since Greer made it quite clear that he was on the phone with the governor many, many times a day, DAILY!! It will be a sin and an absolute embarrassment to have Crist as our US Senator!!
What was the first attack ad? I’ll be up front I am a Scott supporter, but the first ad I heard from Scott on the radio was about the Tea Party movement and then the AZ law. The first ad I heard from BM was the “Columba/HCA fraud” deal. I’m not saying that makes those the first ones obviously, but I’m curious does anyone have a timeline of this?
Scott went after McCollum on issues…It was McCollum that took it personal and into the gutter, especially since when the actual HCA deal went down, McCollum was defending Scott. Also, the latest investigation into Scott’s current business was a set up job by McCollum… He doesn’t even deny doing it “He referred a complaint to the authorities”…
I think, and I may be wrong, the most personal that Scott got was speaking in generalities about “career politicians” at first. Of course, it’s gotten much more personal since then. McCollum can’t stop talking about HCA and I know about the frivolous lawsuit that was facilitated by McCollum’s camp I wrote a blog about it. I love how Andrews says “I came into possession of” the letter and email written by Dobbs and Prokes. How did he come into posession of it? All I’ve heard is them deny it was from McCollum. Not to mention, in my view, Prokes credability is shaky at best.
I read your comments and I don’t understand your decision to now be upset with what you label the “good ol boys” or “Tallahassee Insiders. All the party leadership and these same individuals supported and worked to get Thrasher elected and you yourself supported John Thrasher for Chairman. What has changed in your thought process now? Anyone that thought by electing John Thrasher that those individuals would not do anything and everything to continue to support and protect their way of life would have to be a bit politically naive.
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