Thurman Statement On McCollum's Frivolous Lawsuit

Florida Democratic Party Chair Karen Thurman released the following statement responding to Attorney General Bill McCollum's frivolous lawsuit against President Obama's historic health insurance reform law, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act:

"Because he has no plans to move Florida forward or bring jobs to the Sunshine State, Attorney General Bill McCollum has filed a frivolous lawsuit to block President Obama's historic health insurance reform - this is just another petty partisan ploy from a Washington politician.

"Bill McCollum has spent much of the last 30 years, since he was first elected to Congress in 1980, either ignoring the growing crisis in our healthcare system or fighting against commonsense solutions to cover the four million Floridians who lack health insurance. That's why Bill McCollum repeatedly voted to cut funding for Medicare in Congress.

"The fact of the matter is, health insurance reform that ensures security for those with insurance, coverage for more than 31 million Americans currently living without health care, and lower costs for everyone has passed in both chambers of Congress and been signed by the President. The people of Florida can't afford more delays, obstruction, or political stunts-they want reform implemented now.

"If Bill McCollum wants to deny middle class families and small businesses relief from soaring insurance premiums, seniors help in paying for their prescription drugs, or sick people a way to be insured once again, that's his choice to make-but he will find himself on the wrong side of Floridians.

"But it is unacceptable for AG McCollum to once again waste taxpayer dollars for his political stunts. Rather than filing politically-motivated lawsuits, McCollum needs to stop wasting our taxpayer money and start doing his job -- like cracking down on Medicaid fraud that is costing our state billions of dollars."

REPUBLICANS, BUSINESS AND CONSUMER GROUPS ALL SUPPORT FOR INDIVIDUAL MANDATE

NPR: "Hatch And Several Other Senators Who Now Oppose The So-Called Individual Mandate Actually Supported A Bill That Would Have Required It...'It Was Invented...[For] George Bush Sr. Back In The Day, As A Competition To The Employer Mandate Focus Of The Democrats At The Time.'" NPR's Julie Rovner reported: "For Republicans, the idea of requiring every American to have health insurance is one of the most abhorrent provisions of the Democrats' health overhaul bills. 'Congress has never crossed the line between regulating what people choose to do and ordering them to do it,' said Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT). 'The difference between regulating and requiring is liberty.' But Hatch's opposition is ironic, or some would say, politically motivated. The last time Congress debated a health overhaul, when Bill Clinton was president, Hatch and several other senators who now oppose the so-called individual mandate actually supported a bill that would have required it. In fact, says Len Nichols of the New America Foundation, the individual mandate was originally a Republican idea. 'It was invented by Mark Pauly to give to George Bush Sr. back in the day, as a competition to the employer mandate focus of the Democrats at the time.'" [NPR, 2/15/10]

Business And Consumer Groups All Support An Individual Mandate For Obtaining Health Care. "Support grew on Friday for insurance industry demands that all Americans be required to obtain coverage as part of a planned healthcare system overhaul, with a senior Senate Democrat and a coalition of business and consumer groups promoting the idea. ... The coalition includes groups such at the AARP, which represents older Americans, the American Hospital Association, America's Health Insurance Plans industry group, the healthcare advocacy group Families USA, the Business Roundtable and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce." [Reuters, 3/27/09]

Frist Supported Individual Mandate: "I Believe In Limited Government And Individual Responsibility...[But] It Is Time For An Individual Health Insurance Mandate." In an op-ed, former Senate Majority leader Bill Frist wrote, "I believe in limited government and individual responsibility, cherish the freedom to choose, and generally oppose individual mandates-except where markets fail, individuals suffer, and society pays a hefty price. Let's face it, in a country as productive and advanced as ours, every American deserves affordable access to healthcare delivered at the right time. And they don't have it today. It is time for an individual health insurance mandate for a minimum level of health coverage. Catastrophic coverage would be an appropriate place to start." [US News & World Report Opinion, 9/29/09]

Sen. Frist Voiced Strong Support For Individual Mandate. Former Senate Majority Leader Bill First told Time magazine that, "he strongly supports other aspects of the bill--most notably, its requirement that individuals be required to purchase coverage, if they do not receive health insurance through their employers or under government programs." [Time, 10/2/09]

Sen. Grassley: "I Believe That There is a Bipartisan Consensus to Have Individual Mandates." "'Individual mandates are more apt to be accepted by a vast majority of people in Congress than an employer mandate would be, as an example,' Grassley said. 'I believe that there is a bipartisan consensus to have individual mandates.'" [Bloomberg, 6/14/09]

CONSTITUTIONAL EXPERTS SAY THAT INDIVIDUAL MANDATE IS CONSTITUTIONAL AND THAT THE SUPREME COURT WOULD CERTAINLY UPHOLD IT

Yale Law School Constitutional Scholar: "The Supreme Court Will Almost Certainly Uphold The [Individual Mandate]...To Strike Down The Individual Mandate, It Would Have To Reject Decades Of Precedents. It Is Very Unlikely [That The Court Would Stage] Such A Constitutional Revolution." Jack M. Balkin, J.D., Ph.D., Knight Professor of Constitutional Law and the First Amendment of the Yale Law School wrote in the New England Journal of Medicine: "The individual mandate taxes people who do not buy health insurance. Critics charge that these people are not engaged in any activity that Congress might regulate; they are simply doing nothing. This is not the case. Such people actually self-insure through various means...Moreover, like people who substitute homegrown marijuana or wheat for purchased crops, the cumulative effect of uninsured people's behavior undermines Congress's regulation - in this case, its regulation of health insurance markets. Because Congress believes that national health care reform won't succeed unless these people are brought into national risk pools, it can regulate their activities in order to make its general regulation of health insurance effective. One final argument against the individual mandate is that it violates the Fifth Amendment by allowing the government to take property without just compensation. 'Takings' occur when the government seizes property from particular individuals...The individual mandate is just such a tax - not a taking. Although opponents will challenge the individual mandate in court, constitutional challenges are unlikely to succeed. The Supreme Court will probably not even consider the issue unless a federal court of appeals strikes the tax down. In that unlikely event, the Supreme Court will almost certainly uphold the tax, at least if it follows existing law. To strike down the individual mandate, it would have to reject decades of precedents. It is very unlikely that there are five votes on the current Court for staging such a constitutional revolution." [New England Journal of Medicine, 1/14/10]

Stuart Taylor: Most Experts Agree That The Individual Mandate Is Constitutional. "A healthy 20-something might ask: Can the government really order me to spend more than $5,500 a year to buy comprehensive health insurance just because I live in the United States, even though the most I might need or want is catastrophic coverage costing less than $800? Can they really force me to pay a big penalty 'tax' if I won't buy government-approved insurance? And can they use my money to subsidize people who are twice my age, and obese or sick, even if they have more money than I do? The answers are yes, yes, and that's the point! according to most of the experts who have weighed in on whether the Supreme Court would uphold a mandate for individuals to buy comprehensive health insurance unless they're already covered by employer-based plans. They cite the justices' very broad reading since the New Deal of Congress's powers to regulate interstate commerce and to tax and spend." [Stuart Taylor, National Journal, 12/12/09]

David Frum: Health Reform Is "Unquestionably Constitutional. The Federal Government Already Requires Every American To Purchase Health Insurance. That's What Medicare Does." David Frum wrote: "Is the Obama-Reid health reform plan unconstitutional? The answer to that should be obvious: the Reid-Obama plan may be unwise, unsound, and unaffordable ... but it is unquestionably constitutional. The federal government already requires every American to purchase health insurance. That's what Medicare does. The difference now is that everyone will be required to buy a private plan to cover them up to age 65 in addition to the government-run plan they are compelled to buy to cover them after 65. I don't hear anyone in Congress suggesting that Medicare violates the Constitution. So how can the new plan be unconstitutional if the old plan is OK?" [David Frum, 12/26/09]

Prof. Schwinn Of U. Chicago: "Whatever The Merits Of The Policy Arguments Against An Individual Mandate, These Commerce Clause Arguments...Do Not Render Them Unconstitutional." Steven D. Schwinn, Associate Professor of Law at the University of Chicago Law School examined claims that health reform and in particular individual mandates would be unconstitutional: "Whatever the merits of the policy arguments against an individual mandate, these Commerce Clause arguments based on 'state sovereignty' and lack of economic activity do not render them unconstitutional." [Constitutional Law Prof. Blog, 12/4/09]

Prof. Mark Hall: Unconstitutional Argument "Is Unconvincing And Deeply Flawed...There Is No Fundamental Right To Be Uninsured, And So Various Arguments Based On The Bill Of Rights Fall Flat." Mark A. Hall wrote on the Seton Hall University School of Law, Health Law & Policy Program blog: "Is it unconstitutional to mandate health insurance? It seems unprecedented to require citizens to purchase insurance simply because they live in the U.S. (rather than as a condition of driving a car or owning a business, for instance). Therefore, several credentialed, conservative lawyers think that compulsory health insurance is unconstitutional. See here and here and here. Their reasoning is unconvincing and deeply flawed...Under both liberal and conservative jurisprudence, the Constitution protects individual autonomy strongly only when 'fundamental rights' are involved. There may be fundamental rights to decide about medical treatments, but having insurance does not require anyone to undergo treatment. It only requires them to have a means to pay for any treatment they might choose to receive. The liberty in question is purely economic and has none of the strong elements of personal or bodily integrity that invoke Constitutional protection. In short, there is no fundamental right to be uninsured, and so various arguments based on the Bill of Rights fall flat." [Seton Hall University School of Law, Health Law & Policy Program, 8/25/09]

Prof. Hall's Georgetown University Paper: "The Constitution Permits Congress To Legislate A Health Insurance Mandate." Prof. Mark Hall concluded in his paper published by the Georgetown University O'Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law: "The Constitution permits Congress to legislate a health insurance mandate. Congress can use its Commerce Clause power or its taxing and spending powers to create such a mandate. Congress can impose a tax on those that do not purchase insurance, or provide tax benefits to those that do purchase insurance." [Georgetown University paper: The Constitutionality of Mandates to Purchase Health Insurance, February, 2009]

Prof. Dorf Of Cornell University Law School On Individual Mandate: No Different Than Federal Mandate To Compel Citizens To Jury Duty, No Different From States Imposing An "Affirmative Obligation" On Parents To Educate Their Children. "The CBO memo claims, then, that an individual mandate would be unique because it would impose an affirmative obligation on persons. Most laws either forbid some form of conduct (say, bank robbery) or impose restrictions as conditions on activities that the government could forbid altogether (say, by requiring that companies that are engaged in various lines of business comply with environmental laws, or that professionals pass licensing examinations). As the CBO memo states: 'Federal mandates that apply to individuals as members of society are extremely rare.' The only one that the CBO staff could think of was the requirement that draft-age men register with the Selective Service System...To begin, the CBO memo's authors apparently forgot about jury duty. A federal statute that was already in effect in 1994 provides that 'all citizens shall have . . . an obligation to serve as jurors when summoned for that purpose.'...Consider that every state imposes an affirmative obligation on parents to educate their children--whether in public school, private school, or via home schooling. Surely this obligation cannot be said to be a mere condition on the privilege of raising children, for the state has no authority to prevent people from becoming parents." [FindLaw, 10/21/09]

Prof. Dorf Of Cornell University Law School: "The Individual Mandate Is...Constitutional." Professor Michael Dorf of the Cornell University Law School wrote: "the individual mandate is 'plainly adapted' to the undoubtedly legitimate end of regulating the enormous and enormously important health-care sector of the national economy. It is therefore constitutional." [FindLaw, 11/2/09]

Prof. Shapiro Of Emory University School Of Law: "Whatever One Thinks Of The Wisdom Of The Individual Mandate...It Would Be Surprising If The Constitution Prohibited A Democratic Resolution Of The Issue. Happily, It Does Not." Sen. Max Baucus noted that: "Robert Shapiro, Professor of Law at Emory University School of Law, stated: 'Whatever one thinks of the wisdom of the individual mandate, or of health care reform generally, it would be surprising if the Constitution prohibited a democratic resolution of the issue. Happily, it does not.'" [Statement by Sen. Baucus, 12/22/09]

Constitutional Law Prof. Schwinn: Claim That Individual Mandate Is Unconstitutional Is "Wrong...An Individual Mandate Is Almost Certainly The Kind Of Economic Activity That The [Supreme] Court Would Uphold Under Congress's Commerce Clause Authority." Prof. Steven D. Schwinn of the University of Chicago Law School critiqued an opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal by David Rivkin and Lee Casey arguing that the individual mandate provision was unconstitutional: "The authors are wrong on two counts. First, an individual mandate is almost certainly the kind of economic activity that the Court would uphold under Congress's Commerce Clause authority under Raich, Lopez, and United States v. Morrison. These cases allow Congress to regulate activities that have a "substantial effect" on interstate commerce, and they look to the commercial nature of the activity and to the connection between the activity and interstate commerce (among other considerations). An individual mandate is almost surely commercial in nature--in requiring folks to buy health insurance, it requires a commercial exchange. Rivkin and Casey argue that the mandate is not commercial in nature, because it's triggered simply by 'being an American.' This may be true, but it misses the point of the regulation: It requires Americans to engage in a commercial exchange. This is the definition of commerce...The Supreme Court may be on a path to limiting congressional authority under the Commerce Clause, the Taxing Clause, or any clause. But even so, the individual mandate all too squarely falls within the recent and settled jurisprudence." [Constitutional Law Prof. Blog, 9/25/09]

Prof. Mark Hall Of Wake Forest University School Of Law: There Are No Plausible Tenth Amendment Or States' Rights Issues Arising From the Imposition By Congress Of An Individual Responsibility To Maintain Health Coverage." Sen. Baucus said in a statement: "I refer my colleagues to an article by Mark Hall, law professor at Wake Forest University. Professor Hall's article is a comprehensive, peer-reviewed analysis of the constitutionality of a Federal individual responsibility requirement. In it, Professor Hall concludes that there are no plausible Tenth Amendment or States' rights issues arising from the imposition by Congress of an individual responsibility to maintain health coverage. Professor Hall notes further that health care and health insurance both affect and are distributed through interstate commerce. And that gives Congress the power to legislate a coverage requirement using its Commerce Clause powers. Professor Hall notes that the Supreme Court indicated in its decisions in United States v. Morrison and United States v. Lopez - two other cases relied on by the other side - that the non-economic, criminal nature of the conduct in those cases was central to the court's decisions in those cases that the Government had not appropriately exercised power under the Commerce Clause. Health insurance, on the other hand, does not deal with criminal conduct." Prof. Mark Hall wrote, "[p]erusing some of [the Senate health reform bill's] 2000 pages, I came across the following, SEC. 1501 (p. 320), which should put to rest any argument that an individual mandate exceeds Congress' powers under the Commerce Clause." [Statement by Sen. Baucus, 12/22/09; O'Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law, 11/24/09]

A Business Plan or A Record of Killing Business?

From FDP:

Still without a business plan for Florida, Congressman Bill McCollum continues to deny his role in the current economic crisis, forcing Floridians to wonder if he'd bring the same failed economic policies to the Governor's Office that he pushed through Congress.

"Congressman Bill McCollum stands behind the laws he pushed through Congress that have been widely acknowledged as a determining factor in the economic collapse, which has cost jobs right here in Florida - creating a tied record high unemployment," Florida Democratic Party spokesman Eric Jotkoff said. "If Bill McCollum can't even see the error in his economic ways that cost countless Florida jobs, it's clear that he won't be able to move our economy forward if elected Governor, especially since he hasn't even bothered to produce an economic plan or vision."

As Governor McCollum Would Likely Turn Florida's Economy Into A "Permanent Bust":

In Congress McCollum Helped Turn Our "Lemonade Into A Lemon". "In Congress, McCollum helped turn our lemonade economy into a lemon. In 1999, he co-sponsored the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act to repeal the Glass-Steagall Act, which prevented banks from taking on riskier investments that could precipitate the very financial crisis Obama inherited. ... As governor, McCollum would likely turn Florida's economy into a permanent bust." (Column, Sun-Sentinel, 01/15/10)

McCollum Falsely Denied His Record Even As John McCain Called Him Out:

Former Congressman Bill McCollum Defended Cosponsoring and Pushing the Wall Street Deregulation Through Congress. "McCollum says the banker-friendly policies he backed on [the] banking and housing committee in congress contributed in no way to the economic collapse." (St. Petersburg Times/TampaBay.com, The Buzz Political Blog, 12/16/09)

John McCain Supported Rolling Back McCollum's Wall Street Deregulation. "'I don't believe when I was there that we created the foundation in those years for the problems that came after I left in 2000,' he [McCollum] said. ... But on Wednesday, Republican Sen. John McCain proposed reining in Wall Street by resurrecting the Depression-era law that separated commercial and investment banking - the same law McCollum favored repealing as a congressman in 1999. ... As a member of Congress from 1980 to 2000, McCollum served on the committee overseeing financial services and co-sponsored 1999 legislation that tore down the Depression-era firewall between investment banks and commercial banks." (St. Petersburg Times, 12/17/09)

From the Blogs

The latest stories from the Florida blogs (and beyond) about Republicans in the Florida Cabinet.

The Reid Report: Meet Bill McCollum’s healthcare lawsuit buddy: birther queen Orly Taitz

The Reid Report: Repeal is the new litmus test, and McCollum’s cynical ploy

Progress Florida: McCollum Rolls Dice On Medicare & Social Security

FLA Politics: Bill McCollum's Passion

The Reid Report: Bill McCollum’s shady, costly healthcare suit

Bark Bark Woof Woof: When Opportunists Knock

The Reid Report: McCollum’s useless suit to stop healthcare reform, a history

Progress Florida: Bill McCollum Wants To Deny 4 Million Floridians Health Insurance

The Reid Report: McCollum’s folly: Florida Republicans will try and secede from healthcare reform

The Reid Report: Bill McCollum to self-immolate in response to healthcare reform

The Reid Report: Bill McCollum is wasting your time

FLA Politics: How Slimy Is Jeff Atwater?

Progress Florida: Bill McCollum: Solving Florida's Problems One Sentence At A Time

The Reid Report: Timing is everything: Sink pushes for ethics reform

FLA Politics: Has Crist Already Switched Parties?

The Reid Report: Charlie’s Funny Valentine

The New Argument: Bill McCollum: M.I.A. on RPOF

The New Argument: Will Cronyism Take Down Charlie Crist?

Change in Tallahassee: Will McCollum Condone or Condemn Cronyism With Campaign Cash At Stake?

Why Now?: Like I Said

Floridians Have Clear Choice in Governor's Race: Business Plan or Business As Usual

From FDP:

As Florida CFO Alex Sink was rolling out her Business Plan for Florida last week, her Republican Gubernatorial rival Bill McCollum was focused on Washington politics, and absent on the main issues at stake in Florida: the economy and jobs.

"While former Congressman Bill McCollum grandstands on the happenings of Washington, where is his plan for Florida's economy? Where are his ideas to cut wasteful spending in state government? Floridians face a fundamental choice in what they want from their next Governor: a business plan for Florida or more business-as-usual politics." Florida Democratic Party spokesman Eric Jotkoff said. "Florida's unemployment rate has tied a record high. Our state faces massive budget shortfalls and foreclosures have skyrocketed. And where is the leading Republican candidate for Governor, Bill McCollum? His focus is still stuck on playing Washington political games, since that's what he's done for decades."

McCollum has spent the last week on phone conferences, writing and sending letters to Attorneys General in each state and appearing on national cable news, yet McCollum has yet to offer an economic plan for Florida.

Where Is Bill McCollum's Economic Plan? When Will He Produce One?

To understand the fundamental choice Florida voters will face in November, just survey last week's news on the gubernatorial race.

Alex Sink Roles Out Business Plan for Florida:

"And as a candidate for governor, she [Alex Sink] has released a promising, cost-cutting plan to get rid of middle managers in state government. She also is laying out a set of proposals to stimulate job creation in Florida. So far, these generally concern tax credits and tax breaks targeting businesses. This is what I want my governor to do - not get embroiled in some lawsuit against Washington over health care to get headlines." (Mike Thomas Blog, Orlando Sentinel, 3/18/10)

Sink sets economic goals if elected Fla. Governor
(Headline, Associated Press, 3/16/10)

'Business-minded' Dem Sink unveils jobs, economy proposals in West Palm Beach
(Headline, Palm Beach Post, 3/17/10)

Alex Sink offers up economic blueprint for Florida
(Headline, Orlando Sentinel, 3/17/10)

In governor's race, Alex Sink pins hopes on economic savvy, new 'business plan for Florida'(Headline, Venture, TampaBay.com, 3/17/10)

Former Congressman Bill McCollum Promises Business-As-Usual Politics of Washington:

McCollum "Grandstands" On Health Reform Plan. "Bill McCollum very much wants to run against Barack Obama in November. That appears to be a large part of his campaign strategy as he grandstands on Obama's health care plan and tries to tie it to Democrat Alex Sink. This resulted in a rather juvenile letter from McCollum's campaign manager to Sink, demanding she take a position on it." (Mike Thomas Blog, Orlando Sentinel, 3/18/10)

McCollum Declined To Comment About Conference Call With Top Prosecutors From Across The Country About Possible Legal Action Against The Health Reform Bill. According to McClatchy News, "South Carolina Attorney General Henry McMaster said he and Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum spoke with other top state prosecutors Thursday in a conference call about possible legal action. McMaster said the proposed federal mandate for individuals to purchase health insurance - or face a fine of as much as $750 for most people - is unconstitutional. 'It is my belief and that of other attorneys general that this is clearly unconstitutional,' he told McClatchy. 'That's why we're moving forward. We need to protect the sovereignty of our states and the liberty of our people.' McCollum declined to comment." (McClatchy News, 03/20/10)

While McCollum Failed To Provide Promised Details Of His Legal Challenge To The Press, He Was "On Conference Calls All Day" Trying To "Get Other AGs On Board To File Suit" Against Health Care Bill. According to McClatchy News, "Ryan Wiggins, a spokeswoman, said McCollum was spending considerable time on the phone with other state prosecutors, rounding up support for a lawsuit. 'He's been trying to get other AGs on board to file suit,' Wiggins said. 'He's been on conference calls all day trying to do this lawsuit.'" In addition, "Wiggins didn't follow through on a promise to provide details of the potential legal challenge." (McClatchy News, 03/20/10 and 03/19/10)

McCollum Planned To "Sue Regardless" Over Provisions Removed From Health Reform Legislation. "Attorneys General Henry McMaster of South Carolina -- who is head of a group of 19 GOP attorneys general that started threatening lawsuits in December -- and Bill McCollum of Florida said ... that they are planning legal action over a deal struck between Senate leadership and Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) paying for his state's share for expanded Medicaid coverage, estimated at $100 million. Democrats intend to remove the Nebraska provision from the Senate bill via reconciliation, but McMaster said ... that he and McCollum intend to sue regardless of whether the item is removed." (Politico, 03/19/10)

Atwater's Hypocrisy

From Loranne Ausley:

“Do as I tweet, not as I do.”

That was the headline of the Florida Times Union in response to Senate President Jeff Atwater’s hypocritical statements last month.

In a “tweet”, Atwater criticized federal lawmakers for not balancing their budget while claiming he has done a great job balancing Florida’s budget.

Not to be outdone, the Orlando Sentinel chimed in adding, “Florida Lawmakers want Washington to cut deficit spending – just not in Florida.”

The reference is of course to the fact that the only way Atwater can “balance” the state budget is to depend on those same borrowed dollars.

Last year, Atwater used $5 billion in borrowed federal dollars to balance Florida’s budget…and this year his so-called leadership will call for borrowing an additional $4 billion.

Atwater and his cohorts TAKE the money, and then they rail against the very money they desperately need to make ends meet in Florida. This is exactly the kind of “do as I say, not as I do” hypocrisy that Floridians are tired of.

True transparency…true accountability…and true responsibility means standing up for taxpayers, telling them the truth, and being an honest steward of their tax dollars.

That’s exactly what we need in our next CFO – someone who is honest about our economic conditions, forthright about what it will take to make our state stronger and consistent in talking to Florida’s citizens.

If you too are tired of this two-faced hypocrisy, then join us today.

If you want your next CFO to tell it like it is, then click here.

My pledge to you is to always be straight with you, to be your voice, and to tell you the truth, even when it’s not the popular thing to do.

Sincerely,

Loranne Ausley

Where's Bill McCollum When Tough Economic Times Call For Tough Leaders?

From FDP:

Tough economic times call for tough leaders. But when leadership on the bread-and-butter issue of job growth and job creation has arisen, Bill McCollum has failed Florida.

More than 300,000 Floridians have lost their jobs. The state faces a record-high 11.9 percent unemployment rate. Over 600,000 home foreclosures have beset the Sunshine State. Florida faces a $3.2 billion budget shortfall. And what's Bill McCollum's answer to the economic crisis facing Florida?
Answer: Nothing.

Former Congressman Bill McCollum epitomizes a "career politician" and nothing more than "the status quo." McCollum has yet to propose "a single budget-cutting or job-creating idea," even as his gubernatorial rival Alex Sink announces her business plan for Florida. (Orlando Sentinel, 02/19/10; Editorial, Orlando Sentinel, 01/31/10)

"Tough economic times call for tough leadership. But where's Bill McCollum?" Florida Democratic Party spokesman Eric Jotkoff asked. "Florida can't afford another Washington politician like Bill McCollum. He loves to spend your money but won't help foster the growth of good jobs to help you earn it."

In fact, McCollum helped "turn our lemonade economy into lemon," dangerously pushing the deregulation of the financial industry that led to the economic meltdown. Now, he wants to be governor, in which capacity he'd likely turn Florida's economy into a "permanent bust." (Column, Sun-Sentinel, 01/15/10)

"The race for governor sets a clear choice for the people of our state: a leader that offers a clear vision and business plan for Florida, or a Washington politician offering more of the same," Jotkoff added.

BACKGROUND:

McCollum Epitomizes A "Career Politician" and the "Status Quo". Republicans "should give serious thought to how badly they want to hold on to the governor's mansion. If they do, they may want to rethink their decision to pin all their chances on two-time loser Bill McCollum. This is, after all, a time when residents are sick of the status quo, career politicians and toe-the-line partisanship. McCollum epitomizes all three." (Orlando Sentinel, 02/19/10)

Orlando Sentinel: McCollum Has Yet To Propose "A Single Budget-Cutting Or Job-Creating Idea". A column in the Orlando Sentinel opined: "The Republican running, Attorney General Bill McCollum, has been seizing on big, national issues that the Governor's Office has little direct involvement in - primarily, the national health-care debate - and lambasting Democratic positions on them." And, "McCollum hasn't yet proposed a single budget-cutting or job-creating idea, focusing instead on his virulent opposition to the Democrats' health-care expansion." (Editorial, Orlando Sentinel, 01/31/10)

Sun-Sentinel: In Congress McCollum Helped Turn Our "Lemonade Into A Lemon"-As Governor McCollum Would Likely Turn Florida's Economy Into A "Permanent Bust". "In Congress, McCollum helped turn our lemonade economy into a lemon. In 1999, he co-sponsored the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act to repeal the Glass-Steagall Act, which prevented banks from taking on riskier investments that could precipitate the very financial crisis Obama inherited. According to the St. Petersburg Times, 'After he left Congress, McCollum lobbied for the Mortgage Bankers Association of America and for a nonprofit with a down payment assistance program that was later outlawed by Congress after the Internal Revenue Service dubbed it a 'scam.'' As governor, McCollum would likely turn Florida's economy into a permanent bust." (Column, Sun-Sentinel, 01/15/10)

Bill McCollum is "...So lacking In Perspective, So Caught Up In The Washington Beltway Lifestyle That He Has Forgotten The Reality Of America." "At a time of a huge budget deficit, at a time when Congress and the president are laying billions of new taxes on the American people in the name of deficit reduction, Mr. McCollum voted to raise his salary from $89,000 to $125,000," wrote Orlando Sentinel columnist Charley Reese in 1990. "When I asked him why, he said he was just unwilling to sacrifice the lifestyle to which he had become accustomed. Well, I appreciate his candor, and I hope he appreciates mine. I am just unwilling to vote for a man who is so lacking in perspective, so caught up in the Washington Beltway lifestyle that he has forgotten the reality of America." (Orlando Sentinel, 11/04/90)

Bill McCollum Stays in the Shadows During Sunshine Week

From FDP:

Florida's chief officer of enforcing open sunshine laws, Bill McCollum, was noticeably absent at today's annual Sunshine Appreciation Lunch in Tallahassee, sponsored by the First Amendment Foundation. But this is no surprise given Bill McCollum's record.

"Why is Bill McCollum so scared of putting some sunshine in these dark corners? Good things never come out of shady places," Florida Democratic Party spokesman Eric Jotkoff said. "Bill McCollum doesn't walk-the-walk and today he did not even talk-the-talk when it comes to transparency in government. Where was the officer in charge of enforcing Florida's open government laws?"

Last year, the Palm Beach Post suggested that McCollum might be "stonewalling" when his office told reporters they would have to pay $770 for copies of his public schedule, and added that the request "would take at least a week to purge secret information before the file could be viewed."

At the time, First Amendment Foundation attorney Florence Snyder called McCollum's attempts to hide his schedule "transparent nonsense." Snyder said "This is the officer in charge of enforcing Florida's open government laws. That sort of speaks to itself to the seriousness in which Gen. McCollum's staff takes transparency."

Bill McCollum's office also slowed down efforts by the Florida Democratic Party to get the truth about his no-bid contract to his political consultant for his TV ads paid for with state funds. Only after a letter was sent requesting more information, and specifically citing the public records statutes his office is supposed to enforce, were additional documents turned over by Attorney General McCollum.

McCollum also has a long history of trying to hold himself and his fellow politicians less accountable, including voting to make it harder for ethics complaints to be filed against elected officials.

BACKGROUND:

McCollum First Tried to Charge A "Hefty Fee" To View His Schedule. "Viewing McCollum's complete schedule since he took office in January 2007 would cost $770, including a down payment of $500, McCollum's staff initially said this week in response to a public records request for the schedule. The staff also said it would take at least a week to purge secret information before the file could be viewed. Asked why the office that oversees the state's Sunshine Laws imposes such a hefty fee for records that are in the public domain, spokeswoman Ryan Wiggins said: 'For security reasons.'" [Palm Beach Post, 06/26/09]

Palm Beach Post: "Sounds More Like Stonewalling" From "The Guy Who Is In Charge Of Seeing That Public Officials Comply With Florida's Open Records Law." "One big difference between Ms. Sink and Mr. McCollum ... is that when The Post requested copies of her official calendars since she took office in January 2007, Ms. Sink responded within an hour - completely and at no charge. Mr. McCollum's office told The Post that it would take at least a week to provide the information about his schedule from the beginning of 2007, and that it would cost $770. This from the guy who is in charge of seeing that public officials comply with Florida's open records laws. ... Why would it cost so much and take so long to get Mr. McCollum's complete schedule? 'For security reasons,' a spokesman said. That sounds more like stonewalling." [Editorial, Palm Beach Post, 06/30/09]

McCollum Failed to Turn Over All Public Records On His No-Bid Ad Contract to the Florida Democratic Party. After criticism of McCollum's no-bid ad contract to his political consultant the Florida Democratic Party requested all records pertaining to the ad contract. After receiving only a small amount of the records requested, the FDP wrote the Attorney General "Pursuant to Florida's Sunshine Laws (Florida Statute 119.011), I expect that you will promptly correct your incomplete disclosures by providing digital copies of any and all documents, emails, communications and other related records which detail the creation and crafting of this ad campaign." Following this letter, more documents were turned over. [Letter to Attorney General McCollum, 3/23/09]

McCollum Voted To Make It Harder to File Ethics Complaint Against Legislators. In 1997, McCollum voted to adopt "new rules that make it more difficult for outsiders to bring ethics complaints against lawmakers, and easier for lawmakers to dismiss complaints that are brought. Critics of the new rules charged that they increase the likelihood that serious misconduct will not be investigated and violators will go unpunished." [Vote 413, 9/18/97; Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 9/19/97; New York Times, 9/19/97]

State Senator Dan Gelber (D-Miami Beach) Issues Statement on McCollum's Decision to Block Health Care Reform in Florida

“Today, AG McCollum showed he is tone deaf to the reality we have nearly four million uninsured Floridians, 800,000 of which are children. His decision to challenge the constitutionality of the federal health care reform bill that is working its way through the Congress is shortsighted and nothing more than rank demagoguery.

“We live in a state with a full-blown health care crisis. No state (other than Texas) has a higher percentage of uninsured and yet we see more of the same politics as usual from AG McCollum. Though I am outraged by AG McCollum's decision, I am not surprised. AG McCollum has a pattern of blocking health care. He is spending millions to defend the state’s failure to provide medical and dental care to poor and disabled children (a suit that he should have settled years ago).

“General McCollum's decision to use his office to investigate ways to block health insurance reform is wrongheaded and will cost millions and millions of dollars in a legal battle that is unwarranted. We need solutions to our health care crisis, not obstructions!”

One Sunshine Bill Takes Aim Squarely At McCollum

From FDP:

Of the more than 100 bills affecting public records and meetings swirling around the current legislative session, one sponsored by State Senator Paula Dockery would limit government agencies' ability to charge the public for redacting confidential information from the records, something previously attempted by her gubernatorial primary opponent Bill McCollum.

"Will Bill McCollum support this new legislation to prevent the obstruction of open records requests despite his previous position of charging hundreds of dollars for copies of his schedule? Will McCollum choose Sunshine or politics as usual?" Florida Democratic Party spokesman Eric Jotkoff asked.

The legislation in question would also limit the agencies' ability to charge the public for redacting confidential information from the records.

Last year, it was suggested that McCollum was "stonewalling" on releasing his public schedule after his office said they would charge reporters $770, and claimed the request "would take at least a week to purge secret information before the file could be viewed." [Editorial, Palm Beach Post, 06/30/09 and Palm Beach Post, 6/26/09]

Will Bill McCollum take a position on the Sunshine legislation sponsored by Dockery?

BACKGROUND:

McCollum First Tried to Charge A "Hefty Fee" To View His Schedule. "Viewing McCollum's complete schedule since he took office in January 2007 would cost $770, including a down payment of $500, McCollum's staff initially said this week in response to a public records request for the schedule. The staff also said it would take at least a week to purge secret information before the file could be viewed. Asked why the office that oversees the state's Sunshine Laws imposes such a hefty fee for records that are in the public domain, spokeswoman Ryan Wiggins said: 'For security reasons.'" [Palm Beach Post, 06/26/09]

Palm Beach Post: "Sounds More Like Stonewalling" From "The Guy Who Is In Charge Of Seeing That Public Officials Comply With Florida's Open Records Law." "One big difference between Ms. Sink and Mr. McCollum ... is that when The Post requested copies of her official calendars since she took office in January 2007, Ms. Sink responded within an hour - completely and at no charge. Mr. McCollum's office told The Post that it would take at least a week to provide the information about his schedule from the beginning of 2007, and that it would cost $770. This from the guy who is in charge of seeing that public officials comply with Florida's open records laws. ... Why would it cost so much and take so long to get Mr. McCollum's complete schedule? 'For security reasons,' a spokesman said. That sounds more like stonewalling." [Editorial, Palm Beach Post, 06/30/09]

McCollum Charged Taxpayers More In Pay Raises Than Many Florida Families Will Earn In A Year

From FDP:

When it came to racking up charges on America's credit card, Bill McCollum didn't neglect his own pockets. In fact, McCollum voted to use taxpayer money to increase his own pay at least four separate times in Congress - spending more of our money on his pay raises than what the median Florida household has earned.

"Big Spending Congressman Bill McCollum ran up the taxpayers' credit card four different times to raise his own pay - giving himself more of our money just in raises than many Florida families can expect to earn this year." Florida Democratic Party Spokesman Eric Jotkoff said. "Will Bill McCollum give himself a raise with our money if elected Governor?"

The excuse that Congressman McCollum gave when asked about raising his pay to a six-figure salary was that "he was just unwilling to sacrifice the lifestyle to which he had become accustomed." As Floridians continue to face an economic crisis, this type of self-interested spending is exactly what our state can't afford.

McCollum voted for more than $51,000 in taxpayer-funded pay raises for himself. The median household income in Florida is $47,802 per year according to the census. McCollum's nearly $90,000 annual pay increased to $125,000 during the recession of the early 1990s when many Americans were out of work and facing potential financial ruin.

LIKE A TYPICAL WASHINGTON CONGRESSMAN McCOLLUM VOTED TO USE TAXPAYERS' MONEY TO INCREASE HIS OWN PAY AT LEAST 4 SEPARATE TIMES...

McCollum Voted Four Times To Raise His Own Pay - Total Of Over $51,000 In Pay Raises. During his Congressional Career, McCollum voted to raise his own pay four separate times. These pay raises totaled $51,800 of increased salary for Congressional members. (Vote 358, HR 3660, 11/16/89; Vote 435, HR 2378, 9/24/97; Vote 300, HRes 246, 7/15/99; Vote 419, HRes 560, 7/20/00; CRS Report, Order # RL 30014)

McCollum Voted Himself A Pay Raise in Tough Economic Times Because He Was Unwilling to Sacrifice Lifestyle. "At a time of a huge budget deficit, at a time when Congress and the president are laying billions of new taxes on the American people in the name of deficit reduction, Mr. McCollum voted to raise his salary from $89,000 to $125,000," wrote Orlando Sentinel columnist Charley Reese in 1990. "When I asked him why, he said he was just unwilling to sacrifice the lifestyle to which he had become accustomed. Well, I appreciate his candor, and I hope he appreciates mine. I am just unwilling to vote for a man who is so lacking in perspective, so caught up in the Washington Beltway lifestyle that he has forgotten the reality of America." (Orlando Sentinel, 11/04/90)

Big Spender Bill Runs Up The Taxpayer's Tab

From FDP:

Recent news of Republican Party credit card scandals and lavish expenditures by GOP candidates only serves as a reminder of the outrageous sums Congressman Bill McCollum charged to the American taxpayers while in Washington.

"Big Spending Congressman Bill McCollum ran up the taxpayers' tab in Washington, supporting debt increases that cost over $1 trillion dollars in interest payments alone," said Eric Jotkoff, Florida Democratic Party spokesman. "Bill McCollum ran up the charges on America's credit card. How can we trust him with our tax dollars, seeing how much debt he heaped on our country in Congress?"

Keeping practice with his big spending Washington ways, McCollum has been notably absent of any innovative budget-cutting ideas for the Sunshine State.

THE DEBT LIMIT INCREASES CONGRESSMAN McCOLLUM VOTED FOR HAVE COST AT LEAST OVER $1 TRILLION DOLLARS

McCollum Voted In Favor of Debt Increases That Cost Over $1 Trillion in Interest Payments. Four of McCollum's votes in favor of increasing the federal debt limit permitted the total debt to increase by more than $2 trillion. Through 2010, the interest paid on that debt has totaled more than $1 trillion. (White House Office of Management and Budget; 1986 HJ Res 324, vote 330; 1990 HJ Res 280, vote 336; 1996 HR 3136, vote 102; 1997 HR 2015, vote 345)

BILL McCOLLUM--WHERE ARE THE IDEAS?

Orlando Sentinel: McCollum Has Yet To Propose "A Single Budget-Cutting Or Job-Creating Idea". A column in the Orlando Sentinel opined: "The Republican running, Attorney General Bill McCollum, has been seizing on big, national issues that the Governor's Office has little direct involvement in...McCollum hasn't yet proposed a single budget-cutting or job-creating idea, focusing instead on his virulent opposition to the Democrats' health-care expansion." (Orlando Sentinel, 01/31/10)

Thurman: McCollum's Response Can't Cover Up Failure to More Aggressively Fight Medicaid Fraud

Following Florida gubernatorial candidate Alex Sink's call to for more aggressive action to crack down on rampant Medicaid fraud, and criticism by fellow Republicans, Attorney General Bill McCollum's election year ploys fall short. Any knee-jerk response from Bill McCollum does not cover up a record of dropping the ball on policing Medicaid fraud which costs Florida up to $3.2 billion a year.

"Florida is losing billions of dollars to runaway Medicaid fraud, as our state is facing a Medicaid budget crisis - it is clearly time for strong leadership to crack down on this rampant fraud and ensure better use of our taxpayer dollars," said Florida Democratic Party Chair Karen Thurman. "Unfortunately, Bill McCollum's failure to more aggressively crack down on Medicaid fraud has helped allow these con-artists to steal billions of dollars from our state, and his election year attempts to cover up his failures on Medicaid fraud are too little, too late."

Although Bill McCollum employs more staff to investigate Medicaid fraud than any other state in the country besides New York, Florida's Medicaid Control Fraud Unit currently ranks 39th in the nation for Medicaid fraud convictions per staff position and 25th in the nation for efficiency in fighting Medicaid fraud. Meanwhile, OPPAGA estimates Medicaid fraud accounts for anywhere between $785 million to $3.2 billion of the annual Medicaid budget.

McCollum's failure on Medicaid fraud is so glaring that his fellow Republicans criticized him in the Miami Herald last week. Senator Durell Peaden, who chairs the Senate health budget committee, "faulted the U.S. Attorney's Office and McCollum's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit for not focusing enough on Medicaid fraud." Senator Peaden even said, "[Bill McCollum] needs to get his butt in gear." (Miami Herald, 3/4/10)

Republican Senator Don Gaetz, who sponsored legislation last year that gave fraud investigators more tools, "agreed more enforcement could help," specifically saying "It's time we send in the sheriff." And legislation sponsored by Senator Joe Negron (SB 8) and supported by Senate President Jeff Atwater acknowledges that "Medicaid fraud in Florida is epidemic, far reaching, and costs the state and the Federal Government millions of dollars annually."

In these tough economic times, the number of Floridians on Medicaid has risen resulting in Medicaid costs that will hit $19 billion in 2010 - about 28 percent of Florida's budget. Yet, an analysis by the state's own Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) estimates that as much as $3.2 billion is lost each year on Medicaid fraud.

Bill McCollum's Failure To Effectively Crack Down On Medicaid Fraud:

McCOLLUM'S MEDICAID FRAUD CONTROL UNIT IS THE SECOND LARGEST IN THE COUNTRY BUT FLORIDA WAS 39TH IN THE COUNTRY FOR NUMBER OF CONVICTIONS & 25TH IN THE COUNTRY FOR MONEY RECOVERED

According to a January 2010 report issued by the Health and Human Services Department, Bill McCollum's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) lagged behind dozens of other states in the number of convictions and dollars recovered in Federal Fiscal Year 2008:

McCollum's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit Employed More Staff than Every Other State Except New York. Attorney General Bill McCollum's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit employed more staff than any other state with the exception of New York. Florida's MFCU included 201 staff positions, compared to 191 in California, and 187 in Texas.

Number of Convictions by McCollum's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit Was 39th In Country. The number of convictions per staff positions by McCollum's MFCU was 39th in the country. For instance, while Florida had 82 convictions for their 201 staff positions, Ohio had 94 convictions with only 45 staff positions.

Under McCollum, Florida Was 25th In the Country for Fraud Dollars Recovered for Every Dollar Received. In FFY 2008, Florida received $18 million in federal grants to fight Medicaid fraud, and McCollum's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit recovered $121.7 million -- for a total of $6.76 recovered for every federal dollar received. By comparison, Texas received $15.25 million in Medicaid fraud grants and recovered $164.3 million for a total of nearly $11 recovered for every federal dollar received.

(Source: Department of Health and Human Services, SMFCU Statistical Information, FFY 2008)

McCollum Has Not Effectively Tackled Medicaid Fraud- What Would You Do With Up To $3.2 Billion In Fraud?

From FDP:

Florida taxpayers are being swindled out of as much as $3.2 billion each year by people committing Medicaid fraud, yet Republican Attorney General Bill McCollum is failing to do much about, as the Miami Herald reported today. Even though McCollum's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit is the second largest in the country, Florida ranks 39th in the country for number of convictions per staffer and 25th in the country for money recovered per federal dollar received.

"Florida taxpayers are being ripped off by as much as $3.2 billion a year in Medicaid fraud and Bill McCollum is failing to effectively tackle the problem. We need leadership on this issue-If Florida taxpayers could recover the potential billions lost, how could we use it?" Florida Democratic Party spokesman Eric Jotkoff asked. "Bill McCollum deserves to know the answer to that question. So, we're surveying Floridians by e-mail and will share with Bill McCollum what we find out."

In the Herald story, McCollum even admitted that "there is room for improvement" and his fellow Republicans called him to task for his lack of action. As Republican Senator Durell Peaden put it "[Bill McCollum] needs to get his butt in gear. All he's doing is chasing pedophiles around. If he'd spend half the time on Medicaid fraud, we'd be in better shape."

What Could Floridians Get With $3.2 Billion?

A) Erase Florida's Budget Shortfall And Put The State On Sound Financial Footing
B) 640 Miles Of Highway Construction And The 128,000 Jobs It Would Create
D) 21 Solar Plants To Provide Clean Energy For 63,000 Florida Homes
E) 168 Miles Of Light Rail Construction And The 100,480 Jobs It Would Create
F) A Brand New Mac Laptop Computer For Every Child In Florida Public Schools Grades K-12


BACKGROUND:

Erase Florida's Budget Shortfall And Put The State On Sound Financial Footing
Florida's 2010 budget shortfall is currently estimated at approximately $3 billion. (Tampa Tribune, 3/1/10)

640 Miles Of Highway Construction And The 128,000 Jobs It Would Create
The American Road and Transportation Builders Association estimates a cost of between $4-$6 million dollars per mile of highway construction. Taking the $5 million per mile, the state could add 640 miles of new highway construction. (FAQ, American Road & Transportation Builders Association)

According to a 2001 report, for every $1 billion spent on infrastructure spending, an estimated 40,000 jobs are created. $3.2 billion in infrastructure/highway spending could result in approximately 128,000 new jobs. (Release, House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, 10/6/01)

21 Solar Plants To Provide Clean Energy For 63,000 Florida Homes
In October, 2009 Florida Power & Light opened North America's largest pholtovoltaic solar power plant in Arcadia, Florida-- $3.2 billion would build 21 more of these solar plants, providing clean energy to more than 63,000 homes and create more than 8,400 desperately needed construction jobs. (Sarasota Herald Tribune, 10/14/09)

168 Miles Of Light Rail Construction And The 100,480 Jobs It Would Create
According to estimates, the city of Baltimore averaged $19 million per mile for construction of their Light Rail Project. At that cost projection, $3.2 billion would fund 168 miles of light rail projects in Florida. (Light Rail Now, 8/2000)

314 jobs are created for each $10 million invested in transit capital funding. A $3.2 billion investment in Light Rail would provide approximately 100,480 jobs directly related to rail in Florida. In addition, transit operations spending provides for a direct infusion to the local economy with more than 570 jobs created for each $10 million invested in the short term. (Benefits of Light Rail Transit, Hampton Roads Transit, 2009)

A Brand New Mac Laptop Computer For Every Child In Florida Public Schools Grades K-12
In 2010 there are approximately 2,587,554 students in the public school system in Florida. $3.2 billion would provide every single public school student in the state of Florida, from K-12, a 13 inch 2.26 GHZ Macbook Pro. (Statistics, Florida.Educationbug.org, 2010)

Bill McCollum's Long Record of Keeping His Political Cronies from Getting Caught

From FDP:

Today's news of Miami Lobbyist Marco Rubio's lavish personal spending spree on his Republican Party AmEx is just one more reason Floridians deserve an independent investigation of this abuse. Yet Washington Politician Bill McCollum is doing what he always does when corruption should be investigated - nothing. Bill McCollum's failure to call for an independent investigation is only the latest time Bill McCollum has treated his political cronies as above-the-law and above concern for any ethical standards.

"When politicians do questionable business in shady corners, they need to look no further than Bill McCollum to protect them from the sunlight and the consequences of their actions," said Eric Jotkoff, Spokesman for the Florida Democratic Party. "A career politician protecting other career politicians, Bill McCollum helped his political cronies sweep their ethical messes under the rug in Washington and now he's at it again in Tallahassee. A life-long politician like Bill McCollum doing his best to cover up the misconduct of his fellow politicians is the last thing Florida needs as governor."

McCOLLUM's RECORD OF PROTECTING FELLOW POLITICIANS , HELP THEM SWEEP ETHICS COMPLAINTS UNDER THE RUG:

McCollum Won't Call For Independent Investigation into RPOF Spending and Doesn't Want to Open Party Books. Bill McCollum has refused to call for the appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate the secret contracts and accusations of misused money at the RPOF. McCollum has also objected to the RPOF turning over credit card statements and opening the party books for public scrutiny. (Miami Herald, 02/05/10 and St. Petersburg Times, 02/18/10)

McCollum Has Refused To Open RICO Investigation into Disgraced Former Speaker Ray Samson. As far back as December 2008, McCollum has been publicly called on to open a RICO investigation covering the actions of the former House Speaker Ray Sansom. For over a year, McCollum has refused to do his job and investigate alleged corruption. (FDP Email, 12/29/08 and St Petersburg Times, 01/21/09)

McCollum Voted Repeatedly To Protect Gingrich From Ethics Investigations; Gingrich Later Admitted To Violations. In 1995, McCollum voted twice to protect then House-Speaker Gingrich from a special investigation by outside council. Then McCollum twice opposed allowing the ethics committee to release the report. That same year Gingrich admitted that he lied to the Ethics Committee and was found to have violated House ethics rules by using tax-exempt organizations to promote the Republican Party. (CQ; Vote 833, 11/30/95; CQ; Vote 287, 6/27/96)

McCollum Voted to Make It Harder to File Ethics Complaint Against Legislators. In 1997, McCollum voted to adopt "new rules that make it more difficult for outsiders to bring ethics complaints against lawmakers, and easier for lawmakers to dismiss complaints that are brought. Critics of the new rules charged that they increase the likelihood that serious misconduct will not be investigated and violators will go unpunished." (Vote 413, 9/18/97; Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 9/19/97; New York Times, 9/19/97)

Putnam’s hypocrisy continues

Last week, a national news online political magazine called out U.S. Representative Adam Putnam for his hypocrisy on asking for special stimulus dollars after railing against the stimulus bill. (Even Wikipedia joined in the action.)

We thought we had seen it all.

But earlier week, President Obama signed into law one of the best consumer protection bills in recent memory. This new law will protect credit card consumers by eliminating retroactive rate increases, ensuring the consumers are fully made aware of charges, and outlawing some of the gimmicks that unscrupulous banks use to trick unwary customers into bad deals.

So it makes sense that Adam Putnam would support its passage… doesn’t it?

For sure, we can expect Putnam to tell us how he supported this bill and voted “Yes” on final passage.

Of course that would be the position of someone who is running for the Florida Cabinet and the title of that post contains the words “Consumer Services”…

But what will Putnam say about his votes to kill the bill in committee, to kill it with procedural votes, or amend it into uselessness?

When the spotlights were dim and Putnam thought nobody was looking, he attempted to kill this good pro-consumer measure.

But when the lights came on and the public was watching, Putnam did what he knew he HAD to do.

Is that hypocrisy?

You decide!

…and the way you can decide is by taking a moment and joining our efforts to end the political career of this veteran of Washington double-speak.

Join us today and help us put an end to the hypocrisy.

Sincerely,

Scott Maddox

Link

Thurman: McCollum's Role in GOP Scandal Necessitates Independent Investigation

Today, Florida Democratic Party Chair Karen Thurman demanded that Governor Charlie Crist use his authority to start an independent investigation into the Republican Party of Florida's alleged corruption by appointing a Special Prosecutor, as new information that has come to light raises questions about Attorney General Bill McCollum's potential prior knowledge of corruption at the state GOP and his conflicts of interest in this case.

"Exactly what did Bill McCollum know about Jim Greer's secret sweet-heart deal to leave his job and precisely when did McCollum know it?" asked Thurman. "Since McCollum's conflicts of interest serve to question McCollum's motivation not to investigate or get all the facts out on the table, only an independent investigation by a Special Prosecutor can legitimately determine if crimes were committed by Republican politicians and party officials. McCollum's central role in the timeline of the case, and his refusal to take action, taint the integrity of this potential investigation. At this time, only an independent review will carry any merit. This is the only way to ensure Floridians have justice and officials are held accountable for their actions."

Addressing Governor Crist directly, Thurman added, "Governor Crist, the ball is in your court. Please don't repeat the mistake you made when you refused to order an investigation into disgraced Speaker Ray Sansom. On behalf of all Floridians, I ask you today to do your duty and appoint a Special Prosecutor."

New accounts in the press over the last two days illustrate a 'back-and-forth' on whether there was a secret severance package deal finalized for the outgoing chair of the Republican Party of Florida. News accounts suggest Bill McCollum had some, yet to be detailed, knowledge of the alleged corruption at the Republican Party. Since McCollum chose to not make public the financial and other questionable practices of the state party, his ability to fulfill his responsibility as Attorney General and hold an investigation has become highly questionable.

While Attorney General Bill McCollum refused to call for a larger investigation, the controversy grew and members have had time to possibly try and cover up possible wrongdoing. The truth will not be known without an investigation independent of McCollum.

PARTY OFFICIALS ADMITTED THERE WERE NEGOTIATIONS FOR A SECRET DEAL FOR OUTGOING CHAIR'S 'SEVERANCE BUT DENY IT WAS EXECUTED-OTHER OFFICIALS SAY DEAL WAS SANCTIONED AND EXISTS

"Back And Forth Over Whether" Outgoing RPOF Chair Got "A Secret Deal" Continued Yesterday. The St. Petersburg Times reported that "the back-and-forth continues over whether the outgoing chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, Jim Greer, cut a secret deal to get severance and legal protections." [St. Petersburg Times. 02/18/10]

RPOF Officials Acknowledged There Were Negotiations To Pay Greer A Secret Deal As Severance-But Insist The Deal Was Never Excecuted. Yesterday , RPOF officials acknowledged "that there were negotiations to continue paying Greer his yearly $130,000 salary and other benefits as severance. But they said the agreement was never formally 'executed.' Greer's ouster was precipitated by lavish spending, subpar fundraising and a grassroots rebellion." The Sentinel reported, "the existence of a secret severance deal agreed to by Thrasher could damage his candidacy". [Orlando Sentinel, 02/17/10]

Outgoing RPOF Vice-Chairman Insist The Deal Was "Sanctioned" And "An Agreement Was Formed, And Exists". According to outgoing Vice-Chairman Allen Cox, "Greer critics ... sanctioned a severance package that would pay Greer his $130,000 salary, health coverage and other perks in exchange for leaving with 11 months to go in his term". In a letter, Cox stated, "I believe that an agreement was formed, and exists, and the truth will be revealed when Greer seeks its enforcement." [Orlando Sentinel, 02/17/10 and St. Petersburg Times. 02/18/10]

McCOLLUM ADMITTED TO BEING "AWARE OF NEGOTIATIONS" BUT DENIED KNOWING "ANY SPECIFIC DETAILS" OF SECRET DEAL FOR OUTGOING CHAIR-YET McCOLLUM WAS CENTRAL TO GREER'S OUSTER, HAD A COPY OF THE CONTRACT AND HAS BEEN KEEPING THE CONTROVERSY "QUIET"

McCollum's Office Admitted To Being "Aware" of Severance Negotiations But Denied Knowing "Any Specific Details". According to the Sun-Sentinel, on February 8, 2010, a campaign spokeswoman for McCollum said, " 'We were aware of [severance] negotiations taking place as Chairman Greer announced his resignation. We were unaware of any specific details.' " The severance package in question was reported to be $130,000, roughly Greer's annual salary, along with health insurance coverage. [Sun-Sentinel, 2/8/10]

McCollum Was Central To Ouster Of Greer And Johnson, Has Tried To Keep The Matter In The Dark. On January 9, "McCollum was given a copy of the two-page contract at the GOP's annual meeting in Orlando...He immediately told Cannon and Haridopolos about it..." and, "They stormed over to GOP headquarters, and Greer and Johnson vacated the office soon after." The Orlando Sentinel reported on February 12, that McCollum, "was a driving force in ousting former chairman Jim Greer and Executive Director Delmar Johnson." "Attorney General Bill McCollum...has been deeply involved in the controversy, while trying to keep it quiet." [Orlando Sentinel, 2/9/10; St. Petersburg Times, 2/9/10; Orlando Sentinel, 2/12/10]

McCollum: Calls for Sunshine, Keeps his Cronies' Misdeeds In the Shadows

From FDP:

Florida Democratic Party Releases Web Video Highlighting McCollum's Hypocrisy

Despite repeated outcries from Democratic and Republican leaders, a flood of calls from taxpayers to the Attorney General's corruption hotline, and newspaper editorials demanding action, career politician Bill McCollum still refuses to investigate potential corruption with state GOP finances and party-provided credit cards for legislators, in direct contrast to McCollum's previous calls for transparency in government.

Today, the Florida Democratic Party released a web video highlighting McCollum's hypocrisy, which can be viewed here:

http://www.fladems.com/page/content/McCollumShadows/

"Why is Bill McCollum so scared of putting some sunshine in these dark corners? Good things never come out of shady places," Florida Democratic Party spokesman Eric Jotkoff said. "Bill McCollum likes to talk the talk, but he doesn't walk-the-walk when it comes time to confront his political cronies in Tallahassee. Does Bill McCollum stand by his previous calls for honesty and transparency in politics or will those words amount to nothing more than empty political promises?"

BILL McCOLLUM: TALKS THE TALK WHEN IT COMES TO BRINGING SUNSHINE TO DARK CORNERS

McCollum Called For Transparency-In-Government New Year's Resolution In December 2008. In a press release from the Office of the Florida Attorney General, on December 30, 2008, "Attorney General Bill McCollum today called on local governments, sheriffs and school districts to make government transparency their New Year's Resolution and to commit to providing enhanced access to information before Sunshine Sunday in March." [Office of the Attorney General of Florida, 12/30/08]

McCollum's Office Reiterated Call For 'Transparency Resolution' In March 2009 Press Release. A press release from McCollum's office on March 17, 2009 stated, "In December, the Attorney General called on local governments, sheriffs and school districts to make government transparency their New Year's Resolution and to commit to providing enhanced access to information." [Office of the Attorney General of Florida, 3/17/09]

McCollum: Open Government is 'Right Of The Tax-Paying Public.' In a press release from the Office of the Florida Attorney General, on December 30, 2008, Attorney General Bill McCollum stated, " 'As Florida is a national leader in providing public access to government records, merely responding to requests is no longer sufficient in light of the technological advances which make it infinitely easier, cheaper and more efficient to do so. Open government is not only good government; it is the right of the tax-paying public.' " [Office of the Attorney General of Florida, 12/30/08]

Transparency A 'Priority' For McCollum's Administration. In a press release from the Office of the Florida Attorney General, on August 31, 2009, Attorney General Bill McCollum stated, " 'Florida has a proud tradition of leading the nation in open government and transparency, which are the keys to building and maintaining public trust in the institutions of government. I am honored to help promote and protect that access, a responsibility which will continue to be a priority of my administration.' " [Office of the Attorney General of Florida, 8/31/09]

McCollum Called Government Accountability 'Vital.' In a press release from the Office of the Florida Attorney General, on March 17, 2009, Attorney General Bill McCollum stated, " 'It is vitally important that Florida's citizens have access to their government and can hold government accountable. Our Sunshine laws were created to provide that transparency and accountability, and our public entities should strive for nothing less than full compliance.' " [Office of the Attorney General of Florida, 3/17/09]

BILL McCOLLUM: INSTEAD HE HELPS HIS POLITICAL CRONIES KEEP MISDEEDS FROM COMING TO LIGHT

McCollum Refused To Ask For Inquiry Into GOP Financial Scandals. McCollum said he won't ask for inquiry until an audit of the RPOF is complete and he gets direction from the new party chairman to move although Gov. Charlie Crist last week said that party officials should open the books now. [Palm Beach Post, 2/15/10]

McCollum Continues To Stall A Criminal Probe Into His Own Party-McCollum's Hometown Newspaper Asked "Why Wait? "A former general counsel for the state GOP told the Sentinel that the spending might violate a state law against a party chairman or treasurer making a 'false or improper accounting' for political money. And some leading Democrats have pointed out that some Republican legislators could have charged luxury items to party-issued credit cards to evade a state law that bans gifts to elected officials. Attorney General Bill McCollum, the GOP's leading candidate for governor, has said he would rather wait for Mr. Greer's successor to lead an audit of the party's finances. Mr. McCollum said he would notify authorities if the audit suggests 'potential criminal activity.' Why wait, and why let an in-house audit dictate the next step? Top Republicans should welcome an independent investigation. A thorough, credible probe either will exonerate the party, or point out what it needs to fix, and whom should be held accountable." [Editorial, Orlando Sentinel, 02/17/10]

St. Petersburg Times Calls Out McCollum's Refusal To Hold RPOF Accountable "Now Attorney General Bill McCollum, despite knowing about the secret contract and the transferred funds for more than a month, is resisting calls for an external inquiry. He's content to let the next state party chairman, due to be elected this weekend, conduct an internal audit before calling the authorities in. Surely many of the entities that the attorney general investigates wish they were given such leeway to clean up their books. McCollum's office is likely not the appropriate state agency to investigate - a state attorney, statewide grand jury or the Florida Department of Law Enforcement would seem more likely - but his answer suggests he's more interested in saving the party embarrassment than getting at the truth. Once again it's clear Tallahassee can't be counted on to police itself. State and federal investigators should conduct an independent examination." [Editorial, St. Petersburg Times, 02/17/10]

McCollum Said Only 'Party Regulars' Should See Audit Of RPOF Finances, Not Good To Have Party Business Open To The Public. According to the Orlando Sentinel, on February 10, 2009, Bill McCollum said he doesn't think party business should be a public matter and that releasing AmEx statements for past cardholders was a decision that should be left to the next chairman. "That might be a question for the Legislature to decide since the Legislature makes the rules for parties," McCollum said. "Right now, the party matters are totally internal ... I don't think it's good for any political party to be having everything that's done inside the party open to the public and the press." said he did think "party regulars" were entitled to the information. [Orlando Sentinel, 2/10/10]

McCollum Initially Dismissed Calls For Broader Investigation Into Sansom's Actions-Now 15 Months Later Details Revealed Scrutiny Justified. Initially, Attorney General Bill McCollum, "dismissed a call for a broader investigation into Sansom's dealings with a state college." Now, "15 months have passed since the scandal involving Sansom and Northwest Florida State College erupted in late November 2008, after Sansom took a $110,000-a-year, unadvertised part-time job at the college on the same day he became speaker of the House." It is now know that "During the 2007 legislative session, Sansom, as House budget chair, inserted $6 million into the state budget to fund an emergency operations training center the college would operate at Destin Airport. Documents and interviews by state investigators indicate the center was also to be used as an aircraft hangar by Destin Jet owner Jay Odom, a close associate of Sansom and a major contributor to the state Republican Party." [St Petersburg Times, 1/21/09 and Florida Freedom Newspapers, 02/08/10]

Candidate McCollum Calls for Transparency, Career Politician McCollum Refuses To Let Sunshine In

From FDP:

Republican gubernatorial Candidate Bill McCollum likes to talk about his support for openness and transparency, but Career Politician Bill McCollum covers his cronies in times of scandal, as proven this week.

"Bill McCollum continues to duck and dodge taking action in his role as Attorney General in favor of his political allies, again. Whether its partisan misdeeds or questionable credit cards to lawmakers, Bill McCollum's last priority is the taxpayer and his first priority is his political cronies. Why is Bill McCollum protecting the status quo and the political elite instead of working to bring some transparency to the way business is run in Tallahassee? Why is Bill McCollum afraid of a little sunshine in these dark corners?" Eric Jotkoff, Florida Democratic Party spokesman asked.

When two candidates to replace McCollum as Florida Attorney General called on him this week to open an investigation into whether or not spending scandals at the Republican Party of Florida that included doling out credit cards to legislators constituted a breach of a 2005 ban on gifts to lawmakers, McCollum refused. In fact, the former Congressman refused to join a litany of other Republican statewide candidates in calling for the GOP to open its books to public scrutiny.

McCollum's politics-as-usual was editorialized against in the Sun-News, Friday, this way:

McCollum drew the line at transparency in government at the party door. He has publicly stated that the finances that are in debate, the party's finances, are not for the review of the common man. It's none of our business because it's party business, so to speak. As if the common man is only to pull the lever for a party no longer representing the people who vote for them. The common man is to ignore the doings behind that curtain, and the great and powerful Oz will tell you what to believe. The party has become more important than the voter. What is McCollum afraid of? Is he afraid that the public will be upset with the extravagant spending in a time when 10 percent of Floridians are looking for a job?

Read the full editorial, here http://www.newssun.com/opinion/edt-0212-mccollum

Will Bill McCollum please let a little sunshine in? What's he afraid of?

When Will Candidate McCollum Explain The Actions of Congressman McCollum?

From FDP:

At Wednesday's Associated Press Forum in Tallahassee, Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill McCollum failed to explain, yet again, his insistent effort for financial deregulation that eventually led to the current economic crisis. And the $4.7 trillion question remains on the table, when will McCollum explain his repeated efforts to raise the national debt ceiling?

In Congress McCollum Helped Turn Our "Lemonade Into A Lemon"-As Governor McCollum Would Likely Turn Florida's Economy Into A "Permanent Bust". "In Congress, McCollum helped turn our lemonade economy into a lemon. In 1999, he co-sponsored the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act to repeal the Glass-Steagall Act, which prevented banks from taking on riskier investments that could precipitate the very financial crisis Obama inherited. ... As governor, McCollum would likely turn Florida's economy into a permanent bust." (Column, Sun-Sentinel, 01/15/10)

Congressman McCollum Held Hearings On Subprime Lending - Then Did Nothing-Years Later As Attorney General And During The Crisis: "It's Not The End Of The World." According to the St. Petersburg Times, McCollum, as vice chairman of the banking committee in May 2000, held daylong hearings into mortgage issues, including rising defaults rates and subprime lending practices. The St, Petersburg Times reported, "But hours of testimony resulted in little action. 'It was very hard to convince anyone it was epidemic,' said Cathy Lesser Mansfield, a Drake University law professor who testified before the committee." In 2007, the News-Press reported that McCollum said he thought that the subprime collapse had been exaggerated by the media and investors. "It's not the end of the world," he said. (St. Petersburg Times, 5/24/09 and The News-Press, 11/15/07)

Congressman McCollum Voted At Least 11 Times To Raise The National Debt Limit. The Miami Herald political blog reported that Congressman McCollum "voted to increase the national debt limits" several times. According to records, McCollum voted at least eleven times to raise the national debt limit between 1984-2000. (Miami Herald Blog, 01/20/10; Vote 48, 3/7/96; Vote 30, 2/1/96; Vote 270, 6/29/84, Vote 330, 9/22/87; Vote 336, 11/7/89; Vote 369, 11/13/85; Vote 353, 11/1/85; Vote 743, 10/26/95; San Francisco Chronicle, 10/28/95; Vote 812, 11/17/95; Vote 820, 11/20/95; Vote 102, 3/28/96 and USA Today, 3/29/96)

During Congressman McCollum's Time In Washington, The Debt Increased By 4.7 Trillion. During McCollum's time in Washington, America's debt increased by $4.7 trillion from $907 billion in 1980 to $5.66 trillion in January 2001 (when McCollum left office). (US Treasury)

Got Debt?

From FDP:

Congressman McCollum Sold Out Florida Consumers, Attorney General McCollum Dropped The Ball, And Now Candidate McCollum Says He Wants To Start Helping

Tallahassee, FL - The countless Floridians facing mortgage, credit card or other forms of debt during the current economic crisis should be concerned--very concerned-- by Republican candidate for governor, Bill McCollum.

Candidate Bill McCollum says he wants to protect Floridians who are facing mounting debt and growing bills after Attorney General McCollum dropped the ball. But Congressman McCollum pushed anti-consumer legislation for the banking and credit card interests that funded his campaigns and committees.

"After three years of dropping the ball, Candidate Bill McCollum is now calling for more power to go after abusive debt collectors," Florida Democratic Party Spokesman Eric Jotkoff said. "However, in Washington, Congressman McCollum pushed anti-consumer legislation for the special interests that funded him. Congressman McCollum went on to be well rewarded with campaign cash-a payoff for representing the special interests, not Floridians. He lined his campaign coffers at the expense of Florida consumers."

CANDIDATE McCollum Called For Greater Powers To Go After Abusive Debt Collectors AFTER ATTORNEY GENERAL MCCOLLUM Dropped The Ball

McCollum's Office Called For Broadened Powers To Go After Debt Collectors-But His Office Had "Not Opened A Single Investigation Despite A Flood Of Complaints." "Consumer advocates and lawyers say harassment - including threats - has surged as the economy tanked and people lost the ability to pay their bills." The Orlando Sentinel reported that McCollum "wants to broaden his power to go after debt-collectors - and his office is suggesting Sink's proposal" to grant the Department of Financial Services the power to regulate and punish debt collectors "would weaken the attorney general's ability to protect consumers." But "McCollum's office had not opened a single investigation despite a flood of complaints. Initially, McCollum's office said it had received more than 4,400 complaints last year but later lowered that number to roughly 2,400." The Office of Financial Regulation also received complaints but had not "fined or suspended anyone." (Orlando Sentinel, 01/25/10)

Jacksonville Lawyer Specializing In Consumer Law And Predatory Lending Found That McCollum Rarely Pursued Collector Cases. The Sun-Sentinel reported: "The Attorney General's Office can launch investigations against rogue collectors, but it focuses on companies that generate lots of complaints from consumers across the state. Laura Boeckman is a Jacksonville lawyer specializing in consumer law and predatory lending. She said she has found that the attorney general rarely pursues collector cases - something she attributes to a lack of resources. 'It would be great to see the AG go after more of these on their own,' said Boeckman, 'but given the current budget cuts the office has had, I don't see that happening soon.'" (Sun-Sentinel, 11/09/09)

Attorney General McCollum's Office Only "Generally Referred" Consumer Complaints To OFR, But Never Sent Official Notice. McCollum "said his office would begin taking complaints it receives from its consumer line and forwarding those items to OFR. Until now, staffers manning the hotline - or responding to consumer e-mails - generally referred the person to OFR but did not send that office any documentation." (Orlando Sentinel, 11/04/09)

Orlando Sentinel: "Onus On The Attorney General To Protect Consumers From Illegal Business Practices". The Orlando Sentinel reported: "Florida law puts an onus on the attorney general to protect consumers from illegal business practices. Mr. McCollum's predecessors, Republican Charlie Crist and Democrat Bob Butterworth, took on that responsibility with enthusiasm. (Orlando Sentinel, 07/06/08)

Candidate McCollum Is Running From Congressman McCollum's Record Of Pushing Anti-Consumer Legislation For Bank And Credit Card Contributors

Candidate McCollum Has "More Recently - Morphed Into Something Of A Consumer Advocate" As Voters Might Be Seeking A "Pocketbook Protector" For Their Governor- McCollum's "Record In Congress" Is Known For Different Agenda. The Sun-Sentinel reported: "Bill McCollum's current stint as Florida's attorney general is the latest stop in a three-decade political career that began with his 1980 election to Congress from Central Florida. Once known as a fiery social conservative, McCollum in Tallahassee has been mostly low-key. He has pulled together groups to fight gang violence, sought to crack down on child pornography and - more recently - morphed into something of a consumer advocate. ... In a state with the nation's fourth-highest foreclosure rate, double-digit unemployment and the first year-over-year population loss since 1946, economic woes could crowd out everything else" during the election. ... McCollum's record in Congress as a staunch social conservative ... might matter less to voters than having a 'pocketbook protector' for governor." (Sun-Sentinel, 08/23/09)

Congressman McCollum "Was Blistered By Consumer Groups" For Pushing Bankruptcy Law Changes From Banks And Credit Card Companies As He Took Contributions From Them. Earlier, while in Congress, Mr. McCollum was blistered by consumer groups for pushing bankruptcy-law changes for banks and credit-card companies as he took campaign contributions from them." (Orlando Sentinel, 07/06/08)

Congressman McCollum Pushed Legislation On Behalf Of Banking And Credit-Card Industries Who Wanted To Make It Harder For Borrowers To Discharge Their Debt In Bankruptcy. To "Campaign fundraising documents exposed by the Wall Street Journal show that McCollum heavily targeted banks and credit-card companies on whose behalf he has been promoting legislation to make it harder for borrowers to discharge their debts in bankruptcy." (St. Petersburg Times, 10/18/00)

Congressman McCollum Was Well Rewarded For His 'Anti-Consumer Credit Card Legislation. The Orlando Sentinel stated, "In 1998, Public Campaign (an open government group) gave McCollum its 'Golden Leash' award for accepting $373,857 in campaign cash from the banking and financial service industries while using his position on the Banking and Financial Services Committee and the Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit Subcommittee to promote anti-consumer credit card legislation." (Orlando Sentinel, 05/14/09)

DEBT INDUSTRY IS GROWING AND FLORIDANS ARE FACING A SURGE OF DEBT CHALLENGES

Debt Collectors Are In High Demand, Particularly in Florida Which Has "The Second-Highest Rate Of Credit Card Delinquencies In The Country." The St. Petersburg Times reported that debt collectors' "services are in sharp demand. Double-digit unemployment translates to surging delinquencies, particularly acute in places like Florida, which has the second-highest rate of credit card delinquencies in the country. Retailers, hospitals and credit card companies are all willing to turn to experts ... in trying to get bad debt off their books as painlessly as possible." (St. Petersburg Times, 11/29/09)

With Millions Of Americans In Debt, 'Secondary Debt' Industry Is Estimated To Be A $60 Billion Industry. Millions of Americans "find themselves saddled with debt they can't repay or can repay only with such difficulty it discourages them from even trying. Trying to collect these debts has become a big and fast-growing business with debts being packaged and sold, of-ten for pennies on the dollar, in financial instruments with a disturbing resemblance to the way subprime mortgages were packaged and sold off. The whole point of buying deeply discounted debt is that the buyers keep every dollar they collect. So-called secondary debt is now a $60 billion industry." (Naples Daily News, 12/02/09)

Governor Crist Continues Putting Political Ambition Above Florida, As Crist Administration Announces Unemployment Rate Up To 11.8 Percent

With Governor Charlie Crist's Administration announcing today that Florida's unemployment rate is now at 11.8 percent, Florida Democrats reacted to Crist's failed economic policies.

"Since Charlie Crist became Governor, 1,522,300 Floridians have lost their jobs according to his own administration. Rather than working to bring jobs to Florida, Governor Crist continues putting his political ambitions above efforts to jumpstart Florida's economy," said Eric Jotkoff, Florida Democratic Party spokesman. "While other states are beginning to see signs of recovery, Floridians continue suffering under Crist's failed economic policies. Instead of spending his time doing his job as Governor, Crist has only focused on his efforts to reinvent himself as he attempts to appease Republican primary voters. That's why Floridians are going to send Crist into retirement in 2010."

According to the Crist's Administration, when Crist took over as Governor, 8,866,000 Floridians were employed. After 3 years of Crist's failed economic policies, now just 7,343,700 Floridians have jobs.

When 'More-Of-The-Same' Just Won't Cut It

With the news today that Florida's unemployment rate is the highest the state has seen since May 1975, the people of the Sunshine State must make the choice: change directions or continue more of the status quo from our state's politicians this November.

"After more than a quarter century as a career politician, what can we possibly expect from Bill McCollum but more of the same business-as-usual in Tallahassee?" Florida Democratic Party Spokesman Eric Jotkoff said. "A 20-year congressman and Washington lobbyist will do nothing - absolutely nothing - to change Florida's economy for the better. We've tried leaving it to career politicians like Bill McCollum to turn Florida's economy around, and they've driven it into a ditch -11.8 percent unemployment."

Will Bill McCollum Clarify His Statements and Actions Related to Votes AGainst Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday?

From FDP:

QUESTION: DID MCCOLLUM COME TO HIS REALIZATION "IN THE 80'S" AFTER OR BEFORE HIS 1989 VOTE AGAINST THE COMMISSION TO PROMOTE MLK DAY?

1983: McCollum Voted Against Making Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday A National Holiday. In 1983, McCollum voted against a bill to designate the third Monday of every January as a federal holiday in honor of the late civil rights leader Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. (HR 3706, Vote 291, 8/2/83 and The Miami Herald, 08/03/83)

2010: McCollum Said He Was "Naive" To Oppose MLK Holiday In 1983 And Came To Realization "In The 80's" "Shortly After The Vote". McCollum said he was 'naive' in 1983 to oppose MLK holiday. "When did he come to that realization? 'In the '80s after the vote,' he said. 'Shortly after the vote. I couldn't tell you the exact year, but this is what? Twenty-five years later? It was very apparent to me upon reflection soon after that that it was not a good vote even though it does cost a lot of money.'" (Palm Beach Post, 01/19/10)

But In 1989 McCollum Voted Against Commission To Promote The Observance Of A Federal Holiday In Honor Of Martin Luther King. Bill McCollum, on May 9, 1989, was one of only 42 U.S. House members who voted against "a five-year extension of the Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Holiday Commission", a commission established "to promote the observance of the federal holiday in honor of King." The "House, in a 359-42 vote, passed the bill in the same form approved by the Senate ... 90-7." The bill gave "the commission a five-year budget of $1.5 million," "providing federal money for its operation" for the first time. (HR1385, Roll Call Vote 45, 5/9/89; Motion agreed to 359-42; AP, 05/10/89 and Los Angeles Times, 05/10/89)
1989: St. Petersburg Times Called McCollum's Opposition "An Embarrassment To Florida" And A Demonstration Of How Far Out Of The Mainstream He Is. The St. Petersburg Times opined: "only three Floridians" in the U.S. House voted "to kill all federal funding of the commission." They were: "Mike Bilirakis, Andy Ireland and Bill McCollum. President Bush has indicated that he will sign it, which demonstrates just how far out of the mainstream are Mack, Bilirakis, Ireland and McCollum." The Times called their opposition "An embarrassment to Florida". (Editorial, St. Petersburg Times, 05/10/89)
QUESTION: Did McCollum refute characterizations in 2000 articles during his Senate race that reiterated his opposition to MLK Day? If McCollum publicly stated his regrets for voting against the holiday, did his 2000 campaign mention this?

2000 News Coverage Reported That McCollum Was Known For His "Unflinching Position" Against The Creation Of MLK Day. In his 2000 campaign for Senate, McCollum's vote against MLK Day was a key contrast in the race in news coverage. Several newspapers reported:

2000- McCollum's "unflinching Opposition": McCollum is "known for his unflinching positions against abortion, against control of assault weapons, and, in the 1980s, against letting Mariel refugees with criminal records stay in the United States, against the congressional report that detailed the Iran-contra scandal, against the Martin Luther King holiday and anti-apartheid sanctions for South Africa, and against political asylum for El Salvadorean refugees." (Miami Herald, 10/15/00)
2000- McCollum's Hometown Newspaper: "Nelson supported the Equal Rights Amendment, the creation of a federal Martin Luther King Jr. holiday and bans on assault weapons. He also backed waiting limits on handgun purchases. McCollum, by contrast, opposed these measures." (Orlando Sentinel, 10/8/2000)