Florida GOP Police Blotter #15: GOP fundraiser/donor pleads guilty to bribery

Again, Democrats aren't immune to controversy and corruption. But it sure seems like Republicans pretty much have cornered the market....

Evidently this is especially the case with fundraisers and donors for the GOP, as we saw a couple of months ago. Keeping with the trend, another Republican donor with strong Florida ties is facing prison after pleading guilty to bribery (or, technically, "rewarding professional misconduct") in a long-running New York political and influence-peddling scandal.

“Broidy paid nearly a million dollars in bribes to get a quarter billion dollar investment,” according to a statement from Cuomo. According to the attorney general, Broidy acknowledged that he “funneled $300,000 to “Chooch” (the generally unseen movie that has been previously cited in the scandal), entered a “sham consulting agreement,” and paid over $90,000 to the girlfriend of a high-ranking official in the New York comptroller’s office, among other things.

[...]

But among his long list of public service roles, one position in particular may cause raised eyebrows. From 2002 through May of 2009, when he resigned due to a Securities and Exchange Commission investigation, Broidy was a trustee of the Los Angeles Fire and Police Pension fund. While it is fairly common for people to move fluidly back and forth between the investor world and the fund management world, Broidy is the only person we can think of to have a foot in both at once.

Broidy lived in California, but he was quite supportive of the Republican Party of Florida and GOP candidates in the Sunshine State:

In Florida, Broidy gave $100 to Agriculture Commissioner candidate US Rep. Adam Putnam this year; $500 to House Majority Leader Adam Hasner last year; $25,000 to the RPOF in 2006, and $5,000 to the RPOF in 2002.

Said Hasner: "Yes. I have met him briefly on two or three informal occasions – each time at Republican Jewish Coalition events/meetings. He personally contributed $500 to my 2008 campaign which was 5/100 of one percent (.050 %) of the total amount I raised during that election cycle (over $995,000)."

State GOP spokeswoman Katie Betta said the $25,000 donation was designated for the party's 2006 Victory effort helping all GOP candidates.

Sure, it's overreaching to condemn all Republican candidates like Hasner who apparently took contributions from a convicted felon. But it would be irresponsible not to speculate about Broidy's links to Hasner and the Florida GOP....

Florida GOP Police Blotter #14: Top GOP fundraiser/donor indicted for fraud

I never get tired of seeing Republican "leaders," especially in Florida, get caught with their hand in the proverbial cookie jar. Oh, yes, I know there is corruption on the left side of the aisle, too ... but for every corrupt Democrat you can show me, I'm quite sure I can show you at least a dozen GOP scofflaws.

Today's example of this is Dr. Alan Mendelsohn, a Hollywood ophthalmologist who has been charged with hindering a state investigation into possible insurance fraud.

[Mendelsohn] surrendered to FBI agents on charges linked to his alleged efforts to thwart a 2000-2005 state investigation into Mutual Benefits Corp., a Fort Lauderdale life insurance company.

An indictment charges Mendelsohn with wire and mail fraud, aiding and abetting wire and mail fraud, and making false statements related to a fraudulent fundraising and lobbying scheme, according to prosecutors.

Mendelsohn raised more than a half-million dollars from Mutual Benefits in 2003 to finance the hiring of a dozen lobbyists and make contributions to lawmakers to stop legislation that would have tightened regulations on the so-called viatical industry. The industry sold life insurance policies of people dying of AIDS and other diseases.

That's quite a laundry list of charges there, Dr. Mendelsohn. What do you suppose all your highly-placed buddies would have to say about that?

Over the past decade, Mendelsohn and his political action committees raised about $2 million from Mutual Benefits, doctors and others for state candidates, including Crist's bid for governor in 2006.

Mutual Benefits gave $525,000 to one of Mendelsohn's PACs, Alliance for Florida's Future, in 2003.

Mendelsohn also was the former legislative director for the Florida Society of Ophthalmology, whose PAC raised more than $1 million over the past decade. Campaign finance records show that money from the ophthalmology PAC was transferred to the Alliance for Florida's Future PAC.

After [Mutual Benefits' former CEO Joel] Steinger turned on Mendelsohn, the ophthalmologist — who had a reputation for boasting of his political connections to GOP lawmakers — tried to help his own defense by working with the FBI starting in the summer of 2007, the sources said.

Mendelsohn claimed that he was able to win over [Gov. Charlie] Crist, [now-U.S. Sen. George] LeMieux, [Crist's general counsel Paul] Huck and others on Steinger's behalf.

To bolster his claim to the FBI, Mendelsohn made a secretly recorded call to LeMieux at the governor's office in July 2007. LeMieux, who served as a deputy attorney general under Crist when he was attorney general, had just managed Crist's successful campaign for governor.

In the call, the doctor spoke about Mutual Benefits and how he had raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for candidates and lobbyists to help the firm's legal and political efforts in Tallahassee, sources said.

To LeMieux, the call seemed suspicious, as if Mendelsohn were trying to implicate him, the governor and others, sources said. LeMieux alerted Huck, who called the FBI.

Ah, I see ... they loved the doctor when his dollars were flowing to their campaigns, but as soon as the heat was turned up, they threw him under the bus. Nice.

So, Sen. LeMieux and Gov. Crist (who, contrary to popular belief, are not one and the same) .... you're just going to let your buddy rot on the police blotter? You just don't like him now that he's in trouble?

Figures. Your hands probably are dirty enough as it is.

Florida GOP Police Blotter #13: Escambia County commissioner charged with public records law violation

By way of introduction, I debated about whether or not this qualified for inclusion in Blast Off!'s ever-popular GOP Police Blotter series, but I've decided that even though it's a non-criminal violation (akin to a traffic ticket), it fits because (1) it's a charge from the State Attorney's Office, (2) the charge relates directly to the offender's public service, and (3) the offender in question is pretty much a putzhole.

I'm referring here to Escambia County Commissioner Gene Valentino (right -- naturally), who today was charged with violating Florida's public records law, known colloquially as the "Sunshine Law." Seems Gene didn't really want everyone knowing what he was doing ... which of course is pretty much par for the course for a Republican office-holder.

State Attorney Bill Eddins launched the investigation in late June after local attorney Gregory Smith filed a complaint alleging that the District 2 commissioner failed to comply with Smith’s request, under the public records law, for e-mails related to a proposal to build a bingo casino on Perdido Key.

Smith alleged that Valentino released the e-mails piecemeal and likely deleted e-mails.

Smith represents property owners fighting construction of the casino. Valentino’s district includes Perdido Key and most of southwest Escambia County.

“This review has determined that sufficient facts exist to believe that Commissioner Valentino did fail to timely or completely respond to a public records request ...” Eddins said today in a statement.

The violation really is like a traffic ticket, in that it subjects the offender to a maximum fine of $500 and no jail, but if true, it still represents a dereliction of duty. Hmmm ... "dereliction of duty" just kind of fits naturally with "Florida Republican," doesn't it?

Anyway, Progressive Pensacola has done a bang-up job of covering Valentino's peculiar governing style, which reveals "an angry, resentful man prone to throwing temper tantrums when things don’t go his way." PP goes on:

He rails against everyone from constituent groups to reporters to fellow commissioners, at one point plotting to run a candidate against one of them. He peppers his emails with shifty phrases such as “you are protected” and “you guys put up the cash.”

Oh, Gene.

Progressive Pensacola has never been a fan of Gene Valentino. He’s in the pocket of developers and wants to remake the Pensacola area into something we don’t want it to be. That said, we never thought he was dumb enough to say some of these things in emails subject to disclosure as public records.

Here’s our favourite quote, from an email sent by Commissioner Valentino to bingo casino developer Cy Keefer on March 6:

You’ve got to watch the rerun of last night’s county commission meeting. I got FUCKED again by Commissioner Grover Robinson (District 4) and Commissioner Kevin White (District 5) … Through that very important contact you recently made, I need him to simultaneously nail the downtown crowd and get that crowd to support a new candidate I have to run against one of them, support me, and to get him to use his influence to set these two guys straight.

Wow, just the kind of guy I would want representing me if I lived in his Perdido Key district.

Anyway, we'll have to wait and see if Valentino gets his slap on the wrist. Regardless, even the appearance of impropriety in this affair suggests that scruples are not Gene's strong point ....

Florida GOP Police Blotter #12: Longtime Republican operative sentenced for corruption

It's been a while since we've had an addition to the Florida GOP Police Blotter. But this one has special significance to me personally, as well as to all my pals in my old stomping grounds down in America's Glans™.

As a former resident of Palm Beach County, I'd followed the saga of one-time County Commissioner Mary McCarty with somewhat detached interest. She had been on trial for, and subsequently was convicted of, federal fraud charges arising out of her activity while in office, which may have been blogworthy in and of itself.

Well, today McCarty was sentenced to 42 months in the slammer -- the federal prison, that is. Fair enough, I suppose. But if I'd dug down a little deeper before, I would have watched (and covered) the case far more closely, given her background and experience.

You see, it turns out McCarty is -- you guessed it -- a staunch and active wingnut Republican. Just take a look at part of her pre-incarceration résumé:

1998: Is Jeb Bush’s regional campaign chairwoman in his gubernatorial bid.

March 1999: Forms an exploratory committee looking at the possibility of a congressional bid.

December 1999: With her husband, Kevin, is named a chair of George W. Bush’s presidential campaign in Florida.

November 2000: Allows two dozen Republican operatives [to] turn her commission office into a makeshift war room and watch the 2000 manual recount on closed-circuit television.

December 2000: Is elected chairwoman of the county’s Republican Party.

As I keep saying, I realize that corruption and malfeasance in office are not unique to the Republican Party. But, boy, it sure seems to follow that party around far more than the Democrats -- especially in Florida.

Oh, it gets better: McCarty's aforementioned husband Kevin, co-chair of Drunky McStagger's 2000 campaign in Florida, already is in prison for his role in covering up his wife's misdeeds. Heckuva job, Kevy.

Well, good luck in prison, Mary, and in getting help for the undisclosed substance abuse your attorney revealed today in asking for you to be placed at a specific federal facility in Texas. You say you're "humbled." Well, around here, you're just another name in the long list of corrupt Republicans. Welcome to the club.

Florida GOP Police Blotter #11: Palm Beach judge involved in Goodling fiasco

We haven't had an addition to the GOP Police Blotter since May, and while this one is only a tenuous connection, I'm going to say it qualifies, since the investigation is ongoing -- and it might end up involving federal charges. (Besides, it's my sucky blog, so bite me.)

Immigration Court Judge Rex J. Ford (right) of Palm Beach has been named in the Department of Justice probe of the GOP favoritism practice that put Monica Goodling in the public spotlight. Judge Ford, whose court is in Broward County, allegedly reviewed and recommended candidates for appointment to the Immigration Court based solely on their Republican bona fides.

The process used in naming Immigration Court judges was not as high profile as the firings of U.S. attorneys, but it was also part of the illegal politicizing of the Justice Department, according to congressional critics.

Immigration Court judges, who hear petitions to remain in the U.S. from immigrants in more than 50 specialized courts around the country, are considered career Justice Department employees and not political appointees.

"Both (Justice) Department policy and federal law prohibit discrimination in hiring for career department positions on the basis of political affiliations," investigators said.

The investigators said that in 2006, Ford joined with two other immigration court judges - Garry Malphrus and Mark Metcalf - in recommending to Goodling six candidates for the court.

Before being named as immigration judges during the Bush administration, Malphrus had been associate director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, and Metcalf was a failed GOP congressional candidate from Kentucky.

Both were named immigration judges without being interviewed by the Executive Office of Immigration Review, which was the traditional procedure.

You'll no doubt be shocked -- SHOCKED -- to hear that Judge Ford had no comment, and even if he did, "Immigration Court regulations prohibit him from speaking to the press," according to, well, him.

Gee, it sure is too bad that impeachment is off the table ...

Florida GOP Police Blotter #10: Broward County PD candidate arrested on drug charges

It's been a while since the Florida GOP Police Blotter has been active ... but it doesn't mean that the Republicans haven't been engaging in criminal behavior. I think they've mostly been busy defending themselves from all the existing charges.

Ironically, though, a candidate for public defender better come up with his own defense:

While in Tallahassee on May 2 filing last-minute papers to run for Broward County public defender, criminal defense attorney Gary Ostrow [(right)] was arrested on a charge of cocaine possession, according to a Florida Department of Law Enforcement report.

Tallahassee police officers arrested Ostrow, 52, at 11:35 p.m. The report did not specify a location.

The charge is a third-degree felony, punishable by up to five years in prison.

[...]

A week ago, Ostrow, a Republican candidate, vowed to give Public Defender Howard Finkelstein "the fight of his life" for leadership of the 175-person office.

Ostrow said he plans to spend $200,000 of his own money to jump-start his campaign. He has been a licensed attorney in Florida since 1982.

[...]

Finkelstein said he was "stunned" to hear from a reporter that Ostrow was arrested on the drug charge on the day he filed to run for public office.

"I hope he's OK, and I hope he deals with whatever he needs to deal with," Finkelstein said. "I'm just not the type of person to jump on somebody when they're down."

Finkelstein battled a drug problem in the 1980s. He lost his law license for a year after he crashed his car containing a briefcase with a small amount of cocaine and a bottle of painkillers into a deputy's car.

Finkelstein ultimately pleaded no contest to drug possession and drunken driving and was sentenced to five years' probation. He also went through drug rehabilitation.

Florida records show no criminal past for Ostrow except driving without a valid driver's license. He pleaded to the crime May 18, 2006, and paid $213. A formal conviction was withheld, according to Broward County court records.

Ostrow has represented high-profile clients such as Miami Dolphins running back Ricky Williams when he tested positive for marijuana, violating the National Football League's drug abuse policy.

Finkelstein obviously got clean. Ostrow, not so much ...

And so Gary Ostrow adds his name to the long, sordid list of Republican politicians in Florida facing criminal charges of one kind or another. I know that there are Democrats who engage in criminal or at least unethical activity -- indeed, the Ohio attorney general is being investigated for sexual misconduct -- but I really believe the Republicans have cornered the market on crime, especially crimes of "moral turpitude." So for all you trolls who want to throw a Democrat or two out there, I'll give you three Republicans in exchange for each Dem. Sound like a deal?

Speaking of deals: you'd better make one, Gary, or you can wave bye-bye to your career. Ah, the schadenfreude is sweet indeed ...

(h/t Kenneth Quinnell)

Florida GOP Police Blotter update: scratch #8 off the list

We here at Blast Off! World Headquarters always want to be the first to admit when we've been wrong. Unlike, say, the mainstream corporate media ... but you knew that already.

Anyway, about six months (or, if you prefer, one Friedman Unit) ago, we learned about Jeff Krull, mayor of the tiny central Florida town of Mascotte, who had been charged with sexually molesting children. Well, earlier this month Krull was cleared of the charges.

[T]he State Attorney's Office filed papers in Lake County Circuit Court declining to pursue the case because of inconsistencies in accusations made by alleged victims and witnesses. Krull said he was always confident of his innocence and that he hopes to get his life back to normal -- specifically, he wants to run for mayor again next year.

"I never did any of it in the first place," said Krull, an Illinois native who served on the council for four years, including two as mayor. "This is tremendous."

Prosecutors said information collected after Krull's arrest did not match up. But they had to explore the claims.

"They [police] did their job, and so did we," said Bill Gladson, supervising assistant state attorney in Lake County.

Okay, well, you know, we hear about a Republican and sexual molestation, I mean, it seems natural. Or, put another way, it would have been irresponsible not to speculate ...

Florida GOP Police Blotter #9: DCF spokesman arrested for child porn

You've got your Republicans, you've got your perverts, and you've got people in the completely wrong jobs. Here in Florida, we prefer that as a "mash-up." How about a Republican pervert who speaks on behalf of the Department of Children and Families? Yep, only in Florida ...

Earlier this month, DCF spokesman (and Jeb! Bush appointee) Al Zimmerman (right), 40, a former TV news reporter in the Tampa Bay area, was arrested on child pornography charges.

A public spokesman for the Department of Children and Families has been charged with eight felony counts of using two teen-agers in sexual performances, the state announced Friday night.

Authorities said Al Zimmerman of Tallahassee was arrested in Lakeland Friday and taken to the Hillsborough County Jail. He was immediately fired by DCF, the huge state agency that administers child-protection programs among many other health and social-welfare duties.

Police said Zimmerman, 40, asked at least two victims, between 16 and 17 years of age, to perform lewd acts, which were used to create pornography. The offenses he was accused of are punishable by up to 15 years in prison per count, the state said.

Boy, we sure know how to pick 'em down here in America's Wang™, don't we? Of course, it helps when the jobs are apparently wingnut welfare, since Zimmerman seems to have had friends in high places.

Floridians were shocked last week when police announced that the spokesman for the state's Department of Children and Families had been arrested and charged with peddling child pornography. But buried in news accounts of the case was a curious detail: the official in question had listed the state's current Republican Governor, Charlie Crist, as a reference when he applied for his post in 2005.

Gov. Crist returned to the news as the nation awaited the outcome of the Republican presidential primary in Florida. The Sunshine State's governor's endorsement of Sen. John McCain late in the campaign may have helped push McCain across the finish line to take the state's 57 delegates. Crist's endorsement also contributed to ending the campaign of Rudy Giuliani, who had heavily courted the governor's thumbs up.

[...]

Crist's office has implied that the governor had little direct connection to Zimmerman, and that the listing of top state officials as references was a routine matter.

An AP report noted that the governor, "does not recall authorizing a recommendation for Zimmerman, but added that he often is asked to give them, spokeswoman Erin Isaac said Sunday."

But according to some earlier accounts, Crist was directly aware of Zimmerman and his work as on-air talent for a Tampa-area TV station.

"A spokeswoman for the governor said Crist knew Zimmerman through his reporting job in Tampa Bay but does not remember being asked to be one of his references," according to a Sunday report in the Palm Beach Post.

Regardless of how well Zimmerman and Crist knew one another, state officials made it clear that Crist was never formally contacted prior to the spokesman's hiring in 2005.

In its article, The Raw Story adds that Zimmerman had a few arrests in his past as well, plus a segment as an investigative reporter called "Perverts in the Park" that focused on a San Antonio (Tex.) park "where gay men met for trysts." He also is a self-proclaimed "swinger."

On his MySpace profile, Zimmerman describes himself as not only a "Government Employee," but also as a "Swinger." He remarks that he's looking for "Someone who hates to cuddle afterwards," as well as, "a friend that likes to pay for everything."

His MySpace profile?! Either someone didn't do their homework when the Jeb! Administration hired Zimmerman, or they just didn't care. Al sounds like a real charmer -- and perfect for a Republican political appointment.

Hmmm ... this Florida GOP Police Blotter is starting to fill up ...

Florida GOP Police Blotter #8: Small-town mayor likes boys and girls (allegedly)

Just as Blowin' Bob Allen's trial gets underway in Brevard County, a new scandal emerges in neighboring Lake County, as Jeff Krull (right), the mayor of tiny Mascotte, Fla., was arrested the night before the election (when he was seeking re-election) and charged with six counts of lewd and lascivious molestation and one count of showing obscene material to a minor. Krull was crushed in the next day's election by his opponent.

The Orlando Sentinel has more:

"I fully expect to be exonerated of the false accusations," Krull said. "They are contrived allegations against the mayor to break on the day before elections so that he would be discredited in the eyes of the people." He called his arrest "tragic to my chances" after his defeat was sealed. He received 81 votes to his opponent's 175.

The alleged victims are a 14-year-old girl, a 15-year-old girl and a 14-year-old boy, according to a probable-cause affidavit.

The 15-year-old girl told police Krull touched her breasts both over and under her clothing with his hands. She said the acts happened five times in the past year, according to the affidavit. In an interview with the Orlando Sentinel, she said she used Krull's computer to look at pictures of horses, but he began to touch her.

The 14-year-old girl told police that Krull rubbed her breast and stomach and attempted to put his hand up her shirt one time about three months ago. The 14-year-old boy said Krull showed him gay-pornography Web sites at Krull's residence during the past two weeks.

The boy told the Sentinel that Krull appeared to be nice at first. Then Krull showed him pornography and a sex toy, the boy said. The boy also said the mayor called him on the phone and asked, "Is your girlfriend giving you [oral sex] right now," the boy said.

"It's the truth," the boy said. "I'm not gonna lie."

While Mascotte, like so many small towns in Florida and elsewhere, appears to have nonpartisan elections, Krull does appear to be a Republican, as evidenced by his endorsement of Republican state House candidate Will Pruitt -- not to mention his (alleged) fondness for skeevy sexual behavior.

Plenty of defenders have come forward in support of Krull:

"I know several children this could have come from, but I think I've pinned it down to who and why they did it," Krull said Tuesday after his release from the hospital. "I have no doubt that once challenged their stories will change considerably. However, (they) may have already done me irreparable harm."

[Krull's girlfriend Barbara] Tillman said Krull, who has three grown children and six grandchildren, has a grandfatherly relationship with neighborhood children.

He mentors the kids and allows them to use his personal computer for social activity and homework. Krull is also a boy scout volunteer, heads a neighborhood watch program and teaches a class on "stranger danger."

One rather curious side note: Krull's official biography says he holds a bachelor's degree from Amundson College, but Google doesn't show any such institution. There are a few hits for "Amundsen College," with an "e," but it appears to have been a junior college later absorbed (or name-changed) into Truman College, one of the City Colleges of Chicago. The CCC budget confirms this (page 12; PDF). And from the very start, Amundsen/Truman was a two-year college, which would not have offered bachelor's degrees. So how did Krull get a B.A. from Amundsen? Did he, in fact?

So, we've got circumstantial evidence showing Krull to be a Republican, which as we've already seen is plenty good enough for Blast Off!'s Florida GOP Police Blotter. And we've got further circumstantial evidence that he may have lied about his background. This one needs more investigative skill than I have ... but for now we can welcome yet another member of the Florida GOP Police Blotter, Jeff Krull. Congratulations, and good luck at trial!

Florida GOP Police Blotter UPDATE: Federal prosecutor commits suicide

About three weeks ago, Blast Off! reported the story of Pensacola federal prosecutor John David R. Atchison, who was arrested and charged with traveling from Florida to Detroit to have sex with a 5-year-old girl.

Today comes news that Atchison hanged himself this morning in a federal prison in Michigan.

Atchison, 53, of Pensacola, Fla., was put on suicide watch after he used a bed sheet in an attempted suicide in September.

Detroit police confirmed Atchison's suicide death at 10:14 a.m. Friday. They have not released any details.

[...]

Atchison's attorney, James C. Thomas, released a statement Friday: “We are deeply saddened to learn the death of John Roy Atchison. Our heartfelt regrets go out to his wife and children, his parents and his brothers and sisters. This is a man who has done a lot of good in his life. Unfortunately, he is going to be judged by his most recent charges and what we have read in the media, and not by the goodness, hard work or by the love of his family. I expect to be filing a Suggestion of Death and will request the federal judge to dismiss the case once I receive the necessary documents.”

Atchison was charged with three felonies, the most serious of which is crossing state lines with intent to have sex with someone under 12. Conviction carries a minimum 30-year prison sentence and a maximum of life.

I guess he took the easy way out ...

(h/t Eschaton commenter Roadmaster)

Florida GOP Police Blotter #7: Hollywood city commissioner removed from office after fraud conviction

Finding criminal behavior among Florida Republicans really is like shooting fish in a barrel. It's almost unfair. Except it's not.

Today's addition to the Florida GOP Police Blotter is disgraced and convicted Hollywood city commissioner Keith Wasserstrom, who was removed from office this morning by Governor Charlie Crist.

Wasserstrom was found guilty of two counts of official misconduct Sept. 12 for not fully disclosing his relationship with a sludge-processing firm that eventually won a city contract largely because of his help.

Wasserstrom, 40, is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 2. As a first-time offender, he could get probation, up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine for each of the two counts.

The Broward-Palm Beach New Times has been all over the Wasserstrom story for months now, if not years. And as they recently pointed out, despite the best efforts of the Sun-Sentinel and the Herald, the judge in the latest trial, and even a higher power, Wasserstrom was convicted anyway.

But you had to think that even the jury could see through the farce [defense attorney Milton] Hirsch was creating when he said in his opening statement that Wasserstrom was doing "God's work" for the sewage company. To bolster the obscene idea that the commissioner was on a mission from God, Wasserstrom wore a yarmulke on his head the entire trial. And to make sure the jury got a load of what a family man he is, the former commissioner yanked his kids out of school and made them attend the first day of trial.

"I'm bored," his young son said at one point. "I'd rather be in school."

And so Wasserstrom, who has donated to Republicans in the past*, is out of office and likely headed to jail. Welcome to the Florida GOP Police Blotter, Keith. You're in fine company indeed.

---

* Oddly, he also endorsed Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) for Congress in 2006. But, then again, so did Jim Naugle, so that's not saying much ...

Florida GOP Police Blotter #6: Federal prosecutor in Pensacola likes 'em young

Well, here's a grotesque addition to the Florida GOP Police Blotter that I almost missed:

A U.S. Justice Department official has been arrested on suspicion of traveling to Detroit over the weekend to have sex with a minor.

John David R. Atchison, 53, an assistant U.S. attorney from the northern district of Florida, was arraigned in U.S. District Court in Detroit Monday afternoon.

Prosecutors said Atchison flew from Pensacola, Fla., to Detroit on Sunday intending to have sex with a 5-year-old girl.

[snip]

According to authorities, Atchison made contact with a detective working undercover for the Macomb County Sheriff's department's.

The detective, acting as the child's mother, allegedly arranged a sexual encounter between Atchison and her 5-year-old daughter, police said.

In deposition, detectives said Atchison suggested the mother tell her daughter that "you found her a sweet boyfriend who will bring her presents."

The undercover detective expressed concern about physical injury to the 5-year-old girl as a result of the sexual activity. Detectives said Atchison responded, " I am always gentle and loving; not to worry, no damage ever, no rough stuff ever. I only like it soft and nice."

The undercover detective asked how Atchison can be certain of no injury. He responded, Just gotta go slow and very easy. I've done it plenty," according to detectives.

Let's see ... live boy/dead girl, and this is a live girl ... so, like David Vitter, I guess Atchison will get a standing ovation when he returns to work, right?

And what's Atchison wearing in his mugshot? A bullet-proof vest, perhaps? Interesting ...

UPDATE (5:31 pm 10/5/07): Atchison committed suicide in prison on October 5.

Florida GOP Police Blotter #5: St. Pete City Council chair commits suicide

I hesitate to classify this under the Florida GOP Police Blotter given the outcome of the situation, but there's no doubt it would be there but for said outcome*, so here we go.

Thanks to a comment here this morning from fellow Eschaton denizen Moe Szyslak, I learned of the tragic suicide death of St. Petersburg City Council chairman John Bryan.

According to the news reports, Bryan's body was discovered by a St. Petersburg Times reporter who went to Bryan's Citrus County home to ask him about his resignation from the Council that afternoon. Earlier in the day, Bryan attended a custody hearing in circuit court in Pinellas County where he agreed not to have any contact with two of his adopted daughters, ages 12 and 15, whom he allegedly abused sexually. But before an investigation into the allegations could get off the ground, Bryan first resigned, then took his own life.

The article linked gives us a brief but revealing glimpse into the life of Bryan:

A former developer of single-family homes, Bryan retired in 1999 and focused on what he called his first priority, his family.

Bryan had a total of five children, two from a previous marriage along with the three he adopted.

Bryan was first elected to the City Council in 2001, after running unsuccessfully in 1998. He won re-election four years later with 56 percent of the vote.

A staunch Republican and former finance chairman for U.S. Sen. Connie Mack, Bryan helped push [Mayor Rick] Baker's agenda through the City Council.

From the dais, Bryan was both gruff and blunt. He would correct residents who misspoke, and he did not take criticism quietly. More than once, he threatened to remove council visitors who clapped or spoke out of turn at meetings.

Once again, Republican hypocrisy and sexual misconduct make headlines in Florida. This time, however, the tragic outcome leaves far too many questions unanswered.

---

* I hope no one will take this post as schadenfreude or capitalizing on Bryan's death, because it's not. Yes, I would have made fun of him if he hadn't killed himself. But, frankly, I think I know better than most that suicide is no laughing matter -- indeed, even the method Bryan used strikes close to home. Moreover, as a former resident of St. Petersburg, I have more than a passing interest in the news. Basically, I'm trying to handle this sensitively while still reporting what remains a valid story about a hypocritical Republican who apparently engaged in illegal and immoral conduct of a sexual nature.

Florida GOP Police Blotter #4

This new feature is almost too easy. Blast Off!'s exclusive Florida GOP Police Blotter adds another name:

An organizer for a Rudy Giuliani presidential event plans to step down amid revelations of his arrests for allegedly extorting an FSU student in a sex case and his conviction for dealing in stolen state computers.

Barry S. Edwards, 45, told The Miami Herald that the charges against him were "old news" --- and were 'unfounded' in the student sex case -- but he nevertheless thought it would be best to withdraw from the Pinellas County Republican Party fundraiser because "I'm not relevant and I shouldn't be the story."

[...]

The two criminal incidents involving Edwards were unrelated, and occurred within months of each other in 1998.

According to a Florida State University arrest affidavit: Edwards was first charged after a 19-year-old FSU political science intern claimed Edwards, then an adjunct professor, plied him with beers, trolled briefly for prostitutes, watched "heterosexual" pornography and then exhorted him to masturbate in a game.

The intern said Edwards threatened him with bad grades if he didn't "get into it." He declined to press charges. Edwards said the claims were "lies" but he didn't "want to revisit it." Edwards was fired from FSU.

Shortly after his extortion arrest, state Capitol police then arrested Edwards on charges of theft, burglary and dealing with stolen property after the cops said he stole at least $10,000 worth of computer equipment from offices of the Florida Legislature.

Wow. This one has it all. A Republican operative for a cross-dressing, serial-marrying presidential candidate has two arrests on his record, one involving at least arguably homosexual activity (a Republican covering up gay sex?!? Say it ain't so!) and one theft from the state government (insert joke here).

Edwards is as contrite as Republican doctrine requires -- which is to say not at all. First, he steps down from working the Giuliani event even though the charges were "unfounded." Yeah, every innocent person quits for the good of the Party. Just ask Larry Craig, another one who's probably thinking he and his behavior are "irrelevant."

But Edwards goes on to point out, in case it wasn't obvious, that he's really the victim here -- the victim of a system gone horribly awry:

The fact that the charges are coming up again, Edwards said, is just another example of the viciousness and coarseness of politics today.

"Whether you did something or were accused of something you didn't do almost doesn't matter. Perception is reality," he said. "This chills people from becoming involved."

Said Elliott Bundy,* a spokesman for Giuliani, "[T]his gentleman was organizing the event on behalf of the Pinellas County party and not us. We have no further comment."

And so the Giuliani campaign backpedals as fast as its tiara and stylish high-heeled shoes will let it.

Boy, that denial by Edwards is strongly worded, isn't it? "Whether you did something or [not] almost doesn't matter ..." Whoa, you got me there, pal.

Who started the viciousness and coarseness, by the way? Think about it ...

---

* This is the same Elliott Bundy who had to explain away his boss' decision to skip the Miami debate to be conducted in Spanish ... man, Elliott's having a tough week.

Florida GOP Police Blotter: The Orlando murder-suicide plot thickens

So this morning I (finally) read this article in the Orlando Sentinel about the recent suspicious murder-suicide in Orlando that included the death of Republican consultant Ralph Gonzalez. Certain passages in the article, which was published last Saturday, tended to stick out:

The bodies of Ralph Gonzalez, 36; David Abrami, 36; and Robert Jason [actually Jason Robert -- ed.] Drake, 30, were discovered Thursday, about two days after the men are believed to have died. Authorities determined they perished in a double-murder and suicide but would not say which man was the killer.

Gonzalez and Abrami were longtime friends and conservative Republican allies who lived at the house on Hickory Oak Boulevard. Drake was a St. Cloud High School graduate and former Marine who was once featured in newspapers across the country during his service in Kosovo.

[...]

Gonzalez and Abrami, both 36, shared a longtime passion for conservative Republican politics.

Gonzalez, a former head of the Republican Party in Georgia, ran the Strategum Group in Orlando. His clients included U.S. Rep. Tom Feeney.

Abrami, an attorney, drew Secret Service scrutiny in 1992 while still a student at the University of Central Florida.

As vice president of the Central Florida Young Republican Club, the 22-year-old senior announced a Turkey Shoot fundraiser where members could pay $2 to fire a shotgun at enlarged photos of then-President Clinton.

"This will be fun for the entire family," Abrami told the Orlando Sentinel before the Secret Service persuaded him to raise money some other way. "They came down hard on us, saying we threatened the president, things like that."

Naturally, speculation has ensued about the relationship between Gonzalez and Abrami, and what role Drake may have played. Tuesday, Wonkette offered this insight:

The mind-bendingly weird suburban Florida deaths of two GOP consultants and an ex-marine continue getting weirder. The Orange County sheriff announced yesterday that Jason Drake — the ex-marine — killed the consultants before offing himself, though they gave no explanation for his actions and Drake left no helpful note.

Ralph Gonzalez — whose story we last looked at here and here — was apparently gay, and early reports made tantalizing mention of a “love triangle,” but now it’s all just a big puzzle.

David Abrami, former political consultant, was Gonzalez’s housemate — and maybe not gay? He had a girlfriend in one story, anyway.

Drake “installed tile and wood flooring.” And they all hung out “socially and professionally to some degree” according to the Sheriff’s office.

So, my suspicions from the article may be correct ...

Meanwhile, there's a crapload of speculation at Crimeblog, where they add the spectre of gay porn to the whole mix. They also have a link to Drake's ex-wife's blog (she corrected her ex-husband's name, btw), who says:

While reading the articles, I also found quite a few that were speculating that it was a “love triangle” or a “lover’s quarrel” going on. More shock. So there is a chance that my ex-husband might be gay? OK, that is nothing I’d really freak out about, but it’s shocking to say the least.

I don't know whether that means she'd be cool with him having been gay, or that she had suspicions. Either way, it's brave of her to post about it on her blog.

This is one of those tales that only grows more lurid as time passes. When it first happened, I thought, well, it's a shame that a GOP operative was killed, but nothing to see here. However, there may be much more than meets the eye. And pretty soon, Bill Kurtis will show up for American Justice on A&E ...

Hey, Idaho ... Florida knows what you're going through

Looks like I picked a shitty night to be away from the internets (and at rehearsal), eh? (Thanks for the tip, racymind ...)

So Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho) was caught in a bathroom in a compromising position? Shoot, Blowin' Bob Allen, Florida's own little devil, can commiserate.

Are there similarities? Jeebus, the situations are practically twins. Check it out:

Alleged sexual advances on an undercover officer? Check.

Blowin' Bob is accused of offering $20 to a cop for the privilege of blowing him, while Sen. Craig pleaded guilty -- let me say that again: pleaded guilty -- to misdemeanor disorderly conduct after he purportedly gave a signal to a cop in the adjacent stall that the cop interpreted as an invitation to "lewd behavior."

Republican? Check.

How long before Republican Repressed Sexual Syndrome (RRSS) gets into the DSM-IV?

Pro-"family values" and anti-gay? Check.

Blowin' Bob sponsored bills in the Florida Legislature regarding "sexual solicitation and abuse" and "lewd or lascivious exhibition." He also was a volunteer for the Boys & Girls Club and a local Little League. Meanwhile, Sen. Craig has a record of socially conservatism as long as ... well, let's just say as long as your arm:

In recent years, Craig's voting record has earned him top ratings from social conservative groups such as the American Family Association, Concerned Women for America and the Family Research Council.

He has supported a federal constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, telling his colleagues that it was "important for us to stand up now and protect traditional marriage, which is under attack by a few unelected judges and litigious activists."

In 1996, Craig also voted in favor of the Defense of Marriage Act, which denies federal recognition to same-sex marriages and prevents states from being forced to recognize the marriages of gay and lesbian couples legally performed in other states.

Craig has also opposed expanding the federal hate crimes law to cover offenses motivated by anti-gay bias and, in 1996, voted against a bill that would have outlawed employment discrimination based on sexual orientation, which failed by a single vote in the Senate.

Chair of campaign for GOP presidential candidate? Check.

Blowin' Bob was a state chair for John McCain, while Sen. Craig immediately resigned today from Mitt Romney's campaign. (As an aside, can Mitt's campaign get any more dysfunctional?)

Five years from now, I predict that Blowin' Bob and former Sen. Craig will be on a Fox reality show, living in the same house and trying to get along with each other. Maybe former Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.) and Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) could be on it, too.

They could call it Real World: Congress. Or maybe House of the Rising Wang.

UPDATE (12:07 am 8/28/07): Forgot one:

Blatant, utterly appalling hypocrisy? Check.

UPDATE (5:54 pm 8/28/07): Apparently, Larry Craig used to write for The Onion.

Blowin' Bob's latest explanation

Whoa ... how did I miss this gem from Wednesday? Our old friend Blowin' Bob Allen has a whole new excuse for his little, um, indiscretion:

Police say Allen, while in a Space View Park restroom, agreed to pay the undercover officer $20 for oral sex.

According to the report, Allen said he went to the bathroom to avoid a lightning storm that was about to start.

The undercover officer went into a stall next to Allen’s. Allen knocked on the officer’s stall door to ask if he was all right.

Allen told [Titusville assistant police chief John] Lau he was afraid he was going to be robbed and agreed to the sex act so that he could reach the KSC security gate where a guard would be located. The nearest gate, across the Max Brewer Bridge, is several miles from the park.

I know downtown Titusville very well. I also know that the city's downtown police station is a few blocks away from the park. So Blowin' Bob would rather go miles across the causeway to KSC (in a thunderstorm) than to the nearby police station? Uh huh. Tell me more.

I definitely agree with NG in NYC (who gets the hat tip for this one): "Why isn't his lawyer ordering him to be quiet?" Blowin' Bob's going keep a lot of comedians (and blogs) in business if he keeps this up ...

Florida GOP Police Blotter update: Blowin' Bob goes procedural

First, Blowin' Bob Allen (R-Merritt Island) said he was "just playing along" when he offered to give an undercover officer $20 for the privilege of fellating him. Then, he explained that even though he did it, but it was because he was scared of the "stocky black guy."

Now, Blowin' Bob -- who really has never denied the underlying blow job-related offense -- brings out the ol' procedural defense:

State Rep. Bob Allen said in court filings that he wasn't informed of his rights before making statements to police after he was arrested and charged with soliciting prostitution.

Allen's attorney is trying to have some statements the Merritt Island Republican made to police thrown out. Allen denies wrongdoing and has vowed to fight the charges.

Attorney Greg Eisenmenger said Allen was never informed of his Miranda rights to remain silent until he was booked into the jail, after which police asked no more questions.

"They probably got everything that they wanted to illegally, so why bother to do it legally?" Eisenmenger told the Orlando Sentinel. He said Allen asked several times to speak to a lawyer but officers continued to question him before he was allowed to contact his attorney.

I'll be keeping an eye open for Allen's book, If I Did It, Here's How It Happened.

Florida GOP Police Blotter #3

Welcome to a new feature here on Blast Off!, the Florida GOP Police Blotter. This is the third installment because I'm retroactively including two worthy inmates suspects, Blowin' Bob Allen (who needs no introduction) of Merritt Island and Angelo Cappelli of St. Petersburg.

So, let's have a nice Blast Off! Florida GOP Police Blotter welcome for former state representative Sheri McInvale of Orlando!

Former Orlando state Rep. Sheri McInvale's attempts to be reimbursed for a printing bill led to her arrest Thursday on charges of illegally recouping more than $7,500 in taxpayer money.

A sealed indictment made public charged McInvale and her former legislative aide, Robert Franklin Stuart Jr., with several official-misconduct charges, along with grand theft, cheating and falsifying records. They are accused of using state funds to pay a "private debt" in 2005 and 2006 while McInvale was still in the Legislature.

"This was one we felt the citizens needed to see what was being alleged to determine if it indeed rose to the level that we thought it did," Orange-Osceola State Attorney's Office spokesman Randy Means said about the decision to present the case to a grand jury.

Of course, this does create a bit of a conflict with my Daily Schadenfreude feature, but let's just assume that schadenfreude is a natural by-product of the Police Blotter.

Here's the funny part: McInvale switched from Democrat to Republican last year ... then lost her re-election bid to the Democratic candidate.

McInvale, 52, a public-relations director by trade, was elected to District 36 in Orange County in 2002 and was re-elected to a second term. The district stretches from Azalea Park to Eatonville and includes much of downtown Orlando.

A political moderate who had ideological disputes with the Democratic Party, McInvale became a Republican last year.

[Current Rep. Scott] Randolph then defeated her 61 percent to 39 percent.

McInvale later was hired by the Florida Chamber of Commerce as an advocate for Florida businesses.

In 2005, McInvale filed a financial-disclosure form listing $4,000 in assets, income from her state job of $29,916 and miscellaneous income of $8,040 through Dec. 31, 2004. Orange County Clerk of Courts records show that mortgage companies foreclosed on a $100,000 Orlando condo she owned through 2002.

Each of the five third-degree-felony charges McInvale is facing carries a sentence of up to five years in prison. Stuart is facing three third-degree-felony charges.

So, let's add another Republican criminal accused person to the Florida GOP Police Blotter. You can bet your bottom dollar there'll be more ...

Another Florida GOP politician arrested Florida GOP Police Blotter

I know, this sounds like a rerun of an earlier story, but no, in fact it's yet another Republican under arrest:

Less than a year ago Angelo Cappelli was a hot newcomer on the local political scene, building key allies in his race for House District 52.

Cappelli narrowly lost the election, but his fundraising prowess, Ivy League pedigree and well-established banking job with SunTrust solidified his future with the local Republican Party.

That was until SunTrust began taking a closer look at paperwork coming from his office.

After a six-week investigation, police arrested Cappelli on Wednesday morning at his lawyer's office on Central Avenue. He faces grand theft and perjury charges, according to St. Petersburg authorities.

Cappelli, 37, is accused of stealing more than $100,000 from the trust of a deceased bank client. By Wednesday evening, Cappelli was out of jail on $55,000 bail. He could not be reached for comment.

I admit I haven't been keeping count, but now that Angelo Cappelli (mug shot above) joins Blowin' Bob Allen on the GOP rap sheet, they're way ahead of (or behind) the Democrats, right? Just sayin' ...

I mean, what is it with Republicans? Is it their incredibly repressed personalities, so that when they act out, they really act out? Or, more simply, are Republicans just plain assholes?

I'm no psychiatrist, but I'm beginning to see a pattern here ...