Florida Democrats up their attacks on Rep. Vern Buchanan

Representative Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., left, retrieves his jacket from his SUV as he arrives at  a Sarasota residence for a fundraiser for House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) hosted by Buchanan on Saturday. (MCT Photo/Brian Blanco)

Read more here: http://www.bradenton.com/2012/03/04/3916207/photo-gallery-republican-fundraiser.html#storylink=cpy

From Erika Bolstad, the Bradenton Herald's correspondent in Washington, D.C.:

Democrats are doubling down on their criticism of U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, who faces investigations by the IRS, the FBI, the House Ethics Committee, and recently saw a Federal Elections Commission inquiry come to a close. 

They're singling out the Florida Republican's participation this past weekend in a fundraiser with House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, who traveled to Sarasota for an event in an exclusive neighborhood. 

The Florida Democratic Party released a web video entitled "Will The GOP Stand with Buchanan?" It's made up mostly of news clips about the investigation. 

One of the richest members of Congress, Buchanan heads up fundraising for the National Republican Congressional Committee. Its aim is to hold onto the GOP majority in the House of Representatives. 

Buchanan, who represents mostly Sarasota and Manatee counties in Congress, called in some of his own local donors to help Boehner raise money for House Republicans running this year. The fundraiser is something of an annual tradition for the two -- Boehner appeared last year at a fundraiser at the same home to help raise money for Buchanan's reelection.

Read Bolstad's report on Boehner's visit to Sarasota here.

House Speaker John Boehner coming to Sarasota for fundraiser

U.S. House Speaker John Boehner will be in Sarasota on Saturday to raise money for his political operation.

"Boehner for Speaker" is "a joint fundraising committee authorized by and composed of Friends of John Boehner, the National Republican Congressional Committee, The Freedom Project, and the Ohio Republican Party State Central & Executive Committee (ORP Congressional Fund)," according to a disclaimer included in an email invitation from Sarasota County Republican Party.

The event is hosted by U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Sarasota.

Tickets for the event, at 5 p.m. at a private Sarasota residence, range from $500 to $5,000 per person and $1,000 to $10,000 per couple.

For more details, contact Celena Thibodeaux via email at: CampaignRSVP2012@gmail.com or via phone at: (941) 552-4227.

Keith Fitzgerald makes 'pledge' to restore trust in government

Keith Fitzgerald, who has pegged his race for Congress in large part by raising questions about the honesty and ethics of incumbent Vern Buchanan, has unveiled a "Pledge to the Citizens of Florida and the United States to restore trust and transparency in government and reduce the deficit."

Among the specific promises Fitzgerald is making is to sponsor legislation that would require members of Congress to divest most individual investments.

That is perhaps a swipe at Buchanan, who is one of the wealthiest members of Congress and currently the subject of a House Ethics Committee review of charges that he withheld certain business positions and income from his financial disclosure filings. (The Justice Department also is investigating Buchanan's campaign fundraising, according to his attorneys.)

Among other promises are pledges to never work as a lobbyist, to make his official schedules available in real time for public review, to grant the president a line-item veto and to ban congressional earmarks.

“For too long, we have seen that Congress is held hostage by special interests who pledge to protect corporate special interests over the interests of their constituents," Fitzgerald said in a statement.  "Today, I am making public a pledge to the citizens of my district, this state, our country in order to restore trust in our government. I am going to work every day to change the culture of Congress and this specific and sincere pledge will be my guide.”

Read all of Fitzgerald's pledge here.

Attorney: Buchanan orchestrated money laundering 'scheme'

His client, Sam Kazran, is the only one being held legally responsible for improperly reimbursing employees of a Jacksonville car dealership for contributions they made to U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan's congressional campaigns.

But in talking about the consent judgment Kazran entered into with the Federal Elections Commission, attorney Robert Stok on Tuesday renewed the accusation -- investigated and dismissed by the FEC -- that Kazran was only doing Buchanan's bidding. Buchanan, said Stok, orchestrated the "scheme" in which Kazran reimbursed a total of $67,900 to employees in 2005, 2006 and 2007.

“It’s impossible from a legal or factual point of view for Mr. Kazran to be guilty and Mr. Buchanan not to be guilty,” Stok said.


Read more about the judgement, and Buchanan's attorney's reaction to the news, here.


And the read the judgement here.

Read more here: http://www.bradenton.com/2012/02/22/3892607/buchanan-accuser-admits-to-reimbursing.html#storylink=cpy

Buchanan accuser cuts deal with FEC that clears congressman

A former business partner admits that he, not U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, was responsible for improperly reimbursing employees  for contributions they made to Buchanan's campaigns.

Under a consent judgement announced Tuesday, a federal court in Jacksonville found that Sam Kazran committed “non-knowing and non-willful” violations when he reimbursed employees of a Jacksonville car dealership he co-owned with Buchanan a total of $67,900 for contributions they made to Buchanan’s congressional campaigns in 2005, 2006 and 2007.

As part of the settlement, Kazran will pay the FEC civil penalties totaling $11,000.

“Defendant Kazran does not admit liability but has entered into this consent judgement to avoid the costs and risks of further litigation,” the consent judgement states.

Read more, including a comment from Buchanan's attorney, here.

Is Alex Sink planning a rematch with Gov. Rick Scott in 2014?

Alex Sink is starting to sound like someone who soon may decide to start considering the possibility of a possible second run for governor of Florida.

Forgive the wiggle room included in the above sentence, but it only reflects the space -- or rope, if you prefer -- Sink is leaving herself as she answers questions about whether she is preparing for a rematch against Gov. Rick Scott in the 2014 election.

After all, in 2010, she lost by only 61,000 votes to Scott, who had to spend $73 million of his own money to achieve such a narrow victory, and remains unpopular with most Floridians.

Steve Bousquet of the Tampa Bay Times tries to pin Sink down in a new column:

Alex Sink feels regret. 

That's understandable when you come within 1 percentage point of being elected governor of Florida. 

The Democratic former chief financial officer lost the 2010 race for governor to Republican Rick Scott by that margin. 

She lost by 61,550 votes out of more than 5 million cast, in a year that was disastrous for Democrats, not just in Florida but all over the country. 

"Some days I wake up and I think, 'Why couldn't I find those extra 60,000 votes?' " Sink says.  

"And with a great sense of regret that we didn't get the Democratic turnout, particularly in South Florida. It was very low. But then the next day, I wake up and say, 'How in the hell did I come so close?' " 

Sink lost to a political neophyte who spent $73 million of his own money, most of it on TV ads, and whose popularity remains low. 

Sink is back on the speaking circuit. She has launched a nonprofit think tank, the Florida Next Foundation (FloridaNext.org), to promote a Democratic agenda on issues affecting families and small businesses. 

Lately, she sounds like she wants a rematch with Scott. 

"Of course, I've thought about it," Sink said. "Many, many people are encouraging me. Even strangers who I've never met before would like to see me back."

Read the whole thing here.

Manatee commissioners' election year plans are set

Manatee County Commissioner Joe McClash's announcement late Friday that he would be running for re-election means all four incumbent commissioners have revealed their plans for this election year:

• McClash, a Republican, currently faces two GOP challengers, former county planner Betsy Benac and business owner Paul Stehle, in the race for the at-large District 7 seat.
• Larry Bustle, a Republican, currently faces a Democrat challenger, former Manatee County sheriff's deputy Corie Holmes, in District 1, which is comprised of Palmetto, Ellenton and Parrish.
• John Chappie, a Republican, is currently the only candidate in District, which includes most of Bradenton and Anna Maria Island.

As for Donna Hayes, the fourth incumbent whose term ends this year, she announced last month that she would not be running for re-election in District 5, which is comprised of East Manatee, including Lakewood Ranch. She had earlier entered the race, dropped out and re-entered the race.

The Manatee County supervisor of elections' website currently lists Hayes as an official candidate.

The announced candidates are Republican businesswoman Vanessa Baugh; and Democrat James Golden, a former member of the Bradenton City Council.

There is plenty of time for other candidates to enter the race.

The qualifying period, during which candidates can file petitions or pay a filing fee to get on the ballot, is June 3-8.

Primary elections are Aug. 14, and the general election is Nov. 6.