Crist’s double standard for Sansom?
by Michael C. Bender | October 6th, 2009UPDATE: Crist’s office says the state received a check today for $310,000 from Northwest Florida State College. That’s the balance of the $6 million the school was supposed to receive.
“Anyone is innocent until proven guilty,” Republican Gov. Charlie Crist said today when asked about a Leon County judge’s decision to dismiss key charges against former House Speaker Ray Sansom.
But Crist saw no problem between that statement and his own decision earlier this year to demand the college involved in Sansom’s trial return the $6 million in question.
Crist said his decision was appropriate and pointed out the entire case against Sansom has not been dismissed.
“There are more outstanding issues as I understand,” Crist said.
Asked if state Attorney General Bill McCollum should appeal the judge’s decision, Crist said, “that’s up to the attorney general.”
“I got enough on my plate,” he said.
Sansom is accused of falsifying the state budget to essentially funnel $6 million to a Republican Party benefactor to build him a private jet hanger. Sansom has maintained his innocence, insisting that the money was for an emergency training center for Northwest Florida State College.
The college’s president at the time, Bob Richburg, later gave Sansom a six-figure job. Sansom has since resigned that job and Richburg has been fired (but Richburg is fighting his termination).
Judge Terry Lewis on Monday dismissed official misconduct charges against Sansom, Richburg and GOP donor Jay Odom. Sansom also had a perjury charge dismissed. (Here’s the story about the decision from the St. Petersburg Times, whose reporting led to the charges against Sansom.)
A House panel investigating an ethics complaint against Sansom has a meeting scheduled for Wednesday.
This item was originally posted at 2:05 p.m.
Tags: public corruption, Ray Sansom
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October 7th, 2009 at 7:36 am
By “enough on my plate” the governor really means – “I am too busy campaigning for senator to be bothered with anything else.
October 7th, 2009 at 7:49 am
Once the debates begin its all over for Crist.
Sink is always quiet on important issues. Where was she on the Mortgage Fraud problems in Florida. The ex bank official was totally mum as Floridians lost their residences to bank corruption at the highest financial levels.
McCollum wins by default unless another”Rubio” enters the fray
October 7th, 2009 at 7:51 am
Lets see now……Now, “No tax increases unless there is a public vote”. Ummm, that looks like a “fee increase” on the horizon!