Mahoney a no-show at debate with Rooney

I hate to throw Rep. Tim Mahoney (D-Fla.) under the bus, but this is getting ridiculous. First, the guy admits to "multiple affairs," but pledges to stay in his campaign for reelection in Florida's 16th congressional district against millionaire Republican challenger Tom Rooney ... now, because (I guess) he was afraid of television coverage, he skipped a scheduled debate today.

Mahoney and Rooney were scheduled to debate before a Forum Club of the Palm Beaches lunchtime audience of about 500 at the Kravis Center. But with national media and television cameras interested in covering the scandal-rocked Mahoney, the incumbent's campaign said Thursday night it feared a "circus" atmosphere at the traditionally buttoned-down luncheon club.

With an empty seat, place-setting and name tag for Mahoney on the dais, Rooney spent about 40 minutes answering questions from WPTV-Channel 5 anchor Jim Sackett and fielding queries submitted by members of the audience.

Rooney, 37, is an attorney, former Army captain and one-time director of a nonprofit children's shelter who won a three-candidate GOP primary on Aug. 26.

He told the Forum Club audience he's for lower taxes, smaller government, offshore oil drilling and removing U.S. troops from Iraq as quickly as possible but without a date-certain timeline. Rooney said he favors an immigration policy that stresses securing U.S. borders and enforcing existing laws before developing a "vibrant" guest-worker program that does not include amnesty.

Rooney largely avoided a question asking him to comment on "Mr. Mahoney's situation."

The 16th District is, as Rooney was quoted later in the article as saying, largely a Republican district; Mahoney's victory largely can be attributed to -- ironically -- fortuitous timing due to a sex scandal that plagued the GOP incumbent, Mark Foley, late in the 2006 campaign. Live by the illicit sex, die by the illicit sex, I guess ...

Look, I'd much rather see Mahoney in Congress than Rooney. But Mahoney's behavior since this story broke can only be described as bizarre. You stand up and face the music when you fuck up; you don't run and hide from the cameras, at least not when you're literally in the middle of an election. It's not just my position; some of Mahoney's fellow Democrats agree:

"He should have shown up and I think he owes his constituents and the public his presence and an explanation of his service as a congressman and his personal conduct," said Democratic state attorney candidate Michael McAuliffe.

"I'm disappointed in Tim," said state Sen. Dave Aronberg, D-Greenacres. "If he's going to stay in the race he should have been here."

At any rate, in my opinion, whether he's acting on his own or taking advice from others, Mahoney has shown that he doesn't deserve to hang onto his seat.

Chances are now that he won't. And, ultimately, the real losers in this scandal are the constituents in the 16th District.

Moron More on Mahoney

This just in to the Blast Off! newsroom: Terry Mahoney, wife of U.S. Rep. Tim Mahoney (D-Fla.), has filed for divorce. Rep. Mahoney had admitted to "multiple affairs" last week, and he faces an ethics investigation in the U.S. House (as well as a tough reelection bid against Republican challenger Tom Rooney).

Look -- unless Mahoney improperly used campaign funds or, worse, taxpayer money to pay off his mistress(es), I don't care about Mahoney's personal life. Now that the Mahoneys appear to be headed for divorce, can we just leave them alone? Rep. Mahoney's fidelity is no one's business but his and his wife's (again, provided he didn't use campaign or taxpayer funds improperly).

'Nuff said. Thanks in advance.

Palm Beach Post rescinds endorsement of Mahoney

It's highly unusual for a newspaper to reverse an endorsement, but the Palm Beach Post did so today (in print tomorrow) with regard to Rep. Tim Mahoney (D-Fla.), throwing its support instead to Mahoney's Republican challenger Tom Rooney and suggesting that Mahoney withdraw from the race altogether.

Rep. Mahoney has been far too evasive about the $121,000 he paid to silence a former campaign and congressional staffer with whom he had an extramarital affair and whom he later fired. Though he has more or less admitted to the affair with Patricia Allen, Rep. Mahoney has not said why he put his mistress on the payroll and why he gave her the settlement. The Post also reported that Rep. Mahoney has had at least one other affair, with a top Martin County official. Rather than speak directly to his constituents, whose votes he is seeking, Rep. Mahoney has called for a congressional investigation that would not be over until after the Nov. 4 election.

Using his seats on the Financial Services and Agriculture committees, Rep. Mahoney has cosponsored legislation to create a national disaster insurance bill that would reduce property insurance rates in Florida, and has secured money that could create a new industry in District 16 making ethanol out of farm byproducts. Having owned a financial services company, Rep. Mahoney could offer insight into how the government should respond to the credit crisis.

But he is seeking an office of public trust. His actions - and his lack of action - show that he can't be trusted.

[...]

Rep. Mahoney's behavior means that this year's congressional Christmas present probably will go to Mr. Rooney. An Army veteran and lawyer whose family owns the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Palm Beach Kennel Club, Mr. Rooney won the Republican primary. The Post won't agree with him as often as we agreed with Rep. Mahoney, but Mr. Rooney does support the national disaster insurance bill and he favors a timeline for ending the Iraq War.

As I just told The Post via Twitter (yeah, that's how we roll these days), I think it's a mistake to endorse Rooney. Rescind the Mahoney endorsement, fine, but Rooney is just as much of an asshat -- only in different ways. I believe The Post would have served its readers (and its own philosophy) far better simply by withholding an endorsement completely in the 16th Congressional District.

If neither candidate is worthy -- and based on this week's developments, it sure seems that way -- then why give the prize to one or the other? Ultimately, the voters will decide, but if you don't have to pick between the lesser of two evils, why bother?

As the Mahoney turns

Okay, it's true -- apparently Democrats have their little sexual peccadilloes as well. It's just a shame this one's hitting so close to home, and with a congressional seat that was pretty tenuous in the first place.

Rep. Tim Mahoney (D-Fla.), as you probably know, allegedly paid $121,000 in hush money to a former employee with whom he was having an affair. Allegedly. But then there's the rest of the story -- a second affair. Allegedly.

Current and former aides for Congressman Tim Mahoney (D-FL) say he was carrying on an affair with a county official from Florida at the same time he lobbied to help her county receive a $3.4 million federal grant.

One former top campaign aide says Mahoney acknowledged the woman had spent the week at his Washington apartment but shrugged off warnings such behavior could cause him political trouble. The aides said the woman was also seen with Mahoney at restaurants and at his Washington DC apartment late at night.

Based on interviews with a number of staffers, campaign workers and top Democratic officials in Congress, it appears Mahoney ignored warnings since last year about what now appears to have been multiple extra-marital relationships.

This Martin County official is a different woman than the former staffer whose $121,000 payout was confirmed by Mahoney himself.

Now, far be it from me to note that Democratic sexual scandals of late have been of the heterosexual variety, while most of the Republicans (Mark Foley, Larry Craig, Blowin' Bob Allen) similarly situated have been pursuing people of their own gender. Not that there's anything wrong with that ... provided you are open about it and don't vote or speak out against, say, every gay rights bill that comes up for debate. But, I digress ...

I'm not a huge Mahoney fan. He swept into office in the aftermath of the Mark Foley scandal two years ago, taking over what had been a safe Republican district, Florida's 16th. But once in office, Mahoney showed that he was anything but progressive, voting along with the Bush crime syndicate on numerous occasions and even refusing to endorse Barack Obama for president (the only statement I've heard him make on the subject was rather tepid support if you ask me). Still, he's in the process of punting a seat that didn't have to be punted, and that's disappointing from the Democratic perspective. Sounds like the Dems are going to throw him under the bus, too, since they can afford to lose him with the huge majorities they're going to win on Election Day ...

Here's where I stand: if Mahoney used his sexual liaisons for political gain, as he allegedly did with this thus-far-unnamed Martin County official, then he needs to resign. That's unacceptable from either side of the aisle. But if it turns out that he simply had affairs, outside the scope of his public service, then I believe that's a matter best left between him and his family, particularly his wife. The difference with Foley, Craig et al. is their hypocrisy -- behaving one way while voting (and saying) the opposite. I don't see hypocrisy (unless there's abuse of power) in the Mahoney situation -- I just see a complete dumbass.

(Speaking of dumbasses, what is it about wingnut protestors, like those pictured at left outside Mahoney's Stuart office today, that makes them so stupid? "Your Fired?" Reminds me of the "Morans" guy ... I guess right-wingers just are not very smart.)

So, congratulations to Florida's 16th Congressional District. Looks like you get to pick between a serial adulterer and a millionaire gambling fiend. Good luck with that.

Laughable letters to the editor

There were a couple of doozies today in the Palm Beach Post, my local fishwrap.

For example, enjoy this gem from Dr. Donald W. McKinnon, who hastens to remind us that although he's from Riviera Beach, he's from the Singer Island (i.e., the wealthy and predominately white) part of Riviera Beach. Thanks for emphasizing that for us, Doc ...

When did this become a godless country? Why did the "In God We Trust" disappear from the new dollar coin, and now the new one-cent coin? Why are we doing nothing about this?

Is there no accountability left in our government? Regardless of the religion, be it Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, or any other of the numerous faiths in our country, they all acknowledge a god. This country was founded on the principles of religion. Who had the authority to change the coinage to eliminate the "In God We Trust?" The time has come to pinpoint accountability, and stand up for what we hold precious.

DR. DONALD W. McKINNON
Riviera Beach (Singer Island)

When did this become a godless country, you ask? Oh, around 1788, I'd say.

Don't scoff, Dr. McKinnon! It's common knowledge that the vast majority of the Founders were not Christians, and indeed, several were deists or just didn't believe in a "higher power" of any kind. Ever heard of Thomas Jefferson? Yep -- not a Christian.

See, the Constitution they drafted (yes, I understand you right-wing idiots don't follow the Constitution anymore, but just bear with me for the sake of argument) expressly states that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion ...." In other words ... we've always been godless, at least as a nation. Thanks to the rest of that clause, "... or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," you can worship as you wish. But it's true -- America is godless. Suck. On. That.

Oh, and "this country was founded on principles of religion?" Where did you read that? Guideposts? There's not a shred of truth in that. Yes, there are ethical principles in our form of government (or were, before your heroes in the Bush crime syndicate took office) that are derived from or have cognates in Judeo-Christian beliefs, but to say the United States of America was "founded on principles of religion" is to ignore all responsible and respectable scholarship -- including first-hand accounts -- of the creation of our nation.

Thank you, Dr. McKinnon ... please drive through.

The next nugget comes from Charles Lyday of Boca Raton, who criticizes Rep. Tim Mahoney (D-Fla.) for some recent discrepancies concerning his residence:

U.S. Rep. Tim Mahoney's residency issues sound like another politician's recent sorry story. Did Rep. Mahoney, D-Palm Beach Gardens, learn the same dignity, ethics, honor and values as Rep. Robert Wexler, D-Delray Beach?

Mr. Lyday, for the sake of our country and the 16th District of Florida, I hope the answer to your question is a resounding yes. If Mahoney and others learned from the example of Robert Wexler, one of the most forceful, vigilant, and honorable liberals in Congress*, then I'd be delighted.

Where do they find these morons to write such drivel?

---

* Rep. Wexler's disappointing vote for the massive government bailout of big business notwithstanding ...

Palm Beach County is campaign central in the next two weeks

We're going to be playing host to two people with diametrically opposed viewpoints in the next couple of weeks, as Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden and Drunky McStagger himself come to town.

First, Biden is here right now doing a town hall meeting in Deerfield Beach (in Broward County) before going on to a similar event in West Palm Beach this evening. (Unfortunately, I don't think I can attend because of prior commitments.)

However, next week -- September 12, to be exact -- if he's not exhausted from all of his 9/11 celebrations, Drunky will be in Palm Beach Gardens to campaign for congressional candidate Tom Rooney.

The event is scheduled for the home of John and Holly Boswell in Palm Beach Gardens.

To allow contributions larger than the $2,300 federal limit to a candidate, the event is raising money for something called the Florida 16 Victory Trust, a joint effort that also includes the Republican National Committee and the National Republican Congressional Committee.

Boy, that Rooney is brave, given that he's trying to unseat Democratic incumbent Tim Mahoney in Mark Foley's old district. I mean, at a time when most Republicans -- hell, even the GOP convention itself -- are running away from Drunky, Rooney embraces him and all of his failed policies. Heckuva job, Tommy.

Jefferson-Jackson Day: members of Congress

First up, Rep. Robert Wexler (D-Fla.): I have the privilege of serving as co-chair for the Obama campaign in Florida. We are doing something extraordinary for our country; we are about to have a landslide victory for Democrats that starts right here in Florida. We need to bring our troops home from Iraq. But I want to talk to those of you who worked your hearts out to elect Sen. Hillary Clinton as the Democratic presidential nominee.

In her speech last Saturday, she asked her passionate supporters to join her in supporting Barack Obama to bring universal health care ... the truth is that those of you who supported Sen. Clinton are in many ways the most important people in this room. We understand how emotional and passionate you are. So now is the time for us to join together as a family of Democrats to bring the type of change to Washington that is so desperately needed. And you supporters of Sen. Clinton will help us reach out to disaffected Republicans, to independents, and bring us victory in November!

Thurman: In 2006, all of us worked hard on the campaigns of the next two men, even when the odds were long ... we stood with them and now they stand with us. Klein and Mahoney have pursued progressive legislation ... and we can't afford a third Bush term with John McCain. We need a change. Ron Klein -- Politico's Freshman of the Year -- is up now.

Klein: you are the heart and soul of our party. You get up every day fighting for the values that make us Americans. I see here tonight many good friends who helped us defeat 26-year incumbent Clay Shaw. It didn't come easy, and with your effort, you helped Tim Mahoney and me join the Democratic majority in Congress.

We are working for renewable energy ... health care for returning veterans ... an update of the GI Bill. But there is so much more to do ... and with President Barack Obama, we can bring an end to the Bush era. We can begin a safe and responsible withdrawal from Iraq. We can make sure every American has affordable access to health care. And we can return America to its position as a leader in the world. This will take hard work, but we will fight back every step of the way and I know we can do it -- let's take our country back!

Tim Mahoney next: thanks to our great Democratic Party, we are poised to make history. I'm proud to be a Florida Democrat. Eight years ago we were prosperous, we eliminated a dictator without a single casualty, and you could buy a gallon of gas for $1.50. Today we have a ruined economy and an ongoing war in Iraq ... we need to restore our values, which our veterans fought and died for. I'm proud to be part of a party that fulfills our founders' promise that all men are created equal. I'm proud that our party has the courage to nominate a man who inspires our youth and expresses our courage. America needs Barack Obama not because he's a Democrat but because he's right on all the issues, and John McCain simply is not. Tonight I call on the DNC to heal the rifts and seat Florida's delegation with full rights.

Next up: Sen. Bill Nelson. [I just yelled "we need a primary challenger!" I got a few looks my way ... heh.] Nelson: what a great privilege it was for me to stand up and fight for Florida so that we would be seated at the Democratic National Convention ... and I suspect that Sen. Obama will make it a whole vote for our delegation by the time it's all said and done.

Now Sen. Nelson introduces the keynote speaker, Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell.

Democrats ♥ Charlie Crist

You know, I've got mixed feelings about this Crist fella. He sure sounds like a Democrat sometimes, and he definitely has a lot of Democratic fans ...

First off, Gov. Crist has a proposal for creating a broad-based, low-cost health insurance program that significantly would expand coverage for children. And you know it's probably a good proposal, because the insurers don't like it.

His proposal for cheap health insurance would eliminate all of the 50-plus mandates now required, such as including chiropractors and acupuncturists in any coverage. The plans would be required to guarantee coverage to all uninsured Floridians age 19 to 64. Crist said the cost would be $150 a month.

Insurers disagree. Randy Kammer, a government relations expert for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida, said, "We applaud the opportunity to have that flexibility" of eliminating mandates, but she feared only the sick who couldn't get other coverage would buy into the plan, creating a high-risk pool that the cheap premiums couldn't cover.

Crist also proposed spending $63.9 million over the next three years to create a pilot partnership with hospitals, county health departments and healthcare providers to support primary care services in neighborhoods with high rates of uninsured.

Coverage of children would be expanded in two ways:

• By removing the "full-pay cap" in the Florida KidCare program, all uninsured children in the state, regardless of family income level, could become eligible for insurance through the state program, with parents paying a sliding scale premium based on income level.

• The state would require insurers to allow nonstudent dependents, who generally lose coverage at 19, to stay on their parents' policies until they are 30.

This is a decent start. It's too bad it's just lip service, since the likelihood of any even marginally positive insurance proposal passing the wingnut-dominated Florida legislature is roughly equal to that of Mike Huckabee admitting that humans didn't co-exist with dinosaurs. Moreover, it's certainly not ideal (which, in my opinion, is a single-payer system that insures everyone), as some health care experts point out:

Becky Cherney, president of the Florida Health Care Coalition, a Central and South Florida employer health group, had another reaction to the governor's plan. "Everyone needs a good laugh once in a while," said Cherney. She said the governor deserves credit for trying. But she's skeptical that without state funding the plan will make a big dent in the numbers of uninsured Floridians.

For one thing, skimpy health insurance policies rarely attract many buyers because they don't think the coverage is valuable, said Paul Gionfriddo, a national expert on the uninsured and CEO of the West Palm Beach-based Quantum Foundation. "Stripped-down plans that don't cover the things people need most often are of limited value to people with chronic health conditions who have greater needs," he said.

But I guess for now, we'll take what we can get.

Meanwhile, a lot of Democrats really, really like Gov. Crist (have they forgotten about his zealous support of Amendment 1 and of Huggy Bear?) ...

"I'm looking forward to working with you well into the future in whatever level of politics you attain," said state Sen. Dave Aronberg, D-Greenacres. Aronberg, who gave one of the speeches introducing Crist, called him "the nicest man in politics."

"I'm a big fan of Charlie," U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler, D-Delray Beach, said in a prerecorded introduction. "He has kept his promise to put the people of Florida first and politics second. ... The civility that Charlie Crist brings to politics in Florida is a model to the nation."

The taped Wexler was introduced by freshman U.S. Rep. Tim Mahoney, D-Palm Beach Gardens, who appeared in person.

Okay, I'll admit that Crist is much better than his predecessor. Then again, so is anal leakage.

Look, I'm more than willing to give Crist credit for his efforts to be less doctrinaire about his conservatism ... but as long as he ties himself to Warmonger McCain and as long as he keeps that "R" beside his name, I'm going to resist smooching his ass for now.

Propaganda

Yesterday in the Palm Beach Post, a full-page ad appeared on page 5A. Featuring a photograph of a young Iraq War veteran in a wheelchair, the text reads as follows:

An open letter to Congressman [Tim] Mahoney [(D-Fla.)]
and Speaker Pelosi
From Sergeant
Andrew Robinson

It is becoming more apparent every day that we are making real and significant progress in Iraq. Violence is dropping dramatically, casualties are way down and stability is becoming a reality.

Yet sadly, some in Congress seem more interested in playing politics than achieving victory. They seem determined to abandon Iraq's emerging democracy, forsake America's vital strategic interests and provide Al Qaeda with its first victory since 9/11.

An American pullout would create instability in Iraq and allow it to become a breeding ground for terrorists. I made a great sacrifice to help defeat terrorism in Iraq ... and I would do it again.

It is time for Congress to show resolve, to put aside politics and to unite behind victory.

-- Andrew Robinson
Iraq Veteran, U.S. Marine Corps

Congressman Tim Mahoney
Florida -- Congressional District 16
[office phone numbers and address]

STOP PLAYING POLITICS
FUND THE TROOPS

www.freedomswatch.org

It is difficult to know where to begin in terms of addressing the outright inaccuracies and exaggerations that imbue nearly every word of this ad. The only evidence of reduced violence and casualties comes from the White House and the corporate-controlled media. As for "playing politics," that's insulting -- the Republicans and Drunky McStagger have been playing politics with Iraq since September of 2001, if not before. The strategy of blaming the Democrats in Congress (of course, they never say "Democrats," but it's rather obvious, don't you think?) is understandable from a propagandist perspective, but it's entirely inaccurate. In fact, if anything, the Democrats via their ineffective leadership have enabled Drunky and his minions to carry on the illegal "war" in Iraq and, perhaps, to extend it to Iran as well.

"Emerging democracy?" Again, a statement with no basis in fact. The government of Iraq, such as it is, is as fractured and sectarian as ever, if not more so, and it's constantly teetering on the precipice of collapse. "Forsak[ing] America's vital strategic interests," of course, can refer only to one thing: oil. There is no other particular "strategic interest" for us there. And the reference to Al Qaeda is simply absurd: there is no connection between the so-called "al-Qaeda in Iraq" group and the Osama bin Laden-led al-Qaeda group responsible for the 9/11 attacks. Other than taking advantage of instability in Iraq that the U.S. created, it has been common knowledge for years that al-Qaeda has no interests, strategic or otherwise, in Iraq.

This, of course, leads to the next sentence: "An American pullout would create instability in Iraq and allow it to become a breeding ground for terrorists." News flash: it's already an unstable breeding ground for terrorists. And the reason it is that way is because of America's foolish, misguided, and poorly executed invasion and occupation of Iraq. In short, America is itself responsible for the existing instability, and the influx of terrorism in Iraq (to the extent that there is an influx) is solely the result of American interference there.

What a shame that this "Freedom's Watch" group, led by former Drunky McStagger shill Ari Fleischer, chooses to spew such utterly false and misleading propaganda. And what a further shame that so many Americans delusionally believe it. It's disgusting.

To the Post's credit, they printed an explanatory article in today's paper:

Similar ads around the country try to apply political pressure to six other first-term Democrats who also represent competitive congressional districts. Mahoney was narrowly elected last year on the heels of the Mark Foley scandal in a district that has more Republicans than Democrats.

Mahoney, a critic of President Bush's handling of the war, voted in May to impose a timetable for withdrawing troops from Iraq. After Bush vetoed it, Mahoney and the Democratic leadership joined Republicans in voting for an Iraq appropriations bill that didn't include the withdrawal timetable.

Most congressional Democrats - including local Democratic U.S. Reps. Ron Klein, Robert Wexler and Alcee Hastings - continued to support withdrawal deadlines and opposed the $120 billion spending bill.

Another vote on Iraq spending is expected soon and, with it, arguments over setting withdrawal timetables or goals are likely.

Freedom's Watch was founded this year by former Bush White House spokesman Ari Fleischer and is backed by a group of conservative donors. Its president is Bradley Blakeman, a former deputy assistant to President Bush.

There is no honor in this ad. Fleischer's group pointedly tells war opponents (read: Democrats) to "stop playing politics," yet they target the ad to reach constituents of seven first-term Democrats whom they deem vulnerable in 2008?

Who's really playing politics with the lives of our soldiers?

Pelosi! (this time I mean it)

Extended standing ovation. Pelosi begins by speaking extemporaneously in praise of Thurman.

Indeed, Pelosi acknowledges her anniversary and thanks Florida for sending three new Dems to Congress and for helping take back Congress for the American people! (She's off script! Cut her mic! ;) )

Mahoney began working on a disaster insurance fund ... Klein is working on Social Security. Mentions Castor too. Also says she wished Christine Jennings could have joined them (again, not on script - Pelosi is a remarkable speaker ... especially when you consider what happens when Drunky McStagger speaks off script!) ...

Pelosi is recognizing each member of the Fla. Democratic congressional delegation individually. She also recognizes Sink and Davis plus state legislators ... and big applause for Janet Reno.

"What is it like to be the first woman Speaker?," she asks herself. "It's absolutely fabulous!" And now she goes on script. I'll let the speech speak for itself when I post it. I'm trying to take pictures now!

Pelosi!

After the conclusion of tonight's dinner, I'll post the full text of the Speaker's speech. So, in these threads (until my battery dies), I'll give you less speech and more the intangibles ... crowd reaction, descriptive stuff, etc.

Thurman introduces Pelosi. "2 years ago in this very room the press wrote us off. But tonight we celebrate you and your success. This is your party." We made Sen. Harry Reid majority leader and re-elected every member of our congressional delegation plus added two Dems from Repub districts [Mahoney & Klein].

You won the Hispanic vote for the first time in 30 years!

Joining us tonight is a symbol of our success: Pelosi. All I can think of is Boehner's reaction when he gave her the gavel, said Thurman to laughter and applause.

20 years ago today, Pelosi was sworn into Congress, says Thurman. (Really?) And she's spending the anniversary with us!

Another challenger opts out of race in FL-22

Whether it's Ron Klein's strength as a freshman congressman or merely a dearth of Republicans itching to take him on, something is keeping the challengers at bay here in Florida's 22nd congressional district (a/k/a the Most Gerrymandered District in America).

The latest to decline to take Klein on is popular Boca Raton mayor Steven Abrams.

“I have decided not to be a candidate for Congress,” the mayor said in an emailed statement. “This was a most difficult decision for me. I want to thank all those who encouraged me to run and made very generous commitments of support.”

“As the citizens of Boca Raton know, I love public service,” he said. “But I love my family more. Unfortunately, running for Congress is an eighteen-month, full-time commitment, compounded by my law firm's policy of not allowing its attorneys to run for Congress.”

“I have two children fast approaching college age, and while I certainly have my own dreams, I also have to consider making sure my children have the opportunity to fulfill their dreams,” he added.

He said he will serve the remainder of his term – which runs out March 31, 2008, “with enthusiasm, and look forward to continuing to play a meaningful role in the public arena in the future.”

So far, the only Republican to file candidacy papers is Marc Flagg, who according to the linked article "is a former Navy pilot who is now a flight engineer for United Parcel Service. He is also president of the Passenger Cargo Security Group, which promotes airline security." Hmmm ...

I'm sure someone will come forward to sacrifice his or her political future against Rep. Klein, who unlike his neighbor Tim Mahoney of the 15th District actually has shown some balls in Congress. Until then, though, it's good to see another potential challenger decide to bow out.

[ED. NOTE: Yes, I'm still alive, but my energy was really, really low the last few days. I never even got online over the weekend, save for Friday when I stayed home from work and wrote only a brief post. Stay tuned, though, as Blast Off! returns to health and snark.]

Like moths around a porch light (and other colorful metaphors)

You know, I've always thought Florida was weird -- after all, we've got a dead reality show icon, a crazed astronaut, and election snafus a-plenty ... and Krazy Kitty Harris With Her Two Friends ... but the GOP around here is doing its best to up the Freaky Factor.

The Republicans are absolutely salivating at the chance to go after Ron Klein and Tim Mahoney in FL-22 and FL-16, respectively. They are convinced that the Democratic victories were merely aberrations and the districts, formerly held by Clay Shaw (22) and Mark Foley (16), will be back in GOP hands "where they belong." Sounds like someone's been dipping into the happy juice just a little too much ...

Check out this "stellar" lineup of potential opponents for Mahoney (and don't miss the keynoter!):

After months of GOP talk about recapturing the congressional seats won by Democrats Tim Mahoney and Ron Klein in November, Palm Beach County Republicans will see firsthand how much - or how little - early progress has been made at Saturday's $275-and-up Lincoln Day dinner.

As one of the warm-up acts to keynoter Ann Coulter, county Republican Chairman Sid Dinerstein plans to offer brief microphone time to four potential 2008 candidates for the Mahoney seat: state Rep. Gayle Harrell, R-Stuart; attorney and Pittsburgh Steelers ownership scion Tom Rooney; attorney and unsuccessful 2006 state House candidate Rob Siedlecki; and Palm Beach Gardens City Councilman Hal Valeche.

I think Harrell probably has the inside track at the nomination. Rooney's rich but inexperienced, Siedlecki can't even win on the state level, and Valeche is going to have problems running outside of the Gardens. I don't think Mahoney's going to have much trouble with any of them, though.

And I'm not even going to comment on the ironic fact that Coulter's the keynoter for Lincoln Day. Somehow I don't think the views of her hero, Joseph McCarthy, square very well with those of Abraham Lincoln. Besides, you would think she'd want to straighten out her little legal problems before going out in public again. Blecch. (Oops. I guess I did comment after all.)

Meanwhile, in my home district of FL-22, things are quieter ... but get a load of who's considering a run:

The Republican showing the most interest so far in challenging Klein is a Connecticut resident, attorney Alan Schlesinger, who garnered 10 percent in last year's U.S. Senate race against independent Joe Lieberman and Dem Ned Lamont. Schlesinger, who says he's spent time regularly in Palm Beach County for years and is considering a move here from the Nutmeg State, is expected to be at the Lincoln Day dinner.

Are you fuckin' kidding me? Alan Schlesinger? Just what we need in my district -- a carpetbagger, and a loser one at that. Dude, if you can't beat Joe "My Lips Are Planted Firmly on Dubya's Ass" Lieberman, you won't beat Ron Klein. Alan, you really should reconsider your political career ...

Hey, GOP, news flash: it wasn't a fluke that you lost in '06, and if you think '08's going to be any better, well, you might want to do a little more research. Klein and Mahoney are here to stay ... bitchez!!

In other news, Christmas decorations are up in September

Barely have the voting machines cooled off, and they're already talking about 2008:

"My advice to Tim Mahoney would be to rent your place in Washington, because you're going to be one of the top Republican targets," said D.C.-based consultant Todd Harris, who handled communications duties on Negron's five-week campaign.

Negron seems to be the GOP's leading 2008 contender, if he wants a rematch.

Okay, so one of Negron's consultants is threatening a rematch already. Nice. If "bring it on" weren't such a loaded phrase, I'd suggest Mahoney say exactly that.

Interesting who's on the short list to challenge Mahoney and Ron Klein in '08:

State Rep. Gayle Harrell, R-Port St. Lucie, has shown interest in the past. Jupiter attorney Tom Rooney, whose family owns the Pittsburgh Steelers, is another possibility for either Mahoney's or Klein's seat.

Klein presents a tougher challenge for the GOP after he unseated 26-year Republican U.S. Rep. Clay Shaw in a hard race for a soft Republican district. Klein raised $4.1 million as a challenger and will be harder to beat as a majority-party incumbent in a presidential year in a district that votes for Dems for president.

When it was assumed Shaw would leave on his own terms, Republican names bandied about as potential successors included Boca Mayor Steven Abrams, state Sen. Jeff Atwater and state Reps. Ellyn Bogdanoff, Carl Domino and Adam Hasner. They continue to be worth watching as potential Klein challengers, but Atwater and Hasner would have to shelve leadership ambitions and Domino staggered to reelection Tuesday. Wealthy young Delray activist Nick Loeb is another potential candidate.

Hasner and Abrams are popular and could present a decent challenge, although I don't know whether Abrams is well enough known outside Boca Raton.

Still, let's let Mahoney and Klein do their jobs in Congress, and turn off the drumbeats for a year or so, shall we?

Sign, sign, everywhere a sign

According to a Florida appeals court, signs will be permitted at 16th Congressional District polling places informing voters that a vote for Mark Foley is in fact a vote for Joe Negron.

The ruling is actually a compromise from a lower court decision that signs stating only that Negron is in for Foley would be unfair and improper electioneering. The appellate decision, which the Democratic Party and the campaign of Tim Mahoney will not challenge, states that the Negron for Foley change can be stated, but it must also state (somewhat redundantly, I suppose) that a vote for Mahoney is a vote for Mahoney, and a vote for independent candidate Emmie Ross is a vote for Ross.

Now, let's get on with the show.

More from Foley-gate: Court rules signs regarding substitute candidate cannot be posted at polling places

In a political victory for Democratic congressional candidate Tim Mahoney, a Florida circuit court ruled yesterday that signs reminding voters that a vote for Mark Foley is in fact a vote for GOP replacement candidate Joe Negron would not be permitted at polling places.

Naturally, the GOP will appeal, but the court correctly decided that such signs would constitute improper electioneering in violation of state law. I agree with the Democratic Party attorney:

In an attempt to remain neutral the proposed signs would say Mahoney and unaffiliated candidate Emmie Ross each also would get the votes cast for them. Democratic Party lawyer Mark Herron, though, argued the signs still would be political.

"That type of notice favors the Republican candidate," Mark Herron said at a hearing earlier Wednesday. "There's no need to state that a vote for Mahoney is a vote for Mahoney."

Herron said the signs amount to campaign materials, which state law prohibits from being distributed or displayed within 100 feet of any polling place.

The GOP plans to appeal. Stay tuned.

U.S. State Department engages in improper electioneering

Yesterday, U.S. citizens in Iraq received an e-mail from the State Department advising them that Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.) has resigned ... and notifying any overseas citizens registered to vote in the 16th Congressional District of Florida that although Foley's name will remain on the ballot, a vote for Foley is in fact a vote for his Republican replacement, state Rep. Joe Negron.

"Foley's name will remain on the ballot for both absentee and regular ballots," the e-mail reads. "Any votes cast for Foley will count toward the total of the substitute candidate."

Officials from the campaign for Negron's Democratic challenger, Tim Mahoney, are livid over the correspondence, saying it is a Republican ploy to maintain the GOP stronghold in Congress.

"Here they go again -- Karl Rove and his crowd are interfering with another Florida election," said Charles Halloran, a spokesman for the Mahoney campaign.

But Negron scoffs at those accusations, saying it is only fair that absentee voters overseas be informed of the unusual twist in the election to fill the district seat.

"It's important that people -- all over -- know how their vote is going to be counted," he said. "Their votes are just as important as our votes."

The e-mail began as a news release from the Department of Defense's Federal Voting Assistance Program, which is responsible for advising U.S. citizens abroad regarding their right to vote. However, given that a legal opinion already determined that written notices of the candidate substitution could not be included with mailed absentee ballots, doesn't the e-mail essentially do the same thing?

Perhaps this is much ado about nothing, but we have seen time and time again that the Bush "Administration" is willing to flout the law for its own ends. In a volatile political atmosphere where you would expect the Bushistas to avoid even the appearance of impropriety, this suggests either they aren't paying attention or they just don't care.

Either way, this is yet another way to keep the Foley cause celebre in the headlines ... and in the minds of voters.